Category: Corona Virus

The first case of coronavirus was reported in December 2019 in the Wuhan city of China as a pneumonia outbreak. Later, its root was traced to a novel strain of coronavirus. The outbreak of coronavirus infection soon spread to other provinces of the country, forcing the govt to lockdown dozen of cities with millions of people. Within weeks, the coronavirus spread outside of the country to other nations like South Korea, Iran, Italy, United States, India, Pakistan among others. The number of positive cases of novel coronavirus infection is increasing day-by-day all across the globe. Countries around the world have taken strict decisions to close the entry of foreigners, schools, colleges, gyms, clubs, cinema halls, malls and other public places to stop the spread of Covid-19. The novel coronavirus also knocked down the global financial markets with billions of dollars being wiped off in a matter of a few weeks.

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Coronavirus cases in India and World Live: Covid-19 India ...

What is the source of virus?

COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in people and may different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people and then spread between people. This occurred with MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, and now with the virus that causes COVID-19.

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Corona Virus News Corona Virus News Blog

The new coronavirus, which is called SARS-CoV-2, is mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets. If someone who has the virus talks, coughs, or sneezes, and you inhale these droplets, you can develop COVID-19.

Respiratory droplets that contain the virus can also land on various surfaces. Although its less common, the new coronavirus can also be transmitted through contact with a contaminated surface and then touching your nose, mouth, or eyes.

Because of this, theres been some concern about contracting the virus through food or food packaging.

However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risk of this happening is actually very low.

In this article, well take a closer look at whats known about contracting the coronavirus from food or food packaging, and the steps you can take to keep yourself safe.

Coronaviruses need living host cells in order to thrive. Unlike bacteria or fungi, they cannot multiply in or on food.

Its still possible for the coronavirus to be present on food. Indeed, some research thats currently in pre-print has found that the virus can survive on refrigerated or frozen meats for weeks.

However, the CDC notes that theres currently no evidence to support that the spread of COVID-19 is associated with food.

Additionally, taking appropriate food safety measures can help ensure that you dont get sick from food.

Proper food safety not only reduces the risk of contracting the virus, but it also prevents exposure to germs that can cause foodborne illnesses, such as salmonella, E. coli, and listeria.

Lets explore some food safety tips that can help protect you from contracting harmful germs including the new coronavirus from the food you eat.

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water both before and after handling food.

Its particularly important to wash your hands after handling raw food items like meat, poultry, and seafood.

Many foods have a safe minimum cooking temperature. This is the internal temperature that a food needs to be cooked to in order to kill potentially harmful germs like bacteria.

The safe minimum cooking temperature can vary by food type. Some examples of a safe minimum cooking temperature include:

Be sure to know the minimum cooking temperature for your food prior to cooking it. You can measure a foods internal temperature by using a food thermometer.

Because germs can be found on the surface of fresh produce, its important to rinse these items thoroughly before eating them.

To do this, gently rub the surface of the produce while its under cold running water. For firm produce like potatoes or apples, you can use a clean brush with no soap to help you gently scrub the surface.

Avoid using soap, bleach, or disinfectants to clean fresh produce. These can be harmful to you if you ingest them.

Some foods need to be refrigerated or frozen. Store these items at the proper temperature as soon as possible. Bacteria can grow on or in these items if theyre allowed to sit out at room temperature.

If frozen foods need to be thawed before cooking, make sure to do so safely. Safe ways to thaw frozen foods include in the refrigerator, under cold water, and by using your microwave.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been no cases of COVID-19 that have been associated with food packaging or shopping bags.

However, its possible that the new coronavirus can survive on these surfaces.

In fact, studies have been performed on how long the new coronavirus can survive on several different surfaces. Some of these include common food packaging materials, such as:

Its important to remember that these studies were done in standardized laboratory conditions. If the virus is present on food packaging, its likely to be in small amounts and will also be sensitive to conditions like temperature and humidity.

Overall, the new coronavirus doesnt survive well outside of the human body. Because of this, wiping down your groceries isnt typically necessary.

Follow these tips to stay as safe as possible while handling food packaging:

Aside from food and food packaging, you may be concerned about restaurant food. This can include food that you eat while dining in person or youve ordered through takeout and delivery services.

During the pandemic, restaurants have taken steps to limit the spread of COVID-19 through food preparation by putting certain safety measures in place, such as:

While its not impossible to be exposed to the new coronavirus from food thats been cooked or handled by another individual, its still unlikely.

Nevertheless, it remains important to be safe when ordering food.

Lets look at how to do this.

Even though restaurants have implemented many safety measures, it doesnt mean that going out to eat is risk-free.

In fact, a CDC study found that people who have tested positive for COVID-19 were twice as likely to have recently visited a restaurant.

So how can you protect yourself if you do choose to dine out?

Follow the pointers below:

There are also steps you can take to stay safe when ordering takeout and delivery. Heres a look at what you can do.

Its not known how long the new coronavirus can survive in water. A 2008 study on another human coronavirus found that virus levels decreased by 99.9 percent after 10 days in room-temperature-filtered tap water.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), tap water is safe. You can continue to use it as you always have for drinking, washing, and cooking.

Prior to reaching you, tap water is treated at a water treatment plant. This treatment uses filters, disinfectants, and UV light to get rid of potentially harmful germs, including the new coronavirus.

However, the virus has been detected in other types of water, including non-potable water, wastewater, and river water. Because of this, its important to use caution around these types of water sources.

In addition to the food safety measures weve discussed, the following tips can help keep the coronavirus out of your home:

The risk of getting the new coronavirus from surfaces including food or food packaging is very low. While the virus can be present on these items, taking preventive steps can help greatly reduce your risk for exposure.

These preventive steps include washing your hands after handling food or its packaging, and cooking foods to the appropriate temperature. When ordering from a restaurant, focus on locations that are taking preventive steps, such as using contactless services.

While tap water is safe to drink, its best to use caution with other water sources, like wastewater and river water, as the virus has been detected in these sources.

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Can the Coronavirus Live on Food and Food Packaging? - Healthline

Stat: 30 percentAccording to the Pew Research Center, 30% of Americans dont intend to get a coronavirus vaccination.

Story: Theres a light appearing at the end of a long tunnel in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic: the emergence of effective vaccines to prevent its spread. Yet, even with a solution in sight, public trust is still a hurdlewith an infodemic of misinformation occurring alongside the pandemic. In this episode, we discuss the facts about the science of the vaccinesand the importance of communicating accurate information to the publicwith Dr. Rebecca Wurtz, infectious disease physician and associate professor at the University of Minnesotas Division of Health Policy and Management.

Growing Share of Americans Say They Intend to Get a Coronavirus VaccineOr Already Have

Science Matters: Notes from the President

Why We Must Rebuild Trust in Science

As Pandemic Continues, More in U.S. and Europe Feel Major Impact on Their Lives

Conversations on Science

The Infodemic

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Misinformation and the Coronavirus Vaccines - The Pew Charitable Trusts

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Ohio moved a bit closer this week toward Gov. Mike DeWines benchmark for lifting coronavirus restrictions: a rate of 50 cases per 100,000 people. Its good progress, but the virus is still at high levels, and were not there yet.

Were discussing how far we have to go on This Week in the CLE.

Listen online here.

Editor Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with columnist Leila Atassi and politics editor Jane Kahoun.

Youve been sending Chris lots of thoughts and suggestions on our from-the-newsroom account, in which he shares what were thinking about at cleveland.com. You can sign up for free by sending a text to 216-868-4802.

Here are the questions were answering today:

Why did an appellate court rule unanimously that the man who shot and killed Tamir Rice will not get his job back as a Cleveland police officer?

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine set a threshold last week for when he will lift all coronavirus restrictions, so did we get any closer to that over the past week?

Is the woman who took to Facebook to criticize a nursing home where her mother lived before she died going to prison, as a Brook Park prosecutor wished?

What do the self-titled vaccine queens, who have helped so many people get appointments for coronavirus vaccines, think of the new centralized Ohio site for scheduling vaccinations?

What are some of the reasons Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine listed Thursday for why he will veto a bill that would severely restrict his powers to issue health orders to protect the public during pandemics?

Why does data guru Rich Exner, whose work helped get gerrymandering reform on the ballot a few years ago, have hope that the next redistricting will make Ohios representation in office look more like the voter breakdown by party in the state?

What is the tale of the jilted lover from Northeast Ohio accused of delivering a bomb that exploded in front of a rival suitor?

Want more? You can find all our past episodes here.

We have an Apple podcasts channel exclusively for this podcast. Subscribe here.

Do you get your podcasts on Spotify. Find us here.

If you use Stitcher, we are here.

RadioPublic is another popular podcast vehicle, and we are here.

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Ohio moves closer to the day when all coronavirus restrictions are lifted: This Week in the CLE - cleveland.com

During his first prime time address on Thursday night, President Biden directed states, tribes and territories to make all adults eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine by May 1, with the hopes that there can be some return to normalcy by the Fourth of July. We're mobilizing thousands of vaccinators to put the vaccine in one's arm, calling active-duty military, [Federal Emergency Management Agency employees], retired doctors and nurses, administrators, and those to administer the shots. And we've been creating more places to get the shots, Biden said. We've made it possible for you to get a vaccine at nearly oneany one of 10,000 pharmacies across the country...We're also working with governors and mayors in red states and blue states to set up and support nearly 600 federally supported vaccination centers that administer hundreds of thousands of shots per day.

While not specifically mentioning former President Trump or the Trump administration, Biden said, a year ago, we were hit with a virus that was met with silence and spread unchecked, and there were denials for days, weeks, then months, which led to more deaths, more infections, more stress and more loneliness. However, in that time we saw how much there was to gain in appreciation, respect and gratitude, he added. Here are some of the other recent headlines you might have missed.

Following Bidens signing of the $1.9 trillion COVID relief plan, Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Chair Michael Horowitz reiterated that his panels oversight efforts will continue. We are committed to promoting transparency and conducting aggressive oversight of the more than $5 trillion in pandemic response, he said in a statement. We appreciate the ongoing support from Congress and the administration of the [accountability committee] and its oversight mission. The committee received $40 million for its efforts, while the Government Accountability Office received $77 million and many agency inspectors general offices received funding allocations as well.

The first wave of people could start seeing their relief payments in their bank accounts as soon as this weekend, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during the briefing on Thursday. The Department of Treasury and the IRS are working hard to get relief payments out the door as fast as possible to the American people.

During the briefing Psaki also pushed back on Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts comments that the U.S.-Mexico border is completely open and suggestions that Customs and Border Protection officers arent getting vaccinated. There's no higher priority than the health and safety of our federal workforce, Psaki said. The Department of Homeland Security and CBP have been clear that currently more than 64,000 frontline DHS employees, including members of the U.S. Border Patrol, have received a vaccination. Additionally, Psaki said Abbott rejected the administration's proposal to fund testing for migrant families after he blamed, without evidence, migrants for the spread of the virus in his state, as CNN reported last week.

Andy Slavitt, White House senior adviser for COVID-19 response, said on Fox News on Thursday, I would absolutely tip my hat to the Trump administrations Operation Warp Speed, because it made sure that we got in record time a vaccine up and out. Thats a great thing and it's something we should all be excited about. This came a day after former President Trump released a statement saying if I wasnt president, you wouldnt be getting that beautiful shot for five years, at best, and probably wouldnt be getting it at all.

The New York Times looked at how many West Wing staffers are working very far from the West Wing due to coronavirus precautions and, as a result, are experiencing the realities first-hand theyre working to address. Some officials working from afar said they hoped to move to Washington by the summer, but they have no firm plans to do so, said the report. Anne Filipic, Mr. Bidens director of management and administration, said there were no immediate plans to bring a full staff back to the White House. She added that the administration would remain flexible with transition timelines given the unprecedented circumstances.

The Biden administration announced on Thursday it would provide nearly $2.5 billion to states and territories to address the mental illness and addiction crisis that the pandemic has worsened. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said funds would be made available through two grant options.

On Thursday, a group of bipartisan, bicameral lawmakers introduced a bill to extend the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program through May 31, as it is currently set to expire at the end of March. With the ongoing distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, but were not there yet, said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. That is why we need to extend the deadline for the PPP now. By extending the PPP, our bill would help our nations small employers retain access to forgivable PPP loans. The new COVID relief package allocated $7.25 billion for the program, but did not extend it.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is expected to issue new, temporary rules next week on decreasing the spread of coronavirus in workplaces, which could cause tensions with states and businesses reopening plans, Politico reported on Thursday. This would be in the form of a six-month emergency temporary coronavirus standard that unions and Democrats have sought since the pandemic began, said the report. Biden issued an executive order in January giving the agency until March 15 to decide on taking such action.

Upcoming: White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki will give a briefing at 12 p.m.

Help us understand the situation better. Are you a federal employee, contractor or military member with information, concerns, etc. about how your agency is handling the coronavirus? Email us at newstips@govexec.com

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Coronavirus Roundup: Relief Checks Coming as Early as This Weekend; A Bipartisan Effort to Extend Small Business Loan Program - GovExec.com

GREENSBORO, N.C. (WAVY) The No. 1 seed University of Virginia mens basketball team is out of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament due to a positive coronavirus test in the program.

UVa mens basketballs ACC Tournament semifinal game against Georgia Tech is canceled due to COVID-19 issues within UVAs program.

UVA (18-6), the No. 1 seed, was getting ready to play No. 4 seed Georgia Tech on Friday night in the semifinals.

In a statement, the ACC said UVA was out because of a positive test, subsequent quarantining, and contact tracing. UVA says the team is adhering to outlined protocols in the ACC Medical Advisory Group report.

Its unclear if the news will affect Virginias ability to play in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. In a release on Friday afternoon, UVA said their status was to be determined.

We went from an exhilarating game-winning shot to beat Syracuse to a gut punch regarding the positive COVID-19 test within our program. Im hurting for our players, especially our seniors, said head coach Tony Bennett. We are exhausting all options to participate in the NCAA Tournament.

This is incredibly disappointing for our players. They have done what has been asked of them in very challenging circumstances. said UVA athletic director Carla Williams. It is unfortunate the ACC Tournament has concluded for us, but we have turned our attention to the NCAA Tournament. We are in communication with the appropriate officials regarding our participation.

UVA topped No. 8 seed Syracuse on a buzzer-beater 3-pointer on Thursday.

Georgia Tech will now head to the title game, where it will face the winner of North Carolina/Florida State.

It comes a day after Duke announced it had coronavirus issues that ended up bumping the team from the ACC field and ending their season. Its the first time the Blue Devils have missed the NCAA Tournament since 1995.

Source on the ground at the ACC tournament: "Makes you wonder what we are doing tonight."

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UVA men out of ACC Tournament due to coronavirus issues, looking to still play in NCAA Tournament - WAVY.com

After looking into a claim made by Jeremy Lin that he was called "coronavirus" on the court, the G League has reportedly identified the player who said it, per The Athletic's Shams Charania. In a statement by a G League spokesperson, the league is planning to handle the matter internally, and won't publicly name the person who said it.

"We're handling this matter internally, a decision supported by Jeremy Lin. Lin has met with the player to discuss the escalating racism and violence toward Asian Americans, and the player understands the impact that hearing this comment had on Lin."

Lin previously said he wasn't going to "name or shame anyone" after making a post on Facebook detailing the racism he and the entire Asian American community is currently facing in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I know this will disappoint some of you but I'm not naming or shaming anyone," Lin said on Twitter. "What good does it do in this situation for someone to be torn down? It doesn't make my community safer or solve any of our long-term problems with racism... Fighting ignorance with ignorance will get us nowhere. Sharing our own pain by painting another group of people with stereotypes is NOT the way.

"Listen to the voices that are teaching us how to be anti-racist towards ALL people," Lin added. Hear other stories, expand your perspective. I believe this generation can be different. But we will need empathy and solidarity to get us there."

In his post on Facebook that outlined the racism he's dealt with in the past, Lin never specified when he was called coronavirus on the court, just that it happened, which led the G League to investigate the situation. He then went on to talk about how "this generation of Asian-Americans are tired of being told that we don't experience racism."

"We are tired of being told to keep our heads down and not make trouble. We are tired of Asian American kids growing up and being asked where they're REALLY from, of having our eyes mocked, of being objectified as exotic or being told we're inherently unattractive. We are tired of the stereotypes in Hollywood affecting our psyche and limiting who we think we can be. We are tired of being invisible, of being mistaken for our colleague or told our struggles aren't as real."

Lin's words have been met with support by those in the NBA, and President Joe Biden just condemned the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans in a nationally televised address Thursday evening, saying they've been "attacked, harassed, blamed and scapegoated."

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NBA G League identifies player who called Jeremy Lin 'coronavirus' and is handling situation internally - CBS Sports

By Cullen Browder, WRAL anchor/reporter, & Amanda Lamb, WRAL reporter

Raleigh, N.C. People with chronic health conditions that put them at higher risk from coronavirus, such as high blood pressure, obesity or diabetes, will soon be able to be vaccinated against the virus.

Gov. Roy Cooper announced Thursday that they, along with the homeless and prison inmates, will be eligible for vaccinations as of March 17, a week earlier than previously planned.

North Carolina is one of 13 states that hasn't yet started immunizing people with pre-existing conditions, but Cooper said the growing supply of vaccines makes it possible to include more people on the state's priority list.

The move marks the second time the state has accelerated its vaccination schedule in recent weeks, having earlier made front-line workers in key industries eligible on March 3 instead of March 10.

"Increased supply is one reason we're moving it up. Second, we've heard from some providers who want to go ahead and start opening this up," Cooper said during a news conference. "I think pretty much across the state we still have a lot more demand than we have supply."

North Carolina providers have administered more than 3 million shots to date, with 11.2 percent of residents statewide fully vaccinated. Another 6.9 percent have received at least one dose of either the Pfizer or the Moderna vaccine.

Some counties are already booking vaccination appointments for people in Group 4 with medical conditions, but Cooper's announcement is expected to move that process along even faster. Still, he noted, that opening up eligibility to new groups in the state priority list is a local decision, based on vaccine supply and demand for shots.

Onslow County is so far ahead of the curve that officials there are opening up appointments to all adults in the area whenever they have available doses so that they don't waste any of their weekly allotment of 1,800 doses.

Assistant County Manager Glenn Hargett said the county is following state guidance, and people in Groups 1 through 4 will still be given priority for appointments. Anyone outside those groups can call 910-989-5027 to get on a waiting list, and county staff will call them back for an appointment if slots open up so no doses will be left over, he said.

Wake County plans to open its online vaccination registration system to those in Group 4 affected by the governor's decision on or before March 17, spokeswoman Stacy Beard said.

"Weve been able to administer, on average, more than 10,000 first doses per week, so were optimistic about this progress through the eligible groups," Beard said in an email to WRAL News, noting people who have registered online are getting a scheduled vaccination appointment in less than a week, on average.

Durham County will allow Group 4 members to start signing up for appointments at noon Friday and will start vaccinating them on March 17, according to a news release.

People won't have to show proof of a health condition to register.

The remainder of Group 4, which includes other workers in key industries who aren't in front-line positions, will be eligible for vaccinations on April 7, officials said.

Carol Walker said she believes people with pre-existing medical conditions, including her husband, should not still be waiting for the vaccine.

"It's mind-numbing that we are not protecting our most vulnerable people in North Carolina," Walker said. "They are the most vulnerable patients for dying from COVID."

David Walker suffers from an auto-immune condition, cardiac issues and diabetes, and the couple has has to make hard decisions during the pandemic, such as staying away from their children and grandchildren.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified 12 pre-existing conditions that make people more vulnerable to COVID-19, including cancer, kidney disease, heart issues and diabetes.

"They're not following CDC guidelines. That is not what the CDC has recommended," said Carol Walker, who also is a nurse. "Obviously, in a couple of weeks, we may be out of the woods with this. But for me, it's looking back at how it was handled and treated, and it's, it's very upsetting to me."

Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, said officials tried to build their priority list by combining who was at highest risk from the virus with who was most exposed to a potential infection on a daily basis.

So, health care workers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities were placed in Group 1, people age 65 or older in Group 2 and teachers, police officers, supermarket workers and others in key front-line jobs in Group 3.

"There are levels of risk in all of this," Cohen said, adding that she recognizes the priority list doesn't have perfect cut-off points.

There are estimates that more than half of adults in North Carolina have at least one medical condition that puts them at risk for severe COVID-19 complications. Cohen explained at a news conference why people who are even slightly overweight get the same vaccination opportunities as those with cancer or diabetes.

"We are using the CDC guidance that looks at what are those conditions that put you at higher risk," she said. "They're not all equal, but we wanted to make sure that all of those that had some increased risk because of their underlying medical condition were able to get vaccinated in this next group."

"It's always hard to figure out who do you prioritize because somebody is going to be stepped in front of," said Dr. David Wohl, an infectious disease expert at UNC Health.

Almost every group on the vaccination priority list has opened up sooner than expected, Wohl noted. While the new timeline is promising, he said, vaccine remains in short supply.

"I am encouraged that we are on the cusp of really seeing us open up, and I think that's because there's going to be so many more doses of vaccine available," he said. "I think those people are really, really, really close to being able to sign up for a vaccine, but we need doses. We need supply. We still haven't seen that flood that we've been promised."

WRAL Eastern North Carolina reporter Indira Eskieva contributed to this report.

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People with health conditions can get coronavirus vaccination starting next week - WRAL.com

Kansas has withdrawn from the Big 12 men's basketball tournament following a positive COVID-19 test, the school announced Friday.

The Jayhawks were scheduled to face Texas in the Big 12 semifinals Friday; the Longhorns will advance to the championship game to play the winner of Baylor-Oklahoma State.

Kansas big men David McCormack and Tristan Enaruna missed the Big 12 tournament because of COVID-19 protocols, although coach Bill Self didn't specify whether either player tested positive for the virus or was out due to contact tracing. Neither player traveled with the team to Kansas City, Missouri.

Kansas will remain in Kansas City and continue to be tested daily in accordance with NCAA tournament protocols.

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"Obviously we are disappointed and our players are disappointed that they can't continue to compete for the Big 12 championship," Self said. "While we have been fortunate to avoid this throughout the season, there are daily risks with this virus that everybody participating is trying to avoid. We have followed the daily testing and additional protocols that have been set up for us, unfortunately we caught a bad break at the wrong time. I look forward to preparing my team in probably a unique way for next week's NCAA Tournament."

Kansas is the fourth team in the last two days to withdraw from a conference tournament because of COVID-19 issues, following Duke and Virginia in the ACC and No. 1 seed North Carolina A&T in the MEAC.

Virginia and Kansas could still play in the NCAA tournament, despite needing to show seven consecutive days of negative tests. Dan Gavitt, NCAA senior vice president of men's basketball, has said that a team just needs five healthy players to play in an NCAA tournament game. If neither the Cavaliers nor Jayhawks have a widespread COVID-19 outbreak and the rest of the team continues to test negative, both teams could be eligible to play in the NCAA tournament.

Saturday is the deadline for any team believing that it cannot meet the medical protocols to inform the Division I Men's Basketball Committee.

Virginia coach Tony Bennett said earlier Friday that the Cavaliers are "exhausting all options to participate in the NCAA Tournament."

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Kansas Jayhawks withdraw from Big 12 men's basketball tournament following positive coronavirus test - ESPN