Prelude <> Nov/Dec 2019 <> January 2020 <> February <> March <> April <> May <> June <> July <> August <> September <> Source Data
March 2020
Going through February timeline events it becomes clear that the excrement started to impact the rotary air-moving device in the later half of the month. At the beginning of March there are a number of developing timeline threads.
In March medical Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which includes N95 face masks, disposable rubber gloves and body covering, is increasingly short supply around the world. In the US, the shortage of PPE becomes apparent early in the month and the problem rapidly degenerates into what is called “a wild west free-for-all” of states bidding against each other on the open market. The federal government is largely absent from these bidding wars, but late in the month anecdotal reports start to surface that the federal government is “redirecting” shipments states have already purchased.
Meanwhile, President Trump continues to deny any problem, even as more senior advisors publicity sound alarms over the potential severity of the Coronavirus. While some Trump Administration advisors sound alarms, other advisors publicly downplay any threats stating “everything is under control,” while simultaneously warning selected insiders of serious negative pandemic impacts.”
The cruise ship industry has it’s own problems as Coronavirus cases are reported on their ships, which are then forced into quarantine with all passengers locked onboard. Then the Coronavirus makes an appearance on US Navy ships that are deployed away from the US.
This is all set against a backdrop of increasing global spread, increasing Coronavirus deaths, and increasing numbers of countries and US states desperately going into lock-down as a means of combating the virus. The global economy starts to collapse as financial people increasingly recognize the impact of a pandemic and unemployment mounts due to lock downs.
Global Cases: 87,137 | Global Deaths: 2,977 | Countries: 58
March 2


Global Cases: 88,948 | Global Deaths: 3,039 | Countries: 64
March 3





Global Cases: 90,869 | Global Deaths: 3,112 | Countries: 72
March 4




Global Cases: 93,091 | Global Deaths: 3,198 | Countries: 76
March 5



Global Cases: 95,324 | Global Deaths: 3,281 | Countries: 85
March 6



Global Cases: 98,192 | Global Deaths: 3,380 | Countries: 88
March 7



Global Cases: 101,927 | Global Deaths: 3,486 | Countries: 93
March 8


Global Cases: 105,586 | Global Deaths: 3,584 | Countries: 101
March 9





Global Cases: 109,577 | Global Deaths: 3,809 | Countries: 104
March 10



Global Cases: 113,702 | Global Deaths: 4,012 | Countries: 109
March 11






Global Cases: 118,319 | Global Deaths: 4,292 | Countries: 113
March 12






Global Cases: 125,260 | Global Deaths: 4,613 | Countries: 117
March 13






Global Cases: 132,758 | Global Deaths: 4,955 | Countries: 122
Global Cases: 142,534 | Global Deaths: 5,392 | Countries: 134
March 15






Global Cases: 153,517 | Global Deaths: 5,735 | Countries: 143
March 16





Global Cases: 167,515 | Global Deaths: 6,606 | Countries: 150
March 17




Global Cases: 179,111 | Global Deaths: 7,426 | Countries: 158
March 18






Global Cases: 191,127 | Global Deaths: 7,807 | Countries: 159
March 19







Global Cases: 209,839 | Global Deaths: 8,778 | Countries: 166
March 20






Global Cases: 234,073 | Global Deaths: 9,804 | Countries: 172
March 21




Global Cases: 266,073 | Global Deaths: 11,183 | Countries: 178
March 22







Global Cases: 292,142 | Global Deaths: 12,783 | Countries: 182
March 23



Global Cases: 332,930 | Global Deaths: 14,509 | Countries: 185
March 24







Global Cases: 372,755 | Global Deaths: 16,231 | Countries: 189
March 25



Global Cases: 413,467 | Global Deaths: 18,433 | Countries: 191
March 26



Global Cases: 462,684 | Global Deaths: 20,834 | Countries: 194
March 27






Global Cases: 509,164 | Global Deaths: 23,335 | Countries: 196
March 28





Global Cases: 571,659 | Global Deaths: 26,493 | Countries: 196
March 29




Global Cases: 634,813 | Global Deaths: 29,891 | Countries: 197
March 30






Global Cases: 693,282 | Global Deaths: 33,106 | Countries: 197
March 31










Global Cases: 750,890 | Global Deaths: 36,405 | Countries: 197
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Icon Symbols
Meaning of icons used in the main timeline narrative. All icons are linked to their source reference:General Information
Continuation of previous information, with a different reference
State-of-Emergency or Stay-At-Home Declared or Rescinded
Provides a video clip
Provides a pop-up information window
– Move your mouse over a boldened acronym, name, or term, used in this timeline for an Link for a Download File
Trump Twitter Tweets Defunct
This timeline cites a number of Twitter Tweets including those of then-President Trump. On January 8, 2021, Twitter deactivated President Trump’s Twitter account. This caused the citation links to become inactive.
Timeline Source Data File
I built this timeline from a set of working notes in spreadsheet format. At present, my working notes have 1247 news entries, in addition to other references that form my “Additional Reading” sidebar entries, and other source references. Not all these news items are published in this timeline, for various reasons. My notes are freely available under a Creative Commons license (BY SA) to any writer or researcher who finds this work useful.
Download File
Red Dawn Emails
The New York Times has published the entire “Red Dawn” email chain. The chain starts January 28 and continues through mid-March. Although some emails are heavily redacted, much of the material is readable and shows an incredible awareness among senior policy makers of the impending impact of the Coronavirus and increasing frustration with our government’s inaction.
I’ve made the email chain available as part of this timeline.
CDC Report to Congress
Congress asked the CDC for data on how the Coronavirus is affecting communities of color. The CDC sent back a report with links to its public website on the day it was due, March 15. The report is available here for download.
Download Document
CDC Report to Congress On Paycheck Protection Program And Health Care Enhancement Act Disaggregated Data On U.S. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Testing
PanCAP Adapted US Government COVID – 19 Response Plan
This plan outlines the United States Government (USG) coordinated federal response activities
for COVID -19 in the U.S., published March 13, 2020
Download File
Impact of Non-pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) to Reduce COVID-19 Mortality and Healthcare Demand
Researchers from four world health organizations including The Imperial College London assess remedial actions for reducing the spread of the Coronavirus absent a vaccine.
Download File
Coronavirus Task Force Briefings
Starting March 9 President Trump and key Members of his Coronavirus Task Force initiated near-daily press briefings which continued until April 27. These briefings provide important insight into White House actions during this time. As such, video feeds of the daily briefings lead each day’s events. I feel watching these briefings helps put President Trump’s remarks in context with other key events of the day.
Global Coronavirus Spread
First reported confirmed cases per country.
March 1
Armenia – Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed on his Facebook page that the COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have spread to Armenia.
Czech Republic – The Minister of Health, reported three cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed by the National Reference Laboratory. All cases were connected with northern Italy. One case a man returned from a conference in Udine, the second a woman (tourist, U.S. citizen) studying in Milan and the third a man who returned from a skiing holiday in Auronzo di Cadore.
Dominican Republic – A 62-year-old man from Italy entered the country on 22 February and fell ill on 24 February, when he was transferred to Ramón Lara military hospital from the beach resort of Bayahibe.
Saint Barthélemy – A resident of the French island of Saint Barthélemy was diagnosed with COVID-19. His parents on the neighbouring island of Saint Martin also tested positive.
Saint Martin – a couple from the French part of Saint Martin island were diagnosed with COVID-19. Their son, who lives on the neighbouring island of Saint Barthélemy, also tested positive.
Scotland – detected in Tayside. The person had then recently travelled to Italy.
March 2
Andorra – a 20-year-old man returned to the country from Milan, Italy.
Indonesia – a dance instructor and her mother were infected from a Japanese national.
Latvia – a woman who had flown from Milan, Italy, to Riga through Munich, Germany.
Morocco – a Moroccan expatriate residing in Bergamo, Italy who arrived from Italy on 27 February, and an 89-year-old woman Moroccan who had returned to Morocco on 25 February from Bologna, Italy.
Portugal – two men, a 60 year-old doctor who traveled to the north of Italy on vacation and a 33 year-old man working in Spain, tested positive.
Saudi Arabia – a Saudi national returning from Iran via Bahrain.
Senegal – a 54-year-old man from France was the first confirmed case of COVID-19. He had traveled on Air Senegal February 29.
Tunisia – a 40-year-old Tunisian man from Gafsa returning from Italy.
March 3
Argentina – a 43-year-old man who had arrived on March 1 from Milan, Italy.
Chile – The Minister of Public Health confirmed the first case of COVID-19, making the country the fifth in Latin America.
Jordan – a man who returned from Italy two weeks prior, before quarantine procedures for Jordanians returning from Italy had been put in place.
Liechtenstein – a young man who had contact with an infected person in Switzerland. He developed symptoms and turned himself to the state hospital.
Ukraine – a man who had traveled from Italy to Romania by plane and then arrived in Ukraine by car.
March 4
Faroe Islands – a man who returned home from a conference in Paris, France on 24 February.
Hungary – two cases, students from Iran who were studying in Hungary. One was enrolled at the Pharmacy Faculty of Semmelweis University. The other person studied at Szent István University in Gödöllő and just returned from Iran.
Poland – a 66-year-old man, returned from a visit to Westphalia in Germany by bus to Świecko and from there by private car to Cybinka.
March 5
Bosnia and Herzegovina – a father and son who were thought to have contracted the virus while visiting Italy.
Palestine – Seven cases detected at a hotel in the Bethlehem area, where a group of Greek tourists had visited the hotel in late February.
Slovenia – a tourist traveling from Morocco via Italy.
South Africa – a South African returning from Italy.
Vatican City – a priest who had arrived from one of Italy’s “red zones”- the municipalities under the strictest quarantine regimen.
March 6
Bhutan – a 76-year-old US male who traveled to the country via India.
Cameroon – a French national who arrived in the capital Yaoundé 24 February.
Togo – a 42-year-old Togolese woman who traveled between Germany, France, Turkey, and Benin before returning to Togo.
Colombia – a 19-year-old female patient who recently traveled to Milan, Italy.
Peru – a 25-year-old man who had traveled to Spain, France and the Czech Republic tested positive.
Serbia – a 43-year-old man from Bačka Topola who had traveled to Budapest.
Slovakia – a 52-year-old man, who had not traveled anywhere but his son had recently traveled to Venice, Italy. he next day, his son was confirmed positive along with the son’s wife.
March 7
Albania – a father and son who had traveled from Florence, Italy.
Costa Rica – a 49-year-old woman tourist from New York, United States, tested positive for the virus.
Maldives – from an Italian tourist who had returned to Italy after spending holidays in Kuredu Resort & Spa. The Health Protection Agency of the Maldives confirmed two cases in the Maldives, both employees of the resort.
Malta – an Italian 12-year-old girl who was placed in isolation with her family as required by the Maltese health authority’s guidelines for people from Italy or other highly infected countries. Both parents were found positive as well.
Paraguay – a 32 year-old man from Guayaquil, Ecuador, living in San Lorenzo, Central department.
Saint Lucia – a 63-year-old woman with a travel history from the United Kingdom.
March 8
March 9
Brunei – a 53-year-old male who had returned from a tabligh (Muslim religious gathering) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 3 March.
Cyprus – a 25-year-old man from Limassol who had returned from Italy and a 64-year-old health professional from Nicosia who had returned from the UK.
Channel Islands (Guernsey) – The first case was a patient in the Bailiwick of Guernsey
Moldova – a Moldovan woman who returned from Italy tested positive for the coronavirus.
March 10
Burkina Faso – the first two cases in the country were reported.
Honduras – the first two cases were a рregnant woman who traveled to Spain and returned on 4 Мarch. The second case is a 37-year-old Нonduran woman who returned 5 Мarch on a flight from Switzerland.
Jamaica – the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW) confirmed the first case as a female patient who arrived from the United Kingdom on 4 March.
Mongolia – a French male who traveled from Moscow to Dornogovi.
Panama – First reported case.
March 11
Bolivia – the first two cases identified in the departments of Oruro and Santa Cruz.
Cote D’Ivoire – an Ivory Coast national who had recently been to Italy.
Cuba – the first three cases were Italian tourists.
French Polynesia / Tahiti – the first case of COVID-19 was Maina Sage, a member of the French National Assembly.
Guyana – a 52-year-old woman suffering from underlying health conditions, including diabetes and hypertension, who had recently traveled from New York.
Saint Vincent and The Grenadines – a tourist who traveled on British Airways from the UK via Barbados to Saint Vincent via LIAT.
Turkey – a Turkish man who had contracted the virus while travelling in Europe.
March 12
Cayman Islands – a 68-year-old Italian man in critical condition who was transferred from the cruise ship Costa Luminosa to a hospital in the Cayman Islands on 29 February due to heart issues, was the first confirmed coronavirus case.
Gabon – a 27-year-old Gabonese man who returned to Gabon from France, four days prior to confirmation of the coronavirus.
Ghana – the first two cases were people who came back to the country from Norway and Turkey.
Guadeloupe – the first case of COVID-19 confirmed.
Trinidad and Tobago – a 52-year-old man who had recently been to Switzerland.
March 13
Antigua and Barbuda – an unidentified woman was the first confirmed case.
Aruba – Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Croes announced the first two confirmed cases of coronavirus on the island
Ethiopia – the victim later identified was a Japanese citizen.
Guatemala – a Guatemalan man who traveled from Italy to Guatemala.
Guinea – A Belgian national who is an employee of the European Union delegation in Guinea tested positive for COVID-19.
Kazakhstan – two Kazakh citizens in Almaty who had recently returned from Germany were confirmed to be infected with COVID-19.
Kenya – a 27-year-old Kenyan woman who traveled from the US via London, was confirmed.
Kosovo – the first two cases were a 77-year-old man from Vitina and an Italian woman in her early 20s, who worked in Klina with Caritas Kosova.
Mauritania – an expatriate from a yet to be disclosed country in the Mauritanian capital of Nouakchott.
Puerto Rico – the first three confirmed cases are a 68-year-old Italian woman from the cruise ship Costa Luminosa and her 70-year-old husband, and a 71-year-old Puerto Rican cancer patient in treatment at Auxilio Mutuo Hospital whose relatives had traveled off the island.
Saint Lucia – a 63-year-old woman with a travel history from the United Kingdom.
Sudan – a man who died in Khartoum on 12 March 2020 and had visited the United Arab Emirates in the first week of March.
Suriname – an individual who arrived from the Netherlands multiple days prior to testing positive.
Uruguay – The first four cases were all imported. One patient had attended a wedding with 500 people and two others had taken a six-hour bus trip from Montevideo to Salto.
March 14
Central African Republic – a 74-year-old Italian man who returned from Milan, Italy.
Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) / Republic of the Congo – a 50-year-old man who returned from Paris, France.
Equatorial Guinea – a 42-year-old woman in Malabo, who returned from Madrid.
Eswatini – A 33-year-old woman, who returned from the United States at the end of February and then traveled to Lesotho before returning home .
Namibia – a Romanian couple who arrived in Windhoek from Spain via Doha, Qatar, on 11 March.
Rwanda – a total of five cases identified the same day.
Seychelles – two people who were in contact with someone in Italy who tested positive.
March 15
March 16
March 17
March 18
El Salvador – a male who recently returned from Italy, where he was presumably infected.
Kyrgyzstan – the first three cases in the country were confirmed after a citizen returned from Saudi Arabia.
Mauritius – the Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth confirmed the first three cases.
Nicaragua – a 40-year-old man who recently returned from the neighboring country of Panama.
Zambia – a couple that had traveled to France on holiday.
March 19
March 20
March 21
March 22
Grenada – a 50-year-old female patient who returned from the United Kingdom on March 16.
Mozambique – a 75-year-old man who returned from the United Kingdom.
Syria – The Health Minister of Syria reported the first case in Syria.
Uganda – a 36-year-old male who had traveled to Dubai on 17 March 2020 for a business trip.
March 23
March 24
March 25
British Virgin Islands – of the first two cases of COVID-19, one was a 56-year-old male resident who traveled from Europe on March 15. Patient B was a 32-year-old male resident who traveled recently from New York City and came into contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 on March 8.
Guinea-Bissau – the first two cases are a Congolese U.N. employee and an Indian citizen.
Mali – confirmed its first two COVID-19 cases.
Saint Kitts and Nevis – a 21-year-old male and a 57-year-old female citizens who arrived in the federation from New York City.
March 26
March 28
Northern Mariana Islands – the islands confirmed their first two COVID-19 cases.
March 30
March 31
Burundi – the country’s first two cases were Burundi nationals travelling back from Rwanda and Dubai respectively.
Sierra Leone – a 37-year-old man who traveled from France on 16 March.
Sint Eustatius – the first two cases were young men from the Netherlands who arrived on 15 March and self isolated after arrival.
Source Documents Released Under FOIA
The source documents referenced in the article “FEMA Told Congress It Had “Very Little Knowledge” About The Coronavirus Response Before March. New Documents Show It’s Been Deeply Involved Since The Beginning.” Released by the Department of Homeland Security to Buzzfeed Publishing under a FOIA request.
Download File
Additional Reading
This article lays out how Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) leaders were deeply involved in coordinating the government’s coronavirus efforts with their counterparts at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), attending daily meetings and exchanging hundreds of emails on the topic, in February and March. This, despite the sworn testimony before Congress of FEMA officials that they were not in charge of the disjointed operation that came before they were officially placed in charge on March 18, 2020. Includes source files for download.
FEMA Told Congress It Had “Very Little Knowledge” About The Coronavirus Response Before March. New Documents Show It’s Been Deeply Involved Since The Beginning.
An article describing the funding for the United States Postal Service (USPS) as provided in the
USPS outlines borrowing terms for $10 billion loan through the CARES Act
Thirteen years ago, a group of U.S. public health officials came up with a plan to address one of the medical system’s crucial vulnerabilities: a shortage of ventilators. The plan was to build a large fleet of inexpensive portable devices to deploy in a flu pandemic or another crisis. A federal contract was signed. Work started. Then a multi-billion-dollar maker of medical devices bought the small California company contracted to design the new machines and the project ultimately produced zero ventilators. Today, the nation’s emergency-response stockpile is still waiting on its first shipment.
The U.S. Tried to Build a New Fleet of Ventilators. The Mission Failed.
In-depth interview (audio and transcripts) describing how President Trump and some members of his administration have mismanaged the coronavirus outbreak, helping fuel the crisis. Infighting at the Department of Health and Human Services and the need to flatter Trump impeded the response to the coronavirus.
White House Knew Of Coronavirus’ ‘Major Threat,’ But Response Fell Short
An in-depth analysis of events inside the White House from January through March. Describes how wearing masks became a point of contention, over taking concrete actions to combat the spread of the virus.
Not a ‘good look’: White House fight over masks signaled Covid-19 plans running awry
Prelude <> Nov/Dec 2019 <> January 2020 <> February <> March <> April <> May <> June <> July <> August <> September <> Source Data