for the same medications as the vet, but up to 30 percent less with fast free shipping. visit petmeds.com today. >> announcer: this is cnn breaking news. hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the united states, and of course, all around the world. i'm rosemary church, and we begin with this breaking news. after days of bargaining and negotiations, u.s. senators and the white house have reached a deal on the biggest economic stimulus package in u.s. history. more than $2 trillion to revive the u.s. economy, struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic. republicans and democrats came together to shake hands on a plan that would provide aid to hospitals, loans to small businesses, and checks to american workers. the senate's leaders of both

parties comparing this to a wartime situation. >> it will rush new resources onto the front lines of our nation's health care fight, and it will inject trillions of dollars of cash into the economy as fast as possible to help american workers, families, small businesses, and industries make it through this disruption and emerge on the other side ready to soar. in effect, this is a wartime level of investment into our nation. the men and women of the greatest country on earth are going to defeat this coronavirus and reclaim our future. and the senate's going to make sure they have the ammunition they need to do it. i'm thrilled that we're finally going to deliver for the country that has been waiting for us to step up. >> from the very beginning, democrats have had two primary goals -- a martial plan for

public health workers and hospitals on the front lines and putting workers first. the agreement, now, after these five days, reflects those democratic priorities, and we are proud that they are now part of this legislation. like all compromises, this bill is far from perfect, but we believe the legislation has been improved significantly to warrant its quick consideration and passage, because many democrats and republicans were willing to do the serious and hard work, the bill is much better off than where it started. >> and cnn's suzanne malveaux joins us now from washington. suzanne, this took longer than most people wanted, but it's exactly what americans, businesses, and u.s. and global markets had been waiting for. what all are we learning about what's in this stimulus package? >> reporter: good morning, rosemary. yes, we were told we were in the

red zone and the 5 yard line and the 2 yard line. it took another two hours before crossing the finish line, and i have to give a shout-out to the team, kristen, ted and manu who were here until the wee hours of the night. it was 1:00 this was announced, this $2 trillion package. we have some details. we don't have the final text, but we know at least $500 billion is going to be for loans for distressed companies, $350 billion for small businesses, and then a significant portion, $250 billion, for direct payments to individuals and families. and how would that break down? about $1,200 for folks earning up to $75,000 and $2,400 for a married couple earning up to $150,000, with another $500 per child. and rosemary, you're probably wondering what took so long here, because you know, it was yesterday that we kept hearing it was imminent, but there were some sticking points. i mean, this huge amount, $500

billion for businesses, democrats were saying, whoa, where is the oversight in all of this? and the administration came around, created an oversight board and an inspector general position to actually track the money and figure out where that's going, and the democrats also got some of the money they wanted for those hospitals that are in desperate need of funds and are really in a crisis situation and funds for state and local governments that are really seeing their coffers depleted at this point. so, both sides seem to be quite happy. this is a bill that is enormous and historic, as you mentioned. when it's all said and done, printed out, it's probably going to be more than 1,000 pages. we have never seen this kind of really economic boost financial aid package in the history, in american history, for bringing our economy back and really trying to recover, because much of it is shut down and we have no idea how long this is going to last. there are members of congress

who believe that they might have to come back and do this again, that this is not going to be enough to fix all of the problems. now, of course, what is going to happen later today? we are going to have the senate reconvene at noon. we don't have an exact time for the vote, but that will happen today, we are told. and the question then becomes, how quickly can it pass on the house side? well, house speaker nancy pelosi, yesterday she was on the capitol. we all saw her. she made the rounds and talked to all of us. she brought her daughter and her grandchildren, as she was working yesterday. so, she's quite comfortable in the capitol, but there are a number of members, senators who have been there all week who are not comfortable being in that building. >> why? >> reporter: they feel that there have been a number of members who have tested positive and many who have self-quarantined. they want to get back to their home states, to their districts, and so, they want to vote quickly. pelosi has said that she does not want to bring the house

members back from recess for a vote, as was originally the plan. and so, she's hoping to pass it through unanimous consent, and that would not require all of the members to come back, simply a vote by unanimous consent. >> right. >> reporter: so long as nobody objects. so that is the goal for today, and we'll see how it plays out. but this was a very intricate and intense process, and clearly emotional, as many of these members of congress really are feeling the impact -- their districts, their families, their loved ones as well, because of the virus. >> yeah, it's been quite the journey. they've made the deal, and then, of course, once this is voted upon, then president trump signs off on it. but the big question for americans who are watching right now and for doctors across this country and nurses and other medical workers -- how soon will americans get those checks and how soon will we see some of those resources getting to these hospitals that are just

screaming out for some sort of help and this protective gear? >> reporter: that's absolutely right. they're saying this would happen very quickly, in short order. but of course, you've really just got to get this signed. you've got to get the paperwork done. you've got to get it to the president's desk. and then once that happens, then the hope is, is that, at least through the administrative process, some of those pipelines that you're seeing in the task force, that they'll be able to get these funds to the various administrations and the agencies that need it the most and the fastest. >> it is all very encouraging news. suzanne malveaux joining us on the phone. good to talk with you, joining us from washington. >> thank you, rosemary. it's a pleasure. >> it's great. great to talk to you. and john defterios has been following the market reaction to this stimulus package. he joins me now from abu dhabi. and everyone has been waiting for this. now comes this agreement on the $2 trillion stimulus package,

and it's put a bounce in everybody's step. but talk to us about the numbers you're seeing and what we can expect when u.s. markets open in just a matter of hours from now. >> reporter: yeah, well, rosemary, confidence is being restored, and this is being directly reflected in the financial markets, which have been battered for the last month. it was the best trading day in asia in ten years, since the global financial crisis, the best performance on wall street overnight since the great recession, so it's having some influence. and after the package was finalized, we saw another leg up, if you will, for the stock markets in asia, and this is being reflected in european trading in the first ten minutes here. the ftse 100's up almost 2%. the paris cac up 2.5%. so decent gains. frankfurt is up about 3%. there was no real surprise whether the deal would be signed at the end of the day because the pressure was on congress and the white house to come up with something.

$2 trillion is about 10% of gdp. it is substantial. we have to remind our viewers here that 85% of the business in the united states is small and medium-sized enterprises, so this will help those loans into the system, helping the very distressed sectors, of course, like the airline and hospitality sector, direct checks to americans and the health care system, of course, all extremely important. there's going to be a huge, healthy debate here about this timeline that donald trump wants to adhere to in mid-april, of course, and whether, indeed, we can see americans going back to work. that's a huge question mark going forward. but if you take a step back, rosemary, it does tell us what here? the big five trading blocks of the world from asia to the united states have stepped up in a record way, providing the liquidity. and i'd like to put it this way -- $2 trillion for main street, if you will, and the general economy. and what lawrence kudlow, the chief economic adviser, said to us is that it's $4 trillion in the banking system, for liquidity, for the bond market,

for international trade of the u.s. dollar. it is substantial, and that's why we see the record jumps in asia, and it will carry through to wall street today, from what we can see right now. >> yeah, all very encouraging. and as we've been saying, this is exactly what people wanted. it was much anticipated. but will it allay fears of a recession? that is the big question. >> reporter: well, i don't think, rosemary, anybody can be lulled into complacency. i talked about the challenge for donald trump and a question mark for the united states. should they be rushing back to get the wheels of commerce moving again. but there is no activity, whether it's here in the uae, all the way to the united states -- no flights, no tourism taking place, no consumer spending. so, this will have a very profound impact, from the international monetary fund to the leading economists in wall street, london or asia, who were suggesting a drop of 12% to 20% in the u.s. economy alone in the second quarter. what the stimulus will do, in my

view here, is that it will buffer the third quarter, all the way through september, and it could kind of dampen that downturn, if you will, in that third quarter, which is strategically important. we have to think about, though, economies in india and brazil. they're on the front line here going forward, and they don't have the assets of the united states or the g7 countries. >> yeah, interesting. good point there. john defterios joining us live from abu dhabi. many thanks to you. appreciate it. meantime, president donald trump wants the u.s. economy reopened in less than three weeks. on tuesday, he talked about the light at the end of the tunnel, but his optimism is not in sync with that of his medical advisers, who say the battle against the coronavirus has only just begun. >> i hope we can do this by easter. i think that would be a great thing for our country. >> who suggested easter? who suggested that? >> i just said it's a beautiful

time. it would a beautiful time, a beautiful timeline. you can look at a date, but you've got to be very flexible. on a literally day-by-day and week-by-week basis, you need to valid the feasibility of what you're trying to do. and john, you asked for what kind of metrics, what kind of data? when you look at the country, obviously, no one is going to want to tone down things when you see what's going on in a place like new york city. i mean, that's just, you know, good public health practice and common sense. >> and look at those numbers, because right now there are more than 53,000 coronavirus cases in the united states. of those, about 26,000 cases are in new york. the world health organization says the u.s. could be the next epicenter of the pandemic. and new york's governor is echoing that warning. >> we are just the test case. where we are today, you will be in three weeks or four weeks or

five weeks or six weeks. we are your future. >> and at least 200 people have died in new york so far. it is just after 8:00 a.m. in london. in normal times, it would be the middle of a hectic rush hour, but these are not normal times. and instead, today is a test of whether boris johnson's stay-at-home order is working, and it comes after pictures on tuesday like this led to a row between the government and london's mayor over how many trains are running. the government has sent a text message to members of the public, reminding them of the new rule. so, let's go live to london and cnn's anna stewart. anna, it is difficult. when you look at those pictures, you do have to wonder. and london's mayor is saying one thing and britain's government is saying another. so, talk to us about where the

confusion here is and the mixed messages it's sending to those people who are essential, who have to get to their various jobs. >> reporter: the video of the tube yesterday morning was pretty shocking. clearly, no social distancing was possible for those people trying to get into london. now, there has been some confusion here. on the first issue is the tubes and the capacity they're currently running. so, the health minister yesterday said tubes should be running a normal service. currently, only 55% of tubes are running. the london mayor, as you said, had a difference of opinion here. he said, actually, they're working at maximum capacity, due to a third of their workers are unable to work on the tubes right now. so, that's a problem. there's also the issue of are all those people on that tube essential workers? there has been some confusion as to what essential means. does it include construction workers, particularly if they are not constructing, say, a hospital or something essential to coronavirus? so, we do expect to see more

updates. we'll see what the transport situation is this morning. if it's still incredibly busy and people aren't able to social distance, i would expect the government to come up with some other measures, either to increase capacity by employing more people for the tube or perhaps finding alternative options for transport. rosemary? >> yeah, very important. and i do want to ask you about some of these preparations that are under way across britain to ensure enough hospital beds are available as well as medical staff and equipment. what is the latest on that? >> reporter: well, some extraordinary measures in the last 24 hours, actually. one is the excel centre, a huge exhibition center in the london area. that will be transformed into a field hospital next week. it will be able to cater for up to 4,000 patients. it will, of course, be looked after by nhs staff, but also by the army, who are already stepping in and helping with supplies and so on and so forth. also, rosemary, 250,000

volunteers are needed. that's what the government has said yesterday. they want young or healthy, non-at-risk people to call up and volunteer their time to help, particularly with those who are shielded from the virus, those who are at risk -- the elderly, those with pre-existing conditions and are stuck at home. volunteers needed to help give them medicine, food supplies, and also just to keep them chatting, keep socializing. we expect that to be taken up readily, particularly given that so many nhs workers who have retired have answered the call. 12,000 people returning to the nhs or will have applied to, including my own father, who is 64 and has said he will return, if needed. >> i am so impressed. they are so much our heroes, all of the medical workers, not only there across britain, but across the globe. they are in the front line. many thanks to you, anna stewart, joining us live from london. appreciate it. the sign outside says "ice palace," a place where kids and

families once enjoyed skating around the rink. but it is serving a grim, new purpose in the age of coronavirus. we'll be back with that in just a moment. ordinary memory supplements neuriva has clinically proven ingredients that fuel 5 indicators of brain performance. memory, focus, accuracy, learning, and concentration. try neuriva for 30 days and see the difference.

they use stamps.com all the services of the post office only cheaper get a 4-week trial plus postage and a digital scale go to stamps.com/tv and never go to the post office again.

i just want to update you on our breaking news. congressional leaders have reached an agreement on the $2 trillion emergency stimulus to jump-start the economy, which has been devastated by the coronavirus. treasury secretary steve mnuchin says the president will absolutely sign the measure, as soon as it reaches his desk. we'll have more details for you in just a moment. want to turn now to the growing coronavirus crisis in italy. the country is reporting more than 6,800 deaths due to the virus. that is the highest death toll in the world. and cnn's delia gallagher joins us now from rome. good to see you, delia. the numbers are shocking, but there appears to be a glimmer of hope in the small italian town where this outbreak began. what more are you learning about that? >> reporter: that's right, rosemary. the town in northern italy which was one of the first to report a cluster of cases and has been on

lockdown since the end of february yesterday reported zero new cases of the virus. and indeed, countrywide, italy's seen its third consecutive day of a decrease in the number of positive new cases. of course, this doesn't mean that anyone should be letting their guard down. the health authorities here are really trying to get the message across that it is more important than ever to be vigilant. take a look at how some of italy's mayors are trying to get that message across. italy is enforcing one of europe's strictest lockdowns. no one is allowed outside, unless it's for an essential reason, but not everyone is sticking to the rules. >> translator: ping pong is not allowed! go home and play on the playstation. you cannot stay here. >> reporter: mayor of the southern city of bahri is not in the mood for excuses. >> translator: don't look at me like that. you should be respectful.

there is a decree. i am the mayor of this city, and as the mayor of this city, i will make everyone respect this decree. go home now. the police is coming. >> reporter: he's one of several officials, mainly in southern italy, who have taken to social media to cajole or even threaten their citizens to comply with restrictions. >> translator: this is like a war bulletin, because we're in a real war, and now i turn to you. you need to stay home! don't you understand that people are dying? >> translator: hundreds of students will be graduating soon. i hear that some want to host a party. we will send the police and we will send them with flame-throwers. >> reporter: the majority of italians are taking the lockdown seriously, but over 92,000 of them were reported for breaking the emergency restrictions. >> translator: how is it going to be okay with people lining up to buy fuel? what is that fuel for if you

have to stay at home? how is it going to be okay if people are asking for their hair to be done at home? hairdressers are coming to homes. what is the hairstyle for at this moment? >> reporter: there are some concessions for going out, for example, to walk a dog, but mayors are cracking down on those they think are exploiting this. >> translator: this morning i came across one of our citizens who was jogging with his dog that was visibly exhausted. i said to him, "hey, this is not a film and you're not will smith in i am legend. therefore, go home." >> reporter: with the coronavirus outbreak in italy now the deadliest in the world, authorities want to leave no doubt about what's at stake. >> translator: and if we go on like this, we will just be counting the dead. we won't have hospital spaces for your fathers and mothers. is that clear? >> reporter: a direct message that these officials hope will hit home. >> and rosemary, the prime minister announced just last night new fines for anybody

violating the lockdown, from $400 to 5,000 euros and even jail time for anybody who is positive for the virus and violates the quarantine. rosemary? >> yeah, and a bit of scolding right across the globe, because it's not only in italy. a lot of people everywhere not getting this message loud and clear. so, hopefully, they will in the days ahead. delia gallagher bringing us the very latest from rome. many thanks. well, spain, one of the countries hit hardest by this pandemic, is asking nato for help fighting covid-19. the government says more than 13% of its confirmed cases are medical workers. cnn's scott mclean reports on how the country is trying to keep up with the surge in infections. >> reporter: the largest hospital in madrid right now is actually not a hospital, it is a convention center that can fit some 5,000 coronavirus patients. and surely, one of the largest

morgues in the city is not actually a morgue. it's this ice rink, which is now housing the bodies of the many hundreds of dead arriving every day. the bodies are coming here because the state-run funeral service is no longer collecting the bodies of coronavirus patients because they don't have the proper protective equipment. so instead, the military is doing that job. the lack of protective equipment also extends to health care workers who account for more than one in every eight confirmed coronavirus cases in this country. that is a higher rate than italy and more than three times the rate of china. there are also concerns about nursing homes. one in every five madrid nursing homes has an infectious of the coronavirus. in fact, the military has found dead bodies inside those nursing homes when they've gone in to disinfect. the spanish parliament will vote on an extension of the state of emergency in spain on wednesday, which would mean that spaniards continue to be homebound until april 11th.

scott mclean, cnn, madrid. just ahead, details on the $2 trillion stimulus package heading to the white house and what it means for americans hit hard in the wallet by the coronavirus. back with that in just a moment. want to brain better? unlike ordinary memory supplements neuriva has clinically proven ingredients that fuel 5 indicators of brain performance. memory, focus, accuracy, learning, and concentration. try neuriva for 30 days and see the difference. $$9.95? no way.? $9.95? that's impossible. hi, i'm jonathan, a manager here at colonial penn life insurance company, to tell you it is possible.

if you're age 50 to 85, you can get life insurance with options starting at just $9.95 a month. okay, jonathan, i'm listening. tell me more. just $9.95 a month for colonial penn's number one most popular whole life insurance plan. there are no health questions to answer and there are no medical exams to take. your acceptance is guaranteed. guaranteed acceptance? i like guarantees. keep going. and with this plan, your rate is locked in for your lifetime, so it will never go up. sounds good to me, but at my age, i need the security of knowing it won't get cancelled as i get older. this is lifetime coverage as long as you pay your premiums. it can never be cancelled, call now for free information. you'll also get this free beneficiary planner. use this valuable guide to record your important information and give helpful direction about your final wishes to your loved ones. and it's yours free.

it's our way of saying thank you just for calling. so call now.

welcome back, everyone. well, the white house and congressional leaders have agreed on a massive stimulus plan for the economy, devastated by the coronavirus pandemic. five days of negotiations ended with a $2 trillion package that allocates billions for distressed industries and expands unemployment benefits. the package also includes hundreds of billions for

hospitals and health care workers as well as loans for small businesses. democrats blocked the original republican plan twice, arguing for more oversight of the $500 billion for big business. a vote is expected later wednesday, and president trump is expected to sign the bill. well, thomas gift is a lecturer in political science at university college london. he joins me now via skype. thanks for being with us. >> thank you, rosemary. >> and of course, it took republicans and democrats longer than most wanted, about five days or so, but they got there in the end, agreeing to this $2 trillion stimulus plan, but why all the politics, while people were dying? i mean, politics on both sides, we have to say. >> well, i do think that both sides ultimately recognize the urgency of the matter, but there was significant bipartisan turmoil in the last several days, as you know. so, democrats were basically claiming that not enough

attention was being given to everyday workers and families in the stimulus, and republicans accuse the other side of trying to score playbook points amid this crisis. the fact that both sides were able to come together, though, i think is ultimately a positive sign. it will provide some degree of assurance to american workers and businesses that washington is taking this fight seriously. it could have happened quicker, but we did get there. but i still think there's a lot of doubt amid the country, you know, that's still reeling from this economic crisis. many businesses shut and just a lot of challenges ahead. >> yeah. i wanted to look at that, what this stimulus package will mean for americans, ultimately, and businesses. and of course, medical workers, hospitals, now doctors and nurses have been screaming for personal protective gear, and they haven't been getting it. and of course, it's very difficult when you look at what's been happening with congress, fighting over the details of this. i mean, why not just go ahead,

release funds specifically for the hospitals, get that moving? because the big issue here is making sure that our doctors are protected while they're trying to save lives. >> i would agree with you, rosemary. you know, it is a significant deal. $2 trillion would be the largest stimulus package ever issued by the u.s. government, and it is supposed to provide some degree of resources to these health providers. i think it is important, though, to keep in mind the size of this package. it is really very significant. so, the legislation would essentially be larger than the annual discretionary budget that congress typically takes virtually a year to debate and sign off on, so there are a lot of details here, a lot of i's to be dotted and t's to be crossed. so, i think that was maybe some of the challenge initially of getting these two sides to come together. ultimately, they did, which as we talked about, was a good sign, but it did take a little while. >> right.

and now, of course, i mean, once this is voted on and then president trump signs off on it, it's going to take a little time before americans get their checks and businesses get their money and hospitals get all of the money, the funds, the equipment that they need. what sort of time frame do you think we're looking at here? >> yeah, that's a really good question. i mean, it could be weeks. it could be months, you know. i do think the big question, ultimately, is not just the time frame, but will it be enough, and really, would anything be enough amid this crisis? the good news is that we did see rallies in global markets in response to this agreement, so that's fairly immediate. but even those upticks represent only a small fraction of the lost value in the market in recent days and weeks. and of course, many experts are worried that a relatively quick, kind of v-shaped turnaround in the economy won't be possible. so, i think ultimately, the real value of this deal is that it will give ordinary americans

some degree of relief, many of whom are facing these significant prospects of being laid off, of losing their jobs or encountering other degrees of financial precarity. for those individuals, this is a good sign, but you're right, the question is how quickly can this money get to americans in the form of direct checks? and i think that's still at this point being debated. >> yeah, and of course, the process of getting that money to those americans, because you have to worry about how that will be done and how swiftly, of course, talking about that. so, this is a great story, because for a lot of these businesses -- and we've seen the markets -- they were looking with great anticipation, waiting for this stimulus package. how long do you think that hope will continue, we'll see that on the markets? because what we've got to see at the same time is some sort of change in the number of

infections and the number of people dying as a result of this pandemic. and until we see that, i mean, that's really what people want at this stage. >> exactly. i mean, ultimately, this is first and foremost a health crisis, and the economy is going to follow. and so, until we get these numbers under control and until, you know, we start to flatten the curve, so to speak, i do think you're just going to see continued volatility, ups and downs in the markets, and a lot of economic anxiety amid both the u.s. economy as well as kind of general americans in terms of their jobs and day that d-to-da. it's a big challenge ahead. it's a big step, a first step, but lots of work to go. >> absolutely. as you say, this is the step we're all waiting for and looking for, and we'll see what happens from here. thomas gift, many thanks to you for joining us from london. appreciate it. well, travel restrictions

are being lifted in china's hubei province, but in wuhan, the city at the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, that will remain under lockdown until april 8th. it's been cut off from the world for months now, and cnn's senior producer is with us now from beijing to talk more about this. steven, it has to be said that, of course, we're all very encouraged by this news of travel restrictions being lifted in hubei province, but the epicenter, we mentioned, wuhan, that's still under lockdown for another two weeks or so. so, what do you know about what's happening inside wuhan, what they're waiting for at this juncture? >> well, rosemary, millions of wuhan residents are eagerly counting down to that date two weeks from now, but even so, within the city limits, you're already seeing growing signs of the authorities' preparation for

that prospect. now, starting today, they're resuming bus services on 117 routes, and they are also going to partially reopen the city's subway system next week after a deep cleaning and disinfecting on the trains and stations, and they have already cautiously reopened some supermarkets in some neighborhoods, and more and more workers in wuhan are already returning to their jobs as well, including to major auto plants like honda. this is worth noting, because wuhan, as well as the rest of the hubei, is an important industrial hub, not only for china, but also in the global supply chain. now, i think for many wuhan residents, they could have a pretty good guess in terms of what's to be expected by looking at what's happening today in the rest of the province. overnight, workers removed many road blocks they have set up on major highways and expressways, so now traffic has begun flowing in and out of the province again, intracity, intraprovincial rail and bus services have been restored as

well. but of course, all this is preconditioned on one thing: that is, you have to have this very important green qr code on your mobile phones. that's the only indication that the government has deemed you healthy and low risk. that allows you to move about within the province as well as in and out of region. so rosemary, a very delicate balance they're trying to strike here between getting the economy back online as well as to ensure there is no second wave of infections at the epicenter of this outbreak. rosemary? >> yes. we're all looking to our future there in china, of course, because it started there. it gives us an idea of the trajectory of all of this. cnn's steven jiang bringing us the latest there from beijing. appreciate it. well, the summer games in tokyo are now postponed, but it's not the first time japan has experienced what one lawmaker calls the olympic curse. that's next on "cnn newsroom." there's no place like home. especially when xfinity

has you covered with fast, reliable internet. with advanced security to help keep you secure online. and with the most tv shows, movies and streaming apps all in one place. with simple digital tools you can get the help you need

or even trouble shoot your services on your own. download the xfinity my account app or just say help into your xfinity voice remote. we are working to make things a little easier on everyone. download the xfinity my account app today. welcome back, everyone. the 2020 summer games in tokyo

are moving to 2021. the international olympic committee and japan's prime minister agreed to postpone the olympics until next year because of the coronavirus pandemic. cnn's will ripley joins us now live from tokyo. good to see you, will. so, japan's prime minister had been resisting the inevitability of this for a little bit there, hadn't he? but now it's reality. how's this going to work for 2021? and what about all those folks who already have their tickets? >> reporter: well, this is the big question, rosemary. now that they have made this, i guess, unofficial announcement, because it's going to be the ioc that says this is going to be the date, but we presume it will be summer of 2021, when the 2020 olympics will be called. they will still call it 2020, so they don't have to take down all the signs in the city, but it's a huge logistical nightmare with figuring out what to do for people who spent thousands on

tickets. do the tickets transfer over? what happens to athletes village? a lot of the units are presold. people are supposed to be living in them by next year. but this has a historical aspect to all of this, because in the history of the modern olympics, during world war i and world war ii, the cancelulations happened twice. they have not been postponed until now. one of the games was supposed to be held here in tokyo, leading some to believe there might be a bit of an olympic curse going on. the signs are all over tokyo, symbols of what was supposed to be a japanese revival, a comeback, crushed, at least for now. tokyo 2020 organizers and the international olympic committee bowing to global pressure, pressure brought on by the novel coronavirus catastrophe. memories of another disaster nine years ago still fresh on many japanese minds -- 2011's mega quake, tsunami, and

fukushima triple meltdown. >> tokyo! >> reporter: winning the olympic bid in 2013 brought a surge of national pride and badly needed jobs. japan invested tens of billions of dollars. new infrastructure, new technology. 2020 was supposed to be a banner year, a year now defined by a once-in-a-century global pandemic. >> translator: we've overcome natural disaster, war, but things are different now. this will be the biggest challenge we ever face. >> reporter: he is one of japan's most powerful lawmakers. he says japan's aging population and shrinking workforce makes it much harder to bounce back. the olympics are a cornerstone of prime minister shinzo abe's plan to transform japan into a global destination, a plan to jump-start the japanese economy.

analyst keith henry says even a delay has serious financial implications. >> basically, it's a service-sector economy. obviously, with the railroads, the hotels, the regions of japan that were counting on people spending a few days in tokyo, then wandering the mountains or the beaches of the hinderlands of japan, the economic damage will be widespread all across japan. >> reporter: finance minister taro aso even went so far as to call coronavirus proof of an olympic curse. aso was born in 1940, when world war ii extinguished japan's olympic flame. tokyo was supposed to host the canceled 1940 games. it would end up waiting 24 years. the 1964 tokyo olympics, japan's reintroduction to the world, showcasing a miracle recovery, rising from the ashes of war. today, a new war against a

deadly virus, putting japan's olympic dreams on hold yet again. the cost of putting those olympic dreams on hold, economists are telling us, upwards of $5 billion, on top of the $20 billion that japan was already on track to spend. but if there is something we can all look forward to in 2021, the summer olympics here in tokyo, and then, rosemary, just months later, the winter olympics in beijing. won't that be quite a ride? it's certainly something the world is ready for after what we've endured this year in 2020. >> yeah. something we don't need is another ride, right? >> reporter: right. >> we've just had quite the go of it. will ripley joining us live from tokyo. many thanks to you. appreciate it. well, as hospitals struggle to keep up with the coronavirus cases, they are having to be extra vigilant about pregnant women. in new york, where cases number well over 25,000, hospitals are taking extra precautions to keep soon-to-be mothers safe.

>> i mean, everyone is just kind of devastated right now. the world looks very different today than it did even just two weeks ago when the expectations were already beginning to shift. hospitals had begun to ban doulas and additional support people, and now in the last 48 hours, new york presbyterian and mt. sinai hospitals have banned spouses, partners, fathers, wives, mothers, and people are really scared and devastated. i mean, right now we are making plans and making contingency plans. some of my clients are planning on leaving the city altogether. some are going as far as indiana or rhode island to seek medical services elsewhere, where they know their partners will be able to be included. some people are choosing to do home birth now. and many of my clients are just hunkering down. we are planning on setting them

up with computers and ipads and other devices that can allow them to facetime me and their partner throughout the laboring process so that they do have at least some semblance of continuous support like they would if we were there. well, doctor's office or drive-thru? a growing number of people across the united states getting tested for coronavirus. how do you know if you need a test? we have some answers. that's ahead on "cnn newsroom." - i've been pretty stable with my schizophrenia for a while, and then my kids asked me why my body was rocking back and forth. my doctor said i have tardive dyskinesia, which may be related to important medications i take for my schizophrenia. i also felt my tongue darting and pushing against my cheeks. i was worried what others would think. td can affect different parts of the body, and it may also affect people who take medications for depression and bipolar disorder. i know i shouldn't change or stop my medication

so i was relieved there are treatment options for td. - if this sounds like you or someone you know, visit talkabouttd.com to sign up to receive a personalized doctor discussion guide to help start a conversation with you doctor about td. you'll also be able to access videos and a free brochure that show the different movements of td. visit talkabouttd.com or call to learn more. - i was glad to learn there are treatments for td. learn more at talkabouttd.com.

for the same medications as the vet, but up to 30 percent less with fast free shipping. visit petmeds.com today. there are nearly 53,000 coronavirus cases in the united states and more than 700 people have died. for those who think they might be sick, the key question is how and where do i get tested? cnn's brian todd has our report. >> reporter: in arlington, virginia, a well-protected technician approaches a car at a drive-thru coronavirus test site, gives instructions on a bull horn to a patient on the other side of a closed window. the patient then pulls behind a building to another checkpoint to get tested. officials at virginia hospital center, which runs this facility, say they're doing about 50 to 60 tests a day.

millions of people in the united states and around the world are asking critical questions about getting tested. to start, how do you know if you need a coronavirus test? >> upper respiratory symptoms might start this with running nose, sore throat. it generally then leads to cough and shortness of breath. >> reporter: then, when you have a strong indication that you need a test, who should you call first? officials say don't just show up. call ahead. >> you would first notify your family doctor, and that physician will do a screening to see if you meet criteria to be tested. we don't want to test well individuals. once the physician assists you, he or she will determine if you need an order. then they would write that order. then you would call the scheduling line and make an appointment. >> reporter: at this facility in arlington, when patients arrive, they need to keep their car windows up until it's time for the test. here the test takes about ten minutes and results are given back in five to seven days, but many remote testing sites are

under more strain than this one. some localities like new york city are running so low on masks and gowns, they want to limit testing to those so hard hit, they are hospitalized. >> every test we give takes up valuable personal protective equipment that can be used when we're treating those that are in the hospital. >> reporter: the department of health and human services is prioritizing for coronavirus tests patients already hospitalized, health workers with symptoms, elderly people over 65 with symptoms, and those with compromised immune systems and underlying conditions with symptoms. if you do take the test, be ready for some discomfort. at the arlington facility, they insert a swab at the back of the throat, but it varies. >> the test was very quick, but it goes a fair amount up into your sinuses, and it's not comfortable. >> reporter: the nursing officer we spoke to at the arlington site addressed other crucial reasons why drive-thru and other remote test sites have been set up. >> we are trying to prevent unnecessary trips to our

emergency department for individuals who are seeking this testing, so we're giving them means to do that. secondly, it also saves a lot of personal protective equipment to do it this way. >> reporter: another commonly asked question regarding places like this is can more than one person in a car be tested? the people who run this facility say anyone in the car can be tested as long as they have an appointment and have been referred to this place by their doctor. as far as how long this place is going to remain open, the people who run this facility say as long as they have the personal protective equipment that the workers here need. brian todd, cnn, arlington, virginia. >> and thanks for your company. let's hope our medical workers, by staying home and staying safe. i'm rosemary church. "new day" is next. you're watching cnn. have yourselves a great day. want to brain better? unlike ordinary memory supplements neuriva has clinically proven ingredients

that fuel 5 indicators of brain performance. memory, focus, accuracy, learning, and concentration. try neuriva for 30 days and see the difference. they use stamps.com all the services of the post office only cheaper get a 4-week trial plus postage and a digital scale go to stamps.com/tv and never go to the post office again.

get a 4-week trial plus poof the latest news ato help yand to keepormed your kids learning at home, just say "coronavirus" into your xfinity voice remote to access important information and special reports from around the world. or say "education" to discover learning collections for all ages. even adults. for more information on how you can stay connected, visit xfinity.com/prepare.

>> announcer: this is cnn breaking news. good morning, everyone. welcome to our viewers in the united states and all around the world. this is "new day." it is wednesday, march 25th. it's 5:00 in the east. i'm john berman along with christine romans. and breaking in just the last few hours, there is a deal, a $2 trillion stimulus agreement reached by the white house and senate leaders just a short time ago. it is being touted as the biggest spending package in history, but will it be enough to spark or even save this frozen economy? the other major headline this morning, the alarming and perhaps unchecked spread of coronavirus, especially here in new york. cases are doubling every