good morning. breaking overnight, grim milestone, the united states now with more than 100,000 cases of coronavirus. more reported here than any other country in the world. hospitals struggling to keep up with the rapidly rising numbers of patients walking through their doors. >> it's like a war zone. we're in a war with limited resources. presidential powers under intense pressure president trump invokes the defense production act for the first time to force general motors to build badly needed ventilators and warns the nation's governors in need of help they better play nice. >> if they don't treat you

right, i don't call. this hours after the president signed the $2 trillion relief bill that will put money in your hands. we're live at the white house. crackdown, police officers across the country stepping up patrols, breaking up gatherings and making sure people are maintaining their social distance. while in rhode island cars with new york plates are being stopped at the state border and told to quarantine for two weeks. all that plus, show of thanks. new york city residents take their gratitude to the streets, cheering for health care workers working around the clock to help tens of thousands impacted by the virus. applause for the real heroes today, saturday, march 28, 2020. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is a special edition of "today," the coronavirus pandemic with peter alexander,

kristen welker and dylan drier. >> welcome to today we thank you for joining us onhi morning, my friend kristen and i in d.c. this morning, maintaining our proper social distance and staying close to our families like everyone is these days. >> we're looking forward to paying tri responders, the true heroes in this. >> these days we know the heroes wear masks and gloves and gear. we're going to help celebrate them in a little bit. we'll begin with the latest headlines. the number of cases in the u.s. jumped again overnight to at least 102,000, with 1600 deaths now. the u.s. now has more reported cases than any other country in the world. nearly 45,000 of the cases are in new york state. >> some good news for the tens of millions struggling because of coronavirus. those relief checks from the federal government could be in your hands in just three weeks. president trump is signing a $2 trillion relief bill on friday.

some states are resorting to more drastic measures to stop the spread. in owed island, police are stopping drivers with new york plates telling them to quarantine themselves. florida's governor is telling people coming to the state from coronavirus hotspots, they need to self-quarantine as well. >> our team is covering the story across the country and around the globe this morning. we want to begin with nbc's erin mclaughlin in los angeles. >> this morning, across the country over 100,000 cases. more than 1500 dead and an all-out war against covid-19. >> we go out there today and we kick coronavirus ass. >> the state of new york now with the grim distinction of being the epicenter of the crisis in the united states. friday the death toll surged from 385 to more than 500. among the lives lost, mt. sinai nurse. kious kelly.

>> he had this infectious energy. you felt good when he was around. >> friday night, all across the city, a show of appreciation for those on the frontlines. the doctors continue to warn the system is overwhelmed. >> it's like a war zone. we're in a war with very limited resources. >> scrambling to build makeshift morgues and field hospitals. >> new york governor cuomo to lester holt. >> i hope this whole facility, lester, stays empty and we built it for nothing. >> you don't believe that's going to be the case? >> the numbers don't say that's going to be the case. >> in california, it's all hands on deck. >> every minute is a minute lost. >> dire warning from officials. los angeles is just days away from the kind of crisis engulfing new york. this weekend, the u.s. mercy is expected to port to help noncovid-19 patients. >> as impressive as the ship is, it has 80 icu beds.

l.a. officials estimate they need 3,000. >> new orleans, too emerging as a hotspot. blayne alexander. >> with the case this is louisiana growing faster than anywhere else in the world, the reality is there are not enough test toss confirm every case. >> in miami, a mandatory curfew. orders to stay off the streets from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. >> it is growing quickly. i mean, every time i go into work, we have at least a few more cases. >> now there's a statewide ban on vacation rentals in addition to a two-week quarantine to anyone arriving from louisiana and new york. in rhode island, police stopping cars with new york plates. >> right now, we have a pinpointed risk that we need to address and we need to be very serious. that risk is called new york city. >> that was nbc's erin mclaughlin reporting. >> also this morning, hospitals across the country should hopefully be getting more ventilators after president trump under pressure invoked a

little used power of the presidency to get a major automaker to pitch in. that automaker says they were already on it. kelly o'donnell has the latest on that. kelly, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, kristen. despite the president's reluctance, he's using the federal government as power to manufacture more ventilators and buy more where available the next three months. a tight timeline given the number of serious

to supply states and allies. >> if we do not need them, that would be wonderful and we can help a lot of great people all over the world. we can help them live. >> bristling at demands mr. trump made his expectations known. >> i want them to be appreciative. if they aren't nice, i don't call. >> the president backed off his push to ease restrictions by easter sunday saying he will consult medical experts. >> life, safety, if we need more time, they're not going to have a problem waiting it out. >> the president was surrounded by republican leaders as he signed the largest relief package in u.s. history. democrats were not invited to attend. >> i want to thank republicans and democrats. >> today, president trump heads

to norfolk, virginia to send off a navy hospital ship. nbc's courtney kube? >> the next time they're scheduled to be in port is new york city. the thousand beds on this ship will ease some of the burden on new york city overwhelmed hospital system. >> it sends a message when the president goes there to say thank you. >> the president said he'll be careful not to shake hands while in norfolk. and general motors says it's working around the clock tirelessly and had already agreed to do the work when the president invoked the production act. they hope to have 10,000 ventilators made each month. kristen. >> a lot of hospitals eager to see that equipment. kelly o'donnell from the white house. there's hopeful news this morning. the fda has approved a new test

that could give patients results in the as fast as 10 to 15 minutes helping to pinpoint the spread of this outbreak. 50,000 tests a day are expected to be delivered as soon as next week bp the agency is also expediting an experm mental new treatment that uses the blood plasma from patients who have recovered from the virus to treat those who are ill. we want to bring in the doctor for the system wide special pathogen program. she's been working for years preparing new york city for a health emergency. and she's netflix documentary pandemic where she predicted something like this could be in our future. >> what worries me it just takes one person to start an outbreak. we can host a number of different diseases. just a matter of time where the next pandemic is going to start. we just don't know where or how

but we know it will. >> we appreciate your time on this day. we know that on monday we hit the end of that 15-day window, the end of the 15 days to stop the spread that the white house is telling us about right now. can you give us a progress report? are we making progress? is there a sense we might be out of this window at some point soon? >> well, it's still very early on in the epidemic in the state of new york. we're obviously not alone. what happens here will happen in major cities throughout the country in a matter of days to weeks. a lot of these cities are not far behind new york city. so you're seeing what's happening in new orleans, you're seeing what's happening in miami and other areas like dallas. you know, we are obviously the epicenter today. tomorrow it will be another city. we need to make sure the first and foremost -- have the resources and equipment they need. it is coming in. we need to continue to advocate for it and get it. it's not just a one-time

injection. this is something that needs to consistently happen. >> following up on the timeline, of course, we've heard president trump talk about the fact that he would like to reopen at least parts of the economy by easter sunday. he seemed to back off of that a little bit yesterday as our kelly o'donnell noted. can you put this into perspective? what is the risk of reopening things too quickly? >> if we open the economy sooner and basically back down on social distancing, which you'll see. much higher morbidity and mortality. even more taxed health care system. right now, health care systems are being overwhelmed. not just here in the state of new york but obviously across the nation. you're seeing more and more pop up. what's going to map, they'll continue to continue to become overwhelmed. when people need to seek care, for other health alignments that are still existing in today's world, people still having babies, still having car accidents, heart attacks. we won't provide great services

to everything else coming through the doors. we need to make sure we're not overwhelming the health care system. >> we know that teams and emergency responders have been preparing for a pandemic like this for years. now we witness a scramble to try to get those supplies they need urgently right now. how were we caught so short when it comes to tests and ppe, personal protective equipment, and all the items that the nurses and doctors need right now? >> well, you know, at the end of the day, we rely on a just in time supply chain when it comes to health care services. we don't keep a surplus of four or five months of personal protective equipment or committed supplies. you have enough resource that is you need for a given time period. that makes sense. obviously, you don't want to waste resources if you don't need it. it's a just in time economy as supply chain that we work towards. when instances like this happen, it's hard to predict how aggressive they'll be and what the impact is. by the time you want to order more supplies, we have even

hoarding, not just shortages, hoarding of supplies happening around the nation. this is not new. we saw this in ebola when people ordered more than they need. the folks that need it, it's a backl backlog. >> we appreciate your time this morning. stay safe and healthy. thank you. as we mentioned earlier, police officers nationwide are putting their lives on the line as they always do, but this time it's to make sure people obey government orders to stay home and to keep at a distance while they're outside. kathy park is in studio 1a with that part of our coverage. kathy, good morning to you. >> kristen, good morning. as we continue to stay apart to help slow spread of the virus, officers are patrolling the streets and enforce social distancing. it appears it's working in some places but the message isn't getting through to everyone. these days, officers from california to new york are on the frontlines keeping you safe by making sure you're keeping your distance. >> but they have been enforcing

it. >> that means breaking up large gatherings, crammed parks and even monitoring businesses with growing lines. >> there's no congregating allowed. >> a ramped up response after crowds were seen defying federal health guidelines. >> emergency. members of the public are reminded to keep a safe distance of six feet from others. >> in new york city, the epicenter of the outbreak in the u.s., people are searching for relief from the indoors, heading outside for fresh air or some exercise but reminded to play it safe. >> i think people are pretty good at keeng their distance from each other. everybody has the same goal in mind. >> across the country, the police are enforcing the rules, even if that means patrolling from hundreds of feet in the air. >> as we see people in groups, we're going to break them up. if we see a place too crowded, we'll get people to disperse. >> we'll issue warnings. >> giving people more options to

spread out, several blocks closed off to traffic so pedestrians can move freely. >> during this outbreak, more officers are getting sick, too. more than 500 uniformed members of the nypd tested positive for covid-19. a sobering reminder of the risks of policing during a pandemic. >> i appreciate them. i appreciate them a whole lot. >> and if crowding continues to be an issue here in new york city, mayor bill de blasio has said parks could be the next to close. decision on that will be made tonight. kristen, peter. >> kathy park, thank you for that report from new york. normally at this time of year the race for 2020 would be at a fever pitch with candidates crisscrossing the country, asking for your vote. in light of the coronavirus, the campaigns are looking different these days, obviously. nbc's geoff bennett has more on that and what the candidates are doing about it. >> good morning, peter. the coronavirus pandemic has temporarily transformed nearly every aspect of american life,

including the race for the white house. virtual campaigning is now the new norm for bernie sanders and joe biden. with president trump seizing the national spotlight day by day from the white house, the democratic candidates have had to find new ways to connect with voters. >> going to get their say. >> while the remaining 2020 presidential candidates are used to seeing adoring crowds on the campaign trail, the coronavirus pandemic has forced them to find new ways to connect with voters. president trump's daily briefings are now his daily substitute for campaign rallies >> we've done one hell of a job. it's lucky you have this group right here right now for this problem or you wouldn't even have a country left. >> he initially down played the virus and boosted his re-election bid by blanketing the airwaves. with the leading democratic candidate left pushing for a higher profile. former vice president, joe biden, like most americans is following the cdc guidance to stay at home and it threatens to

blunt his momentum. biden's campaign this week installed a television studio in his basement to help step up his public presence. >> i'm chomping at the bit. but i am where i am. i hope to be the nominee in the democratic party. i hope i'm able to get my message across as we go forward. >> biden now holds virtual press briefings, appeared on a digital edition of jimmy kimmel. >> are you able to stay away from people during this time? >> i'm not officially quarantined. but i'm trying to follow the rules here. >> even hosted a virtual happy hour. >> none of us want to be cooped up in our homes. >> meantime, biden's lone competitor, senator bernie sanders is signaling he's pressing forward despite trailing in the delegate count this week he held a virtual town hall. sanders perhaps remaining in the presidential race for months to come since now more than a dozen states have postponed primary elections out of fear that in-person voting right now could

spread the virus. >> even though joe biden opened up a nearly insurmountable delegate lead over sanders, sanders is actively pursuing the democratic nomination, even wants to participate in a potential april debate if one happens to be schedule. joe biden, though, says there have been enough debates and wants to bring the primary to a quick close. >> no campaign stops to go to. geoff bennett is here. thank you very much this morning. >> appreciate that. we know that a lot of this can be overwhelming. we want to make sure we're shining a light for you on some of the good news every day. moments like this one. brave health care workers being cheered on for their heroic efforts. take a look. >> emotional moment there. she's a nurse at the swedish hospital in seattle and she was brought to tears by the sound of the community cheering for her and her colleagues. her girl friend says it's been a

difficult few weeks and those are happy tears to be recognized and also appreciated and peter, we can't say it enough. these are the folks on the frontlines. >> gives you goose bumps. we need to do the same and cheer them on. we're so grateful for them. we want to take a turn and check the forecast. our friend dave price from our station wnbc is staying put at home in new york city this morning with a forecast. dave, we're anticipating one of the kids is going to run behind you at some point. >> everyone is still right now. this is not what i maent when i said to both of you i'd love to have you at my house. we're going to make it work. let's go to the maps right now. take a check of the weather. hold the two dogs at bay and see if we can get to this. lots of rain. deep in the area of low pressure through the central plains. a warm front extend east to the mid-atlantic. a cold front down to the southern plains to central texas. heavy rain and flash flood watches through the ohio river valley. big concern, severe weather it is expected through the mid

afternoon and into the early afternoon. 43 million people at risk. west of chicago to eastern iowa is the strongest chance. we could upgrade that risk. we'll watch and see what the storm prediction center says later. usually this setup is for the dixie alley to the south. the heaviest rain through the ohio river valley into the central plains today. we're also looking at snow through sections of minnesota and indeed into northern maine as well. that's a quick look . good morning, bay area. and we are tracking yet again another chance of seeing rain here throughout the bay area. we have sort of a weak system that's going to bring us showers not just for today but also heading into sunday as well. here is a live look right now over walnut creek. the best thing we can expect to see out of all this is the remaining cool temperatures.

as you take a look through the bay area, we could get some slick roads heading in through the evening hours. from my hous that's a look at the weather picture. back to you in d.c.ment. >> no time for a tour. but what's the goldfish's name? >> that's darwin. there's gely. and ginger is the red goldfish. there you have it. >> the cameo by your fish. there you go, dave. thanks so much. >> dog is next. >> dave, thank you very much. there is a movement going on right now to help protect health care workers who are treating coronavirus patients with a potential shortage of masks to protect them. some people are now taking matters into their own hands and all they need is some cloth, needles and thread. nbc's kerry sanders explains. >> from spain to cuba to the

united states, an army now at work sewing masks for health care professionals. amanda leonard with her mom nancy. like the iconic rosie the riveter from the 1940s. >> it reminds me of world war ii. i'm a fan of the era. i remember factories being opened to they made airplanes and cars. i think that's what's happening in our own garages. >> one of the nation's largest fabric stores cutting squares, making kits for a steady stream of volunteers ready to use skills many say they learned from their grand mothers. >> some thread, the instructions on what to do. the elastics to put around the ears and some extra fabric to make the masks. >> in their garage in central florida, mother and daughter taking turns swapping seats with stay-at-home now the watchword,

an opportunity to spend time together and for a daughter to learn a new skill. >> this is a mission? >> it is now. >> it's wonderful to be able to do something to help. >> the homemade masks are not designed to replace the n95 masks which are effective. instead, they're supposed to go over those masks because health care workers are having to reuse them they're in such short supply. kerry sanders, nbc news, orlando. important to point out that those masks, including the one kerry sanders demonstrated, are taken to hospitals, sterilized and given out to health care workers who need them. good thing the families are doing. >> absolutely. great to see everyone pitching in. still to come, signs of hope in china as life slowly begins to return to normal. plus, surviving covid-19. we're going to talk to a man in a medically induced coma for more than a week. how he's doing now and his message to others about taking message to others about taking this ♪

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still to come, some of the ways i can keep busy while you and your family stay inside. >> plus good,

>> thanks so much for joining us. coming up at 7:00 this morning, a look at your forecast. here she is. we were not sure we would have her. she is just back to work. if you watched us the last few weekends, rob has been in for her. we have a live look outside for you outside walnut creek. again, we are experiencing showers across the bay area this morning and she will detail your forecast coming up at 7:00 a.m. a rainy weekend ahead. now to an urgent message from bay area leaders. they are asking you to continue to isolate and don't let your

guard down. a live look at an empty san jose and leaders want to keep it that way heading into the weekend to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. at a news conference yesterday, the executive board says it will be at least another two weeks before we know if the curve is being flattened. a new online dashboard so people can see how many new cases there are every day. it shows the age range of people getting sick. but staying at home is the main step. >> if i snap my fingers and know even's status, it wouldn't change the treatment. >> to help in the effort to keep people socially distance, the parks will be closed until further notice. county parks in the south bay

will stay open for now. we have some new details that late last night, san matteo parks have closed including beach access. last weekend beaches including half-moon bay were full. >> at 5:59 this morning, if you get your groceries delivered, come monday that might change. employees looking to strike to get more protection. all that and your top stories and your forecast coming up at 7:00. we hope you join us. in the meantime, we'll take you back to the today show and a look across the bay.

wash your hands ♪ wash your hands ♪ doo doo doo ♪ wash your hands >> parents get ready to have that song stuck in your head all day today. it's the latest edition of baby shark urging everyone to wash their hands. the video was posted a week ago and already has 3 million views on youtube. it's a great reminder for kids these days about staying safe and >> it's a great reminder for kids to stay safe and healthy. a great way to remind little kids. >> i spent the last three months trying to wash that song out of

my head. we're back to saturday morning. march 28, 2020. we have a check of the headlines. u.p.s. has now reported more cases of coronavirus than any other country in the world. overnight that number jumped to at least 102,000 with 1600 deaths. hospitals struggle to keep up with its rapid rise in patients. the hardest hit the state of new york, especially new york city, leading other states across the country to now impose drastic new restrictions on travel frers the new york area. >> hospitals across the area will hopefully be receiving those desperately needed ventilators after president trump under intense pressure officially invoked the defense production act on friday compelling general motors to manufacture the medical equipment. this came hours after the president signed a $2 trillion economic stimulus bill which will provide financial relief for millions of americans and struggling industries as well. >> civil rights leader reverend

joseph lowery passed away at the age of 98. he worked with martin luther king and one of the fathers of the civil rights movement. in 2009 he gave the benediction at president obama's inauguration and later that year awarded the procedural medal of freedom for his role in the civil rights movement. >> we want to head overseas where life is starting to get back to normal in some places. in china where the coronavirus outbreak exploded just a few months ago now some businesses are re-opening and people are getting out and about again. could it thread a second wave of illnesses. that's the question. we have more from beijing. good morning to you? >> reporter: good morning. few cases that are being reported here now on a daily basis are so-called imported cases. people coming back into the country from other areas in the

world that are now posing a higher risk. like a lot of countries across the region and around the world china is he closing off. this morning a reversal of fortune. china tightening its orders, banning foreigners and cutting flights to prevent possible cases of covid-19 from entering the country. the number of new dailyaily cas here dwindling while worldwide numbers are soaring. >> these are tragic numbers butlet also remember that around the world more than 100,000 people have recovered. >> two months into the pandemic in asia, no country is yet declaring victory. there is progress, though. south korea marking the first day with more recoveries than confirmed cases. in wuhan, the first epicenter of the outbreak, signs of a city coming back to life. healthy people allowed to move around again using a qr code in

an app china is using to track cases. the concern here that even a cautious return to normal will trigger a second wave of infections. in japan, the government is urging people to stay indoors this weekend, leaving areas of tokyo almost empty. these measures may provide a glimpse of what lies ahead as the virus sweeps much of europe. among those infected, british prime minister boris johnson. >> i've taken a test that has come out positive. >> he met with the queen earlier this month. at 93, she's said to be in good health. while prince charles, who is infected remains in isolation. with social distancing and quarantines now a way of life around the globe, the pope delivered a message of hope to an empty st. peter's square. praying for health and comfort for a world in great need of both. the other worry here is asymptomatic cases.

these are people who test positive for carrying the virus but don't show any symptoms. here they're not included in the official statistics. there are thought to be thousands of them. -- physicians claim they're tracking them. the worry is that as restrictions are relaxed to revive the economy, more people will be moving around and it will open new transmission roots for the virus. the steps being taken here are cautious because the stakes are still high. kristen? >> really important cautionary point there. janis mackey frayer. thank you for that report. >> that's a concern here as well. the people asymptomatic. >> dave price is back with a check of the forecast. dave, good morning. >> good morning to the both of you. let's take a check and see what's happening all around the country. a lot of us seeing a real boost of warm air. it's coming up from the south across the gulf and, of course, that is leading to some potential record breaking conditions at least two dozen records could fall as we head through the day.

10 to 25 degrees above average. more records are going to be centered in the central gulf coast. these are the southeastern florida. 92 in tampa, 88 in raleigh, 80 in cincinnati and 87 in new orleans. new orleans and baton rouge airports on track for the warmest march ever if the trends continue. tomorrow, fewer records fall. about a half dozen. warm air pushes east and north to virginia. even into pennsylvania. 87 in richmond. 75 in knoxville. 82 in new orleans. as we head into the rest of the week, things will be cooler and more

that's a quick look at the weather from the weather center/kitchen. we'll send it back to you in d.c. >> dave, those art classes are paying off. nice job you did on painting. >> i just did that this morning. >> pretty impressive, dave. we can't wait to actually come over and see the rest of the place. >> thanks, da. >> ve for most patients that have sensitivity it's very common to have a gum health concern as well. but if you have sensitive teeth, you probably aren't going to brush your teeth as effectivity because it causes pain. and if you see blood you should do something about it. you know, i talk to dentists every day and they're able to recommend one product, new sensodyne sensitivity & gum, to address both conditions at the same time. if we only treat one versus the other, the patient's mouth is never going to be where it needs to be. it's really good dentistry to be able to recommend one product

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free prescription delivery from cvs. for people with heart failure taking entresto, it may lead to a world of possibilities. entresto helps improve your heart's ability to pump blood to the body. don't take entresto if pregnant; it can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. don't take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren, or if you've had angioedema with an ace or arb. the most serious side effects are angioedema, low blood pressure, kidney problems, or high blood potassium. ask your doctor about entresto. we're back now with a story of hope and survival. a connecticut man is sharing his story this morning after he contracted coronavirus and had to be put into a medically induced coma because of it. >> that's right. this morning, great, great news. he's back home and improving every day. chris till et is with his wife

elizabeth and their newborn twin boys, five months old, thank you so much for joining us. we're so fwrat fugrateful. most important question, how are you feeling? >> i'm feeling much better and improving every day. i feel great and grateful to be alive. >> we're grateful that you're alive as well. you're recovering, regaining strength trying to relearn some things that you feel were taken away from you because of this coma. when you got whacked by coronavirus, tell us about it. when it happened, what did it feel like? how did it become so obvious that something was wrong? >> i felt like a truck hit me flying home from san francisco from a conference. and then on sunday, i had the feeling of i didn't have a fever yet. but i felt that shortness of breath and i felt the tiredness in my joints and then on monday, 102, 101 degree fever hit. so then i had to go to the

doctor at that point. i knew something was wrong. and then -- >> go ahead, chris. finish that thought. >> then basically by wednesday, we went to the doctor again because again that fever didn't dissipate and i had the other symptoms still. so it's rare for an adult to have a fever for multiple days. so my wife called, got me a chest x-ray. sure enough i had pneumonia. the doctors are treating it, this is a terrible flu season. they were treating it like the flu. by friday, i was ascended into chaos. at that point you see me in the hospital. >> elizabeth, pick up at that point, because he was in the hospital, in a medically induced coma, quarantined from you. you have these two beautiful twin boys. you're also a registered nurse. speak to us personally about what that moment was like for you. >> it was -- when i know about a hospital and care is different

now. the hospitals are functioning differently. obviously, he was in the coma and in the icu and i couldn't be there doing what i know how to do, advocating for him and following his care. i was home for two weeks with two babies and couldn't let anyone in the house. so there was fear for his life but there was fear that i couldn't be there for him. so i mean, every day was just very scary. >> we can imagine. chris and elizabeth, so many of us are celebrating the first responders, the doctors and nurses. what do you say to the first responders watching and committing their lives, overnight hours to try to help so many people affected by this? >> thank you. and it's those that were at danbury hospital, many of you put your lives at risk to save mine. and i know that -- when i

finally got to the point where i was on a stable floor and didn't need the icu coming out of the coma and everything, that entire floor was committed as coronavirus. so i was patient 1 but by that time there was many. i just want to encourage them to take care of themselves, too. it's going to get a little bit worse before it gets better. just hang in there. but we, as our family, we really appreciate all your hard work. if i didn't have a chance to thank you because i was out, i want to thank you now. >> be be chris and elizabeth -- >> every 12 hours i would think of the new rotation coming on shift. we're just forever indebted. they have a lot more work to do going forward. >> real heroes. >> we're so glad that you guys are okay. can we do an extreme closeup with luke and john. can we see those faces? >> look at that one. >> what a blessing they are. we are grateful to the both of you for speaking out.

thank you so much. >> thank you very much. take care. >> we appreciate your time. >> there is hope. >> there is indeed. what a fantastic message. we appreciate hearing from them. coming up, how you can experience the art, culture and experience the art, culture and classical music in ♪ experience the art, culture and classical music in hey allergy muddlers... achoo! do your sneezes turn heads? ♪ try zyrtec.

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savannah steler is in studio 1a to help us out. >> hi guys. peter and kristen, so good to see you from afar. you can thank technology for this one. it's making it easier to explore art, culture, nature and music from the comfort of your couch. ♪ normally you have to head to new york's metropolitan opera house to hear the rise of the valkyries in full triumphant glory. but these aren't normal times. >> we commit to social distancing. >> health officials say it's critical to prevent further spread of this virus. >> many iconic landmarks have already shut down. >> which is why now, more than ever, live streams offered by the met opera and others are a welcome window to the world outside. making a simple internet connection your ticket to just about anywhere. from this snow peaks of the

colorado rocky mountains to a steamy site from old faithful in yellowstone, people around the globe are discovering what makes america beautiful thanks to the national parks at the san diego. it's just one of many across the country offering a live look at animals just being themselves. looking for a little arts and culture. museums from new york to paris and london are offering virtual tours of their most famous exhibits. which means the guggenheim spiral staircase, the ballerinas and ancient rosetta stone. >> the stone from the -- >> can all be on display in your very own home. >> classical music lovers rejoice. the free concerts are endless. performed from seattle orchestras to berlin.

♪ and for something different, a party. to the sound of -- instagram to get their groove on. those experiences and more remind us that staying in doesn't have to mean missing out. ♪ >> even at home in your pajamas deserves a standing ovation. >> all right, guys. you know what else gets a standing ovation, how about a john legend concert or sean mendez concert. the #at home is being used for superstars to perform from their own homes for all of us at home. i really think all of this music brings us together even from afar, don't you guys? >> no doubt. strong pj game there, savannah. >> strong pj game. >> the things i'll do for the "today" show. >> what a cool way to see people connecting in those creative ways. i love the ad lib concert.

>> ways to occupy themselves and their kids. good n

still to come on "today," a new home for harry and meghan. what we're hearing about a big move from canada to the u.s. the heroes helping the country. the world get through these trying times. first, these messages. breast cancer on my birthday. i thought, i'm not letting anything take me away from my family without a fight. at cancer treatment centers of america, i had six, seven doctors that work together to take me through this journey. they're not just treating the cancer, they're treating me as a whole person. and that's why i think am where i am today. get care like no other at cancer treatment centers of america.

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or symptoms such as fevers, sweats, chills, muscle aches or coughs, or if you plan to or recently received a vaccine. ♪ nothing is everything ask your dermatologist about skyrizi. ♪ good saturday morning. it is march 28th. a live look outside over oakland as we begin our weekend.

thanks so much for joining us. we want to give you a quick look across the bay as we look ahead to a rainy weekend. walnut creek right now we're seeing some traffic along the freeways out there as people head out for their weekend workdays. we're going to look at san jose as well as oakland. clouds and cool 40s. our next storm is approaching. we will keep that chance of rain into saturday afternoon with a fourth of an inch average. by tomorrow morning, the most consistent round of rain will arrive. this is where we could get an additional near half an inch of rain. at 7:00 a.m., a look at the micro climate forecast from her

home. now to an urgent message from bay area leaders. continue to isolate and don't let your guard down. we have a live view over san jose where it is nearly empty and leaders want to keep it that way heading into this weekend to prevent the spread of the virus. as a news conference just yesterday, the santa clara county board of executives says it will be two weeks before we know if we are flattening the curve. people can see how many new cases there are every day. it also shows the age range of people getting sick, but their main takeaway is to stay at home. >> if i could snap my fingers and know everybody in the world, their status, whether they were infected or not, it would not change the treatment one iota. the treatment is still social distancing. >> in an effort to keep people

socially distant, san jose has shut down the stairs on communications hill. the park is closed from further notice. county parks in the south bay will stay open for now. coming up this morning on today in the bay, if you get your grocery delivered,come monday that could see change. the employees looking to strike to get more protection amid the coronavirus spread. we will have that plus all your top stories and your forecast coming up at 7:00. in the meantime, we'll send you back to the "today" show.

good morning, breaking overnight. grim milestone. the united states now with more than 100,000 cases of coronavirus. more reported than any other country in the world. hospitals struggling to keep up with the rapidly rising numbers of patients walking through their doors. >> it's like a war zone. we're in a war with very limited resources. >> presidential powers. under pressure, president trump inn

invokes the defense production act for the first time to force general motors to build badly needed ventilators. and warns the governors they better play nice. >> if they don't treat you right, i don't call. >> this comes after the $2 trillion relief bill was signed that puts money directly into your hands. we're live at the white house. good morning, everyone. welcome back to "today" on a saturday morning. we are broadcasting yet again in d.c., close to our families and at home. >> we are going to have a salute to america's heroes. the heroes, the doctors, the nurses, the first responders. it is a powerful and moving montage. we hope you will join us in a little bit nor that. >> you will want to stick around for that. we want to begin with the latest headlines. the number of cases in the united states jumped again overnight to at least 102,000 with 1,600 deaths.

the u.s. has more reported cases than any other country. most in new york state. president trump implemented the defense production act, compelling general motors to start building ventilators to help out in this crisis. after the company already announced that it was going to. >> in an overwhelming sign of the times right now, the pope went out to an empty st. peter's square and delivered prayers with not a single person around. . >> we do want to begin with erin mcloughlin. erin, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, peter and kristen. the united states has more confirmed coronavirus cases than any country in the world. as the death toll in new york state climbs, other states are taking extreme measures to make sure anyone who leaves there follows the 14-day mandatory quarantine. this morning across the country, over 100,000 cases. more than 1,500 dead and an

all-out war against covid-19. >> we go out there today, and we kick coronavirus as. >> reporter: the state of new york with the grim subscription of being the epicenter of the coronavirus in the united states. the death toll surged from 385 to more than 500. among the lives loss, nurse kious kelly. >> he had this infectious energy. you felt good when he was around. >> reporter: friday night, all across the city, a show of appreciation for those on the front lines. as doctors continue to warn the system's overwhelmed. >> it is like a war zone. we are in a war with very limited resource >> reporter: and a scramblees a hospitals. new york governor andrew cuomo to nbc's lester holt. >> i hope this whole facility, lester, stays empty. and we built it for nothing. >> but you don't believe that's

going to be the case? >> the numbers don't say that's going to be the case. >> in california, it's all hands on deck. >> every minute is a minute lost. >> dire warning from officials. los angeles is days away from the kind of crisis engulfing new york. this weekend the u.s.ns mercy expected to open providing relief to non-covid-19 patients. as impressive as the ship is, it has 80 icu beds, l.a. officials estimate they need 3,000. nbc's blayne alexander. >> with the cases here in louisiana growing faster than anywhere else in the world, the reality is there are not enough tests to confirm every case. >> in miami, a mandatory curfew. order to stay off the streets from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. >> it is growing quickly. i mean, every time i go into work, we have at least a few more cases. >> now there's a statewide ban on vacation rentals. in addition to a mandatory two-week quarantine for anyone

arriving from louisiana and new york. in rhode island, police stopping cars with new york plates. >> right now we have a pinpointed risk that we need to address and we need to be very serious. that risk is called new york city. >> in rhode island the national guard today will be going from house to house looking for anyone from new york to make sure they're following that quarantine. peter and kristen? >> erin mclaughlin, thank you for that report. hospitals will hopefully get more ventilators soon after president trump invoked a rarely used presidential power. the defense production act to get a major auto make toer pitch in. that automaker says they were already on it. kelly o'donnell at the white house with the latest for us. >> good morning, peter. president trump heads to norfolk, virginia today to thank the navy team behind a hospital ship, comfort with the 1,000 beds aboard. the comfort will begin the

journey to new york city to really stress on the hospital -- relieve stress on the hospital there. to relieve strain on the patients, the president is now actually using that rare federal wartime power to compel general motors to build ventilators. he says the federal government will make or buy 100,000 ventilators over the next few months. gm says it's now retooling its indiana plant and they say they have been working tirelessly with the goal of 10,000 units per month. as the number of cases and deaths rise, the president's tone has changed on when the country can begin returning to work and social interaction. he did not repeat his comment about lifting restrictions by easter sunday, april 12th. he says he will be consulting with medical experts before making any decisions and could extend the social distancing guidelines. >> life and it's your safety, if we need more time, they're not going to have a problem waiting it out. >> president trump said he is working closely with the nation's governors and getting along well with many of them,

both democratic and republican. but he complained that a couple of governors have been too critical. the president saying he expects them to be appreciative of the job the federal government is doing. peter, kristen. >> kelly o'donnell, holding things down at the white house for us this morning. thank you. lot of headlines this morning. how about a boost to get things going. >> always ready for boost news. >> that's for sure. this one is sure to put a smile on your face. the georgia aquarium is currently closed to the public due to the coronavirus restrictions. guess what? they opened their doors this week to some furry friends. take a look. ♪ ♪ adorable. that is owed i and carnell. they're from the atlanta humane society enjoying a day at the empty aquarium. the 8-week-old dogs are siblings and are currently being fostered during the coronavirus outbreak.

couldn't be any cuter than that. >> i feel like there's a movie in that. the two puppies get lost in the aquarium. >> it's being written. savannah stellar has more with what's coming up. >> good news for tom hanks and rita wson asil mornings were made for better things than rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis. when considering another treatment, ask about xeljanz xr, a once-daily pill for adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis or active psoriatic arthritis for whom methotrexate did not work well enough. it can reduce pain, swelling, and significantly improve physical function. xeljanz can lower your ability to fight infections like tb; don't start xeljanz if you have an infection. taking a higher than recommended dose of xeljanz for ra can increase risk of death. serious, sometimes fatal infections, cancers including lymphoma, and blood clots have happened.

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welcome back on a saturday morning. it's time for pop start. our friend savannah sellers back in studio 1a this morning. >> hi again, you guys. let's kick off with great news about tom hanks and rita wilson. more than two weeks after they were both diagnosed with coronavirus in australia, the couple is not only feeling better, but they have returned home to los angeles. the two were photographed driving with hanks behind the wheel and look, they're both grinning from ear to ear. we're looking forward to hearing more from them. moving on to two superstars giving back. taylor swift and rihanna. let's start with taylor. i'm a major swifty. the 30-year-old has been giving back to some of her fans financially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. swift is apparently giving them $3,000 and many have been

sharing the news and their shock on social media. like this fan who says taylor single handedly saved her ability to stay living in new york city. >> now to rihanna. she donated much needed safety gear to hospitals. governor cuomo thanked her and said we're appreciative of your help and that of so many others who stepped up. this isn't her first donation. she donated $5 million through her toe nation earlier in the week. we love harry and meghan news. stepping back from royal duties, the couple has been living and had been living in canada. but people magazine is reporting that they've now relocated to meghan's home state of california. they are reportedly living in a secluded compound and haven't ventured out due to the coronavirus crisis. we also learned this week about meghan's first post royal project. she'll return to the small screen as the narrator of a film about a family of elephants and their journey across

the royals like the rest of us hunkering down these days. >> meghan getting back to her roots. savannah, thank you. we want another check of the forecast. dave price is in new york again with that. dave, good to see you. >> good to see you. i've got company because even though i'm doing weather, my household chores aren't over either. let's take a check around the country and see what's happening as we go to the maps. looks like we're going to see some rough weather. low pressure is stretching from the central plains and bringing rough weather all the way towards the northeast and down to texas. stormy in that direction. watch for flooding in the ohio valley as well. severe weather threat. that's the big story this morning. this afternoon into tonight. we're going to watch for fast-moving, long track tornadoes possible. very large hail and high winds. 44 million people at risk. that risk could be upped by the storm's prediction center later on today. primary of concern, west of chicago, eastern iowa. we're going to watch for that. blizzard-like conditions in the central rockies and elevated

fire risk, dry and warm in west texas. and unsettled through monday as we head to the pacific no and get ready for some rain. we are expecting to see showers heading into saturday and sunday as well. we'll see that light rain kind of push through into the evening hours. but for the most part, we will have a cool afternoon. temperatures will range in the low to mid-50s. for san francisco, a high of 53 degrees. inland areas will top out in the mid-50s and showers will continue heading into sunday morning. and that was a quick pause for a rough look at the weather. folks? >> we see what you did there, dave. we love seeing that your fish have a little company. thank you so much for that. >> all right. guys, be well. >> go back to your chores this morning.

appreciate it. our thanks to the heroes, both big and small who have made a big difference in

we are back. on this saturday morning, we want to shine a light on the people who are helping to restore our faith in the goodness of others during this crisis. >> gather around your loved ones for this. whether it's the health care workers, police officers, regular folks who are stepping up these days to provide food or comfort or even just a smile, to all of them, we say thank you. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ not normal times.

>> there are thousands new diagnoses in a single day. that's what we're bracing for. >> i took an oath to save lives. [ cheering ] >> we're going to put our lives on the line. we're going to do everything we can to save your life. so we need your help to make that possible. ♪ i rise up ♪ i rise unafraid ♪ i rise up ♪ and i do it a thousand times again ♪ and i rise up ♪ like the waves ♪ i rise up ♪ in spite of the ache ♪ i rise up and i do it a thousand times again ♪ for you ♪ for you

♪ for you ♪ for you ♪ and i rise up ♪ i'll rise like the day ♪ i'll rise up ♪ i'll rise unafraid ♪ i'll rise up and i do it a thousand times again ♪ for you ♪ for you ♪ for you ♪ for you [ horns honking ] >> that we have each other. ♪ we will have -- we will

have -- we will we will rise ♪ i'll rise up ♪ rise like the day ♪ i'll rise up in spite of the ache ♪ ♪ i will rise a thousand times again ♪ pretty powerful pictures there. i mean, it gets you emotional. you recognize that everybody is a hero right now just for staying home and all the heroes on the frontlines putting themselves at risk, sleeping in tents outside their homes. we're so grateful for all of them. we wanted to help you as we celebrate them today. >> it is emotional to watch that. you think about the uncertainty that we all live with every day.

those on the frontlines, our first responders, our health care workers are really on the frontlines in a way that i think so few of us can imagine. we just pay tribute to them right now and every single day moving forward. we do want to say a big thank you to producer robert sueler and editor joanne dres for putting that piece together. >> rise up by joint pain, swelling, tenderness. my psoriasis. cosentyx works on all of this. cosentyx treats the multiple symptoms of psoriatic arthritis to help you look and feel better. don't use if you're allergic to cosentyx. before starting, get checked for tuberculosis. an increased risk of infections and lowered ability to fight them may occur. tell your doctor about an infection or symptoms, if your inflammatory bowel disease symptoms develop or worsen, or if you've had a vaccine or plan to. serious allergic reactions may occur. watch me! get real relief with cosentyx.

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saturday morning, we wanted to take a moment to recognize the incredible team that we have behind the scenes working to put this show together despite these tough circumstances, conditions every week. >> that's right. like so many of you, most of our staff has been working from their homes these last few weeks dealing with new challenges. but still managing to shine their beautiful faces. we want to give an extra thank you to those still coming into the control room every weekend to make sure we get on the air. thanks to you guys. >> they're troopers with their six feet of separation behind the scenes. we're appreciative to all of them. grateful for you. that does it for us on a

coming up next, a new rule being enforced to inform bay area residents on the spread of the coronavirus. plus, if you are reliant on getting your groceries delivered, a warning by a possible strike by delivery workers this coming week. and a live look outside for you as we welcome the weekend. a chance of rain this morning and into the afternoon. will the rain pick up for our sunday. we will have the microclimate forecast coming up.

- 58 million latinos live in the united states. if we all participate in the 2020 census, we can ensure fair funding for our schools, libraries, hospitals, and other public services.

the census is safe, it's confidential, and our community is counting on us to do our part. we know who we are and how vibrant our community is. let's make sure our nation knows it too. for more information, visit getcounted.com, and to participate, go to census.gov.

nissan has been with you through thick and thin. and now is no different. we're offering payment options for current owners and our service departments are here to help. and for future owners, we're offering no payments for 90 days on 14 models. this is help when you need it. good saturday morning. it is march 28th, 7:00 on the dot adds we take a live look outside over walnut creek. cloudy skies as we look ahead to a rainy weekend. thanks so much for joining us. of course, as we continue our social distancing, here is a look at your