jim bitterman is in paris and delia is in rome. everyone is looking at italy and how the virus is playing out there. maybe a preview of what could happen in the united states. what's happening there? >> reporter: that's right, john. this period in particular is so important. we still probably have not reached the peak. we have a total of 31,000 total cases yesterday. when we say total cases, that includes, john, also those who have died and those who have recovered, but from yesterday a jump in 3,000 new positive cases. so the experts are saying that probably we're still going to see those numbers rise but that in the next ten days or so they hope to see the trend start to go down. this is, of course, crucial as you mentioned because italy is a test case for the rest of the world. we're now into ten days for the countrywide shutdown, but of course in the northern regions and in the red zones in particular they started two and three weeks -- three and four weeks ago so the numbers that are coming out of there will be very important

. >> jim bitterman is live at charles de gaulle airport. heard from the french president yesterday that there are similar measures happening in france to sort of shut things down. but this idea of how do you get back to the united states? do you have to fly now? what is the window? you know, lack of information really. >> christine, the confused messaging had people befuddled here. it's quieted down now. this is the ticket change window at delta. there's a number of delta flights that will be taking off here later on in the day. several hundred people were here earlier. they've sort of dwindled. they have their flights changed and whatnot. a number of people said they shortened their trips. a day or two, a week. we talked to a psychologist from los angeles, she said it was mass hysteria. here's how she put it. >> so yesterday tek texts, all they said you need to get out of here by tomorrow night or you will be held in the country for 30 days basicalliment you wiy m. you will not be able to get out for 30 days. i was on the phone yesterday w

jim bitterman, thank you so much. >>> coronavirus is changing daily life across the middle east. great religious sites closed. the pandemic is compounding more famine, financial collapse and unrest. cnn's arwa damon is live with more. arwa? >> reporter: good morning. iran is still the epicenter of this outbreak for the middle east. the iranian leaders have been very critical, especially of the united states, because they say they are being forced into a more critical situation due to the sanctions that have been imposed on iran and that that is causing their health care system to collapse further than it necessarily would have had those sanctions not been in place. that being said, the uae has sent two planes over to iran to help bolster its health infrastructure, but that country is still in an extraordinarily dire situation. it's unclear if health officials there are going to be able to bring this outbreak under control. remember, it is also something of a news dark hole. as for other parts of the region, compared to europe, for example, low levels are being reported, but in a

our jim bitterman is live for us in gilles, france, which people need a form before they can lei leaveome. >> all across france they have to fill out this form, you can download it from the internet, and this is to go out for food, and if you have an essential job, it basically says you are testing the fact that you have some kind of reason to be out, and you have to be out alone. you can go out and walk your dog, for example, but you can't go out with other people walking the dog. you can't play football, you can't do those type of things. you can get together with your animals, your pets and your wife, but basically you're not supposed to get together with any other people. we've seen here in my little village where i'm self-isolated outside paris, cars are going by a little bit today, but basically it's usually a solo driver. they're usuallily goiy going to store or something. they can be out but they have to prove to police. they've mobilized 150 police officers. there are many checkpoints. >> the city is dark. it is unbelievable. thank you very much, jim. let's go to barbie who jo

jim bitterman is live at charles de gaulle airport. what are you hearing on the ground there?od? >> it's a little bit of panic, but not much. this is a delta ticket counter behind me, there's a lot of delta flights as the day goes on here. there's been a number of people this morning, close to 100 in line waiting to change their tickets. they've managed to do that so the lines have thinned down. the confused messaging was a problem. people didn't know who to believe about what exactly was going to happen in the united states. we talked to a psychologist from los angeles on her way back home who cut her trip short, she said -- she described it as mass hysteria. here's what she had to say. >> yesterday morning, all these texts, all this stuff, they said you need to get out of here by tonight, march 13th, or you'll be held in the country for 30 days. you will not be able to get out for 30 days. i was on the phone yesterday with expedia for four hours to get everything changed. and i got here just, like -- i left l.a.x. on monday, and i got here on tuesday. >> some of that anxiety