• The spread of coronavirus has lead to a reduction in travel but for some, flying remains a necessity and most flights are still operating as normal.
• Technology has made it easier to avoid human contact at airports which is proving to be vital as COVID-19 spreads globally.
• Mobile boarding passes and near-field communication payment apps greatly reduce unnecessary touching and contact. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Despite the continued spread of COVID-19 and reported cases of coronavirus, I plan to keep flying and not take financial losses by canceling my scheduled trips.

Though I'm not concerned with contracting the virus while overseas more so than at home, especially as the rising number of reported cases in my home state of New York has led to Governor Cuomo declaring a state of emergency, I will be taking precautions and rely more on travel technologies than before. 

Technology has largely reduced the need for human interaction when it comes to air travel.  The internet and mobile apps, in particular, have eliminated the need for most human-to-human contact when flying.

The first tech wave came with online check-in and self-serve check-in kiosks where flyers could change seats and print boarding passes without ever speaking to another person. The next evolution came soon afterward with airlines developing mobile applications that gave more power to flyers by allowing them to make changes without access to a computer or having to call the airline.

While the continued improvement of such technology has made for a more seamless travel experience for most, it also has the potential benefit of protecting flyers from the spread of germs that can lead to illnesses such as coronavirus. 

Though the demand for air travel has largely declined in recent weeks due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, flights are still going and traveling remains a necessity for many. Airlines have been doing their part in cleaning aircraft and facilities but the human factor remains somewhat uncontrollable.

Here's how to I plan to use technology to master the art of isolation when it comes to flying in the age of coronavirus. 

SEE ALSO: How to lessen the chances of getting sick when traveling on planes in the age of coronavirus, according to experts

DON'T MISS: 5 US airlines are canceling flights to global destinations outside of China as coronavirus spreads — here's the list

Avoiding the check-in desk and kiosk at the airport by checking-in for flights online

Online check-in and the expansion of mobile airline apps have largely made the airport check-in process obsolete, with passengers being able to select seats and print boarding passes from their homes. Using either of these methods, the need for interacting with a check-in agent or using a check-in kiosk with screens that have been touched by countless travelers.

In most cases, there is nothing that can be done on a check-in kiosk that cannot be done on a mobile app, including changing flights and purchasing checked baggage allowance. 

I always check-in online 24 hours before a flight to ensure that all required information is input and I am able to get a seat selection so I don't need to visit an agent at the airport. Notably, I plan to travel with a carry-on bag to avoid checking luggage.

Some cases will require either visiting a check-in kiosk or going to the check-in desk, such as getting a baggage tag if you are checking in luggage. Should a visit to either be required, precautions can be taken including wiping down the kiosk screen with a disinfectant wipe, using gloves, applying hand-sanitizer before and after the experience or washing your hands once the check-in process is complete.

Using my phone for my boarding pass.

Mobile boarding passes have largely rendered paper boarding passes obsolete and the latter is no longer required on most flights, though some exceptions apply for international flights. For most flight bookings, mobile boarding passes are issued directly after the online check-in process and can be kept in a phone's virtual wallet. 

Now, mobile boarding passes are making traveler safer by further reducing contact with a machine or person when flying. When traveling with only carry-on bags, the entire airport check-in process is eliminated entirely and passengers can head directly to the security checkpoint in most instances. 

Storing items in my bag at the security checkpoint and using as few bins as possible.

When going through security, an easy way to avoid the shared-use bins is by storing items in carry-on luggage, purses, or other bags, and sending it through the x-ray machine. Placing your personal items in multiple bins, which are also used by other travelers, means more exposure to potential germs. 

Storing loose belongings such as a phone or wallet in a bag is not only an ideal way to avoid germs but also to spend as little time in the security screening area as possible. Sometimes, I put loose items in the pockets of my coat or jacket, and send them through the x-ray. I also ensure anything remotely metal is removed to avoid a potential pat-down. 

Never giving up control of my phone.

Having a mobile boarding pass also gives passengers greater control at both the security checkpoint and boarding gate.

At the security checkpoint, a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent will always need to inspect a paper boarding pass, often marking it with a pen. A mobile boarding pass only needs to be scanned, which flyers can do themselves by simply holding the phone over the scanner, with no need for the screener to physically hold the device.

I always keep control of my phone and scan it myself. Sometimes the scanner is passenger-facing and while on some occasions I've had to reach over the kiosk, TSA screeners are aware some passengers have that preference. 

When boarding, the procedure for most is to give the printed boarding pass to the gate agent to scan. But with a mobile boarding pass, the agent will likely direct you to place your phone over or under the scanner yourself. Unless there is a problem with scanning the boarding pass, I've never had to give up control of my phone to the boarding agent. 

If a flight requires the use of a paper boarding pass, I'll still insist on scanning myself to prevent unnecessary physical interaction. 

Using virtual phone wallets or mobile banking when making purchases in the terminal.

Similar to using a mobile boarding pass to board a flight, travelers can use their phones to make purchases at airport restaurants, duty-free shops or newsstands to avoid contact with a cashier if paying with cash or a credit/debit card terminal if paying with a card.

Most smartphones now have virtual wallets that allow users to add their credit cards and pay via their mobile device. For iPhones, the program is called Apple Pay and for Androids, Google has a system called Google Pay.

Both work the same in that they can send credit or debit card information directly to the terminal without the user having to touch anything but their phones. Most retailers accept Apple Pay and Google Pay, further reducing potential contact with germs.

• As the novel coronavirus COVID-19 spreads globally, airlines are canceling routes beyond Chinese territory both as a precaution and to stop the spread of the virus. 
• Iran and South Korea are among the top countries where airlines are canceling service due to increased reports of the virus.
• The cancellations and reductions in service can be felt as far as Europe and North America. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Airlines and countries are continuing to restrict travel following the spread of the novel coronavirus outside the borders of Chinese territory.

With increased cases of coronavirus being reported in countries near and far from China including South Korea, Italy, and Iran, numerous routes around the world are being cut to prevent the further spread of the disease. 

The reductions in service are caused by a mix of low-demand and government mandate restricting travel to certain regions. Middle Eastern and Asian countries are among those being the most proactive in attempting to stem the spread of the virus as it finds its way across their regions. 

While most services are being cut on routes within those regions, the effects of the virus on air travel can be felt as far as North America. 

Here's a list of airlines that have cut back services due to the spread of coronavirus. 

SEE ALSO: Delta CEO: Passengers should ask permission before reclining their seats on planes

Air Busan

Air Busan is cutting service to numerous cities across Asia and Oceania, according to the airline's website, as coronavirus continues to afflict South Korea. Among those destinations affected are Taipei; Da Nang, Vietnam; Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Hanoi, Vietnam; Laos, Vietnam; Cebu, Philippines; Boracay, Philippines; Siem Reap, Cambodia; Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia; Vladivostok, Russia; Guam; and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. 

The airline has also cut services to Daegu, South Korea, where the coronavirus is rapidly spreading. 

Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand is canceling flights between its base in Auckland and Seoul, South Korea from March 8 to June 30 as coronavirus spreads in the Asian country, the airline announced.

The route is the Kiwi flag carrier's sole route between New Zealand and South Korea, with Korean Air left as the only operator on the route during Air New Zealand's suspension. 

Air Seoul

Air Seoul is cutting flights to seven destinations outside of China, the airline announced, with cancellations to Guam, Da Nang, Vietnam; Hanoi, Vietnam; Nha Trang, Vietnam; Boracay, Philippines; Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia; and Siem Reap, Cambodia

The Korean budget airline was among many to cut service between Korea and Vietnam as health authorities attempt to prevent the spread of the virus, The Star reported. 

Asiana Airlines

Asiana Airlines is reducing flights between South Korea and Thailand as well as South Korea and Vietnam, the Bangkok Post and The Star reported, as well as suspending a route between Jeju and Daegu.

The city of Daegu has the highest reported cases of coronavirus in South Korea, Reuters reported, prompting Korea's two largest airlines to stop service entirely to the city. 

Air Arabia

Air Arabia's route between Bahrain and Sharjah was affected by a temporary 48-hour ban of flights between Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

Bahrain initiated the temporary restriction that affected flights to Dubai and Sharjah, Bahrain's state news agency announced reported, on February 24.

The airline was also affected by a UAE government ban on service to Iran, forcing it to cancel flights to Tehran, the airline announced on its website. 

Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines has suspended service on its Minneapolis-Seoul route, the airline said in a news release, as South Korea struggles to contain the virus. The route is operated daily by Delta's newest aircraft, the Airbus A350-900 XWB, with Delta having strong ties with South Korean flag carrier Korean Air and numerous routes to Seoul. 

The airline serves Seoul primarily from its Asian gateways including Atlanta, Detroit, and Seattle, which will see reduced service, with plans to start service between the South Korean capital and Manila at the end of March. 

With concerns about the virus spreading throughout northern Italy, Delta also suspended its New York-Milan route until May, according to a news release issued by the airline. The airline's year-round service to Rome has not yet been affected, but seasonal service to Venice has been pushed back until May 1 and travel waivers are in effect for the entirety of the country.

Delta later announced it would be reducing service to Japan, including reducing service to Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka, as well as suspending a recently opened route between Seattle and Osaka. 

Bamboo Airways

Bamboo Airways is suspending flights between Vietnam and South Korea, the airline announced, in response to the spread of coronavirus on the Korean peninsula.

The Vietnamese carrier operates two routes between Vietnam and South Korea between Da Nang, Vietnam and Seoul and Nha Trang, Vietnam and Seoul.

Jin Air

South Korea's Jin Air is cutting services from Busan and Seoul to cities in Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Guam, Japan, Malaysia, and Taiwan, according to Routes Online.

The reductions and cancellations are planned until the end of March.

Vietnam Airlines

Vietnam Airlines announced on its website that it will be suspending all services between Vietnam and South Korea to prevent the continued spread of coronavirus.

The Vietnamese flag carrier was one of the first airlines in Southeast Asia to reduce flights to the Korean Peninsula following an outbreak of the virus there. 

Korean Air

Korean Air has suspended all flights to Daegu, South Korea Reuters reported, which it serves from Jeju, South Korea, and Seoul, because of the severity of coronavirus cases in the city. The Korean flag carrier has selectively cut services to cities outside of China including Taipei, Taiwan, and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the airline listed on its website. 

The airline has also canceled services to Tel Aviv, Israel according to FlightAware data, following an incident where Israel refused to allow South Koreans into the country.

T'Way Air

T'Way Air canceling and reducing flights to numerous cities across Asia and Oceania, according to the airline's website. Among those countries affected are Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, the Philippines, Japan, Saipan, and Guam. 

The reductions in service are in effect until the end of March. 

Philippine Airlines

Philippine Airlines has canceled flights to Taiwan following a government ban, the airline reported on its website. The cancellations will extend until the end of March. 

Singapore Airlines and SilkAir

Singapore Airlines and its subsidiary SilkAir will be cutting services across their networks, including destinations as far away as the US, the airline announced on its website.

Among those countries affected are the US, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Turkey, the UK, South Korea, Taiwan, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Nepal, the Maldives, Japan, India, Bangladesh, and France. 

Iraqi Airways

Iraqi Airways is suspending flights to neighboring Iran, Reuters reported, as coronavirus cases grow in the Middle East. The coronavirus spread to Iran and high-ranking government officials were infected with the disease. 

The airline will also have to cease service to Bahrain as the government of the island nation has banned flights from Lebanon and Iraq, Arabian Business has reported. 

Jazeera Airways

Jazeera Airways is suspending its flights to Iraq and Iran following a government mandate that blocked flights between Kuwait and numerous countries in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, the New York Times reported.

The Kuwaiti airline operates flights to Najaf, Iraq, and Mashhad, Iran from its main base in Kuwait City. 

Kuwait Airways

Kuwait Airlines is canceling flights to Italy, Thailand, Iran, and Iraq following a government ban on flights to Kuwait from those countries, the New York Times reported.

The Kuwait flag carrier currently serves Rome; Milan, Italy; Bangkok, Thailand; Tehran, Iran; and Mashhad, Iran with upcoming plans to serve Shiraz. 

Thai Airways

Thai International Airways is cutting services between Thailand and South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates, the airline reported on its website, until the end of March.

The cities affected include Seoul, Busan, South Korea, Dubai, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Manila, Philippines, Nagoya, Japan, Fukuoka, Japan, and Singapore.   

Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines is cutting flights between Tokyo and South Korea affected the Tokyo-Seoul and Tokyo-Busan routes, the airline's website listed.

Also affected is the airline's Kansai-Taipei route until mid-March. 

Oman Air

Oman Air joined its Middle Eastern colleagues in suspending service to Iran following a directive from Oman's aviation regulator, its website stated. The airline currently operates a single route to Iran between Muscat, Oman, and Tehran.

Turkish Airlines and AndalouJet

Turkish Airlines is suspending service to all Iranian cities except for Tehran, the airline reported on its website.

The suspension will remain in effect until March 10. Subsidiary carrier AndalouJet will be forced to cancel all flights to the country as well due to a government ban on commercial flights between Turkey and Iran, the Andalou Agency reported. 

The airline later included South Korea, Iraq, and Italy to its list of countries to which it will cease service until March 10, according to an airline press release.

Emirates

Emirates has been forced to cancel flights on two routes, Dubai-Tehran and Dubai-Bahrain, because of government restrictions in the UAE and Bahrain, according to its website.

While the cancellations on the Bahrain route are only in effect until February 29, the Tehran cancellations are until further notice. 

FlyDubai

FlyDubai was forced to cancel flights between Dubai and cities in Iran due to a government mandate, according to its website. 

The low-cost airline also canceled flights between Dubai and Bahrain for a 48-hour period starting February 24 due to restrictions from the Bahrain government on flights to the United Arab Emirates, the airline stated on its website. 

Gulf Air

Gulf Air was among those affected by the Bahrain government's 48-hour restriction on flights between Dubai and Bahrain, the airline said on its website, forcing the flag carrier to cancel flights during the period.

The airline operates numerous flights a day on the 263-nautical mile route competing with FlyDubai, Emirates, and Cathay Pacific. 

Gulf Air will also have to cease service to Lebanon and Iraq as Bahrain government is banning flights to the two Middle Eastern countries, Arabian Business has reported. 

Cathay Pacific

Already affected by a lack of demand for travel to Hong Kong amid coronavirus fears and anti-China protests, Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific was affected by a 48-hour ban on flights between Dubai and Bahrain, with the airline's website reporting its service canceled during the time period.

Royal Jordanian

Royal Jordanian Airlines is suspending flights between Amman and Rome, the airline announced, as coronavirus spreads across northern Italy.

The Jordanian flag carrier operates the route along with Alitalia, which operates flights seasonally, and will be suspending flights indefinitely, leaving no airline scheduled to fly between the two capitals until Alitalia resumes service in May.

MIAT Mongolian Airlines

MIAT Mongolian Airlines is forced to cancel flights to South Korea following a government ban on flights from the country, Reuters reported. The Mongolian flag carrier currently serves Seoul from its base in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar.

Fly Baghdad

Fly Baghdad will be forced to cancel its flights between Iraq and Bahrain due to a Bahrain government ban on flights from Iraq and Lebanon, Arabian Business reported.

The airline currently connects Bahrain with Najaf, Iraq. 

El Al Israel Airlines

El Al Israel Airlines canceled a flight to Milan, the Times of Israel reported, on Thursday morning as coronavirus continues to impact Northern Italy.

Israel has been proactive in attempting to prevent the spread of the virus to its borders, going as far as to deny entry to South Korean visitors, but is seeing a rise in cases pop up from travelers who have visited hot spots for coronavirus such as Italy, the National Post reported. 

The Times of Israel reported that El Al may be on the brink of collapse due to reduced travel demand and warnings from the government regarding non-essential travel outside of the Middle Eastern country. As the flag carrier of the Jewish state, El Al's primary function is to facilitate travel to and from the country, with less emphasis on connecting traffic. 

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines is suspending its service between Honolulu and Seoul, the airline said in a press release, citing the rise in coronavirus cases in South Korea. The unofficial flag carrier of the archipelagic US state will suspend the flights from early March until the end of April. 

Hawaii is a popular tourist destination for Asian vacationers and its home airline serves multiple countries on the continent from its Honolulu hub using its Airbus A330-200 aircraft. Hawaiian Airlines is the second airline to cancel service to Asia outside of Chinese territory due to the virus behind Delta Air Lines which suspended Minneapolis-Seoul service and reduced flights to Seoul from its other Asian gateways.  

British Airways

British Airways is reducing frequencies on its routes to South Korea, Italy, and Singapore, Reuters reported, citing low demand. All countries have been reduced demand due to reported cases of coronavirus. 

The airline later announced that some flights between the UK and US will be canceled due to a reduction in demand, Sky News reported. Regional flights throughout Europe are slated to be affected. 

Pegasus Airlines

Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines will be forced to cancel flights to Iran after Turkey banned travel between the two countries, according to Andalou Agency reported. The airline currently serves the Iranian capital of Tehran from neighboring Turkey. 

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways is suspending service to Iranian cities and reducing its capacity on flights to South Korea, only accepting passengers with onward connections beyond Doha, according to an airline press release. Situated across the Persian Gulf from Iran, Qatar Airways serves numerous destinations in the country including Tehran, Shiraz, and Mashhad. 

Pakistan International Airlines

Pakistan's flag carrier has suspended flights to China and Japan, according to the Pakistan Observer, with services to Tokyo and Beijing affected. The suspensions will last until March 15.

Iran Air

Iran Air, along with other Iranian airlines, will be forced to cancel international flights on select routes to countries that have closed its borders to the country, as Al Arabiya reported.

Iran has reported numerous cases of the virus, making it one of the largest hot spots for coronavirus outside of China.  

Iran Aseman Air

Iran Aseman Air will be suspending international routes to destinations in countries that have banned connections to Iran, as Al Arabiya reported.

Mahan Air

Mahan Air will be forced to suspend international flights to certain countries that are barring flights to Iran, as Al Arabiya reported, due to an outbreak in the country that has affected even its top leaders. 

The carrier, one of Iran's largest, has not stopped flights to mainland China, however, with FlightRadar24 data showing the airline operating flights between Shanghai and Tehran. 

Qeshm Air

Qeshm Air joins its fellow Iranian carriers in being banned from operating international flights to select destinations, as Al Arabiya reported, forcing it to cancel flights on those routes. 

SalamAir

Oman's SalamAir will be suspending flights to Iran following a government directive restricting flights between the two countries, the airline announced on its website. One of Oman's largest carriers, SalamAir serves Shiraz, Meshad, and Tehran in Iran. 

Bulgaria Air

Bulgaria Air will be suspending service between Sofia and Milan until the end of March, Reuters reported, as coronavirus spreads across Northern Italy. With the Bulgarian flag carrier pulling out from the route temporarily, there will be no air link between Milan and Sofia until service is resumed.

Kish Air

Iran's Kish Air will be suspending certain international routes to countries that have banned flights from Iran, as Al Arabiya reported. The airline serves regional destinations throughout the Middle East. 

Caspian Airlines

Capsian Airlines will have to suspend select international routes to countries where flights from Iran have been banned to prevent the spread of coronavirus, as Al Arabiya reported.

Taban Air

Iran's Taban Air will be forced to suspend routes to countries that have restricted access from the Middle Eastern country citing a rise in reported coronavirus cases, as as Al Arabiya reported.

ATA Airlines

ATA Airlines will join its Iranian colleagues in cutting routes on select international routes to countries that have restricted flights from the country, as Al Arabiya reported that multiple countries have closed borders with Iran.

Iran Air Tours

Iran Air Tour will be forced to cancel its international flights to Turkey, its only destination outside of Iran, as the country has severed air links with Iran as coronavirus cases grow, the Andalou Agency reported.

The Iranian airline serves three destinations in Turkey from cities across Iran, according to its route map. 

Zagros Airlines

Iran's Zagros Airlines will be forced to suspend international routes to countries that have barred flights from Iran citing coronavirus concerns, as Al Arabiya reported.

The airline primarily serves destinations in the Middle East and Central Asia, according to its website. 

United Airlines

United Airlines became the third US carrier to suspend routes outside of Chinese territory on Friday when it announced that numerous routes to Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan would be suspended or see reduced service, the company told Business Insider.

The airline is suspending service from Los Angeles and Houston to Tokyo's Narita Airport from March 8 until April 24 and Chicago and Tokyo's Narita Airport from March 8 until March 27. Service to Tokyo's Haneda Airport, which is expected to see new service from scores of foreign airlines at the end of March, is unaffected.

Other routes to Asia will see reduced service or aircraft downgrades until the end of August including Newark-Tokyo, Honolulu-Tokyo, San Francisco-Kansai, San Francisco-Singapore, San Francisco-Seoul, and San Francisco-Taipei. 

United later announced in an email sent to Business Insider that it would be reducing its international and domestic flying schedule by 20% and 10%, respectively. The Chicago-based airline, which was among the most proactive in cutting services to Asia following the spread of the virus, now becomes the first major US legacy airline to reduce its domestic schedule. 

Specific routes to be affected by the schedule reduction have not yet been announced. 

Aeroflot Russian Airlines

Aeroflot Russian Airlines is suspending some routes to South Korea from cities in Eastern Russia, according to Routes Outline, until the end of March due to government restrictions.

The Russian cities of Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk will be affected by suspended routes to the South Korean cities of Seoul and Busan.

S7 Airlines

Russia's S7 Airline is suspending service from Russia to Seoul until the end of March, according to the airline's website, due to Russian government restrictions on service to South Korea, joining colleagues Aeroflot and Yakutia.

Routes from Irkutsk, Novosibirsk, and Vladivostok to the South Korean capital are affected. 

Yakutia

Russian airlines Yakutia is suspending service to Seoul from its hub in Yakutsk, according to Routes Online, due to Russian government restrictions on flights to South Korea.

The airline is one of three Russian airlines suspending service from eastern Russian cities to the South Korean capital as coronavirus spreads across the Korean Peninsula. 

China Airlines

Taiwan's China Airlines is suspending service on routes between Taiwan and South Korea, according to Routes Online, until the end of March.

Routes between Taipei and Busan; Taipei and Seoul; and Kaohsiung and Seoul are affected. 

Tigerair Taiwan

Tigerair Taiwan is suspending numerous routes between Taipei and South Korea, according to the airline's website, as coronavirus spreads across the Korean Peninsula.

Routes between Taipei and Busan, Jeju, Daegu, and Seoul are affected until the end of March and early April. 

CSA Czech Airlines

Czech Airlines is suspending its Prague-Seoul route, according to Routes Online, as more coronavirus cases are reported in South Korea.

The suspension will last indefinitely, with Korean Air to take over as the sole carrier on the route. 

Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines is reducing frequency on its route from Addis Ababa to Seoul with onward service to Tokyo, according to Routes Online, until mid-March.

The African carrier currently flies between the three cities five times weekly and is reducing service to four times weekly on March 2. 

Garuda Indonesia

Garuda Indonesia is reducing service on its route between Jakarta and Seoul, according to Routes Online, until mid-March.

The Indonesian flag carrier is scaling back service to five times weekly down from daily service. 

Jetstar Airways

Jetstar Airways is suspended service between Gold Coast, Australia, and Seoul, according to the airline's website, until the end of June. The low-cost carrier's suspension on the route starts on March 8. 

The airline's Japan division is also suspending service on its Tokyo-Taipei route until the end of March, the airline's website stated.

LOT Polish Airlines

LOT Polish Airlines is reducing service on its Budapest-Seoul route, according to Routes Online, until the end of March as coronavirus continues to spread across the Korean Peninsula.

The Polish flag carrier, which is growing service out of underserved Budapest in nearby Hungary, is scaling back service to twice weekly from three times weekly. 

Lao Airlines

Lao Airlines is suspending service on its route between Vientiane, Laos, and Seoul for the month of March, according to Routes Online.

The Laotian national airline connects the two capitals cities with daily service. 

EVA Air and UNI Air

Taiwan's EVA Air and subsidiary UNI Air are suspending and reducing service on numerous routes from Taiwan to Japan and South Korea, according to Routes Online.

In Japan, the cities of Tokyo, Aomori, Hakodate, Komatsu, Matsuyama, Nagoya, Sapporo, and Sendai are seeing suspended or reduced service while Seoul is seeing suspended and reduced service from Kaohsiung and Taipei in Taiwan.

Peach Aviation

Japan's Peach Aviation is suspending numerous routes from cities across Japan to destinations in Taiwan, South Korea, and Thailand, the airline announced on its website.

Most of the suspensions are in effect until the end of March and affect Seoul, Bangkok, and Taipei. 

EasyJet

British low-cost carrier EasyJet is reducing its frequencies to Italy from mid to late March, the airline confirmed to Business Insider in an email statement.

"We can confirm that we have taken the decision to cancel a number of flights mainly to and from Italy following a slowing in demand as a result of concerns over COVID-19," EasyJet spokesperson Katie Kershaw said in an email. 

Italy has seen a spike in coronavirus cases in its northern regions, causing British Airways to reduce frequencies to Milan. 

Thai AirAsia

Thai AirAsia joined its Thai colleagues in reducing service between its home country and South Korea, according to Retail News Asia.

Thailand has been very proactive in attempting to prevent the spread of coronavirus to its border and multiple Thai airlines have canceled flights to coronavirus hotspots. 

Qantas

Australian flag carrier Qantas has been cutting frequencies on routes to Asia as demand slows due to the spread of coronavirus, the airline stated in a news release. Among those countries affected are Singapore, Japan, and Thailand. 

Lufthansa

German airline conglomerate Lufthansa Group announced that flights would be cut across the short and medium-haul route networks of subsidiary airlines by up to 25% including the namesake flag carrier Lufthansa, according to a company press release. Flights to Seoul from the airline's German bases will also be reduced, the airline announced. 

Specific information on which routes beyond South Korea, Italy, Iran, and China will be affected wasn't given by the Lufthansa Group but airlines operating under the Lufthansa brand are vital in connecting countries across the continent with bases in Germany, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, and Turkey.

Lufthansa operates flights across the affected network from its main bases in Frankfurt, Germany, and Munich. Germany. In addition to originating and departing traffic, the cities are often used as intermediary points en route to further destinations both across Europe and beyond. 

The Lufthansa Group later announced it would cease flying to Tel Aviv on all subsidiaries except Brussels Airlines until the end of March due to restrictions from the Israel government barring entry for residents of certain European countries. Airlines canceling flights include Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, and Swiss International Air Lines.

Brussels Airlines

Brussels Airlines will likely be affected by the Lufthansa Group's announcement to temporarily cut services across the short and medium-haul route networks of subsidiary airlines announced on Friday in a company news release. One of the group's smallest subsidiary airlines, Brussels Airlines acts as Belgium's national carrier primarily connecting Europe, North America, and Africa through Brussels. 

The airline recently announced it would be cutting services to northern Italy as reported coronavirus cases continue to climb in the region. Additional route suspensions or reductions have yet to be announced. 

Swiss International Air Lines

Though the airline hasn't officially announced any route suspensions or reduction in frequencies, Swiss International Air Lines is likely to see reduced operations on its short and medium-haul routes. Swiss' parent company Lufthansa Group announced a reduction of short and medium-haul by up to 25% across all member airlines, with the Swiss flag carrier operating an extensive short and medium-haul route network throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa from bases in Zurich and Geneva. 

According to a Lufthansa Group press release, the airline will likely see services to Italian cities be among the first to be suspended or reduced. 

SWISS is one of the Lufthansa Group carriers affected by the company's announcement to suspend flying to Israel until the end of March. The move comes following Israeli government restrictions on passengers entering the country from certain European countries.

Austrian Airlines

Another Lufthansa Group airline, Austrian Airlines will likely be scaling back short- and medium-haul flights following an announcement from its parent company. The Austrian flag carrier operates flights throughout Europe, Africa, and the Middle East from its Vienna hub.

The airline announced on Monday that 40 percent of its offering to Italian destinations have been cut until the end of April, with continued suspensions to Iran and China. 

Austrian will also be suspending service to Israel for the month of March due to Israeli government restrictions of residents of Austria, parent company Lufthansa Group announced. The airline connects Vienna and Tel Aviv with three daily flights.

Eurowings

Eurowings, the low-cost subsidiary airline of the Lufthansa Group, will also likely be affected by the announcement from its parent company that short and medium-haul flights operated by subsidiary airlines will be reduced by up to 25%. The low-cost airline has bases across Europe and is Lufthansa Group's response to the rise of European low-cost carriers such as Ryanair and EasyJet. 

The airline has already reduced frequencies to Italy, according to a Lufthansa Group press release. The cities of Bologna, Venice, and Milan are currently affected. 

Air Dolomiti

Air Dolomiti, the Italian subsidiary airline of the Lufthansa Group, will likely be affected by an announcement from its parent company that short and medium-haul flights across the group's airlines will be reduced.

With a base in Munich that connects with numerous Italian cities, the airline is among the most vulnerable to a reduction in demand for flights to Italy as coronavirus cases remain on the rise. 

Cebu Pacific Air

Cebu Pacific Air is canceling flights from the Philippines to South Korea as the Filippino government issues restrictions on travel between the two countries, the airline announced on its website.

Services from Manila, Cebu, and Kalibo in the Philippines will be affected until the end of April. 

Eastar Jet

South Korea's Eastar Jet is suspending services on routes across Asia, according to Routes Online, as reported coronavirus cases in the country grow.

The airline initially announced an adjustment to its route network before coronavirus spread to the Korean Peninsula and affected Asian cities outside of China, but announced on Monday it would now be suspending services to Japan. 

Uzbekistan Airways

Uzbekistan Airways is canceling flights to numerous regions affected by coronavirus including Japan, Italy, and South Korea, the airline announced on its website. Central Asian countries, concerned about the spread of coronavirus into the region as the virus spreads across nearby Iran, have closed borders and severed air links to shield themselves.

The Uzbek flag carrier was also forced to cancel flights to the Saudi Arabian cities of Jeddah and Medina from its hub in Tashkent due to restrictions from the Saudi government, an airline press release stated.

Wizz Air

European low-cost carrier Wizz Air is reducing frequencies on flights to Italy, according to the airline's website, as well as suspending some routes.

The affected routes primarily originate in Eastern and Central Europe, with one route between the UK and Italy being affected. 

American Airlines

American Airlines became the first US airline to suspend service on a route between the US and Europe on Saturday when it announced that flights to Milan would be canceled until April 25, according to an airline news release. American serves Milan, Italy's economic and fashion hub, from New York and Miami, and has issued a travel waiver for numerous Italian cities as far south as Naples, Italy.

The airline later joined its competitors in reducing flights to Asia as American announced it would be suspending service to Seoul, South Korea from its Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas hub from March 4 to April 25. Seoul-Dallas is American Airlines' only route to South Korea and Korean Air will now be the only airline to serve the route in American's absence. 

Ryanair

Ryanair is reducing service on Italian routes, the airline announced Monday morning, by up to 25%.

The European low-cost carrier has bases throughout Italy, which has experienced a rise in reported coronavirus cases, especially in the north of the country. 

Finnair

Finnair, which has a route network focused primarily on connecting Europe and Asia, is reducing its frequencies and suspending service on routes in both continents, the airline announced in a press release.

The Finnish flag carrier is canceling flights to Seoul until mid-April, delaying the opening of its new route to Busan, South Korea until July, reducing service to Japan by cutting two flights per week between Helsinki and Osaka, and canceling flights to Milan, Italy until April 7. 

Flights to mainland China will remain canceled until the end of April and service to Hong Kong will be scaled back to once daily. 

Virgin Atlantic Airways

Virgin Atlantic Airways is pushing back the launch of its new route between London and Sao Paulo, Brazil until October, an airline spokesperson confirmed in an email to Business Insider. The route was originally scheduled to launch in March as part of Virgin's quest to become Britain's second flag carrier by increasing its route network in competition with British Airways.

Delaying the launch of the Sao Paulo route is indicative of the decline in demand for business travel that also saw British Airways reduce the number of frequencies on its flagship London-New York route. Virgin, which operates numerous frequencies on the New York route, has not stated whether or not it will reduce frequencies. 

AirAsia

AirAsia is reducing service between the Philippines and South Korea following restrictions from the Philippine government, according to an airline travel advisory. The Philippine cities of Cebu, Kalibo, and Manilla will all see reduced service during the month of March to the South Korean cities of Busan and Seoul.

All Nippon Airways

Japan's All Nippon Airways will be reducing service on domestic routes due to coronavirus, according to an airline press release. Intra-Japan flights on nine routes, so far, mainly from Tokyo have been affected and are scheduled to remain in effect until mid-March. 

Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines announced it will be reducing domestic and international services as coronavirus spreads. Affected international routes were first announced on Tuesday, the airline announced in a press release, with flights to cities in South Korea and Taiwan affected from the Japanese cities of Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. 

The airline then, in line with All Nippon Airways, stated in a press release that numerous domestic routes will see reduced frequencies. 

Air India

Air India will be reducing frequencies on flights to Singapore, according to the Times of India, due to low demand. The total number of combined services from Delhi to Singapore and Mumbai, India to Singapore via Chennai, India will be temporarily reduced to nine weekly. 

Vistara

India's newest airline, Vistara, will be reducing frequencies on routes between India and Singapore, according to the Times of India. Vistara joins one of its parent companies, Singapore Airlines, in reducing service between the two countries due to low demand. 

VietJet Air

VietJet Air will be canceling all of its flights between Vietnam and South Korea until the end of March, according to Routes Online. The airline primarily serves Busan and Seoul from cities across Vietnam including Cam Ranh, Nha Trang, Can Tho, Da Lat, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Phu Quoc. 

LATAM Airlines

LATAM Airlines will be suspending its Sao Paulo-Milan route, Reuters reported, as coronavirus spreads across northern Italy. The route will be suspended until mid-April, with the airline joining its new business partner Delta Air Lines in cutting service to the region. 

JetBlue Airways

JetBlue Airways will be reducing capacity across its network by 5% to account for reduced demand following the spread of coronavirus, the airline confirmed to Business Insider in an email. The 20-year-old airline's operations are mainly centered on the East Coast where reports of the virus have been low but slowly increasing. 

The airline did not release additional information as of Thursday regarding which routes will be affected. 

Flybe

Flybe became the first casualty of coronavirus as the financially-struggling airline entered into administration on Thursday morning, the airline said in a statement. The airline flew its final flights as an airline Wednesday night into the next morning, leaving customers stranded as Flybe was no more by the time the sun came up. 

Though coronavirus reports haven't been widespread in the UK, the global reduction in the demand for travel was largely to blame for the regional carrier's demise, according to a spokesperson for the UK Department for Transport. 

Norwegian Air

Norwegian Air is reducing frequencies on routes in both its intra-European and transatlantic divisions due to the continued spread of coronavirus and reduced demand for travel, the airline said in a press release. Flights to Italy are among the most affected, with Norwegian reducing flights to Northern Italy on routes within Europe and reducing service on its long-haul flights to Rome from Boston, Los Angeles, and New York.

The airline's flagship long-haul route between New York and London will also see a reduction in frequency. Norwegian has stated that these measures are in addition to an already 15 percent reduction in capacity for 2020. 

The move comes at a vulnerable time for Norwegian as the airline has been greatly affected by the issues with Rolls Royce's Trent 1000 engines that power the airline's Dreamliners, as well as the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max.

The engine issues have forced Norwegian to wet-lease aging airliners while the Max grounded delayed the airline's plan to replace its intra-European fleet with the aircraft, as well as forced the closure of its Norwegian Air International subsidiary that offered transatlantic flights to secondary cities in Europe and North America. 

Scandinavian Airlines

Scandinavian Airlines announced it will be reducing its short-haul flying schedule following reduced demand due to the spread of COVID-19, the airline announced in a press release. Though the airline did not list all the routes affected, Scandinavian had already canceled flights to the Italian cities of Milan, Bologna, Turin, and Rome by the time of the announcement until mid-March, according to an earlier announcement. 

Scoot

Singaporean low-cost carrier Scoot will be canceling its flights to South Korea, Routes Online reported, with its route between Seoul and Singapore via Taipei affected. The route will be canceled until the end of April and then reduced to three times weekly once service is restored. 

The airline joins fellow Singapore Airlines Group members Singapore Airlines and Silk Air in reducing service to South Korea from the island city-state, which is also seeing an increase in reported cases of the virus. 

Cabo Verde Airlines

Cabo Verde Airlines is canceling flights to Italy until March 20 due to restrictions from the Cabo Verde government, the airline announced on its website. The airline, which is seeking to grow the archipelagic nation of Cape Verde into a major transit hub between North America, South America, Europe, and Africa under the guidance of Icelandair, currently serves Rome and Milan from Sal. 

Alitalia

Italian flag carrier Alitalia is canceling flights to Israel after the Israeli government placed restrictions on travelers coming from Italy following an outbreak of coronavirus in the European country, the Times of Israel reported. A popular destination for tourists, religious pilgrims, and other travelers alike, Israel has been taking stern measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus including turning away over 100 South Koreans that attempted to visit the country. 

Alitalia flights are canceled between Italy and Israel from March 11 until the end of March.

Iberia

Spain's Iberia is canceling flights between Madrid and Tel Aviv following an Israeli government mandate restricting access for residents of certain European countries, the airline's website states. Iberia is one of the many Western European airlines temporarily cutting service to Israel until the end of March due to the policy. 

Air France

Air France has canceled flights on routes to affected regions including South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Italy, according to its website, as coronavirus continues to spread globally. The French flag carrier also announced the cancellation of flights to Tel Aviv until the end of March as the Israeli government began restricting access for residents of certain European countries. 

Air Canada

Air Canada is reducing frequencies on its routes to Seoul from Vancouver and Toronto, Routes Online reported. Frequencies will vary throughout a three month period on both routes with the airline canceling flights between Toronto and Seoul for the month of April.

Air Astana

Kazakhstan's Air Astana is reducing frequencies on its routes to Seoul from Almaty and Nur Sultan, according to its website, as coronavirus continues to spread across the Korean Peninsula. The airline has also canceled flights or reduced service to cities in Central Asia, India, and Europe including Baku, Paris, Mumbai, and Kuala Lumpur. 

Air Europa

Spain's Air Europa is canceling flights to Italy following the spread of coronavirus across the Italian Peninsula, according to its website. Two routes from Madrid to Rome and Milan are affected, with cancellations spanning from mid to late-March. 

• This is a preview of The Digital Therapeutics research report from Business Insider Intelligence.
• Purchase this report.
• Business Insider Intelligence offers even more healthcare coverage with Digital Health Pro. Subscribe today to receive industry-changing digital health news and analysis to your inbox.

A new class of medicine — digital therapeutics (DTx) — has emerged, offering a novel means of treating the swelling number of patients with chronic diseases and keeping associated costs down.

Digital therapeutics deliver evidence-based therapies via software — often in the form of consumer-facing mobile health apps — that replace or complement the existing treatment of a disease. They diverge from the broader digital health market in that they must be approved by regulatory bodies — and displaying proof-of-concept is at the core of their model.

DTx vendors leverage their tech to treat chronic conditions, which gobble up the lion's share of the US' healthcare spending: Business Insider Intelligence estimates that the US shelled out up to $3.3 trillion on chronic disease in 2018. The surging prevalence of chronic conditions combined with their sky-high price tags is fueling fast growth in the global DTx market, which is poised to expand 21% annually to hit nearly $9 billion by 2025. 

The sea change sparked by the advent of digital medicines threatens to reshape the entire healthcare value chain. Because drugs interact with nearly every healthcare stakeholder, DTx solutions are leading a variety of players to carve out room for digital solutions: Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are creating logs for DTx as they would drugs, insurers are linking their members up with digital solutions in an effort to mitigate spending, and entrenched pharma and medtech companies are tying up with DTx vendors to dip into new revenue streams.

Those that choose not to get on the DTx bandwagon might miss out on a massive opportunity — and we think laggard drugmakers and medical device makers that don't jump at the chance of linking up with DTx providers could put themselves at risk of losing market share to new competitors. 

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence will explore the drivers lighting a fire under the DTx market, identify the leading DTx market players, and unpack the varied ways vendors reach their intended audiences. We will also assess both the opportunities and risks DTx companies and their products pose to payers, pharmaceutical companies, and medtech firms. Finally, we will forecast what we expect to see next in the DTX space and outline the barriers holding DTx firms back to help stakeholders navigate the crowding field and develop strategies to capture a piece of the DTx pie.

The companies mentioned in this report are: 23andMe, 2morrow, Inc., Advocate Health Care, Akili Interactive, Apple, Aptar Pharma, Aurora Health Care, Bayer, Better Therapeutics, Big Health, Biofourmis, Blue Shield of California, Cambia Health Solutions, Cigna, Click Therapeutics, Cognoa, CVS Caremark, DarioHealth, Dexcom, Diabeto, Eli Lilly, ExpressScripts, Glooko, Happify Health, Health2Sync, Kaia Health, Lark Health, Livongo, MedRhythms, myStrength, mySugr, Noom, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Omada Health, Omron, One Drop, Otsuka, Pear Therapeutics, Propeller Health, Proteus Digital Health, ResMed, Retrofit, Roche, Sanofi, Teva Pharmaceutical, Teladoc, UnitedHealth Group, Vida Health, Virta Health, Voluntis, Walgreens, Walmart, and Welldoc.

Here are some key takeaways from the report: 

• Digital therapeutics are shaking up the healthcare value chain: The digital therapeutics market is set to triple in size over the next six years, blossoming into a $9 billion opportunity — and Business Insider Intelligence predicts consumer adoption of the digital treatments will grow more than 10-fold by 2023. 
• Payers should stock portfolios with digital therapeutics to shore up on drug spending, curb their sizable share of chronic disease costs, keep patients healthy, and woo employer contracts. 
• Proactive pharmaceutical firms and medical device makers can benefit from DTx's proliferation through tie-ups with vendors that give the incumbents access to piles of real-time data as well as the possibility to expand revenue opportunities through commercializing new products and programs — but sluggish drug- and device makers risk waving goodbye to consumers opting for digital solutions. 
• We expect to see heightened activity in the space over the next several years, but hurdles to growth remain, including winning over doctors and consumers as well as paltry reimbursement from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. 

In full, the report: 

• Provides a roadmap to the digital therapeutics market and explains how companies developing digital drug alternatives are transforming healthcare. 
• Identifies key players operating in the space. 
• Explores how digital therapeutics stand to benefit — and threaten — entrenched players, like payers, pharmaceutical companies, and medical device makers. 
• Considers what the future of digital therapeutics looks like and what still stands in the way of their proliferation.  

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1. Purchase and download the full report from our research store. >> Purchase & Download Now
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• The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has tested fewer than 6,000 potential coronavirus cases so far.
• The figure came from FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn on Saturday, who last week promised there would be 1 million test kits available by the end of the week. 
• The US was unable to meet that goal, though Vice President Mike Pence said Thursday the nation will produce some 1.2 million kits by next week. 
• The US has struggled with its coronavirus response, in part due to an issue with CDC-issued test kits that ended up requiring states to send the CDC all cases for testing. 
• Officials expect the number of tests completed to rise substantially over the next week.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The United States government has conducted 5,861 tests for the novel coronavirus as of Friday at 6 p.m., US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn said on Saturday at an off-camera press briefing, CNN reported.

The report comes amid a rise in US cases as the virus continues to spread across the country. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency in his state after announcing 21 new cases on Saturday, joining a handful of other states that have declared public emergencies as a result of people testing positive for COVID-19.

There have been at least 19 deaths in the US from the virus that has killed nearly 3,500 globally so far. Most fatalities have occurred in China.

As CNN reported, the number does not mean 5,861 people have been tested for the virus, as those who are tested for typically have two swabs taken and tested: one nose swab and one throat swab. The number also does not account for tests at private labs.

Saturday marked the first time the US government released official numbers on coronavirus tests.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which conducts coronavirus testing, has faced backlash over its handling of US cases.  While other countries affected by outbreaks of the virus, which is believed to have originated in China at the end of last year, have tested millions of patients for potential coronavirus, the US has tested just thousands, according to a report from MIT Technology Review. 

Part of the issue, the report said, is faulty COVID-19 testing kits issued to states by the CDC in early February. The kits were found to have "faulty negative controls," meaning the results of some test kits were inaccurate, and states had to continue sending test samples to the CDC for testing.

FDA policy prohibited states and private entities from developing their own test kits, meaning they only had access to the faulty FDA kits. The agency lifted that regulation on February 29, allowing states and commercial labs to create their own coronavirus testing kits.

As Business Insider previously reported, Vice President Mike Pence — the Trump-appointed head of the US coronavirus task force — admitted that the country was not able to meet up with the demand for the test kits.

The FDA commissioner had promised March 2 that the US would have 1 million test kits available by the end of the week, though Pence said the country failed to meet such a promise. 

"We don't have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate will be the demand going forward," the vice president said Thursday, telling the BBC that the new goal would be met next week and had been increased to 1.2 million testing kits. 

The CDC on March 4 broadened its criteria for testing, allowing more individuals exhibiting symptoms of the disease to be tested.

Read more: 

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declares a state of emergency and confirms 76 cases of coronavirus in the state

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The number of coronavirus cases outside China could jump tenfold every 19 days without 'strong intervention,' a study says

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Many companies use the term artificial intelligence, or AI, as a way to generate excitement for their products and to present themselves as on the cutting edge of tech development.

But what exactly is artificial intelligence? What does it involve? And how will it help the development of future generations?

Find out the answers to these questions and more in AI 101, a brand new FREE report fromBusiness Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, that describes how AI works and looks at its present and potential future applications.

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• Seven US states so far have declared states of emergency in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
• Washington declared a state of emergency last month after the first coronavirus death was confirmed there.
• Maryland's first positive cases and California's first death from coronavirus triggered those states to follow suit.
• By March 7, other states, including New York, Georgia, Kentucky, and Utah, in addition to several US cities and counties, have also declared public health emergencies.
• The US has reported more than 401 COVID-19 cases, including 61 in California, but due to a nationwide testing shortage the true figure is likely much higher.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Seven US states so far have declared states of emergency in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The country has reported more than 401 COVID-19 cases across 29 states, but due to a nationwide testing shortage the true figure is likely higher.

Of those known cases, authorities confirmed at least 19 deaths as of March 6: 14 in Washington state, two in Florida, and one in California.

The first week of March saw leaders in states across the country begin to ramp up their responses to the virus, which has killed more than 3,300 people and infected more than 98,000 globally. The coronavirus causes a respiratory disease known as COVID-19.

On March 5, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency after announcing the state's first three positive cases of coronavirus. The patients contracted the virus while traveling overseas and are quarantined in their homes.

"In order to further mobilize all available state resources in response to this threat to public health, I have issued a proclamation declaring a state of emergency in Maryland," Hogan said.

California declared a state of emergency on March 4 after reporting the first death from coronavirus in the state. Gov. Gavin Newsom made the declaration to receive emergency federal funding to battle the outbreak.

The proclamation also includes provisions to protect consumers from price gouging and allows for out-of-state healthcare workers to assist facilities at the frontlines of the coronavirus battle.

"The State of California is deploying every level of government to help identify cases and slow the spread of this coronavirus," Newsom said. "This emergency proclamation will help the state further prepare our communities and our health care system in the event it spreads more broadly."

The California Department of Public Health said it was working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to respond to the outbreak of COVID-19 in the state, including screening incoming passengers at both Los Angeles International (LAX) and San Francisco International (SFO) airports.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency in the state last month after the first coronavirus death was confirmed. The state has confirmed more than 70 cases of the virus and 11 deaths.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed also declared a state of emergency in the city last month, while several other US cities and counties have also declared public health emergencies over the new coronavirus.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency March 7 as the total number of confirmed cases in the state reached 76 and Amtrak canceled its non-stop service between Manhattan and Washington, DC. 

Despite the possibly alarming news, declaring an emergency is a strategic announcement that can help states activate emergency response plans and state emergency operation centers. It also can help governments get reimbursed for money they spend on preparedness from the state and federal government, and it authorizes leaders to use funds to deploy additional personnel, buy equipment, and prepare stockpiles.

The response from state leadership is in stark contrast to President Donald Trump's repeated downplaying of the outbreak and rocky public appearances in addressing officials' response to the virus. 

• Read more:
• The coronavirus has pandemic 'potential' as it spreads in South Korea, Italy, and Iran, according to WHO

  One key indicator will tell us when the coronavirus outbreak is winding down — but we're not seeing it yet

  A day-by-day breakdown of coronavirus symptoms shows how the disease, COVID-19, goes from bad to worse

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• A French chocolatier has designed Easter eggs modeled after the novel coronavirus, Le Telegramme reported.
• Jean-François Pré came up with the idea as a joke after being frustrated from constantly hearing about the spread of the virus.
• Pré had sold four of the viral chocolates as of March 4.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Some Easter eggs are better off left undiscovered. 

A great chef is always pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the food realm but one chef has come up with a viral concoction that may make chocolate lovers think twice before indulging in the sweet treat.

French pastry chef and chocolatier Jean-François Pré recently showed off his newest creation, chocolate Easter eggs modeled after the novel coronavirus, according to Le Telegramme.

The chocolates can be found at Pré's shop in Landivisiau, ironically situated on Rue Louis Pasteur, a street named after the famed French microbiologist.

Take a look at the Easter eggs modeled after the potentially deadly virus that's spreading across the globe. 

SEE ALSO: I plan to continue flying even as coronavirus spreads globally. Here's how I intend to avoid all human contact in airports using technology.

The Easter eggs consist of milk chocolate that's been painted black and red-colored almonds for a crunchy exterior.

Source: Le Telegramme

The idea for the chocolates came from Jean-François Pré, a French pastry chef.

Source: Le Telegramme

Pré told French news outlet Le Telegramme in an interview that the idea came from his frustration with the issue. He created the Easter egg as a way to release the air out of the situation.

Source: Le Telegramme

"I'm a little tired of hearing about it," Pré said. "I tried to take it as a joke."

Source: Le Telegramme

The chocolate concoctions can be found proudly on display in Pré's shop in Western France and though sales haven't been going viral, the chocolatier had sold at least four as of March 4.

• Italy is planning to shut down the northern region of Lombardy and 11 neighboring provinces to try to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
• The quarantine, which is expected to be approved Saturday evening and last through April 3, comes as the European country reports 5,883 COVID-19 cases and 233 deaths.
• Schools, museums, theaters, and swimming pools will be shut down, and violating the restrictions will be considered criminal offenses.
• Italy is already staring down a recession and these stringent measures are likely to exacerbate the country's economic woes.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Italy, the epicenter of Europe's coronavirus crisis, is preparing to take the unprecedented step of locking down an entire region that is home to more than 10 million people in a bid to control the spread of the epidemic.

A draft decree seen by The Wall Street Journal says that the Italian government is imposing sweeping restrictions in the northern region of Lombardy, where Milan is the capital, and 11 neighboring provinces, including Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, and Veneto.

People in these areas should "absolutely avoid any movement into and out of the areas," the decree says, according to The Journal. Bloomberg reported that movement within the affected area will only be permitted when it comes to "non-deferrable" business or health issues.

The move comes amid the announcement of 5,883 cases and 233 deaths in Italy. Nicola Zingaretti, the leader of the country's Democratic party, testing positive for COVID-19.

The quarantine is slated to be approved late Saturday, Italian officials said, according to the Evening Standard. Once the policy is greenlit, the decision will take effect on Sunday and last through April 3.

During this lockdown, schools, museums, theaters, and swimming pools will be shut, the Standard said, adding that healthcare workers' leave will also be revoked.

Bar and restaurants must ensure that patrons stay at least one meter apart or they too will be forced to close, Bloomberg reported.

The Journal reported that police officers and even the army will be on-hand to ensure that people are following the quarantine. Violating the decree is a crime that can result in fines or prison sentences.

Bloomberg also said that it had been given access to a second draft decree regarding containment rules for the rest of Italy, which restricted public gatherings and told people not to leave their hometowns unless it is necessary. That decree too is slated for approval on Saturday evening.

With the largest number of coronavirus cases outside Asia, Italy has already taken steps including closing schools and universities from March 5 through March 15, canceling large public events, and shutting down its world-famous tourist haunts. Nearly a dozen towns in the country's north have also been sealed off, but the area is home to only about 50,000 people, making Saturday's decision a dramatic escalation, the Journal noted.

The coronavirus outbreak is thrashing Italy's already-teetering economy, according to the Associated Press. The tourism and luxury industries have been severely hit, and the imminent quarantine will only make matters worse because Lombardy is the most populated part of the nation, the Journal said, as well as home to its industrial hub.

• Read more:
• The number of coronavirus cases outside China could jump tenfold every 19 days without 'strong intervention,' a study says
• New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declares a state of emergency and confirms 76 cases of coronavirus in the state
• This 'isn't Mad Max,' Australian police say after 3 women get into a brawl while panic-buying toilet paper during coronavirus epidemic
• Airlines are burning thousands of gallons of fuel flying empty 'ghost' planes so they can keep their flight slots during the coronavirus outbreak

Join the conversation about this story »

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• This is a preview of The Esports Ecosystem research report from Business Insider Intelligence.
• Purchase this report.
• To check to see if you already have access to Business Insider Intelligence through your company, click here.

Esports and gaming have burst into the mainstream in recent years, transforming from a vibrant niche to a central form of entertainment around the world. While esports may have once stood for a subset of sports culture, it has grown into a full industry in its own right.

That shift has been powered by championing from mainstream celebrities like Michael Jordan, Drake, and DJ Marshmello, an increasing amount of coverage from traditional outlets like ESPN, and, at least in part, the breakneck rise of Fortnite.

As competitive gaming cements itself in the popular culture, global investors, brands, media outlets, and consumers are all paying attention. Total esports viewership is expected to grow at a 9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2019 and 2023, up from 454 million in 2019 to 646 million in 2023, per Business Insider Intelligence estimates. That puts the audience on pace to nearly double over a six-year period, as the 2017 audience stood at 335 million. 

The pop-culturization of esports has helped power the explosions in esports investment and revenue. Esports has hit this stratosphere in large part because of the social component of live streaming and gaming. Gaming-specific streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube Gaming give fans a direct connection to the players and teams, while more mainstream socials have allowed those connections to flourish. Certain esports organizations, like FaZe Clan, are also moving aggressively into areas like merchandise, lending their brands more notoriety than if they'd stuck to esports alone.

Rick Yang, partner at NEA — a venture capital firm that invests in esports — underscored this in a conversation with Business Insider Intelligence: "I actually think of esports as the mainstreaming of gaming, or the pop culture instantiation of gaming versus the pure idea of these players becoming professionals to compete at the highest levels." It's essential to think of the esports opportunity in this way — one inclusive of gaming, media, pop culture, and commerce — as it shines a light on opportunities beyond gaming events alone. 

As a result, the industry has seen a huge uptick in investment from venture capitalists, and more recently from private equity firms. The number of investments in esports doubled in 2018, going from 34 in 2017 to 68 in 2018, per Deloitte. That's reflected in the total dollars invested, too: Investments are up to $4.5 billion in 2018 from just $490 million the year before, a staggering YoY growth rate of 837%, per Deloitte. These investments are distributed to players across the ecosystem — from esports organizations, to tournament operators, to digital broadcasters — allowing it to function and grow. 

The net result is that esports has matured from its roots in arcade gaming to the complex digital ecosystem it is today, and in this report, Business Insider Intelligence will provide a comprehensive breakdown of the key players involved in the space. This report will provide a high-level overview of the industry to clarify how the many moving pieces of the esports ecosystem fit together. It will also break down how money flows into the ecosystem.

The ultimate goal of this report is to give readers a clear understanding of how the major players and components of esports function so that they can more readily take advantage of the many opportunities this dynamic ecosystem presents. 

The companies mentioned in this report are:Activision Blizzard, Alienware, Amazon, Apple, AT&T, BAMTech, BMW USA, Bud Light, Caffeine, Champion, Chinese Mobile, Cloud9, Coca-Cola, Comcast, Deloitte, Disney, Douyu, DreamHack, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, ESL, ESPN, Facebook, FaZe Clan, FIFA, G-Fuel, GamesBeat, Gen.G, Google, HBO, Honda, Huya, HyperX, Instagram, J!nx, KeSPA, Liquipedia, Madrinas Coffee, Manchester City, Marvel, Microsoft, Mixer, MLB, MLG, Monster Energy, NBA, NEA, NetEase, Newzoo, NFL, NHL, Nielsen, Nissan, NZXT, Old Spice, OnePlus, PandaTV, Pizza Hut, PlayVS, Postmates, Puma, PwC, Red Bull, Renegades, Riot Games, SAP, SK Telecom, Steam, StreamElements, Sunshine Soldiers, TDK, Team Liquid, Tencent, TJ Sports, Treyarch, Twitch, Twitter, Uber Eats, Ubisoft, Valve, Vivendi Games, YouTube, 1 UP Studios.

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

• Most projections put the esports ecosystem on track to surpass $1 billion in revenue for the first time this year. And revenue is expected to grow from here — Newzoo projects it to hit $1.8 billion by 2022. Money flows into esports through media rights, live event ticket sales, merchandise sales, and in-game purchases, but most of the revenue (69%) comes from sponsorships and advertising, per Newzoo figures cited by Statista.   
• That growing revenue comes from around the world: 
  • Asia-Pacific (APAC), North America, and Europe are the top three esports markets, respectively, in terms of audience and revenue. APAC will account for over half (57%) of global esports viewership in 2019, up from 51% in 2017, per Newzoo. Meanwhile, North America is set to hit $300 million in esports revenue this year, while Europe is expected to reach $138 million, per PwC estimates. 
  • The rest of the world only accounts for about 15% of total esports revenue, but it contains several regions to watch. One of the fastest-rising regions is Latin America, which is expected to hit $18 million in esports revenue in 2019 before skyrocketing to $42 million by 2023, per PwC estimates.  
• The future of esports will likely be powered by mobile, which will further reduce barriers to entry and allow even more gamers and fans to pour in. The mobile gaming segment is set to make up 45% of the total global games market this year. That popularity is already spilling over into some competitive spaces, as China already has a thriving mobile esports scene. 

In full the report:

• Clarifies what the esports space is, who the major players within the ecosystem are, and what roles they play.
• Highlights the key demographics within the space, their interests, and what spaces are ripe for brands or other interested investors.
• Breaks down how revenue is generated and what the key areas of future growth are.

Interested in getting the full report? Here's how to get access:

1. Purchase & download the full report from our research store. >> Purchase & Download Now
2. Join thousands of top companies worldwide who trust Business Insider Intelligence for their competitive research needs. >> Inquire About Our Enterprise Memberships
3. Current subscribers can read the report here.

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• An attendee of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference last month has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, conference organizers announced Saturday.
• A number of White House officials attended the conference, as did some 19,000 other people.
• President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence both spoke at CPAC, but the conference organizers said the attendee had no interaction with either of them.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A person who attended the Conservative Political Action Conference last month tested positive for the novel coronavirus, conference organizers announced Saturday.

Some 19,000 people attend the yearly gathering, and this year's line-up of speakers included President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and a number of other top cabinet members and White House officials.

The American Conservative Union, which organized the conference from February 26 to 29, said in a statement on Saturday the attendee did not have any interaction with Trump or Pence, nor did the person attend events in the main hall.

The Washington Post reported that ACU's chairman, Matt Schlapp, interacted with the infected person at CPAC. Though it's unclear when the interaction occurred, The Post noted that Schlapp shook Trump's hand on stage on the final day of the conference.

The infected attendee was exposed to the coronavirus before attending the conference, and was later diagnosed at a New Jersey hospital. The person is now under quarantine, ACU said.

The organizers said the Trump administration was "aware of the situation," and urged attendees not to panic.

"Our children, spouses, extended family, and friends attended CPAC," ACU said. "During this time, we need to remain calm, listen to health care professionals, and support each other."

The conference frequently draws thousands of conservatives from across the country, including politicians, conservative icons, and media figures.

Several CPAC attendees spoke with Business Insider at the conference about their perception of the coronavirus threat, saying they believed mainstream news organizations were exaggerating the threat and that Trump had the situation under control. 

Trump has faced backlash in recent weeks over his administration's response to the coronavirus outbreak. So far, 19 people have died and 401 people have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Besides a nationwide testing shortage that has likely underestimated the true amount of cases in the US, Trump himself has been accused of frequently downplaying the risk the virus poses to the population.

• Read more:
• The US government has completed fewer than 6,000 coronavirus tests as more states report new cases and deaths
• California, Washington, and New York have declared states of emergency to fight coronavirus — here's what it means
• The number of coronavirus cases outside China could jump tenfold every 19 days without 'strong intervention,' a study says
• A medical expert is going viral for a passionate post warning that mass panic about the coronavirus could do more damage than the disease itself

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Extremists turned a frog meme into a hate symbol, but Hong Kong protesters revived it as an emblem of hope

It's a fascinating time for fintech.

What was once a disruptive force in the financial world has become standard practice for many industry leaders. 

Fintech industry funding has already reached new highs globally in 2018, with overall funding hitting $32.6 billion at the end of Q3.

Some new regions, including South America and Africa, are emerging on the scene.

And some fintech companies, including a number of insurtechs, have dipped into new markets to escape heightened competition.

Now that fintech has become mainstream, the next focus is on the rising stars in the industry. To that end, Business Insider Intelligence has put together a list of 10 Up and Coming Fintechs for 2019.

Coconut

Total raised:   £1.9 million ($2.5 million)

What it does: Coconut is a UK-based current account and accounting platform for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

Why it's hot in 2019: Next week, Coconut will launch its first subscription service, dubbed Grow, which will bundle unlimited invoicing and end of year tax reports, for £5 ($6.51) a month. This will make it a very attractive option for SMBs, that conventionally don't have a lot of time on their hands to handle their accounting.

Brex

Total raised: $282 million

What it does: Brex is a US-based corporate credit card provider, which initially focused on serving startups.

Why it's hot in 2019: The startup gained unicorn status in 2018, only months after it launched its first product. Now, after receiving debt financing worth $100 million, Brex wants to target larger enterprises with its topic — opening it up to a whole new set of customers and helping bring the company to the next level.

Want to get the full list?

There's plenty more to learn about the future of fintech, payments, and the financial services industry. Business Insider Intelligence has outlined the road ahead in a FREE report, 10 Up and Coming Fintechs for 2019. 

>> Download the report now

Join the conversation about this story »

• Facebook launched in February 2004, and it's come a long way in the last 16 years. 
• Notably, almost all of the company's first 20 employees have since left the company. Only two remain, and you can probably guess who one of them is. 
• Some have become venture capitalists: Kevin Colleran opened Slow Ventures, while Sean Parker worked at Founders Fund for eight years. 
• Others have founded their own companies: Dustin Moskovitz launched Asana, while Steve Chen created YouTube. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Who were the people behind Facebook when it was just a startup? And where are they now?

Only two of Facebook's first 20 employees still work at the company — and you can probably guess one of them.

Most left during the social network's early days to work at other tech companies or start their own. Several have become successful investors at large VC firms; many are now absurdly rich following Facebook's IPO in 2012.

Here's where Facebook's first 20 employees are now.

Alex Heath contributed to an earlier version of this article.

SEE ALSO: From Facebook to Tesla, here are the lesser-known cofounders of some of the biggest tech companies in the world

Dustin Moskovitz, Facebook's first CTO, was Mark Zuckerberg's roommate. The two dropped out of Harvard together to move to California and work on Facebook.

Employed by Facebook: February 2004 to November 2009

Position: Cofounder

Where he is now: Moskovitz is the cofounder and CEO at enterprise software company Asana. He also cofounded Good Ventures, a philanthropic firm with a mission "to help humanity thrive." He has a net worth of nearly $11.6 billion, according to Forbes.

Chris Hughes cofounded Facebook and served as the site's first spokesman. He later coordinated all social networking aspects of Obama's 2008 campaign.

Employed by Facebook: February 2004 to 2007

Position at Facebook: Cofounder

Where he is now: After working on Obama's 2008 campaign, Hughes became executive director of Jumo, a startup that tried to utilize social media to change the world. In 2012, he purchased a majority stake in The New Republic and became its executive chairman and editor-in-chief. He put the magazine up for sale in 2016 after it failed to become profitable.

Hughes made $500 million when Facebook went public. He recently wrote a book called "The Fair Shot: Rethinking Inequality and How We Earn," citing his own wealth, most of which stemmed from his 2% ownership in Facebook. And in May 2019, Hughes dropped a bombshell by publishing an op-ed in The New York Times that called regulators to break up Facebook in order to protect users and competition. 

Hughes is now co-chair of the Economic Security Project, a group that wants to make universal basic income a reality in the US.

Eduardo Saverin was a Facebook cofounder and its first CFO. He famously sued Mark Zuckerberg and the two reached a settlement.

Employed by Facebook: February 2004 to 2005

Position: Cofounder

Where he is now: After winning a legal battle with Facebook that let him retain his cofounder status, Saverin began angel investing in startups like Qwiki and Chris Hughes' Jumo. In 2011, Saverin renounced his US citizenship and moved to Singapore, meaning the taxes he had to pay on capital gains when Facebook went public were significantly reduced.

He says he has no hard feelings when it comes to Facebook or Mark Zuckerberg, who ousted him from the company shortly after its launch. Saverin has a net worth of roughly $10.5 billion, according to Forbes.

Sean Parker was a cofounder of Napster and was founding president of Facebook.

Employed by Facebook: June 2004 to January 2006

Position: President

Where he is now: Parker has invested in a number of tech startups, including Spotify and Asana, and was a partner at VC firm Founder's Fund until 2014. He has a personal net worth of roughly $2.7 billion, according to Forbes.

Parker is an active philanthropist, launching multiple foundations focused on cancer and public health. 

Andrew McCollum designed Facebook's first logo and worked on a side project with Zuckerberg called Wirehog.

Employed by Facebook: February 2004 to September 2006

Position: Cofounder, engineer

Where he is now: McCollum joined Flybridge Capital Partners as an entrepreneur in residence in 2011, then became a partner at the VC firm NEA. He's since invested and become involved in other tech startups, such as Quilt and JobSpice, and is currently the CEO of streaming service Philo. 

Taner Halicioglu was Facebook's first "real" employee outside of the founders. He built out the entire initial hardware infrastructure.

Employed by Facebook: October 2004 to November 2009

Position: Senior software/operations engineer

Where he is now: Halicioglu became the lead reliability engineer of Battle.net at Blizzard Entertainment. Now he is a lecturer at UC San Diego in the school's Computer Science and Engineering department. He recently donated $75 million to the school to create its Halicioglu Data Science Institute.

Naomi Gleit was tasked early on with making sure "literally everyone in the world was on the site." Aside from Mark Zuckerberg, she's the longest-serving employee still at the company.

Employed by Facebook: April 2005 – present

First position at Facebook: Marketing Associate

Her position now: Gleit is Facebook's vice president of social good and one of Zuckerberg's top lieutenants. She leads all of the company's efforts around safety check, fundraising tools, and similar features.

Kevin Colleran lived with Zuckerberg in Facebook's 2004 summer sublet house in Palo Alto. Now he's a VC.

Employed by Facebook: April 2005 to July 2011

Position at Facebook: Global partnerships

Where he is now: Colleran was one of the last initial employees to leave Facebook. Now, he's managing director at VC firm Slow Ventures with Dave Morin and other early Facebook employees.

Gilles Mischler built and designed Facebook's IT infrastructure from the ground up.

Employed by Facebook: June 2005 to May 2010

Position: SiteOps engineer

Where he is now: After Facebook, Mischler went to game developer Playdom. He was only there for a few weeks when the company was acquired by Disney for more than $700 million. Mischler worked at Dropbox for five years before becoming an engineer at WeWork. These days, he's retired, according to his LinkedIn. 

You can thank engineer Scott Marlette for being able to visually stalk all of your friends — he created Facebook's first photo application.

Employed by Facebook: June 2005 to January 2010

Position: Engineer, product manager

Where he is now: Marlette went on to cofound medical startup GoodRx. Now, he's a partner at VC firm Slow Ventures with other early Facebook employees.

Aaron Sittig was brought on early from Napster by Sean Parker. He created the concept of tagging friends in Facebook pictures and the "like" button.

Employed by Facebook: May 2005 to December 2o10, January 2011 to December 2012

Position: Design strategy lead, product architect

Where he is now: Sittig was Facebook's first designer and a close friend of Mark Zuckerberg. He left the company in 2010 and returned in 2011 for a two-year stint as a product architect. In 2015, he became managing partner at Public Studio, a branding and design studio in San Francisco.

Nick Heyman was in charge of handling Facebook's explosive traffic, although he wasn't there for very long.

Employed by Facebook: April 2005 

Position: Director of operations

Where he is now: Heyman has worked at a few other tech companies, including Twitter. He's also invested in startups such as Nuzzel and ShopPad. These days, he's a managing partner at DynoVC. 

Steve King directed Facebook's media sales and was responsible for getting its first big advertisers on board, like Panasonic and Microsoft.

Employed by Facebook: April 2005 to July 2006

Position at Facebook: Director, media sales

Where he is now: After Facebook, King joined LocaModa as its VP of Sales. Now he leads a boutique real estate investment firm in the Boston area.

Tricia Black worked at Y2M, a firm that sold ads for college magazines. Facebook cofounder Eduardo Saverin set up a meeting with Black, who began selling ads for Facebook and eventually became its first VP of sales.

Employed by Facebook: March 2005 to June 2006

Position at Facebook: Vice president of advertising sales

What she's doing now: Black is the founder of AmplifyHer Ventures, a VC firm that invests in female founders and diverse teams.

Steve Chen left Facebook after a few short months to help start YouTube.

Employed by Facebook: For a few months in 2005

Position at Facebook: Senior software engineer

Where he is now: Chen went on to cofound YouTube, which he sold to Google for $1.65 billion. He cofounded another company, AVOS, in 2011. He now advises Google's investment arm, GV.

Matt Cohler was brought on by early Facebook investor Peter Thiel and was formerly one of the founding members of LinkedIn. Now, he's a partner at VC firm Benchmark Capital.

Employed by Facebook: February 2005 to October 2008

Position at Facebook: Vice president of product management

Where he is now: Cohler is a general partner at Benchmark Capital and serves on a number of startup boards, including Tinder and Asana. He briefly sat on Uber's board after taking over Bill Gurley's seat in 2017, but has since resigned.

Ezra Callahan was roommates with Sean Parker and was hired to "whittle away" at Eduardo Saverin's CFO responsibilities.

Employed by Facebook: December 2004 to July 2010

Position: Manager of internal communications, product manager

Where he is now: Callahan is cofounder and chief investment office at boutique hotel company Arrive, which has locations in cities across the country, like Palm Springs, Memphis, and Albuquerque.

James Pereira was Facebook's seventh employee. He left three years later.

Employed by Facebook: July 2004 to August 2007

Position: Engineer

Where he is now: He's a software engineer at Boy Gorilla Enterprises in Portland, Oregon, according to his Facebook profile.

Daniel Neff had a short, five-month stint as Facebook's 20th employee and was responsible for rolling out new site features.

Employed by Facebook: May 2005 to October 2005

Position at Facebook: Build/release engineer

Where he is now: Neff has been at Adobe for 11 years, according to his LinkedIn profile. He's currently an operations architect at the company. 

Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook. The blue design of the site is partially because of his red-green color blindness.

Employed by Facebook: February 2004 to present

Position: CEO and cofounder

Where he is now: Still at Facebook but much, much richer — Forbes pegs his current net worth at $69.5 billion. 

BONUS: Adam D'Angelo was high school friends with Mark Zuckerberg and eventually left Facebook to cofound Quora.

Employed by Facebook: November 2006 to June 2008. (Although he technically wasn't one of the first 20 employees, D'Angelo was one of Zuckerberg's best high school friends and worked on the social network site long before he was on the payroll.)

Position at Facebook: CTO

Where he is now: D'Angelo is cofounder and CEO of Quora.

• Costco CFO Richard Galanti told analysts that members have been visiting locations to scoop up crucial supplies during the coronavirus outbreak.
• Those products include "dry grocery items, cleaning supplies, Clorox and bleach, water, paper goods, hand sanitizers," Galanti said. 
• As a result, the members-only warehouse chain saw an uptick in consumer demand in February.
• "The last week and a half has been quite good with the sales, but we'll see what tomorrow brings," Galanti said.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Coronavirus may be wreaking havoc on the global economy, but it's provided a nice sales boost to at least one prominent global retailer. Costco saw a spike in consumer demand in February, which the chain attributed "to concerns over the Coronavirus."

In its latest earnings results, the company said the uptick in demand had a 3% "positive impact on total and comparable sales."

Costco CFO Richard Galanti told analysts in the earnings call that the company was "keeping a close eye on the developments of the coronavirus," specifically the safety of its members and employees, its operations, and its supply chain.

"Members are turning to us for a variety of items associated with preparing for and dealing with a virus such as shelf stables, dry grocery items, cleaning supplies, Clorox and bleach, water, paper goods, hand sanitizers, sanitizing wipes, disinfectants, health and beauty aids," Galanti told analysts on Thursday.

He said that warehouses are having trouble keeping up with members, adding that the surge in demand has been "a little crazy." And that's despite the fact that warehouses are receiving deliveries of crucial supplies daily.

Galanti said that the chain will be placing quantity limits on certain products based on the region. The company will also adopt certain precautions within locations, including wiping down shopping cart handles with sanitizing wipes and setting up sanitizing wipe stations throughout the warehouses.

On the operations side, a handful of Costco warehouses in Korea closed for a few days, and the location in Shanghai is limiting the number of members allowed inside at once. Galanti also addressed supply chain issues, including the fact that many manufacturing facilities in China remained closed beyond the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday due to the outbreak.

One aspect of Costco's business that has suffered, despite the bounce in sales, is its in-house travel business. Galanti cited reduced demand and a sharp climb in cancellations on cruises and international travel.

"I don't think there's any surprise with that," he said.

The CFO thanked the company's "awesome" warehouse employees for keeping everything running smoothly, despite the fact that locations have been "beyond busy."

"The last week and a half has been quite good with the sales, but we'll see what tomorrow brings," Galanti said.

SEE ALSO: Walmart just took the first step toward getting rid of its dedicated grocery app

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 9 items to avoid buying at Costco

• As the coronavirus continues to spread, with outbreaks appearing in South Korea, Italy, Iran, and elsewhere, travelers and travel providers are being forced to rethink plans and make adjustments.
• If you're concerned about the virus, your options for a cancellation or refund may be limited, but as the situation continues to develop, refund policies are likely to change as the virus moves closer toward pandemic status.
• Here's what you need to know about canceling or changing your travel plans because of the coronavirus, plus a roundup of airline travel waivers and flight cancellations.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As the coronavirus continues to spread around the world, travelers are starting to rethink work trips and vacations.

Global tourism is bracing for a major slowdown as countries other than China struggle to contain outbreaks and travel restrictions and airline cancellations reach new markets.

"If there was previously a temptation to view the coronavirus as a China or Asia issue, then developments this week must force a shift in mindset," Nick Wyatt, head of travel and tourism research at GlobalData, said in an email to Business Insider. "With the news that 12 towns in Italy are on lockdown and countries like Austria and Croatia announcing their first cases, it is readily apparent that the impact is likely to be felt on a more global scale than was perhaps previously envisaged."

The spread of the virus has been swift, with new hotspots popping up around the world almost daily. In addition to China, outbreaks have been found in Italy, Iran, and South Korea, and cases of the virus have been reported in at least 60 countries.

If you're scheduled to travel to a country with a confirmed outbreak, you may be able to cancel your trip and get a full refund.

Airlines around the world — including the major three US airlines: American, Delta, and United — have suspended routes to China, and many have begun to reduce service to South Korea and Italy.

However, refund policies vary tremendously among different airlines and depend on your destination.

If you're simply canceling a trip because you're worried about the virus, odds are you won't be able to get a refund — even with travel insurance, whether you purchased it separately or used your credit card's coverage.

"The only travel insurance that would be helpful in that scenario is when you pay extra for a 'cancel for any reason' plan," Ted Rossman, an industry analyst at CreditCards.com, told Business Insider. "If you're just canceling out of fear of traveling and getting sick, that's not a good enough reason."

People who get sick before their trips and are worried about traveling with a weaker immune system may be able to invoke their insurance plan's trip-cancellation coverage, provided they have a note from a doctor, Rossman said.

While travelers may have better luck asking their airline and hotel for a refund or cancellation, most travel providers are only offering that if you're scheduled to fly to the most seriously affected regions — that is, China, South Korea, and now, Italy.

If you're absolutely set against traveling during the coronavirus spread — even if you're going somewhere without the virus — Rossman suggested that instead of walking away and losing the whole value of your trip, paying a change fee to reschedule it for the summer, or to another destination.

"Even if you're really worried and you don't want to travel, look into changing plans rather than canceling them, because usually the fees are better in that instance. Maybe you could reschedule your trip for later, or pick a different destination," he said. "You'll probably pay some fees, but you won't lose the whole trip."

The situation is changing fast, and as new hotspots and outbreaks are reported, it's likely that airline and travel policies will change too.

We've rounded up the refund and rescheduling policies of major airlines below, and the effects that the virus is having across their routes. We'll continue to update this page as the situation develops.

SEE ALSO: Amid demand plummets linked to the coronavirus, airlines project that this could be their worst year since the global financial crisis

Delta became the first US airline to expand travel waivers and cancellations beyond China.

Delta suspended its direct flights to China earlier this month, with low demand making the operation of the flights commercially unfeasible.

For anyone whose flights were not affected (for instance, passengers booked on Delta but transiting with a partner airline through another country), Delta has issued a travel waiver, allowing passengers to change flights without a fee, or cancel them altogether.

Last week, Delta added Seoul-Incheon Airport, South Korea, to the travel waiver.

Delta also issued a travel waiver for travel to anywhere in Italy, where a new outbreak of coronavirus was recently identified. The airline also said it would suspend its service to Milan.

Passengers who choose to cancel their flights won't get a refund; instead, they can apply the value of their ticket to a new flight within a year.

If a passenger's flight is cancelled by Delta, the airline will reach out with instructions, including how to claim a refund.

If the travel waiver applies to your itinerary, you can change or cancel your flight by visiting the My Trips section of Delta's website, clicking on Modify Flight, and choosing the relevant option.

The full China and South Korea travel waiver applies for travel scheduled between January 24 and April 30. Trips must be rescheduled or cancelled before May 31 for the waiver to apply. The travel waiver applies for passengers scheduled to fly to, from, or through:

• Beijing, China (PEK or PKX)
• Shanghai, China (PVG)
• Seoul-Incheon, South Korea (ICN)

The Italy travel waiver applies for travel scheduled between February 25 and April 30. Trips must be rescheduled or cancelled before the date of travel for travel by May 31. The travel waiver applies for passengers scheduled to fly to, from, or through any city in Italy.

On Wednesday, the airline said it it was reducing its weekly flight schedule to Japan through April 30, and suspending its seasonal route between Seattle and Osaka, Japan, for the summer. The airline said the moves were due to reduced demand related to the virus — it did not post a travel waiver for Japan.

Customers scheduled to fly to Japan before April 30 can check the My Trips section of Delta's website for more information.

Finally, the airline said it would waive change fees for all international tickets purchased between March 1-31 for travel through February 25, 2021, in an effort to boost customer confidence. Passengers can change their flights to a later date without paying a fee, or can cancel flights and get the value of their ticket to use for a future trip. You can read the full details at this page.

American Airlines issued a new travel waiver for South Korea, in addition to mainland China and Hong Kong.

American Airlines similarly cancelled its flights to China as demand fell, tentatively planning to resume flying in late April.

For passengers scheduled on flights that were still operating, or who were flying to certain other affected areas, the airline has issued a series of travel waivers.

Additionally, American announced that it would waive change fees on all tickets purchased between March 1-16, regardless of destination, for travel anytime before January 26, 2021.

The move was intended to offer confidence to customers on the fence about booking travel because of anxiety over the virus' spread, even though air travel is unlikely to contribute towards contracting the virus. You can read more here.

Travelers to mainland China and Hong Kong can change their flights, postpone travel, or cancel their tickets without a change or cancellation fee.

Those traveling to Seoul can change or delay their flights but will still have to pay cancellations fees if they decide to call the trip altogether. They can also change their origin or destination city to Tokyo.

Passengers can make a one-time change online as long as they aren't changing origin or destination city by visiting the "find your trip" page and selecting "change trip" in the toolbar.

For any other changes, passengers should contact reservations at 800-433-7300 from the US, or at the relevant phone number listed on this page.

The full mainland China travel waiver applies for travel scheduled between January 24 and April 24, as long as tickets were bought by January 24. Trips must be rescheduled for travel by June 30, 2020, for the waiver to apply. The travel waiver applies for passengers scheduled to fly to, from, or through:

• Beijing, China (PEK or PKX)
• Shanghai, China (PVG)

The Hong Kong travel waiver applies for travel scheduled between January 28 and April 24. Trips must be rescheduled for travel by June 30, or cancelled before the originally scheduled date.

The Seoul Incheon, South Korea travel waiver applies for travel scheduled between February 24 and April 24. Trips must be rescheduled for travel by June 30.

American also announced a travel waiver for those flying to, from, or through major cities in Italy. The waiver applies for those traveling February 27 to April 24. Travel can be rescheduled for anytime before June 30, or postponed up to 331 days from the original ticket date.

The Italy travel waiver applies to the following cities:

• Bologna, Italy (BLQ)
• Florence, Italy (FLR)
• Milan Linate, Milan, Italy (LIN)
• Milan Milapensa, Milan, Italy (MXP)
• Milan Orio al Serio, Milan, Italy (BGY)
• Naples, Italy (NAP)
• Pisa, Italy (PSA)
• Rome, Italy (FCO)
• Turin, Italy (TRN)
• Venice, Italy (VCE)
• Verona, Italy (VRN)

Visit this page for full details on the travel waivers.

United similarly added a South Korea travel waiver, and reduced flights to Japan, South Korea, and Singapore.

Although United has also cancelled its flights to China and Hong Kong, it issued several travel waivers for passengers scheduled to travel to the region. It added a South Korea waiver this week.

The airline is allowing passengers covered by the travel waivers to change or delay their flights without fees. Passengers scheduled to fly to China and Hong Kong can also choose to cancel their flights and receive a full refund.

Additionally, United followed other airlines by waiving all change fees on tickets booked between March 3-31, 2020. Customers can also cancel their flights, and keep the value of the ticket to use towards a later trip. Although change fees are waived, it's possible that travelers may have to pay a fare difference for the new dates.

The full China travel waiver applies for travel scheduled between January 24 and April 30. Trips must be rescheduled for travel by June 30, or cancelled before the original travel date, for the waiver to apply. The travel waiver applies for passengers scheduled to fly to, from, or through:

• Beijing, China (PEK)
• Chengdu, China (CTU)
• Shanghai, China (PVG)

Similar terms apply for flights to, from, or through Hong Kong, for travel scheduled between January 28 and April 30.

Passengers scheduled to fly to, from, or through Seoul Incheon, South Korea, between February 24 and April 30 can change their flights without a fee for travel by June 30. Refunds are not available for Seoul travelers.

Last week, United added a travel waiver for parts of northern Italy. The waiver applies for travel scheduled between February 27 and April 30. Trips must be rescheduled for travel by June 30 — for travel after that, the change fee will be waived, but a fare difference may apply. The travel waiver applies for passengers scheduled to fly to, from, or through:

• Bologna, Italy (BLQ)
• Genoa, Italy (GOA)
• Milan, Italy (BGY)
• Milan, Italy (LIN)
• Milan, Italy (MXP)
• Trieste, Italy (TRS)
• Turin, Italy (TRN)
• Venice, Italy (VCE)
• Verona, Italy (VRN)

On Friday, the airline also announced it was reducing flights to Japan, Singapore, and South Korea.

To change or cancel your flights, visit the "view your reservation" page and select "Change Flight." If you're eligible for a refund, you can request it at this page.

You can see the full travel waiver details here.

JetBlue will waive change and cancellation fees for all new bookings.

JetBlue doesn't fly to any of the affected regions, but said last week that it would suspend change and cancellation fees for any new reservations starting on February 27.

The waiver would apply to all bookings made through March 11, for travel by June 1, 2020. It applies to all fares, including basic economy.

In a statement, the airline said the move was designed to boost customer confidence for anyone on the fence about whether or not to book a trip because of the outbreak.

Alaska Airlines announced a similar policy to JetBlue's.

Alaska Airlines followed JetBlue in announcing waived change and cancellation fees.

The waiver applies to new bookings made between February 27 and March 12, for travel through June 1.

You can see the full details of the waiver here.

Hawaiian Airlines suspended its service to Seoul Incheon, South Korea.

Hawaiian Airlines announced Wednesday that it was temporarily suspending its five-times-a-week service between Honolulu and Seoul from March 1 through May 1.

Passengers scheduled to travel before May 1 can reschedule their flights for any time before October 31 without a fee, or request a refund.

Passengers can also reschedule flights for after October 31 — change fees will still be waived, but there may be a fare difference.

Contact reservations at 1-800-367-5320 to make a change or request a refund.

Visit this page to read more about the travel waiver.

British Airways cancelled flights to Beijing and Shanghai.

British Airways cancelled its normal flights to Beijing and Shanghai until April 17.

The airline is offering refunds or rescheduling for people booked on those flights, saying that it will offer additional information on later dates.

While the airline is still flying to Hong Kong, it will allow passengers booked before May 31 to postpone their travel.

The airline is also offering a travel waiver for passengers flying to northern Italy. Passengers traveling by March 2 can reschedule their trips for any time later in March.

British Airways said it would waive change fees on tickets issued between March 3-16, 2020, regardless of destination or travel dates.

To make changes, the airline says to visit the "Manage My Booking" page, or contact reservations at +44 (0) 203 250 0145.

The airline warned that it would cancel a variety of additional flights as demand continues to drop, including some between the US and UK. You can find the latest details here.

Lufthansa Group cancelled China flights, but is not offering waivers otherwise.

Lufthansa Group — including Lufthansa itself, Swiss, and Austrian Airlines — suspended flights to mainland China until March 28. The airline said it would also reduce service to Hong Kong in March, based on demand.

The airline said that passengers could request a refund via the "My Bookings" page, or could rebook their flights to a later date.

You can learn more about the cancellations and refund process here.

The airline also said it planned to cancel up to 25% of its domestic and short-haul flights, and ground an additional 10 of its long-haul aircraft — up from the current number of 13 — according to Bloomberg.

Passengers whose flights are cancelled should be contacted by the airline.

Lufthansa also warned that up to 25% of its short-haul flights could be cancelled in the coming months as overall travel demand plummets.

Air France will allow people traveling to China or Italy to reschedule their flights.

Air France canceled flights to mainland China until through at least March 28.

If you're still booked on an operating flight to China between now and May 31, you can reschedule your trip to anytime before June 30.

You can also postpone trips to anywhere in Italy if you're scheduled to travel between February 25 and March 15. The new travel date must be before April 3.

You can find the full travel waiver details here.

Allegiant Air announced it would waive fees incurred for changing a flight over COVID-19 concerns.

In a letter to customers Sunday, Allegiant Air CEO Maury Gallagher said the domestic airline would waive any fees involved with changing a flight over coronavirus worries. 

"We understand your decision to travel at this time is personal and many factors are involved," Gallagher said. "If you would like to request a change to your travel plans at this time, you may do so without incurring a change fee." 

Gallagher said the airline had not yet made any changes to its schedule as a result of the virus.

This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence,  Business Insider's premium research service. Current subscribers can read the report here.

Until now, healthcare was the only remaining industry that had yet to feel the rapid impact of digitization endured by retail, banking, and media. But consumer adoption of digital tech, regulatory overhauls, and a shifting reimbursement model are forcing healthcare players' hands.

Digital health innovation offers market incumbents new opportunities to combat constricting margins, labor shortages, and rising costs.

But it also poses a threat to slow movers, as new entrants lean on their digital prowess and lack of legacy infrastructure to cut costs and remain nimble. As such, incumbents are turning to acquisitions, partnerships, and new investments to strengthen their digital health services.

The first Digital Health Ecosystem Report from Business Insider Intelligence explores the current healthcare ecosystem, industry trends that are driving digital transformation, and where the industry is headed.

We outline the role of each of the industry's major players — including payers, providers, and manufacturers — and how they're affected by healthcare's digital disruption. 

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• Digital health is at the forefront of transformation in the healthcare industry — both as a driver of and an answer to the challenges industry players are grappling with.
• All of the industry's major players — including payers, providers, and manufacturers — are affected by healthcare's digital disruption.
• A confluence of forces induced healthcare's embrace of digital health, including changing consumer expectations, a new and disruptive reimbursement model, and rising healthcare costs
• Tech-focused entrants are also breaking into healthcare, acting as catalysts for change and threatening legacy players' bottom lines.
• Key digital health solutions like EHRs, digital therapeutics, telehealth, AI, wearables, and blockchain are the foundation of the industry's digital awakening.
• Early evidence that digital health can address many of the industry's myriad challenges has fueled a vibrant US digital health funding market in 2018, with overall funding hitting $6.8 billion at the end of Q3. 

 In full, the report:

• Details the US healthcare landscape by the role that payers, providers, manufacturers, and distributors play in the healthcare ecosystem.
• Gives an overview of how digital health is enabling incumbents to overcome industry challenges.
• Outlines how tech-focused healthcare entrants are pressuring incumbents and accelerating healthcare's digital transformation
• Identifies promising digital health funding areas to illustrate what the future of digital health will look like.

Interested in getting the full report? Here are two ways to access it:

1. Purchase & download the full report from our research store. >>Purchase & Download Now
2. Subscribe to a Premium pass to Business Insider Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. >>Learn More Now

The choice is yours. But however you decide to acquire this report, you've given yourself a powerful advantage in your understanding of the fast-moving world of the Digital Health.

The companies mentioned in this report are: Aetna, Alphabet, Amazon, American Well, AmerisourceBergen, Anthem, Apple, Arizona Care Network, Arterys, Babylon Health, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Bay Labs, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Blue Mesa Health, Bright Health, Cardinal Health, Cedars-Sinai, Cleveland Clinic, Clover Health, CVS, DePuy Synthes, Devoted Health, Dexcom, Doctor on Demand, Express Scripts, Fitbit, Fresenius Medical Care, GE Healthcare, Geisinger, Glooko, GSK, healthfinch, IBM, IDx, Johnson & Johnson, Mass General, McKesson, Medtronic, Merck & Co., Merck KGaA, Microsoft, NewYork-Presbyterian, Northwell Health, Novartis, Olive, Omada Health, Optum Rx, Oscar Health, Pear Therapeutics, Pfizer, Philips, PillPack, ResMed, Rite Aid, Roche, Samsung, Sanofi, Senseonics, Suki, Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, T-Mobile, UnitedHealth Group, Verily, Viant, Walgreens, Walmart, Wellpepper, Zocdoc

SEE ALSO: Patients are transforming from passive recipients of healthcare services to active participants in their own health

Join the conversation about this story »

• Following Super Tuesday, a once-crowded presidential race whittled down to just a handful of Democratic candidates: former Vice President Joe Biden, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.
• All of the major contenders who've ended their campaigns have cast their support behind either Biden or Sanders, endorsing them for president. 
• On Sunday, Sen. Kamala Harris became the ninth former candidate to endorse Biden while Sanders has landed just two.
• Warren, who dropped out of the race last week, has yet to endorse one of her former rivals, but all eyes are on her choice. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Many candidates in the once-crowded primary field have thrown support behind either Sen. Bernie Sanders or former Vice President Joe Biden. Nine former contenders, including former top-tier candidate South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, have endorsed Biden. Just two former Democratic candidates — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and self-help guru Marianne Williamson — have endorsed Sanders. 

Tulsi Gabard, one of the last remaining candidates, has not received any endorsements by candidates who have exited the race.

Warren is the only major candidate who has yet to announce her endorsement. 

Endorsements of a candidate by the previous primary rivals are tricky and sometimes contentious. In the 2016 Democratic Primary, Sanders took four weeks to endorse his rival, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, after it became clear she would be the party's nominee. The move was unusual, as The Washington Post noted. When Clinton lost the primary race to Obama in 2008, it took her just four days to endorse.

In the 2016 contentious Republican Party primary, then-candidate Trump backtracked on his pledge to support whoever was the party's nominee. Former Ohio Republican Gov. John Kasich, who competed against Trump in 2016, refused to endorse him after Trump won the party's nomination.

Here are the former candidates who have endorsed either Sanders or Biden and the reasons behind their choices.

California Sen. Kamala Harris endorsed Biden on March 8.

California Sen. Kamala Harris was once seen as a frontrunner in the 2020 Democratic primary, though she would — somewhat surprisingly — suspend her presidential bid on December 2, 2019.

"I'm not a billionaire. I can't fund my own campaign. And as the campaign has gone on, it's become harder and harder to raise the money we need to compete," Harris said in December.

In the months that followed her dropout, Harris stayed relatively quiet on the 2020 election, occasionally speaking out against President Donald Trump on Twitter and returning to the Senate in time for his impeachment trial. On March 8, the silence ended, as Harris endorsed Sanders in what has largely become a two-person race for the White House.

"I really believe in him and I have known him for a long time. One of the things that we need right now is we need a leader who really cares about the people and who can, therefore, unify the people. And I believe Joe can do that," Harris said in a video clip shared to Twitter.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick threw his support behind Biden on March 6.

"At a time when our democracy is at risk, our economy is not working for many Americans, and our role in the world is unsteady, America needs a unifying and experienced leader, who can and wants to make life better for everyone everywhere. Joe Biden is that leader," Patrick said in a statement.

Patrick, the last Black candidate in the 2020 race, dropped out on February 12 after his campaign failed to make much noise among the crowded field of candidates. Patrick never met the funding or polling guidelines he needed to make it on the state at one of the Democratic Party primary debates. 

Former Maryland Rep. John Delaney endorsed Biden on March 6.

Former Maryland Rep. John Delany's campaign also failed to garner support from voters, dropping out of the race on January 31.

Delaney endorsed Biden on March 6. 

"Joe is the right person to beat Donald Trump, because he is everything Trump is not--Joe is a good, decent person, who cares about others and understands the struggles that so many Americans face every day," Delaney said in a statement. "He has spent years as a public servant gaining the expertise necessary to lead our nation and re-establish the United States as a global leader, reversing course on the isolationism, nationalism, and global retreat of the Trump Administration."

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed the former vice president on March 4.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg dropped some $500 million on his short-lived campaign for president. He entered the race at the end of November — months after it began — and dropped out on March 4 after a disappointing performance in the Super Tuesday races.

"I've known Joe for a very long time," Bloomberg, 78, said in his endorsement. "I know his decency, his honesty, and his commitment to the issues that are so important to our country — including gun safety, health care, climate change, and good jobs."

Bloomberg has also reportedly re-hired hundreds of former staffers across the country to help the Democratic nominee win key states against Trump in November.

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar endorsed Biden when on March 2.

Although Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar was never a front-runner in the Democratic race for president, her campaign left somewhat of a mark on the race for the White House. Along with Warren, Klobuchar was endorsed by The New York Times editorial board. 

Klobuchar left the race after a poor showing in South Carolina and dropped out hours before the Super Tuesday races.

"Today I am ending my campaign and endorsing Joe Biden for president," Klobuchar said at a rally for the former vice president in Dallas, Texas."He can bring our country together and build that coalition of our fired-up Democratic base as well as independents and moderate Republicans. We do not in our party want to just eke by a victory. We want to win big."

Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg endorsed Joe Biden also on March 2.

Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg's decision to drop out of the 2020 race came somewhat as a shock after a win in the Iowa caucus and a second-place finish in the New Hampshire primary. Still, Buttigieg faced hard upcoming races and was running low on cash, Business Insider reported, so he ended his campaign before the Super Tuesday race.

In what came as a surprise to few, Buttigieg, who had called previously called Sanders "polarizing" announced he would endorse the former vice president. Buttigieg said Biden would "restore the soul" of the US if elected.

Former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke endorsed Biden on March 2.

Despite early attention on his campaign, former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke dropped out of the race for the Democratic Party's nomination at the beginning of November 2019.

"My service to the country will not be as a candidate or as the nominee," he said. 

Still, it took O'Rourke months to endorse a candidate in his absence in the race, though that changed on March 2.

"Ladies and gentlemen, tomorrow, March 3, 2020, I will be casting my ballot for Joe Biden," O'Rourke said at a rally in Texas the night before the state voted on Super Tuesday. Biden responded by telling the audience it wouldn't be the last time they saw O'Rourke, pledging to work with him on gun reform.

Self-help guru Marianne Williamson endorsed Sanders on Feb 23.

Self-help guru and author Marianne Williamson, known best probably for her tweets, announced February 23 that she supported Sanders' candidacy after dropping out of the race herself just over a month prior.

"A 40-year-old trend of capitalism without conscience—corporate elites and their errand boys in government— have created the inevitable blowback in the form of a political revolution," Williamson wrote in a statement shared on Twitter. "That revolution is one that Bernie Sanders now leads and I want to do everything I can to further its success."

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio endorsed Bernie Sanders' oval office bid on February 14.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has been an outspoken supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders' candidacy for the White House. De Blasio dropped out of the race early — in September — after months of lackluster performance. 

"I am standing with Bernie because he stands with working families, and always has," the New York City mayor said in a press release. "New Yorkers know all too well the damage caused by Donald Trump's xenophobia, bigotry, and recklessness, and Bernie is the candidate to take him on and take him down."

Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts endorsed Biden on January 27.

Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton ran his campaign for the Democratic nomination from April to August of 2019, dropping out after failing to develop a significant following.

A few months later, at the end of January, Moulton announced he supported Biden and said his time as the vice president made him the most qualified Democratic candidate to beat Trump in the general election. 

"The most important task for Democrats in 2020 is to get Donald Trump out of the White House and Vice President Biden is the best candidate to do that," Moulton said, according to The Wall Street Journal. "Biden has the most experience and the widest appeal to the broadest swath of voters in the places we need to win this November."

Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan endorsed Biden on November 13, 2019.

Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, who ended his own campaign for president in October, announced in November that he was throwing his support behind the former vice president.

"This election for many, many Democrats, regardless of where you live, is about who can beat Donald Trump. And the key to that is who can beat Donald Trump in Michigan, in Wisconsin, in Western Pennsylvania, in Ohio. And I'm convinced that that's Joe Biden," Ryan said on MSNBC.

While Warren has faced pressure to endorse, several other 2020 dropouts have yet to pick a candidate.

When Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren suspended her bid for the White House March 5, all eyes turned to her to see if she'd throw her support behind progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, or moderate former Vice President Joe Biden. 

Warren, so far, has declined to endorse anyone: a move that's been called a "crushing blow to Sanders," who as of Super Tuesday has earned 523 delegates to Biden's 602. While Warren's progressive stances link her closer ideologically with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Warren has criticized the tone of his campaign, calling out "organized nastiness" and "bullying." 

Although Warren is the only one-time top-tier candidate who isn't still in the race or made an endorsement, many candidates have yet to throw their support behind either Sanders or Biden (or Gabbard). 

• Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren  
• New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker 
• Montana Gov. Steve Bullock 
• New York Businessman Andrew Yang 
• Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro (Castro previously endorsed Warren) 
• New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand 
• Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet 
• Billionaire businessman Tom Steyer 
• Miramar, Florida, Mayor Wayne Messam  
• Washington Gov. Jay Inslee 
• California Rep. Eric Swalwell 
• Former West Virginia Sen. Richard Ojeda  
• Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper
• Pennsylvania Rep. Joe Sestak (Sestak previously endorsed Amy Klobuchar)

• In 2018, DeWitt and Jean Paul moved from their home in Las Vegas to an abandoned 31-acre farm in Pennsylvania that they bought for $220,000.
• The property includes 6 structures: 2 small barns, a large barn, a small house, the main house, and a garage/workshop.
• The first and largest structure they decided to renovate was the main house.
• They moved into the house 3 days after they purchased the property and immediately began renovating it.
• Business Insider caught up with DeWitt to find out what their journey has been like so far and how they were able to transform the main house into their dream home.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

In May 2018, DeWitt and Jean Paul packed their bags and moved from their suburban home in Las Vegas to an abandoned farm in Pennsylvania.

The couple had been living in Vegas, where they raised 4 children and ran a business for about 15 years. But after the kids moved out, they were eager to start a new adventure. So, in March 2018, they sold their businesses and bought another one across the country in Easton, Pennsylvania. After a few months traveling back and forth, they decided to move there permanently. 

On the hunt for a renovation project, the couple came across a rundown 31-acre farm in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania — a village about 30 minutes from Easton. After some back-and-forth bidding, they won the property for $220,000.

The farm includes six structures, some of which needed more repairs than others. Those structures include two small barns, a large barn, a small house, the main house, and a garage/workshop.

The first and biggest project the couple tackled was the main house, which spans over 5,000 square feet. They moved into it just 3 days after they bought the property, and have spent the past 18 months transforming it from a rundown house into a dream home. They've documented the transformation on their website and Instagram and plan on repairing the other 5 structures on the farm by May 2021. 

Business Insider caught up with DeWitt to find out how they were able to do most of the renovation work themselves, and to get an idea of what their plans are for the rest of the property.

Do you have a similar home-renovation story you'd like to share? Get in touch with this reporter at Lbrandt@businessinsider.com.

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In May 2018, DeWitt and Jean Paul moved from their suburban home in Las Vegas to an abandoned farm in Pennsylvania.

They lived in Las Vegas for about 15 years. There, they raised 4 children and ran a business. But after the kids moved out, they were eager to start a new adventure.

So, in March 2018, they sold their businesses in Las Vegas and purchased another, in Easton, Pennsylvania.

The couple owns a Foot Solutions store — a franchise organization that, according to the website, specializes in personalized assessments, high performance footwear, and custom-crafted arch supports. 

DeWitt spent one week a month in Pennsylvania until he and Jean decided to pack up their house, rent it out, and permanently move across the country.

Finding their new home wasn't easy. While on the hunt for a project, the couple came across a rundown, 31-acre farm with a lot of potential. However, their first bid on it was rejected.

"After losing the bid on another property, we bid on this one sight unseen. There were 4 bids and all were rejected. Our first stop in PA after driving across the country was this property – we wanted to see it before deciding whether to bid again at a higher price," DeWitt wrote in a blog post.

After a real-life visit, they decided to place a second, higher bid. They won.

Around $220,000 later, it was theirs. While the closing price was $220,000, Dewitt estimates that there were about $3,000 worth of additional fees.

Source: We Bought The Farm

There are 6 structures on the farm: 2 small barns, a big barn, a small house, a garage/workshop, and the main house.

When the couple bought the property, 2 of the barns were (and still are) in ruins and both of the houses were uninhabitable. They had their work cut out for them.

The first major project they embarked on was fixing the main house. According to DeWitt, it was in terrible condition.

DeWitt told Business Insider that while the main house is around just 30 years old, some of the buildings, like the small house, have been on the property for over a hundred years.

"When we walked through the door we didn't know if we could make it through without gas masks," he wrote in a blog post.

The history of the farm dates back hundreds of years. In fact, according to Dewitt's blog post, the stone walls on the property were likely built in the 1700s.

Source: We Bought The Farm

The previous owner bought the property in 2000. She lived there for 16 years until the bank foreclosed on it. DeWitt believes the property was neglected for most, if not all, of the years after that.

Source: We Bought The Farm

And while there weren't any humans living in the main house, there were cats — lots of them.

Source: We Bought The Farm

"The house was basically being used as a big, huge kitty litter box," DeWitt said.

Despite its condition, the couple moved into the house 3 days after closing on the property.

In the days before they moved in, they had a plumber fix the kitchen sink, a shower, and a few toilets.

They cleaned out a bedroom, painted the floors with oil-based Kilz, set up a bed so they could sleep, and started renovating the house.

DeWitt told Business Insider that they did around 90% of the work themselves.

Source: We Bought The Farm

It was no small project: The house spans over 5,000 square feet and boasts 5 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms.

Source: We Bought The Farm

But DeWitt and Jean are no strangers to home-renovation projects. In fact, when they first got married, they flipped a home together.

The couple had help when it came to things like plumbing, electrical work, and setting up the kitchen.

"Basically, anything that would have the potential of burning down the house or flooding the house, we had the plumber or the electrician do," DeWitt said.

When it came to the kitchen, the couple ran into some structural and ventilation issues.

"Unfortunately, when you design a kitchen in an old house, you never know what you are going to run into when you open up the walls," DeWitt wrote in a blog post.

Source: We Bought The Farm

For example, there was a beam centered over the stove where the ventilation hose was supposed to go, forcing them to leave the slinky tube on an angle.

Source: We Bought The Farm

According to DeWitt's blog, they managed to make the hood cover using leftover materials from the demo and other projects. Because they repurposed materials, that project only cost them $46.

Source: We Bought The Farm

The couple also saved money by using the furniture they brought from Las Vegas. In fact, most of the furniture in the main house is furniture the couple already owned. DeWitt told Business Insider that they've only spent around $500 on new items.

DeWitt told Business Insider that, including the purchase price and renovations, they plan on spending a total of around $450,000. So far, they've spent around $150,000 on renovations.

While they've come a long way since May 2018, DeWitt told Business Insider there are still a few projects left to do in the main house.

Those projects include painting the rest of the home's exterior ...

... installing the balcony railings and floors, finishing trim work around the house, and completing the basement, where they plan on building a home theater.

Jean works on renovating the property full-time while DeWitt divides his time between the house and managing the business.

"My wife is the one that does a lot of the work, she's doing it full-time," DeWitt explained to Business Insider. "She's pretty amazing. She can do just about anything with the right power tool."

This year, the couple plans on rebuilding the two small barns, fixing up the big barn, and renovating the small house.

As for the garage, DeWitt explained that it's in pretty good shape and just needed some door repairs.

They plan on finishing all the renovations by May 2021 — just 3 years after the purchase.

And, while they won't be turning the property into a functioning farm again, DeWitt told Business Insider that they do get visitors every now and again.

In fact, they've encountered foxes, deer, groundhogs, turtles, frogs, turkeys, vultures, and even bears.

This article is part of Business Insider's ongoing series, How I Renovated It, where we talk to homeowners around the country about the process, budget, and transformation that goes into a renovation.

• The Premier League announced it was stopping the pre-game handshake in an effort to prevent players from spreading the coronavirus.
• However, the league didn't announce any other amendments for the rest of the game, in which players spend in very close contact. 
• Players from England's Liverpool and Bournemouth soccer clubs sparked online reactions for the awkward contact-free greeting at the beginning of Saturday's game.
• The move is a minor example of decisions made by sports authorities in countries across the world trying to prevent a further spread of the coronavirus among the public.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Players on England's Liverpool and Bournemouth soccer clubs sparked some humorous reactions when they skipped the customary pre-game handshake before their Saturday game.  

The Premier League had announced before the game that the players would line up alongside their teammates to greet their opponents per usual, but would not physically shake hands. 

Most players abided by the no-touch decision, but some, like Nathan Ake and Giorginio Wijnaldum, came up with friendly alternatives, like bumping elbows. 

In a statement released ahead of the game, the league cited the infectious nature of the novel coronavirus as the basis of its decision, saying it was taking precautions against the "spread via droplets from the nose and mouth and can be transmitted on to the hands and passed on via a handshake."

Despite the decision to skip the pre-game ritual, the league did not make any other amendments to the 90-minute game, which players spent in close contact. 

Many who were watching the game took to social media to mock the decision, saying that the greeting appeared awkward and pointing out that players could have still passed on the virus during the game or when they greeted each other after. 

Though it sparked reactions, the move is a minor example of decisions made by sports authorities in countries across the world to try and prevent the spread of the coronavirus among the public. Italy, Japan, and South Korea, where sporting events have been canceled or games have been played in empty venues, are responding to the spreading outbreak. 

The International Olympic Committee has been closely monitoring the virus spread ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which could still be canceled.

The NBA said in a memo released earlier this week that it recommends players use fist-bumps instead of high-fives when greeting fans, and not to take pens, basketballs, or jerseys to sign autographs. The organization later said that it was considering having teams play in empty arenas in front of only "essential staff."

The proposal was almost immediately knocked by players like LeBron James, who called it "impossible." 

"If I show up to an arena and there ain't no fans in there, I ain't playing," James told reporters. 

Read more:

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With speeds up to 100 times faster than 4G, and latency up to 120 times lower, 5G is poised to revolutionize the tech industry.

Telecoms in 18 countries will roll out 5G networks by the end of 2019, which means the race to secure global 5G leadership is officially underway. Winning would allow the opportunity to shape the future of the telecommunications industry, and could come with more than a decade of competitive advantages.

As the biggest mobile market in the world, China is at the front of the pack of global 5G development. China is projected to have 460 million 5G connections by 2025, which would make it the largest 5G market worldwide. After largely missing the opportunity of the 3G and 4G eras, 5G leadership is a top priority for China.

In the 5G Snapshot: China report, Business Insider Intelligence breaks down the key components and advantages of China's 5G mission, and provides summaries of the country's 3 largest wireless operators.

This exclusive report can be yours for FREE today.

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• Italy's death toll amid the novel coronavirus outbreak shot up 133 in one day, marking 366 deaths in the country.
• The new figures make the country home to the largest number of infections outside China, and surpass South Korea, which had 7,313 identified cases as of March 8.
• The country issued a lockdown of the Lombardy region, affecting up to 16 million people and 14 of the country's provinces that are now subject to travel restrictions under new quarantine rules.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The death toll in Italy, the center of the novel coronavirus outbreak in Europe, shot up within one day, from 233 to 366, officials announced.

The 133 new deaths come alongside a spike in infections from 5,883 to 7,375.

The newly identified cases mark the country's status as having the largest number of infections outside China, where the virus originated. The second-largest center for infections is now South Korea, which has identified 7,313 cases as of March 8.

Italy issued an unprecedented response to the outbreak, announcing the lockdown of the country's Lombardy region, making up to 16 million people and 14 of the country's provinces subject to travel restrictions under new quarantine rules.

Law enforcement was deployed alongside the new restrictions to enforce the quarantine. 

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte also announced the official closing of public spaces like schools, gyms, museums, nightclubs, and pools. 

"We are facing an emergency, a national emergency,"Conte said Sunday. "We have to limit the spread of the virus and prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed."

The shuttering of public places was similar to an announcement in neighboring France, where officials announced a ban on gatherings of more than 1,000 people after the number of deaths rose from 11 to 19 over the weekend amid 1,126 total cases.

The virus has posed concern in countries around the world as more than 107,000 have been infected and at least 3,600 dead.

Though the highest death tolls have previously been identified in China, where the virus originated in December, the country identified its lowest number of new infections in a single day since January, which indicates the outbreak in the country is slowing. 

Read more:

Coronavirus live updates: More than 106,000 people have been infected and nearly 3,600 have died. The US has reported 17 deaths. Here's everything we know.

The healthcare system in Italy's Lombardy region is so strained from the new coronavirus that officials are asking doctors to come out of retirement and nursing students are being fast-tracked to graduation

The Louvre, Legoland, and three Disney theme parks are closed because of the coronavirus. Here's all of the major museum and theme park closures so far.

The CDC is warning travelers about visiting 5 countries because of the coronavirus. Here's the US government's guidance.

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