Coronavirus updates in Texas: Montgomery County now has three cases, MLB delays regular season

Thursday’s biggest developments:

• Montgomery County discloses two more positive coronavirus tests.
• Lackland Air Force base gets more evacuees.
• MLB delays regular season.
• Universities and colleges continue to move to online classes.
• Civil jury trials have been halted in Harris County.

NCAA cancels winter and spring championship games

[4:17 p.m.] All remaining men’s and women’s college basketball championship games — including March Madness and the College World Series — are cancelled, the National Collegiate Athletic Association said in a statement Thursday.

“This decision is based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat, our ability to ensure the events do not contribute to spread of the pandemic, and the impracticality of hosting such events at any time during this academic year given ongoing decisions by other entities,” the statement reads.

Houston’s Toyota Center was one of four sites for Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games March 27-29. — Stacy Fernandez

Montgomery County officials aim to “mitigate the spread” as two more people test positive

[4:08 p.m.] Montgomery County now has three residents who have tested positive for coronavirus.

The two new patients whose positive tests were disclosed Thursday are a woman in her 40s who traveled to New Orleans and a man in his 40s who traveled to Florida. The county’s first case involved a man who had not traveled recently, suggesting the possibility of “community spread” in the state for the first time.

“At this point, we are trying to mitigate the spread of the virus in this community,” said a county health department press release.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines community spread as the “occurrence of cases for which the source of infection is unknown.”

The two cases disclosed Thursday bring the Houston area’s total number of cases to 17, the most out of any region in the state. — Naomi Andu

Lackland Air Force base gets 51 new evacuees

[3:22 p.m.] San Antonio’s Lackland Air Force Base received another 51 Grand Princess cruise ship evacuees Thursday morning — all of whom were Texans, according to a spokesperson from the mayor’s office. A total of 149 people were quarantined at the base.

After local officials raised concerns of non-Texans in quarantine taking up San Antonio hospital beds if they test positive for the virus, Gov. Greg Abbott and other local officials said the federal health department agreed to house only Texans at the base for longer than 72 hours. The San Antonio Express-News reported that 74 of the 98 evacuees who arrived Tuesday were from other states. Those evacuees will be flown from the base on noncivilian planes to finish their required 14-day quarantine on sites closer to their homes, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said on Facebook.

Nine people who had been quarantined at Lackland from the Diamond Princess cruise ship remained at the Texas Center for Infectious Disease in San Antonio after testing positive for the new coronavirus. — Jolie McCullough

More bad news for Astros fans

[2:47 p.m.] Major League Baseball’s regular season, set to start March 26, will be delayed by at least two weeks “in the interests of the safety and well-being of our players, Clubs, and our millions of loyal fans,” according Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred.

Spring training games are canceled, and 2020 World Baseball Classic Qualifier games in Tucson, Arizona, have been postponed indefinitely.

“MLB and the Clubs have been preparing a variety of contingency plans regarding the regular season schedule,” the statement reads. “MLB will announce the effects on the schedule at an appropriate time and will remain flexible as events warrant, with the hope of resuming normal operations as soon as possible.” — Naomi Andu

Montgomery County issues disaster declaration

[12:41 p.m.] Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough signed a 30-day declaration of disaster Thursday over concerns about the new coronavirus that seeks to stop events with more than 250 people. Publicly sponsored events of that size are canceled, and privately sponsored events are urged to cancel.

The declaration also asks nursing homes and senior living centers to limit visitation. The declaration does not apply to law enforcement activities, court operations or schools.

On Wednesday, Montgomery County health officials announced the first possible case of community spread in Texas. — Rebekah Allen

Chris Stapleton, Willie Nelson concert in Arlington postponed

[11:49 a.m.] The first public event at Globe Life Field in Arlington was postponed Thursday. The move is just the latest of its kind in Texas as more people take precautions against exposure to COVID-19, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

Country star Chris Stapleton was set to play with Willie Nelson and other performers Saturday, at a show announced months ago at the $1.2 billion baseball park.

Pause on jury trials in civil cases in Houston

[10:26 a.m.] “In response to growing public health concerns and to protect the due process rights of all residents of Harris County,” civil district courts in the state’s most populous county will not be calling any jury trials for the rest of March, according to Michael Gomez, the civil administrative judge for Harris County district courts.

Courts may exercise individual discretion about bench trials. — Emma Platoff

Texas Tech University and St. Edwards University shift to online classes

[9:11 a.m.] Texas Tech University has canceled classes the week after its spring break and said teaching will move online beginning March 30. Campus buildings, including residence halls, will remain open, and students may stay on campus during spring break.

St. Edward’s University in Austin will host two weeks of online classes after the end of its scheduled spring break.

The announcement comes after several Texas universities, including the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Houston and Texas Christian University, said Wednesday said they would extend spring break. Some of them will move to online classes, at least temporarily. — Shannon Najmabadi

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz closes Washington, D.C., office

[9:01 a.m.] In response to reports that a staffer from another U.S. Senate office has tested positive for the new coronavirus, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz announced in a statement this morning that he’s temporarily shut down his Washington, D.C., office.

“Sen. Cruz’s office had previously established a working group to prepare for a scenario just like this and is fully equipped for staff to work remotely and continue to serve the people of Texas,” reads a statement from his office.

Cruz said Sunday that he had interacted with a person late last month at the Conservative Political Action Conference who has since tested positive for the new coronavirus. According to his office, he’s in Texas still completing his 14-day self-quarantine.

“Sen. Cruz feels healthy and is at home in Texas,” a statement reads. “Offices in Texas remain open, and Sen. Cruz is continuing to closely monitor the situation and take every precaution necessary to keep staff healthy and help reduce the spread of this virus to others.”— Alex Samuels

Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin, the University of Houston, Texas Christian University and Baylor University have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.