The flu has shut us down. So many people in my little West Texas town have the flu that the schools have been closed for seven days with no sign of re-opening this week. Not all students are staying home. This is Texas, which means flu or no flu, sports will go on. Students on the basketball and baseball teams, and track-and-field athletes still play on schedule. Several other towns in the area are experiencing the same situation.

Assistant Canadian Fire Chief Gary Prater didn’t have to wait for a dispatch or sirens Thursday afternoon to know the volunteer firefighters were about to be called out.

This week, the number of new coronavirus infections outside of China has outpaced those inside the country for the first time, according to the World Health Organization. Chinese officials on Tuesday announced the confirmation of 411 new infections, The New York Times reported yesterday. In the rest of the world, 427 new cases were reported.