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One of the big problems with the coronavirus is not knowing if the person you're interacting with has it ... which underscores how EMT's are among the heroes of the pandemic.

Check out the video ... a man was sleeping on a subway train Friday when he suffered a seizure. He let out a scream, which some say sounded like a gasp, and then his arms flailed as he clearly needed medical attention.

Medical attention he got, thanks to the folks who gave him emergency care. We're told he had a seizure and did NOT have coronavirus. Nevertheless, the EMTs didn't know that and even though they had protective gear on ... it's still heroic.

New York is hitting pause amid the coronavirus pandemic ... the entire state is shutting down to protect residents from the outbreak.

New Yorkers will only be allowed to leave their homes for essential business, and all other workers are being told to stay home, as ordered by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who says there will be a civil fine and mandatory closure for any biz not in compliance.

Cuomo is calling this, "New York state on pause," and he says it's the most drastic action the state can take to fight the outbreak.

The shutdown rules -- remain indoors aside from solitary exercise outside, pre-screen all visitors and aides by taking temperatures, don't visit households with multiple people, vulnerable people should wear a mask around others, stay at least 6 feet away from individuals, only take public transportation if it's urgent and absolutely necessary.

Cuomo says the state has more than 7,000 confirmed coronavirus cases ... this out of more than 32,000 individual tests.

New York follows the entire state of California in putting non-essential workers on 24-hour virus lockdown ... meaning 1 in 5 Americans are being told to stay home.

Cuomo says the mandate is not a "shelter in place" order ... and he says mass transit workers, restaurant staff doing delivery and take-out count as essential workers and can still go to work.

Another poor pooch has tested positive for coronavirus ... this time it's a 2-year-old German shepherd owned by a 30-year-old human also infected with COVID-19.

The second dog likely contracted the virus from its owner in the Pok Fu Lam-area of Hong Kong, and not the other way around ... according to experts.

In fact, both the Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health and the CDC have stated there's no evidence house pets like cats and dogs can spread the virus ... and people should not abandon their animals out of fear.

The German shepherd has been quarantined along with another mixed-breed dog from the same home. According to the the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department ... the other pooch has not tested positive and neither dog has shown any symptoms of coronavirus, so that's good news.

The AFCD will continue monitoring the dogs.

The second positive test comes just days after the first known dog to test positive -- a 17-year-old pomeranian -- died in Hong Kong after returning from quarantine. The dog has tested weak positive and was old, so animal welfare experts have said it may have died from stress or natural causes ... and not from COVID-19.

People across the globe are learning new languages to pass the time at home ... and one language software company says Tom Hanks' coronavirus diagnosis triggered a spike in sales.

Here's the deal ... honchos at Rosetta Stone, Babbel and Duolingo tell us they're all seeing a surge in language software sales during the pandemic ... and Babbel says it all started when Tom told the world he contracted COVID-19.

Babbel tells TMZ ... business started booming once Tom announced his diagnosis and the NBA suspended its season -- and they're seeing a big spike in sales in areas under a complete coronavirus shutdown.

It's interesting ... Babbel sales saw a slight decrease when Italy started getting ravaged by the virus, but everything flipped when the country started quarantining entire cities.

Now, Babbel sales are seeing a 50% increase compared to what they usually see this time of year. And, the company says most folks say "cultural interest" is the reason for buying the service, surpassing the previous most-popular answer, "travel."

In the States, Babbel says most folks are trying to learn Spanish, French, Italian and German ... and the company is offering 3-months of free software for American students.

Over at Duolingo, the company tells us software usage is at an all-time high, with an increase in new users across the board in all 50 states. From March 9 to March 16 alone, Duolingo tells us they had a 91% surge in new users in the U.S. We're told the majority of new users this week are learning Spanish.

And finally, honchos at Rosetta Stone tell TMZ ... they're seeing strong growth in Washington state and Northern California, two areas hit hard by the virus.

Elon Musk's offering to make ventilators to help coronavirus patients who desperately need them, but his proposal begs the question ... what's the freakin' holdup?!

The Tesla founder stirred the pot on Twitter late Wednesday night when he replied to someone who told him to "stop being an idiot" about the COVID-19 pandemic and use his factory to make ventilators as quickly as possible.

Elon's response -- "We will make ventilators if there is a shortage."

It's not necessarily the most heroic way of putting it, but it's promising to see Musk committing to helping out ... following the footsteps of other major motor companies that have already promised to lend a hand in any way possible.

Problem is ... health experts are already clear ... there WILL be a shortage of ventilators for those seriously infected with the coronavirus. So, Elon's "if" seems moot.

Of course, just days ago he said the "danger of panic still far exceeds danger" of COVID-19, and cited a CDC graph suggesting if we over-allocate medical resources to coronavirus it will come at the expense of treating other illnesses.

He may be right, but if time is of the essence with producing ventilators ... there's no time to argue.

Amazon is doing its part to help stabilize its home turf, pouring additional millions into the Seattle area ... a community devastated by the coronavirus outbreak.

The shipping giant is behind a number of community-related efforts underway in several locations, but especially in Seattle, its primary HQ. Amazon's created a $5 million Neighborhood Small Business Relief Fund to provide cash grants to local companies in Seattle and Bellevue, WA. The money's intended to help them continue paying employees, and cover rent and other costs.

The corporation's also made a million-dollar donation to provide sick leave pay or health insurance to Seattle residents -- and pitched in another mil in Washington, D.C. toward medical response teams for the homeless, the elderly and hourly workers.

Of course, the goodwill efforts come on the heels of Amazon catching flak from some of its employees around the world -- some of whom reportedly feel overworked and not totally safe from the pandemic in their warehouses. We're told Amazon's committed to paying them even if they can't work due to COVID-19 cases or schedule changes.

Amazon's payroll expense is about to jump anyway ... because it's hiring at least 100k more people in the U.S. to meet surging demand. All those quarantined customers shopping from home want their stuff now.

The coronavirus has pregnant women turning back the clock -- with increased fears about entering jam-packed hospitals, those about to pop are making alternate plans.

Several stand-alone birthing centers across the country tell TMZ they are seeing a massive influx of inquiring moms-to-be looking to deliver their babies -- either at their facilities or even at home ... just like in the old days.

Birthing center employees and directors in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Tennessee, Seattle, Minnesota and elsewhere say a lot of third-trimester moms-to-be are freaked out about possibly delivering in hospitals that are getting more and more inundated with coronavirus patients.

Fortunately, most of the birthing centers we spoke with say they're adapting their policies to meet the frenzy -- now, they're taking in gals near full-term pregnancy ... but we've been told if someone is days away from their due date, they'll probably be turned away -- as these centers need time to set up and take measures to guarantee a safe birth.

That's not the only solution that's being considered in light of the crisis. The director of Seattle Birth Centers (a city now considered a major coronavirus hot spot) tells us their community is seeing retired midwives come back into the workforce because some folks are opting to push through right at home.

Of course, that usually means no epidural. Ouch ...

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles is closing its doors to most visitors during the coronavirus pandemic ... TMZ has learned.

As of early Wednesday morning, the hospital put the new rules in place to severely restrict the number of outside people entering the hospital. We're told surgery patients, and emergency room patients will be allowed one visitor.

Additionally, anyone who's given birth at the hospital is allowed one visitor. Sorry ... aunts, uncles, grandparents might have to wait until the newborn gets home.

Cedars is following in the footsteps of several other major hospitals around the country -- including ones in San Francisco and New York City.

San Francisco is going the way of Italy with its coronavirus safety measures -- the Mayor's instituting around-the-clock curfew, banning almost everyone from leaving their homes.

Mayor London Breed announced what she calls a "defining moment" in U.S. response to the pandemic. Beginning at 12 AM, all residents within the city can only leave home for doctor's appointments or runs to the grocery store.

It's the strictest new policy enacted in the nation, and matches the current rules in Italy ... which has been the 2nd hardest-hit country in the world.

The Mayor says the rule will remain in effect for at least the next 3 weeks.

In addition, to the city shut down, 6 Bay Area counties are telling residents to "shelter in place." That means ... unless your work falls under the list of "essential businesses," you've been ordered to stay home.

That list of essential businesses includes health care operations, grocery stores, shelters, media outlets, gas stations and banks. Restaurants can remain open, but only for takeout and delivery.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson -- who were filming an Elvis Presley movie down in Australia -- have just tested positive for the coronavirus ... TMZ has confirmed.

Tom's reps tell us he and Rita got tested for the deadly virus after feeling like they had a cold -- he says they felt extra tired and had some body aches -- and the results came back positive.

According to Tom, Rita also had some chills that came and went, as well as slight fevers.

Now, Tom says he will follow protocols put in place by medical officials and the rest of his family will also be tested for the virus. Tom says he will be observed and isolated for as long as required for public health and safety.

Tom and Rita are the first A-listers to test positive for coronavirus ... while international soccer star Daniele Rugani has also tested positive.

Joel Osteen's megachurch services will power through the coronavirus crisis -- which has officially been classified a pandemic -- meaning close to 50,000 people will gather to worship with him this weekend.

Sources close to Osteen and his Lakewood Church in Houston tell TMZ ... its 3 scheduled upcoming services -- one Saturday night and 2 Sunday -- are still on, with expected crowds of 16,000 at each service.

We're told the staff is taking recommended precautions, such as sanitizing surfaces and bathrooms and leaving doors propped open so guests don't have to touch them.

On top of that, our sources say church members and all potential attendees are being advised to stay home if they don't feel well, have traveled to areas affected by COVID-19 or been in contact with anyone who has.

We're told Lakewood's plans could change with the developing news, but as of right now ... it's church business as usual for Osteen and his congregation.

Joel's also set to hold a service in Jackson, Mississippi Friday for roughly 7,500.

As for Osteen's "America's Night of Hope" event at Yankee Stadium in May -- which, as we first reported, will feature Kanye West -- there are no plans to cancel or postpone that either.

However, our sources reiterate ... things could change with those plans too.

Dr. Phil says folks who constantly fear getting sick are probably more at risk to contract coronavirus than the average Joe ... but not because of the virus itself.

The good doc came on "TMZ Live" Wednesday to talk about what's now a global pandemic and its effect on hypochondria. First off, he dropped some knowledge ... it's now called illness anxiety disorder, and he says people suffering from it are in "their perfect storm."

Phil says the wall-to-wall media coverage of coronavirus not only affirms their worst fears, it actually exacerbates the problem. Watch the clip ... he explains why their immune systems could be compromised by the panic.

Howie Mandel -- who's not a hypochondriac, but famously a germophobe -- showed up for 'AGT' Tuesday looking like most folks with illness anxiety disorder probably feel right about now.

Even more bad news ... Dr. Phil says it's near impossible now to convince them things aren't as bad as they seem.

Coachella's fate appears to be hanging in the balance as the county it sits in just confirmed its first case of coronavirus.

Riverside County public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser made the announcement Sunday, saying RC is under a public health emergency because of a patient who's considered a "presumptive positive for coronavirus" after being tested by the Public Health Office.

Even more alarming ... the hospital this person is being treated at -- Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage -- is a mere 25 minutes from the Coachella festival site in Indio, CA. So, very close to home.

Kaiser says his team is assessing whether the infected individual has been in contact with others and whether more people might've been exposed. He also says no decisions have been made on the safety of future public events, and that he'll evaluate on a case-by-case basis.

As of Thursday, Kaiser had said he had NOT instructed the honchos running Coachella or Stagecoach to pull the plug -- but in light of this new development, that could change.

Riverside is the latest county in SoCal to declare a public emergency -- Orange and Los Angeles counties have already done so, as a handful of confirmed cases have been discovered in both.

If Coachella -- which kicks off its first weekend of festivities on April 10 -- is indeed canceled, it'll be a huge blow to the music community. Headliners like Rage Against the Machine, Travis Scott and Frank Ocean were announced this year, and tickets have already gone on sale.

The time has come amid a growing global pandemic to talk about something we've all been expecting, but haven't quite seen 'til now ... a bloodbath over wiping our asses.

Yes, we're referring to toilet paper, folks -- specifically, the fact people seem to have lost their minds about stocking up on a 6-pack, 12-pack, 24-pack or in many cases ... 30-packs from Costco. You've probably been seeing photos online, but now ... there's gnarly video too.

Here's a clip someone captured from what's been said to be somewhere in Australia, where two women literally came to blows in a grocery store aisle over a pack of poop wipes. It's pretty insane -- there's screaming, punching, scratching and then face-to-face insults.

Eventually, the store employees step in and break it up ... but not before the woman who was apparently left ply-less demanded (begged?) for just one pack of toilet paper from the mother-daughter duo who swept the place and filled their own cart with several loads.

There've been other in-aisle confrontations caught on video, but none got as rowdy as this one. It appears people in different parts of the world are panicking over the coronavirus -- and it would seem having an arsenal of perforated protection is absolutely essential.

Danny Trejo is seriously worried for inmates in Los Angeles County jail ... he says coronavirus could spread like wildfire if officials don't do enough to disinfect the filthy place.

We got the actor -- who spent years in various prisons back in the day -- at LAX Friday and asked about inmates fearing the worst in jail. Danny says jail is a potential coronavirus hot zone.

Danny says everyone is fighting coronavirus together, but it's worse for people in jail, because of the extremely close quarters and dirty conditions.

As Danny explains it, when the flu hits a jail or prison, everyone catches it, and coronavirus could hit even harder. He says the inmates in jail have it the worst, because they can't isolate themselves like someone in prison.

As we reported ... guys getting sprung from L.A. County Men's Jail say authorities are not telling them about coronavirus or how to prevent it, and they dispute official's accounts that sanitation efforts are being ramped up.

Aside from the filthy jail cells and holding areas, Danny says another danger facing inmates are handshakes. He explains why it's disrespectful not to dap up other inmates, and why it poses a coronavirus nightmare.