Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman and Hollywood actor Jared Leto had no idea the upheaval the ongoing coronavirus pandemic had caused in the United States. But that's just because the entertainer has spent the last 12 days silently meditating in the desert in total isolation.

Leto returned to a very different situation this week, and he shared his astonishment via social media. See his messages down toward the bottom of this post.

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic involves the worldwide spread of the novel coronavirus, which causes the COVID-19 disease, after health authorities first encountered it in China late last year. After a subjectively slow reaction by the president to contain the outbreak in the U.S., as The New York Times opined, the executive branch and local governments are now taking the situation much more seriously. The White House published guidelines for slowing the spread, and many cities have shuttered dine-in restaurants and other businesses.

"Wow," Leto said on Twitter Tuesday (March 17). "12 days ago I began a silent meditation in the desert. We were totally isolated. No phone, no communication etc. We had no idea what was happening outside the facility."

He continued, "Walked out yesterday into a very different world. One that's been changed forever. Mind blowing — to say the least. I'm getting messages from friends and family all around the globe and catching up."

The CDC is urging people to protect themselves and others in light of the pandemic. The outbreak's already affected the music world. Last week, promoters such as Live Nation and AEG postponed upcoming tours after individual acts had done the same. This year's Record Store Day has been set aside for later in 2020.

Added Leto, "Hope you and yours are ok. Sending positive energy to all."

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