thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Sparkling waters hide some lasting harm from 2010 oil spill

NEW ORLEANS - Ten years after a well blew wild under a BP platform in the Gulf of Mexico , killing 11 men and touching off the nation ’ s worst offshore oil spill , gulf waters sparkle in the sunlight , its fish are safe to eat , and thick , black oil no longer visibly stains the beaches and estuaries .
Brown pelicans , a symbol of the spill ’ s ecological damage because so many dived after fish and came up coated with oil , are doing well .
But scientists who spent the decade studying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effects on dolphins , whales , sea turtles , small fish vital to the food chain , and ancient corals in the cold , dark depths .
The gulf ’ s ecosystem is so complex and interconnected that it ’ s impossible to take any single part as a measure of its overall health , said Rita Colwell , who has led the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative .
BP put up $ 500 million for the independent GoMRI program soon after the spill , part of more than $ 69 billion it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spill response , cleanup , settlements , restoration and other costs .
Some scientists say the recovery has been remarkable since those dark spring days in 2010 , when oil billowing from the sea floor began killing wildlife and blackening marshes and beaches from Texas to Florida .
Ed Overton , a Louisiana State University chemist who has studied oil dispersal since the 1970s , said today ’ s visitors to Louisiana ’ s marshes would have to know just where to look to find damage : “ So there ’ s still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it significant compared to what we saw in 2010 ?
And the answer is not only no , but hell no.
” But major concerns remain .
Steven A. Murawski , chief scientist of the National Marine Fisheries Service when the well blew , said , “ We will see environmental impacts from this for the rest of our lifetimes.
” Here ’ s a look at how some key aspects of the ecosystem are doing .
“ Initially , industry experts were saying , ‘ The dolphins and the whales , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not going to swim into oiled areas , ’ “ recalled Nancy Kinner , co-director of the Coastal Response Research Center and Center for Spills and Environmental Hazards at the University of New Hampshire .
But cetaceans must surface to breathe , rising through oil that spread across more than 15,300 square miles ( 40,000 square kilometres ) - nearly as big as Switzerland .
Each exhalation vaporized oil and gas into minuscule droplets , which they then inhaled , Kinner said .
Lung disease and other ailments caused by the spill killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years , many of them in Louisiana ’ s hard-hit Barataria Bay , the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported .
More than one-fifth were aborted , stillborn or died soon after birth .
Pregnant Barataria and Mississippi Sound dolphins still give birth far more rarely than in healthy populations .
Health checks of Barataria Bay dolphins in 2018 found that lung problems “ in some cases ... may be even getting worse , ” said Lori Schwacke of the National Marine Mammal Foundation .
Whales almost certainly suffered similar oil-caused ailments but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schwacke said .
NOAA estimated the spill killed 17 per cent of the gulf ’ s Bryde ’ s whales , declared endangered in 2019 after their population dwindled to fewer than 100 .
Other whales are suffering , too .
“ The toothed whales , sperm whales , Bryde ’ s whales , right whales ... these populations which were somewhat in jeopardy prior to the oil spill have been declining 5 or 10 % a year ever since the oil spill , ” said Ian MacDonald of Florida State University .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ go toward improving conditions for dolphins and whales .
These include studies on reducing effects of human-produced noise , such as seismic airguns and ship propellers , on whales and dolphins , which communicate and navigate by sound .
How fisheries would survive was hard to fathom while slicks fouled estuaries where many fish spawn , but scientists haven ’ t found any widespread species die-offs , said Chuck Wilson , chief science officer for GoMRI .
“ Fisheries in the marshes where the oil came on shore have continued to flourish .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very popular activity even in Barataria Bay , Louisiana , where the highest oil impact was , ” he said .
It ’ s a different story farther out and deeper down , where small fish feed top food and sport fish such as tuna or grouper , as well as whales .
Murawski , now a professor at the University of South Florida and director of a GoMRI consortium , said small fish that live about 660 to 3,300 feet ( 200 to 1,000 metres ) deep seemed to be doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but then their numbers plummeted by 60 to 80 per cent , and haven ’ t returned .
Because they hadn ’ t been surveyed before the spill , there ’ s no way to say whether the drop was caused by the spill or 2011 was an exceptional year and numbers are back to normal , he said .
Laboratory research has found that oil damaged fish larvae ’ s developing hearts and bones , MacDonald said .
Future restoration projects include plans to get anglers to use equipment that would slowly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep , rather than simply tossing them back .
Another project aims to find the best escape hatches for “ bycatch ” hauled up in shrimp nets , and persuade shrimpers to use them .
The oil turned tall marsh grass as black as cinders and sank into the muck across Louisiana ’ s coastal marshes , a nursery for an array of birds and fish .
“ Once all the roots and so on disintegrate , the whole marsh surface , all the soil , is lost .
Given the fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ land is sinking , it ’ s almost impossible to recover , ” said marine scientist Boesch .
Oiled marsh shorelines that weren ’ t lost immediately were more likely to wash away later .
GoMRI surveys found birds , snails and crabs back at pre-spill densities , Wilson said .
But the insects worry Louisiana State University researcher Linda Hooper-Bui .
She found that most insect and spider species were back to 68 % to 72 % of pre-spill populations by 2016 , and she was expecting to tell a story of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then her funding dried up , but in August 2019 , she collected one last round of samples and found surprisingly few insects .
“ Something is going on right now , and it ’ s deeply affected , “ she said , but she can ’ t tell what caused it .
The vast majority of oiled wetlands were in Louisiana , where officials expect to use more than $ 7 billion in oil spill money to restore the coast , including marshes and barrier islands .
Far below the surface , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , creating habitats for multitudes of creatures near the bottom of the food web .
Because of the BP spill , we also know how they can die .
Swaths of such coral were killed , and they grow so slowly — only a few millimeters a year — that it ’ s hard to imagine how they could be replaced , Boesch said .
Researchers found that seven years later , affected but surviving coral were less healthy than unoiled reefs .
Before the spill , scientists didn ’ t know that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispersing in a plume far below the surface .
They discovered that rising oil interacts with plankton and then “ snows down from the surface and eventually lands , “ changing the chemical biology of the sea bed , MacDonald said .
“ So these are things we ’ ve learned .
And none of these are good things , ” MacDonald said .
Scientists plan to study these deep habitats more extensively , including mapping the gulf ’ s seafloor .
To protect the fragile corals , money is being spent to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and installing buoys in some places to alert trawlers to the corals ’ underwater presence .

Janet McConnaughey And Rebecca Santana - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--4/20 fizzle: Pot industry tested as virus slams economy

LOS ANGELES - The unofficial holiday celebrating all things cannabis arrives Monday as the nation ’ s emerging legal marijuana market braces for an economic blow from the coronavirus crisis , with many consumers reducing spending or going underground for deals .
It was supposed to be a long weekend of festivals and music culminating on April 20 , or 4/20 , the code for marijuana ’ s high holiday .
Instead , it has been reduced to an online replica because of stay-at-home orders to curb the pandemic .
Virtual parties and video chats are replacing vast outdoor smoking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and celebrate cannabis culture .
The origins of the annual celebration are believed tied to a group of Northern California high school friends , who used the code as slang for smoking pot in the early 1970s .
“ Stay home , ” the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws , or NORML , said bluntly .
San Francisco Mayor London Breed threatened arrests : “ We will not tolerate anyone coming to San Francisco for 4/20 this year.
“ For businesses , 4/20 is usually their once-a-year Black Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are reporting up-and-down buying and pondering an uncertain future .
The pandemic means the world economy could face its worst year since the Great Depression in the 1930s .
In a sign of what ’ s to come , U.S. retail sales overall dropped nearly 9 % in March — a record .
Millions are out of work .
As for the holiday , “ there ’ s a sombre feeling to this one , ” said Jordan Lams , CEO of Pure CA , which specializes in marijuana extracts and does business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak , “ it was going to be the biggest 4/20 in history , ” Lams said .
Steve White , CEO of Arizona-based Harvest Health & Recreation , said he ’ s watching to see if consumers treat marijuana more like beer or toilet paper when money runs short .
When the economy tumbles , beer sales traditionally spike .
With toilet paper , panic-buying might empty shelves but people do not use more of it .
They just buy less later .
It will be a telling year , because no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if sales will plunge , stay flat or even rise .
“ Do people buy less cannabis , or does it become more ingrained as part of their daily life ?
” White said .
The uncertainty in the market poses the latest challenge for an industry that ’ s expanded in some form to all but a handful of states .
The risks are spotlighted in California , where businesses contend with hefty taxes , an illicit market that still dwarfs the legal one and a tourism-reliant economy that ’ s crippled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegal at the federal level , most banks don ’ t want to do business with pot companies and they aren ’ t included in the coronavirus rescue package that will help other businesses .
Before the virus , “ we were already teetering on ... an edge of a cannabis collapse , ” said Los Angeles dispensary owner Jerred Kiloh , who heads the United Cannabis Business Association .
“ It ’ s going to be very difficult for cannabis businesses to make it through this pandemic.
” That ’ s despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that sent marijuana sales rocketing ; some businesses reported single-day records as customers stocked up .
New York , San Francisco and Los Angeles were among the cities that labeled dispensaries essential businesses that could remain open .
But since then , business generally has flattened or tapered off , even with deliveries and curbside pickups growing to reduce health risks .
Marijuana data trackers BDS Analytics documented sales surges through much of March , but then consumers pulled back in late March and early April , with sales mostly below average .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge spike last month — a 30 % increase in average sales per retailer compared with March 2019 .
Sales increases mid-month were even larger .
However , the peak has levelled off and customers are coming in less frequently but buying more , said David Alport , who owns two Bridge City Collective stores in Portland .
He ’ s hired three more employees to handle home deliveries .
In Illinois , marijuana businesses can keep operating under Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s stay-at-home order .
Companies made sweeping changes that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Mission dispensary on Chicago ’ s South Side saw an initial spike in purchases before the lockdown took effect , but that ’ s levelled off .
“ We ’ ve never faced an economic downturn when cannabis was legal , ” said Kris Krane , president of Mission dispensaries .
“ This is completely unprecedented.
” Some customers could be especially vulnerable during an economic downturn .
Among cannabis users in states where its legal , 32 % have incomes below $ 35,000 and only 54 % have full-time employment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tight budget might be more apt to avoid taxes that go with legal purchases and buy from illicit market dealers .
Steve DeAngelo , co-founder of Harbourside dispensaries in California , said it ’ s difficult to predict what ’ s next , with no template for how cannabis consumers will react in a deep economic downturn .
Still , he notes that the industry has endured for years through times good and bad , even when consumers had only one option — illegal purchases .
Consumers who see marijuana as part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back , he predicted .
But , for businesses , there will be a “ sorting out , ” DeAngelo said .
Companies with strong brands and cash reserves are likely to fare better in a poor economy ; those saddled with heavy debt who made too-rosy promises to investors will face challenges .
“ There is not going to be an extinction moment , ” DeAngelo said .
“ It ’ s going to prove more resilient than many , many other industries.
” Associated Press writers Gillian Flaccus in Portland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributed .
Blood , Flaccus and Foody are members of AP ’ s marijuana beat team .
Find complete AP marijuana coverage here : https : //apnews.com/Marijuana .
Follow Blood on Twitter at http : //twitter.com/MichaelRBloodAP .

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thetorontostar--2020-04-20--The pandemic’s hidden victims: Sick or dying, but not from the virus

Maria Kefalas considers her husband , Patrick Carr , a forgotten victim of the coronavirus .
In January , Carr , a sociology professor at Rutgers University , suffered a relapse of the blood cancer that he has had for eight years .
Once again , he required chemotherapy to try to bring the disease , multiple myeloma , under control .
But this time , as the coronavirus began raging through Philadelphia , blood supplies were rationed and he couldn ’ t get enough of the transfusions needed to alleviate his anemia and allow chemo to begin .
Clinic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worsened .
For Carr and many others , the pandemic has shaken every aspect of health care , including cancer , organ transplants and even brain surgery .
On April 7 , Carr began receiving home hospice care .
He died April 16 .
He was 53 .
The pandemic “ expedited his death , ” Kefalas said .
“ I ’ m not saying he would have beaten the cancer , ” said Kefalas , a professor of sociology at St. Joseph ’ s University in Philadelphia .
“ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four months , this precipitous decline , fighting for blood , fighting for hospice nurses.
” “ People like my husband now are dying not because of COVID , but because the health care system just cracked open and swallowed them up , ” she said .
Beds , blood , doctors , nurses and ventilators are in short supply ; operating rooms are being turned into intensive care units ; and surgeons have been redeployed to treat people who can not breathe .
Even if there is room for other patients , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unless it is absolutely necessary , for fear of infecting them — or of health workers being infected by them .
Patients themselves are afraid to set foot in the hospital even if they are really sick .
Early on , as the epidemic loomed , many hospitals took the common-sense step of halting elective surgery .
Knee replacements , facelifts and most hernias could wait .
So could checkups and routine mammograms .
But some conditions fall into a grey zone of medical risk .
While they may not be emergencies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threatening , or if not quickly treated , leave the patient with permanent disability .
Doctors and patients alike are confronted with a worrisome future : How long is too long to postpone medical care or treatment ?
Delaying treatment is especially disturbing for people with cancer , in no small part because it seems to contradict years of public health messages urging everyone to find the disease early and treat it as soon as possible .
Doctors say they are trying to provide only the most urgently needed cancer care in clinics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resources but also to protect cancer patients , who have high odds of becoming severely ill if they contract the coronavirus .
Nearly a quarter of cancer patients reported delays in their care because of the pandemic , including access to in-person appointments , imaging , surgery and other services , according to a recent survey by the American Cancer Society ’ s Cancer Action Network .
Tzvia Bader , who leads the company TrialJectory , which helps cancer patients find clinical trials , said frightened patients had been calling to ask her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One woman had undergone surgery for melanoma that had spread to her liver , and was due to begin immunotherapy , but was told it would be delayed for an unknown length of time .
“ She says , ‘ What ’ s going to happen to me ?
’ ” Bader said .
“ This is not improving her chances.
” And some clinical trials , where cancer patients can receive innovative therapies , have been suspended .
“ The mortality of cancer has been declining over the last few years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going backwards , ” Bader said .
Many hospitals have postponed surgery for breast tumours , an unsettling decision for women eager to have the cancer removed .
But oncologists say that for most cases of breast cancer , unlike more aggressive malignancies , there is no harm in waiting for surgery , because the regimen can be changed .
“ We can safely give drugs first and start the surgery later , ” said Dr. Larry Norton , medical director of the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center at the Memorial Sloan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The current crisis will be under control , and they can come back later.
” The drugs include hormone-blocking medicines or chemotherapy , depending on the type of tumour .
Even before the pandemic , some treatment plans called for drugs first and surgery later .
But patients first may need some convincing that it ’ s OK to change the plan .
Women scheduled for radiation may also be able to wait , according to Dr. Sylvia Adams , director of the breast cancer centre at NYU Langone ’ s Perlmutter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an email : “ Patients who need radiation urgently ( such as for brain or spine metastases from breast cancer ) will be able to undergo radiotherapy .
Radiation oncologists are also trying to use shorter regimens whenever possible to minimize the number of trips a patient must take for radiation.
” Dr. Elisa Port , chief of breast surgery at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York , said : “ If I knew this was going to peak in two weeks and be done in four weeks , we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t be delayed indefinitely , and there is going to be an adverse outcome related to a significant delay.
” Women judged to need surgery for aggressive tumours are still able to get it , she said , adding that they are tested for the coronavirus 48 hours before the operation .
“ It ’ s not fail safe , ” Port said .
“ But I think it ’ s pretty reliable , and very comforting to staff coming in every day , and to patients.
” The American Society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines on its website to help doctors decide when it is safe to delay treatment .
Experts on lung cancer also describe a trickle-down effect of COVID-19 .
Dr. Jacob Sands , a thoracic medical-oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston , said concerns that temporary side effects of some chemotherapy regimens could leave patients more susceptible to the coronavirus , were leading some doctors to choose different treatments .
For example , he said , a certain course might have more benefit but also more complications , such as fever , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department .
But now , in hard-hit regions like Boston and New York , oncologists are leaning toward an alternative regimen , which might be slightly less effective but would also be less likely to send the patient to the hospital .
Similarly , he added , radiation oncologists are finding ways to allow patients to finish treatment with fewer trips to the hospital .
Patients who have already been treated and were to be monitored every six months are having their appointments delayed for a month or two .
Sands emphasized that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patient and fell within long-established , safe parameters .
But what concerns him most is the postponement in the hot zones of early detection programs to screen high-risk people for lung cancer , because of the fear that by coming to a clinic , patients could be exposed to the virus .
Finding lung cancer early can be a game-changer , he said .
Organ transplants have also been profoundly affected .
“ The number of potential people that could be organ donors is now significantly reduced , ” said Helen Irving , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which co-ordinates transplants from deceased donors on the East Coast .
Donors are brain dead and on life support , often from accidents or overdoses .
Now , many possible donors have become infected , so their organs can not be used .
“ Normally we would follow about 20 to 25 referrals a day , ” Irving said .
“ That is now down to six or seven that are non-COVID and potentially with an injury that would allow them to become an organ donor.
” In addition , family members are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for organ donation , because hospitals have banned visitors .
“ We ’ re finding ourselves more and more in the situation of talking to families over the phone , ” Irving said .
“ It is absolutely something we would not want , ever .
We ’ ve always spoken face to face.
” Even so , relatives do agree to donate .
“ Every family that has said yes to us had said yes because what they are witnessing is such grief , such a surreal situation , ” Irving said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and dying every day on the news , and this is one opportunity to save a life .
They are saying , ‘ Thank you for still doing this ; in all this we can save a life.
’ I ’ m hearing that from physicians , making referrals , too : ‘ Thank you for saving lives when all we ’ re doing is losing them.
’ ” But the numbers are way down .
Normally , LiveOnNY has about 30 organ donors a month , resulting in about 75 transplants .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as many donors .
“ We always said we were looking for a needle in a haystack , ” Irving said .
“ Now we ’ re looking for a needle in 500 haystacks.
” In recent years , many transplants have come from living donors who give up one kidney or a lobe of the liver .
Most of those transplants have been postponed .
Coming into the hospital puts both the recipient and a healthy donor at risk of infection , and the operations require a ventilator for each patient during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average risk of becoming infected , because of the immune-suppressing drugs they must take to prevent organ rejection .
“ We have living donors whose cases have been delayed , ” said Dr. Kasi McCune , a surgeon who performs kidney transplants at Columbia NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Center in Manhattan .
“ The patients we have talked to have been easygoing about it .
They don ’ t want to be immunosuppressed at this time either.
” Before the pandemic , there were about 750 living-donor kidney transplants a week in the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it dropped to 350 and kept rapidly declining .
People with kidney failure can be kept alive with dialysis .
But there is no equivalent treatment for liver failure .
Patients who have tumours or who are likely to die from liver failure within the next few weeks or months are still receiving transplants , Dr. Mercedes Martinez , a transplant surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Center , said .
“ We understand that patients with COVID are the priority , but somebody that has end-stage liver disease can die as well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where COVID patients have overwhelmed hospitals , operating rooms have been converted to intensive care units , and that has limited the availability of sites to remove organs from deceased donors .
Cases with living donors are also affected , because both the donor and recipient need intensive care after surgery , and many of those beds are now occupied by COVID patients , Martinez said .
At least 10 people from Florida , New York and Kentucky who need liver transplants and have living donors have asked if they could have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center , according to its chief of transplantation , Dr. Abhi Humar .
“ Compared to other places , epicentres such as New York , this has been relatively a spared area , ” Humar said .
Patients having kidney transplants risk contracting the virus at the hospital .
But people with kidney failure risk exposure several times a week at dialysis centres , and dialysis patients have high odds of severe disease from the coronavirus .
Neurosurgery is also taking a back seat to the virus .
“ My department has 65 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. David Langer , the director of neurosurgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York .
Neither he nor other neurosurgeons have operated in weeks ; they have been redeployed to the ICU to take care of coronavirus patients .
Many back surgeries can safely be postponed , he said .
“ Patients themselves don ’ t want to come to the hospital , ” Langer said .
For others , delays are worrisome .
Some patients need brain surgery to prevent strokes .
“ We normally do those in a few weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s no point in waiting , they ’ re taking a risk.
” Four professional societies , representing doctors , nurses and hospitals , issued a joint statement Friday with advice about when it would be safe to resume nonemergency surgery .
It said there should be a sustained reduction in the rate of new coronavirus cases in the area for at least 14 days , and specified staffing and equipment needs .
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services also posted guidelines , on Sunday .
The coronavirus may be killing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by depriving them of desperately needed treatment , said Dr. Bruce K. Lowell , an internist in Great Neck .
“ People are still having heart attacks , people are still having strokes , ” he said .
“ I feel as if there is no awareness of anything other than COVID.
” Simple but essential services have vanished , and people with diabetes or high blood pressure , and those who need regular lab tests to adjust doses of blood thinners , are not receiving their usual care .
Lowell has struggled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Shortly before the virus hit New York , she had back surgery and then developed a complication called a seroma , which flooded her abdomen with several litres of fluid .
The specialist who could drain the fluid did not want to bring her in , afraid of exposing her to the virus .
Finally , it was scheduled for April 21 .
She has waited more than a month .
“ Any other time , this would have been done the same day , ” he said .
Some of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said .
One called him , saying she felt depressed and weak , and couldn ’ t eat .
They were communicating via telemedicine , which Lowell — like many other doctors in the New York region — has been using to avoid in-person visits that could spread the virus .
In the past , her tests suggested that she was prone to a blood cancer , multiple myeloma .
Listening to her , seeing her on his screen and knowing her history , Lowell suspected a serious illness , possibly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and urged her to go to the hospital .
The patient , who was 60 , declined , fearing she would contract the coronavirus .
Five or six days passed , and her husband called , saying she felt even worse .
Again , Lowell implored them to go to the hospital .
Again , she refused .
A few hours later , she died .
“ I have no idea why , ” Lowell said .
Some of his other patients with serious illnesses have also refused to go to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One who wanted to go , and whose family called 911 , was urged by paramedics to stay home because the hospital was overwhelmed by coronavirus cases .
He did stay home , and died a few days later .
“ I ’ m a primary care doctor , ” Lowell said .
“ I ’ m totally hog-tied trying to take care of people .
It ’ s sad .
It brings tears .
We ’ re all on the front line .
”


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--16 migrants test positive for coronavirus on Mexican border

CIUDAD VICTORIA , Mexico - Sixteen migrants from several countries have tested positive for coronavirus in Mexico ’ s northern border state of Tamaulipas , the state government said Monday .
The state ’ s announcement came the same day that the U.S. government said it will continue to quickly expel migrants it encounters along the border for at least another month in response to the COVID-19 outbreak .
Under the U.S. policy change spurred by the virus , the U.S. government has sent some 10,000 Mexicans and Central Americans back to Mexico , according to data from the U.S.Border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask the administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to not accept anymore Central Americans delivered back across the border to Mexico from the United States .
Tamaulipas undersecretary for legal and governmental affairs Gloria Elena Garza Jimenez said the agreement between the two countries had no legal foundation .
Fifteen of the infected migrants from Honduras , Mexico , Guatemala , Cuba and Cameroon were staying at a migrant shelter in the city of Nuevo Laredo , across the border from Laredo , Texas .
They are in isolation .
The Nazareth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the infected migrants were minors .
Of the 15 , three were hospitalized but were released back to the shelter .
More tests have been done at the shelter but no other cases have been confirmed .
The Tamaulipas state government said a migrant deported from Houston , Texas had entered the same shelter without knowing that he had coronavirus .
Migrants now make up about 10 % of the state ’ s 193 coronavirus cases , causing frustration in Tamaulipas .
“ The state government , foreseeing the situation of multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has asked the federal government through official channels to transfer out of Tamaulipas the migrants who are stranded on the border , ” the state said in a statement .
Hundreds of migrants remain in Nuevo Laredo and in the Tamaulipas border city of Matamoros , an estimated 2,000 people live in a squalid tent camp , waiting for their court hearings a short distance away in Brownsville , Texas .
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) says that more than 100 migrants at 25 detention centres have tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 44 migrants deported from the U.S. tested positive .
Dr. Joseph McCormick , a physician and public health expert in Brownsville , Texas , across the border from Tamaulipas , said it ’ s important to track where infected migrants have been .
“ We know the virus is out there in all the smallest communities in our area , “ said the former CDC epidemiologist and current director of The Hispanic Health Research Center ( HHRC ) on the Brownsville campus of the UTHealth School of Public Health .
“ Sending people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make whatever the situation is there , which we probably don ’ t know much about , much worse , ” he said .
“ And eventually it will come back to bite us because people who may be headed to the border who are not infected may get infected and may come back and re-infect our country .
For every person who is apprehended and sent back there are probably 10 who get across the border and get somewhere .
This is not a smart process.
” Mexico ’ s federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one case of coronavirus infection in a migrant , at the church-run shelter in Nuevo Laredo .
The federal National Immigration Institute did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
The Catholic-run shelter is expected to release the results of further tests on the migrants .
AP writers María Verza in Mexico City and Ben Fox in Washington contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--South Texas ER doctor self-isolates in his kids’ treehouse

CORPUS CHRISTI , Texas - A South Texas emergency room physician has chosen a novel place to self-isolate as he ’ s treating patients with the novel coronavirus .
Dr. Jason Barnes made a temporary home of his children ’ s treehouse in the backyard of the family ’ s Corpus Christi home .
He is among many health care workers who are leaving their homes or or taking other precautions to protect their families after being exposed to the virus .
The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people , but for some , especially older @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it can cause more severe illness or death .
Barnes , a 39-year-old physician at Christus Spohn Hospital Beeville and Christus Spohn Hospital South in Corpus Christi , told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times that he has spent nearly three weeks in the cabin treehouse and often shouts down to his kids if he needs something — or sometimes walks up to the back picture window door of their home to make his request .
“ They ’ re within yelling distance , ” Barnes said .
“ But I can call or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know not to open the door and risk catching something.
” Of course , this self-isolation means his two sons , ages 6 and 9 , lose their playhouse .
“ They love that thing , but they understand , so they ’ re not missing the treehouse , per se , ” Barnes said .
“ They tell me they miss me once a day .
”


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Los Angeles study suggests virus much more widespread

LOS ANGELES - An estimated 320,000 adults in Los Angeles County may have been infected with coronavirus , according to preliminary results of a study that suggests the illness is far more widespread than current testing shows and the death rate is much lower .
The study conducted April 10-11 by the county and the University of Southern California estimated that approximately 4.1 % of the county ’ s adult population of 8 million has antibodies to the virus .
When adjusted for margin of error , the infection rate ranged from 2.8 % to 5.6 % , or about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follows other research that has suggested more people have had coronavirus than previously determined through testing — many without symptoms or without feeling ill enough to seek a test .
But it also means that more people have been silent carriers of the virus that has killed more than 1,200 people in California .
Public health officials emphasized that the study does not mean people should stop practicing social distancing and should assume that most people are still susceptible to the virus .
“ Given the high rate of people that may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we need to assume that at any point in time that we could be infected and that all the other people that we come in contact with could also be infected , ” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said .
The study was similar to one conducted among 3,300 Santa Clara County residents in early April that estimated 48,000 and 81,000 of the county ’ s 1.9 million people — a range of 2.5 % to 4.2 % — had been infected .
The Santa Clara study that used some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ methodology , which recruited volunteers on social media .
The test it used — the same one used by USC — was criticized as unreliable for producing false negative or positive results .
Neither study was peer-reviewed , a critical step to publication .
Dr. George Rutherford , an epidemiologist at University of California , San Francisco , said a lot of coronavirus research results are being released prematurely .
While he doesn ’ t think the results will influence decisions to let people return to work , they could be problematic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ decisions are being made , ” Rutherford said .
“ It could come down to something someone hangs their hat on and it turns out it ’ s not peer reviewed ... and hyped ... and you reach an erroneous conclusion.
” Until the study results were announced , Los Angeles had been relying on testing people who are sick or have symptoms of the virus to determine the rate of people with infection and the per cent of people who have died .
But that statistic is biased because only a limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and many people are believed to be asymptomatic or could have symptoms consistent with the flu or colds also prevalent this time of year .
At the time the testing was conducted , the county had reported nearly 8,000 cases , meaning that the actual number was probably 28 to 55 times higher and the fatality rate was much lower than that based on the number of people tested .
“ The fatality rate is not the only number we should focus on , ” said Neeraj Sood , a USC professor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show is that only 4 % of our population has been infected , which means we are very early on in the epidemic and many more people in LA County could potentially be infected .
And as those number of infections rise , so will the number of deaths , the number of hospitalizations and the number of ICU admissions.
” As of Monday , the county had 13,816 cases out of 80,000 people tested , or 13 % positive , the county reported .
The county had more than 600 deaths , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s total .
The county has 10 million residents , or a quarter of the state ’ s population .
Testing has been problematic around the globe with a shortage of supplies to collect and transport samples and not enough protective clothing for people who administer the test .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom and officials around the U.S. have said more robust testing and the ability to track people who may have been infected by each person who tests positive is key to lifting restrictions on leaving home .
Officials are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how widespread the virus might be among homeless people .
Los Angeles began sending medical teams to the streets Monday to provide homeless people with health screenings and fast-result tests for the virus .
A line snaked down the block at a new pop-up testing clinic on Skid Row that ’ s staffed by the Los Angeles Fire Department .
Those who are infected will be offered transportation to makeshift shelters or hotels where they can be treated while staying isolated .
At least 47 homeless people have tested positive for COVID-19 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A dozen of those were unsheltered .
There are investigations at eight homeless shelters to determine if any staff or residents need to be quarantined .
California had over 33,000 reported cases Monday and 1,225 deaths , according to a Johns Hopkins University tally .
The USC study used subjects representative of the county population who were part of a market research firm database .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia and death .
The vast majority of people recover .


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Some US producers, states reopening amid political pressure

SEATTLE - Boeing and at least one other U.S. heavy-equipment manufacturer resumed production and some states rolled out aggressive reopening plans Monday , despite nationwide concerns there is not enough testing yet to keep the coronavirus from rebounding .
The reopenings came amid economic gloom , as oil futures plunged below zero on Monday and stocks and Treasury yields also dropped on Wall Street .
The cost to have a barrel of U.S. crude delivered in May plummeted to negative $ 37.63 .
It was at roughly $ 60 at the start of the year .
Boeing said it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week building passenger jets at its Seattle-area plants , with virus-slowing precautions in place , including face masks and staggered shifts .
Doosan Bobcat , a farm equipment maker and North Dakota ’ s largest manufacturer , announced the return of about 2,200 workers at three factories around the state .
Elsewhere around the world , step-by-step reopenings were underway in Europe , where the crisis has begun to ebb in places such as Italy , Spain and Germany .
Parts of the continent are perhaps weeks ahead of the U.S. on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has killed about 170,000 people worldwide , according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University .
Businesses that start operating again in the U.S. are likely to engender good will with the Trump administration at a time when it is doling out billions in relief to companies .
But the reopenings being announced are a drop in the bucket compared with the more than 22 million Americans thrown out of work by the crisis .
In a dispute that has turned nakedly political , President Donald Trump has been agitating to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states and egging on protesters who feel governors are moving too slowly .
Some states — mostly Republican-led ones — have relaxed restrictions , and on Monday announced that they would take further steps to reopen their economies .
Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp announced that gyms , hair salons , bowling alleys and tattoo parlours were among businesses that could reopen Friday , as long as owners followed strict social distancing and hygiene requirements .
The governor said a decline in emergency room visits by people with flu-like symptoms indicated that infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acknowledged that Georgia had lagged in COVID-19 testing and announced new initiatives to ramp it up .
Texas on Monday began a week of slow reopenings , starting off with state parks , while officials said that later in the week , stores would be allowed to offer curbside service .
Tennessee Gov .
Bill Lee announced Monday that businesses across most of the state would begin reopening as early as next week , although the order did not cover counties with the largest cities , including Nashville , Memphis , Knoxville and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans .
Republican West Virginia Gov .
Jim Justice said Monday that he would allow hospitals to begin performing elective procedures if the facilities met an unspecified set of criteria , while Democratic Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis said Monday that he would let his statewide stay-at-home order expire next week as long as strict social distancing and other individual protective measures continued .
But governors from many other states said they lacked the testing supplies they need and warned they could get hit by a second wave of infections , given how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease .
“ Who in this great state actually believes that they care more about jet skiing than saving the lives of the elderly or the vulnerable ?
” Democratic Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer remarked , referring to restrictions in place in her state .
“ This action isn ’ t about our individual right to gather .
It ’ s about our parents ’ right to live.
” Trump took to Twitter to complain that the “ radical left ” and “ Do Nothing Democrats ” are “ playing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about a testing shortage .
At the same time , Vice-President Mike Pence told governors that Washington is working around-the-clock to help them ramp up testing .
The death toll in the U.S. stood at more than 40,000 — the highest in the world — with over 750,000 confirmed infections , by Johns Hopkins ’ count .
The true figures are believed to be much higher , in part because of limited testing and difficulties in counting the dead .
— Republican Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan announced his state will be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thanks to a shipment of tests from South Korea .
His wife , Yumi Hogan , who is Korean-American , negotiated the shipment with Korean officials .
Trump said at an afternoon briefing that governors like Hogan and Democratic Gov .
J.B. Pritzker of Illinois don ’ t understand they already have the testing capacity they need to begin the first phase of reopening their states .
— Massachusetts has emerged as an alarming hot spot of contagion , with over 1,700 dead and officials hoping to bend the curve through aggressive contract @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worst outbreak in the nation , reported that hospitalizations in the state have levelled off and the day ’ s death toll , at 478 , was the lowest in three weeks , down from a peak of nearly 800 .
Still , the city cancelled three of its biggest June events : the Puerto Rican Day parade , the Israel parade and the gay pride march .
— A meatpacking plant in Minnesota was shut down after an outbreak there .
But Iowa Gov .
Kim Reynolds refused to order the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are seeing alarming increases in COVID-19 , saying : “ Without them , people ’ s lives and our food supply will be impacted.
” Mobilized by the far right , many Americans have taken to the streets in places such as Michigan , Ohio and Virginia , complaining that the shutdowns are destroying their livelihoods and trampling their rights .
But Dr. Anthony Fauci , the government ’ s top infectious-disease expert , warned on ABC : “ Unless we get the virus under control , the real recovery economically is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s shutdown went into effect March 25 after workers tested positive for the virus and an inspector for the company died .
Washington was the first state to see a spike in COVID-19 cases and enacted strict shutdown orders that helped tamp the virus down .
The crisis has exacerbated problems at Boeing , which is in dire financial trouble and under federal investigation over two crashes of its 737 MAX jetliner that killed 346 people .
Union representatives spent the day walking through factories to see what safeguards had been put in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stacey Breuer said the reopening came after two weeks spent putting in safety measures .
“ There is definitely still some concern and do we feel 100 % safe ?
Obviously not , “ said William Wilkinson , a Bobcat welder and president of a United Steelworkers union local .
He said workers there were wearing face masks and keeping their distance from one another .
Detroit ’ s major automakers suspended operations a month ago but are negotiating with union leaders in hopes of reopening in May .
Some operations are being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak easing in places , the head of the World Health Organization , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , cautioned , “ The worst is yet ahead of us.
” He did not specify why he believed so .
But there were signs the virus was swelling in Africa , where the health care system is in poor condition .
Long reported from Washington .
Corder reported from The Hague , Netherlands .
AP writers worldwide contributed to this report .
Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at http : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : @

Colleen Long, Gene Johnson And Mike Corder - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Mexico can’t stop drug cartels from handing out virus aid

MEXICO CITY - Mexico ’ s president acknowledged Monday that drug cartels have been handing out aid packages during the coronavirus pandemic , and called on them to stop .
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said such handouts have occurred “ in several places , ” but said the government can ’ t stop the practice .
“ It is something that happens , it can not be avoided , “ López Obrador said .
“ I don ’ t want to hear them saying , ‘ we are handing out aid packages , ’ ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and think of their families , and themselves , those that are involved in these activities and who are listening to me now or watching me.
” Videos posted on social media have shown one of the daughters of imprisoned drug lord Joaquin “ El Chapo ” Guzman handing out boxes of rice , pasta , cooking oil and toilet paper with Guzman ’ s image printed on them .
In the past , drug cartels have tried to gain the sympathy of local populations with handouts .
For example , López @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drilled taps into pipelines would often leave small amounts of gasoline and diesel for local farmers , to gain their support .
And in northern Mexico , the Gulf cartel and the Northeast cartel have reportedly handed out aid .
López Obrador has sought to avoid open confrontation with drug cartels , opting instead for long-term solutions like job creation , scholarships and job training to reduce the number of recruits available to the cartels .
“ I don ’ t rule out that there are people in the gangs who are becoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think you can spend your life always watching your back , worrying about another gang , going from one place to another , because you could get eliminated , that is no life at all , ” said López Obrador .
Mexican authorities said Monday they have dispatched a total of 4,700 National Guard troops to provide security outside government hospitals .
Hospitals and medical staff have been subjected to abuse and occasional attacks either from residents fearing contagion or relatives of patients upset about their care .
Some report having been insulted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being denied service .
Residents who don ’ t want coronavirus patients in their neighbourhoods have threatened to burn hospitals .
Fabiana Zepeda , the head of nursing for the Mexican Social Security Institute , said fellow nurses have suffered 21 attacks or instances of abuse since the pandemic began .
Zepeda ’ s voice broke as she described how nurses have been told not to wear their uniforms on the street to avoid being the target of abuse or discrimination .
Many fear that people in medical uniforms may spread the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profession hard , ” Zepeda said .
“ We are giving our lives in the hospitals .
”


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Georgia to reopen some businesses as early as Friday

ATLANTA - Georgia ’ s governor announced plans Monday to restart the state ’ s economy before the end of the week , saying many businesses that closed to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus could reopen as early as Friday .
The governor in neighbouring Tennessee planned to let businesses in most of his state begin reopening as soon as next week .
Georgia ’ s timetable , one of the most aggressive in the nation , would allow gyms , hair salons , bowling alleys and tattoo parlours to reopen as long as owners follow strict social-distancing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also resume .
By Monday , movie theatres may resume selling tickets , and restaurants limited to takeout orders could return to limited dine-in service .
Such a swift reopening runs counter to the advice of many experts , including Dr. Anthony Fauci , the government ’ s top authority on infectious diseases , who warned again Monday that resuming business too soon risked a fresh spike in infections .
Republican Gov .
Brian Kemp said it was important to allow businesses that had been shut down a chance to get some revenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still be operating under restrictions including monitoring employee health , enhancing sanitation and separating workers .
“ I think this is the right approach at the right time , ” Kemp said .
“ We ’ re not just throwing the keys back to these business owners .
We ’ re talking about people ( who had ) the government shut down their business.
” Kemp ’ s actions line up pretty clearly with the phase one of reopening seen in the guidelines issued last week by President Donald Trump ’ s administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of declining COVID-19 cases .
Georgia on Monday had six days of declines .
If that continued through Friday , it would be 10 days .
Kemp said he delayed the reopening of sit-down service in restaurants and theatres until next Monday in part because , “ I also think that gives us more time to continue to flatten the curve.
” Kemp ’ s order overrides any attempt to impose stricter local decisions , but some local officials including Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said the governor is moving too quickly .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ order supersedes anything I can do as mayor , but I still have my voice and what I will continue to do is ask Atlantans to please stay at home , “ Bottoms told ABC News .
“ Reopen ?
Dangerously incompetent ” is how Stacey Abrams , a Democrat who narrowly lost the 2018 governor ’ s race to Kemp , characterized the action on Twitter .
Kemp ’ s action comes a month after he closed many businesses and not quite three weeks after he issued a shelter-at-home order that will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kemp said elderly and medically fragile people should continue to stay at home until May 13 .
Kemp ’ s shelter-at-home order followed days of pressure from local officials , and even after he issued the order , there were clashes over keeping open beaches , lakes and state parks .
Kemp says keeping those outdoor spaces open has been a success .
The governor Monday said a decline in emergency room visits by people with flu-like symptoms indicates that infections are coming down .
“ The bottom line is , social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kathleen Toomey told a handful of reporters after Kemp ’ s news conference .
Widespread testing is considered one cornerstone of reopening strategies .
Kemp acknowledged Georgia has lagged when it comes to COVID-19 testing and announced new initiatives to ramp it up .
The state had administered more than 84,000 tests though Monday , but its per-capita testing rate is in the bottom 10 of states and lower than neighbours Alabama , Florida and Tennessee .
He said the state medical college in Augusta will begin producing thousands of swabs each day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will also offer an online app statewide that would let people with symptoms consult with a clinician and be referred for testing if warranted .
Meanwhile , the Georgia National Guard has been deploying teams capable of administering at least 1,500 tests per day to nursing home residents , emergency personnel and others .
Adjutant General Thomas Carden couldn ’ t say exactly how much his efforts would push up testing by , saying there could be constraints on how many test kits are available or how many kits labs could process .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carden to do is to take every test we got , and use it every single day , ” Kemp said .
“ And when we run out , then we ’ ll figure out how to get more tests.
” In downtown Savannah , Patrick Godley ’ s restaurant 17 Hundred 90 has been closed for a month .
His fine-dining menu doesn ’ t suit itself to takeout , so he just locked the doors .
His cooks , waiters and dishwashers were furloughed , allowing them to draw partial unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s too early to reopen for business and that doing so might trigger a new spike in infections .
“ I ’ d rather stay closed an extra week and wipe this thing out than to open prematurely , have a second wave and have to shut down again , ” he said .
Even if he did reopen next week , Godley said , he doubts he would have many customers .
“ I don ’ t think people are going to be going out and celebrating a lot right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , also a Republican , said his mandatory safer-at-home order will expire April 30 , which will pave the way for 89 of the state ’ s 95 counties to begin opening businesses .
Lee ’ s announcement did not apply to counties with the largest cities — areas that are not overseen by Tennessee ’ s Department of Health but have their own public health districts .
Lee said officials were “ working directly with our major metropolitan areas to ensure they are in a position to reopen as soon and safely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed to reopen as early as April 27 , but it was unclear exactly which ones .
Lee told reporters that details would be finalized later this week .
Georgia ’ s death toll from COVID-19 hit 775 as new numbers were reported Monday .
Infections have been confirmed in more than 19,000 people .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms .
For some , it can cause severe illness such as pneumonia or death .
Associated Press Writer Russ Bynum in Savannah , Georgia , contributed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--‘Political game’? Governors push back on Trump virus charge

WASHINGTON - A chorus of governors from both parties pushed back hard Monday after President Donald Trump accused Democrats of playing “ a very dangerous political game ” by insisting there is a shortage of tests for coronavirus .
The governors countered that the White House must do more to help states do the testing that ’ s needed before they can ease up on stay-at-home orders .
Kansas ’ Democratic Gov .
Laura Kelly said the current federal effort “ really is not good enough if we ’ re going to be able to start to open our economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without the tests in place.
” Supply shortages have stymied U.S. testing for weeks .
The needs range from basic supplies like swabs and protective gear to highly specialized laboratory chemicals needed to analyze patient results .
Hospitals , laboratories and state health departments report scouring the globe to secure orders , competing against each other and their peers abroad .
The governors ’ plea for stepped-up co-ordination came on the latest day when the Trump administration provided discordant messaging : Trump blasted state leaders on Twitter for being too dependent on federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just didn ’ t understand what they had , while Vice-President Mike Pence assured governors the government was working around-the-clock to help them ramp up testing .
Pence sought to soften the administration ’ s message amid growing clamour from both parties for a national testing strategy to help secure testing swabs , chemical reagents and other crucial supplies .
“ When it comes to testing , we ’ re here to help , ” Pence told governors during a video conference from the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pence said the administration sent each state a detailed list Monday of testing capacity .
But Maryland ’ s Republican Gov .
Larry Hogan said much of the unused lab machinery listed for his state was in federal labs the state does not have access to .
Pence said the administration has agreed to open up federal labs to help states .
Hogan announced Monday that the state had received 500,000 tests from South Korea — a “ game-changing ” deal negotiated by his wife , Yumi Hogan , who grew up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states to take the lead , and we have to go out and do it ourselves , and so that ’ s exactly what we did , ” Hogan said .
Trump didn ’ t take that lying down .
In his daily briefing , he said some governors have “ more capacity than they understand.
” “ The governor of Maryland could have called Mike Pence , could have saved a lot of money , ” Trump said .
“ I don ’ t think he needed to go to South Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knowledge.
“ In Ohio , Republican Gov .
Mike DeWine said his state is working with another federal agency , the Food and Drug Administration , to find a source of reagent , the chemical used to analyze test results .
“ A lot of good things are going on , but we ’ re not there yet , ” DeWine said .
Democratic Montana Gov .
Steve Bullock said his state received 5,000 nasal swabs Monday from FEMA — evidence the federal government is listening .
But he added , “ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” In New York , Democratic Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said the states should take the lead on testing but it ’ s up to the federal government to help sort out supply chain issues facing testing manufacturers .
“ What the states will run into is when you talk to those labs ... they buy machines and equipment from national manufacturers , ” said Cuomo , who is expected to meet with Trump at the White House Tuesday .
“ And those labs can only run as many tests as the national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lab kits.
” Pennsylvania ’ s Democratic Gov .
Tom Wolf said , “ We need the reagents , we need the test kits and I think that ’ s the sort of general cry from other states.
“ As Pence spoke with the governors , Trump took to Twitter with a more combative tone than his vice-president , complaining that the “ radical left ” and “ Do Nothing Democrats ” were playing politics with their complaints about a lack of tests .
“ Now they scream ... .
’ Testing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very dangerous political game , ” Trump tweeted .
“ States , not the Federal Government , should be doing the Testing - But we will work with the Governors and get it done.
“ Public health experts say the country needs to dramatically increase its testing infrastructure if it is going to safely roll back restrictions and reopen businesses without risking a major spike in infections .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious diseases expert , told ABC ’ s “ Good Morning America ” Monday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million to 2 million tests per week .
But , “ we really need to get up to , at least , you know , maybe two times that , three times that.
” The White House said the Pentagon is finalizing negotiations with a Maine medical company to ramp up production of nasal swabs under the Defence Production Act .
An Ohio manufacturer of cotton swabs has also agreed to convert its facilities to allow for 10 million testing swabs per month .
Testing was an issue on Capitol Hill , too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inching toward agreement on an aid package of more than $ 450 billion to boost a small-business loan program that has run out of money .
The deal is expected to add funds for hospitals and COVID-19 testing , as well .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
But for some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia and death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago ; Kevin Freking , Matthew Perrone and Zeke Miller in Washington ; Marina Villeneuve in Albany , New York ; Marc Levy in Harrisburg , Pennsylvania ; Brian Witte in Annapolis , Maryland ; and Amy Beth Hanson in Helena , Montana contributed reporting .
Suderman reported from Richmond , Virginia .
Hanna reported from Topeka , Kansas .
Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at http : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

Alan Suderman, John Hanna And Jill Colvin - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--South Korean shipment to up Maryland virus tests by 500K

ANNAPOLIS , Md .
- Maryland has dramatically boosted its testing capacity for the new coronavirus with a shipment of 500,000 tests from a South Korean company , the state ’ s governor announced Monday , noting his Korean-born wife played a major role in championing the $ 9 million purchase .
As states have scoured the world for testing supplies , Republican Gov .
Larry Hogan said he asked wife Yumi Hogan on March 28 to help negotiate the purchase , tapping into the goodwill she has sought to foster between the state and South Korea .
Hogan said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shipment ’ s delivery on Saturday by air .
He called the shipment “ an exponential , game-changing , step forward , “ in increased testing capacity — which has been a huge challenge in the U.S. for states like Maryland , near the nation ’ s capital .
The governor noted that President Donald Trump had told state officials the states need to lead on boosting their testing capacity .
“ The administration made it clear over and over again .
They want the states to take the lead , and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ourselves , and so that ’ s exactly what we did , ” Hogan said at the news conference , flanked by the first lady .
The purchase was cited at Monday ’ s press briefing at the White House , with President Donald Trump opining that he didn ’ t believe it was necessary .
Administration officials have been pushing governors to step up testing , while some governors have said that testing infrastructure is inadequate .
Vice-President Mike Pence said he didn ’ t know when Hogan placed the order : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or his health officials for ordering tests , ” he said .
However , Pence stressed that National Institutes of Health and Defence Department facilities in Maryland were also at the state ’ s disposal to increase testing capacity .
Trump didn ’ t let the opportunity to criticize Hogan slide .
It was Hogan , a Republican and leader of the National Governors Association , who called out Trump after the president said anyone who wanted a COVID-19 test could get one .
“ That ’ s not true , ” Hogan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have saved a lot of money by calling the vice-president .
“ I don ’ t think he needed to go to South Korea .
I think he needed to get a little knowledge -- would have been helpful , ” Trump said .
Hogan confirmed the administration pointed to federal labs as a way to meet the state ’ s testing needs .
“ We ’ ve been pushing to get NIH to help us with testing for more than a month now , but it was a productive meeting overall , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shipment does not include everything needed to conduct all the tests , such as lab capability and swabs , though the state has acquired and continues to work to find the other needed components from other suppliers .
“ Unfortunately , we have also had to compete with every state in America in our attempts to procure tests from every domestic producer in the U.S. and from sources around the globe , ” Hogan said in the governor ’ s mansion appearance .
Hogan said adequate testing is one of the four building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the global pandemic and reopening businesses .
The others are increasing personal protective equipment , boosting hospital capacity for a surge of patients and creating a strong contact tracing operation to monitor those exposed to the virus .
Hogan said the shipment , which arrived at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport , was brought in on a Korean Air passenger plane — a Boeing 777 — with no passengers .
It was the first Korean Air plane to land at the airport .
The company that produced the tests is called LabGenomics .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ role in the project .
He noted she is the first Korean-American first lady of any state and lauded her work promoting friendship ties with South Korea .
Hogan said Maryland and South Korean officials have been working for weeks on what he described as “ a confidential project called Operation Enduring Friendship.
” “ It ’ s why we have , and we ’ re so proud to have , such a special bond with South Korea , ” Hogan said .
He called the international collaboration on the medical supplies unprecedented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Korean testing company and getting the scientists in our labs to work through all of the technical details with the teams in Korea to the complexities of the international procurement contracts.
” Added Hogan : “ It really was an amazing team effort.
” Associated Press writer Kevin Freking contributed to this report from Washington .
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Brazil’s Bolsonaro seeks end to social isolation measures

SAO PAULO - Four days after firing his health minister amid the coronavirus pandemic , Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said Monday he wants social isolation policies to end nationwide this week despite commitments by many states to maintain such policies .
Nearly all Brazilian states have stay-at-home measures in place , some slated to extend until the middle of May .
The country ’ s top court has already ruled governors and mayors can decide on social isolation measures regardless of the federal government ’ s position .
Bolsonaro , meanwhile , wants a quick reopening to stop the deterioration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Everything done in excess ends up bringing problems .
These measures did not reach their goal in some states , ” Bolsonaro told journalists in front of the presidential residence in Brasilia .
“ I hope this is the last week of this quarantine , of this way of fighting the virus.
” The Brazilian president favours a less restrictive model in which only those in high-risk groups would be quarantined at home until the end of the outbreak .
After Bolsonaro replaced critic Luiz Henrique Mandetta with Nelson Teich as health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were considering even stricter isolation measures in an effort to curb the spread of the new coronavirus .
Teich previously published an article defending quarantine policies , but he has not spoken to the press since a vague introduction speech on Friday and it is unclear what he will do on the job .
On Monday evening , Brazil ’ s health ministry shared a video in which Teich says there will be “ a progressive , structured and planned exit from social isolation.
” He also promised to raise the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24 million in the next weeks to up to 46 million .
Brazil confirmed 113 deaths of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours , putting the country ’ s total at 2,575 .
More than 40,000 people have contracted the disease in the South American nation , the highest figure in Latin America .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including pneumonia and death .
Bolsonaro ’ s comments came one day after he met outdoors with dozens of supporters who want the closing of the country ’ s congress and supreme court .
His presence in such demonstration is drawing widespread repudiation in a nation that endured a military dictatorship between 1964 and 1985 .
The Brazilian president denied he was attacking the country ’ s democracy at the protest , but said : “ I am actually the constitution .
”

Mauricio Savarese - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Lawsuit filed to stop Idaho-Wyoming natural gas pipeline

BOISE , Idaho - Two environmental groups filed a federal lawsuit Monday to stop a proposed underground natural gas pipeline from Idaho to Wyoming , saying it would harm protected grizzly bears and other wildlife .
The Alliance for the Wild Rockies and Yellowstone to Uintas Connection filed the lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service .
The groups contend that Forest Service approval of the Crow Creek Pipeline Project in November violated the Endangered Species Act .
The groups also said the Forest Service violated its own requirements involving sage grouse contained in its 2015 Forest Plan .
Wyoming-based Lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would start near Montpelier , Idaho , and run to Afton , Wyoming .
The company on its website says it has some 5,000 natural gas customers in Afton .
The company has been trucking natural gas to the town , but officials say delivery has been unreliable and the town has nearly run out several times .
Lower Valley Energy spokesman Brian Tanabe didn ’ t immediately return a call Monday seeking further comment .
The U.S. Department of Justice , which defends federal agencies in lawsuits , didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environmental groups said an 18-mile ( 29-kilometre ) portion of the 50-mile ( 80-kilometre ) pipeline would cut a corridor through Caribou-Targhee National Forest and create a road through six roadless areas .
The 2001 Roadless Rule prevents road construction and timber harvest in designated roadless areas , which are typically 5,000 acres ( 2,000 hectares ) or larger .
“ There are exactly zero benefits to public lands or wildlife from this project , ” said Mike Garrity , executive director of the Alliance for the Wild Rockies .
The Forest Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the forest with a temporary 50-foot ( 15-meter ) wide right-of-way for construction and then a 20-foot ( 6-meter ) utility corridor as a permanent right-of-way .
In all , the construction phase would use about 110 acres ( 45 hectares ) of forest land and the permanent right-of-way about 45 acres ( 18 hectares ) .
“ The pipeline utility corridor will be , in actual effect , a permanent 18.2-mile motorized trail through five different National Forest Inventoried Roadless Areas and thus cause permanent vegetation removal , increased sight-lines for poaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abundant new opportunities for illegal motor vehicle use in perpetuity , ” said Jason Christensen , director of Yellowstone to Uintas Connection .
Along with affecting grizzly bears , the groups said the pipeline could also harm Ute Ladies ’ tresses orchid , lynx and yellow-billed cuckoo , which are also on the endangered species list .
The groups also say wolverine , a proposed species for listing , could be in the area .
About 26 miles ( 40 -kilometre ) of the pipeline crosses private land and about 4 miles ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Nicaragua sends students back to school despite virus fears

MANAGUA , Nicaragua - Nicaragua ordered its more than 1.8 million students back to class Monday , in spite of concerns about spreading the novel coronavirus that have led other countries in the region to try to keep education on track through remote learning .
Nicaragua also showed its unwillingness to heed health warnings by telling some 130,000 state workers to return to their jobs following a two-week hiatus for religious observations .
Government education adviser Salvador Vanegas told the government website El 19 Monday that Health Ministry protocols about hand-washing hand been implemented .
That was of little comfort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the health of my four grandchildren who are going to class and can ’ t miss them because they ’ ve been told if they don ’ t go they ’ ll lose points , ” said Gertrudis Palacio , a domestic worker from Las Esquinas , south of the capital .
Elsewhere in Central America governments have taken extreme measures , closing borders and imposing curfews , but Nicaragua has encouraged people to go about their lives , even to attend mass gatherings .
International organizations have expressed concerns about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as many Nicaraguans try to take their own precautions .
Jonathan López , a member of the University Coordinator for Democracy and Justice , which is linked to the opposition , said university officials have threatened to expel students who don ’ t attend class .
Jorge Mendoza , director of the non-governmental organization , Education and Human Development Forum , characterized the government ’ s decision as “ blindness ” and “ a carelessness that is going to cost dearly ” as the students are potentially exposed to the virus and could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Health Ministry had reported nine positive cases of COVID-19 and two deaths .
Thirteen more are suspected cases and are being monitored .
The government has not said how many people have been tested since its first confirmed case in mid-March .
When President Daniel Ortega reappeared last week to give a televised speech after a 34-day public absence , he said Nicaraguans “ haven ’ t stopped working , because if this country stops working , it dies .
”


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--States work to keep meat plants open despite virus outbreaks

IOWA CITY , Iowa - Governors in the Midwest are working to keep large meatpacking plants operating despite coronavirus outbreaks that have sickened hundreds of workers and threaten to disrupt the nation ’ s supply of pork and beef .
In Kansas , Gov .
Laura Kelly sent personal protective equipment and testing supplies to counties with meat processing plants .
Gov .
Kristi Noem said she didn ’ t think it would be difficult to fulfil federal requirements to reopen a shuttered facility in South Dakota .
And Iowa Gov .
Kim Reynolds warned of the dire cost of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the certainty of more clusters of infection at the facilities .
JBS USA said Monday it was suspending operations at a large pork processing plant in southwestern Minnesota because of an outbreak of COVID-19 among workers — the latest facility to be closed in the public health crisis .
Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said 33 JBS employees and six close relatives had tested positive as of Saturday .
Meat processing workers are particularly susceptible to the virus because they typically stand shoulder-to-shoulder on the line and congregate in crowded locker rooms and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employs more than 2,000 people and normally slaughters 20,000 hogs per day .
“ We don ’ t make this decision lightly , ” Bob Krebs , president of Colorado-based JBS USA Pork , said in a statement .
“ We recognize JBS Worthington is critical to local hog producers , the U.S. food supply and the many businesses that support the facility.
” Iowa ’ s governor has also warned of the threat to food supply if authorities clamp down too hard on facilities with outbreaks , and has refused to shutter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Waterloo where dozens of workers are infected .
Reynolds said the state is working with meat companies to test workers and prevent outbreaks from growing too large , even as she acknowledged that more “ clusters of positive cases ” are certain .
“ These are also essential businesses and an essential workforce , ” she said .
“ Without them , people ’ s lives and our food supply will be impacted .
So we must do our part to keep them open in a safe and responsible way.
” Reynolds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation ’ s pork .
If hogs can ’ t be processed , farmers will have to euthanize them , the governor warned .
“ We ’ re not that far from it and it will be devastating , not only for the food supply but for the cost of food moving forward , ” she said .
Advocates for workers said Reynolds has little regard for a vulnerable workforce that includes many refugees and immigrants .
“ It ’ s sickening , ” said Democratic state Sen. Bill Dotzler of Waterloo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closure and stronger worker protections .
Hospitals and medical clinics in his city reported a surge in patients Monday , and many of them were Tyson employees .
A National Beef plant in Tama , Iowa , that had been closed for two weeks resumed production on Monday as scheduled .
A day earlier , Reynolds announced that 177 workers out of more than 500 tested were positive for the coronavirus .
The Kansas City , Missouri-based company didn ’ t return messages .
Cargill and National Beef have reported infections among employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Kelly to direct an influx of federal tests and safety equipment to counties in that region .
Tyson also has plants there but has not confirmed infections .
Controlling those outbreaks is crucial : Plants in southwest Kansas account for 25 to 30 % of beef processing in the U.S. “ It would be a disaster if we had to shut down , so we ’ re trying to do everything that we can to keep those plants online , ” Kelly told The Associated Press .
South Dakota ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Smithfield Foods pork plant that produces about 5 % of the U.S. pork supply has already been “ devastating ” for regional producers .
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for safely reopening the Sioux Falls plant will be made public soon , Noem said .
Its report will call for improved social distancing , expanded use of face shields and other protective equipment , and better communication between the company and workers .
“ There ’ s nothing in this report that I think will be difficult to accomplish , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how soon it might reopen .
Smithfield Foods has said the indefinite closure disrupted its supply chain , forcing the closure of a facility in Martin City , Missouri .
Smithfield also shuttered a plant in Cudahy , Wisconsin , after employees tested positive for the virus .
Also in Wisconsin , a surge of infections has been linked to the JBS Packerland plant in Green Bay .
Health officials said they didn ’ t have an exact number of infections connected to the plant , but infections spiked by more than 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The plant remains open .
In western Michigan , a JBS meat packing plant that was closed over the weekend reopened Monday .
Sixty people there have tested positive for the coronavirus , Allegan County health spokeswoman Lindsay Maunz told WOOD-TV .
Associated Press reporters Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis ; Stephen Groves in Sioux Falls ; and Heather Hollingsworth in Mission , Kansas , contributed to this story .


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Work resuming at Boeing plants following virus shutdown

SEATTLE - Boeing this week is restarting production of commercial airplanes in the Seattle area , putting about 27,000 people back to work after operations were halted because of the coronavirus .
The aerospace giant says it is taking extra precautions and has instituted comprehensive procedures at all of its sites to fight the spread of COVID-19 .
The new virus-slowing measures will include the use of face masks and other protective equipment , hand-washing sites , staggered shift times and employee wellness checks Employees for the 737 , 747 , 767 and 777 airplanes were to return to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Tuesday , officials said .
Employees for the company ’ s 787 program will return next Thursday and Friday .
Boeing ’ s shutdown went into effect March 25 after workers tested positive for the virus and a longtime inspector for the company died .
Boeing operates two commercial aviation production facilities in the Seattle area — in Everett and in Renton .
They employ about 40,000 people combined .
The Everett facility , north of Seattle , produces airplanes including 777s , 787s , 767s and 747s – along with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Renton plant , south of Seattle , produces the 737 line and military P-8s .
Boeing spokesman Bernard Choi said the workers will start their days back at work with briefings about changes on the factory floor , where the company has put its new social-distancing rules in place .
Choi said some airlines and cargo carriers are still taking delivery of new planes and that Boeing expects some operators to accelerate the retirement of older planes in place of newer , more fuel-efficient ones during the pandemic .
Representatives from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through each of factories to see what safeguards had been put in place .
Shop stewards were attending an online conference to learn about what safety issues they should watch for , said union spokeswoman Connie Kelliher .
The union also advised its members that they could use their “ red cards , ” which they carry behind their Boeing badges , to invoke contract provisions to stop work in case of imminent danger .
Workers on the 777X used that provision to stop work March 18 after several employees on the previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We are asking every member to take responsibility to ensure you are safe as you return to work , ” the union said in an email to members .
“ While many changes in the work environment may be inconvenient or make your job more cumbersome , know that it is to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus , while also protecting you and your co-workers in the factory.
” Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee , a Democrat , has said that aerospace manufacturing is an essential business , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not violate his stay-at-home directive affecting other businesses in the state .
“ We expect that Boeing will undertake rigorous safety protocols as they move forward , ” said Tara Lee , an Inslee spokesperson .
Boeing ’ s finances and reputation were in crisis before the pandemic hit .
Its bestselling plane , the 737 Max , has been grounded for more than a year after two deadly crashes , and the companies faces investigations by the Justice Department and Congress and lawsuits filed by relatives of the passengers who were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Max deliveries since April 2019 has sharply reduced Boeing ’ s cash .
Last year , Boeing posted its first annual loss in 20 years as costs from the Max disasters topped $ 18 billion .
President Donald Trump and Wall Street analysts have said they expected Boeing would seek some of the $ 17 billion set aside for defence companies in last month ’ s $ 2.2 trillion virus-relief package .
Boeing said it is waiting for guidelines from the Treasury Department before deciding whether to seek a loan .
Restarting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s large number of suppliers , many of whom have also been struggling from the shutdown of 737 Max production .
“ It ’ s incredibly important for suppliers to start to see some pull and start to see a little cash flowing into the supply chain , ” said Ken Herbert , an aerospace analyst with the Canada-based Canaccord Genuity wealth management and investment banking firm .
He added : “ The longer you shut things down with the supply chain , the greater the risk is that they have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

David Koenig And Gene Johnson - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--NOAA reveals name of tourist who harassed Hawaiian monk seal

HONOLULU - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released the name of a tourist caught on video harassing an endangered Hawaiian monk seal while visiting Oahu , despite a request by his attorney to keep his name confidential .
Veniamin Khavrunyak paid a $ 500 settlement last month for a violation of the Endangered Species Act that took place on the western shore of Oahu in January , NOAA said .
NOAA released his name in response to request by The Associated Press .
The agency did not provide other details , including his age , or where he lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Long , said Monday he had requested that his client ’ s name be kept confidential , but now understands that NOAA complied with the Freedom of Information Act in releasing Khavrunyak ’ s name .
Long said he wanted to protect his client from “ severe backlash.
” Hawaiian monk seals are protected by U.S. and Hawaii laws .
“ Several months ago , an incident involving the harassment of a critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal gained global attention after a viral video surfaced of a young man striking a seal at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Oahu , ” Long wrote in an apology letter .
“ I am writing on behalf of the young man shown in the video , who retained my services in order to address the very serious ramifications he faced due to his violation of the Endangered Species Act.
” Long wrote that the apology is meant to express his client ’ s “ sincere remorse for his immature , inexcusable actions.
” The video showed a man approaching a monk seal from behind and slapping its hindquarters , the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mistake will be used as an example of the types of conduct tourists must avoid when encountering wildlife , “ Long wrote .

Jennifer Sinco Kelleher - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--A new slogan for Trump supporters: Give me liberty and give me death

WASHINGTON—In Lansing , Michigan late last week , a band of protesters gathered on the steps of the state capital building brandishing assault rifles , Trump banners and signs saying “ End the Lockdown.
” Similar scenes played out across the country over the weekend , from Austin , Texas to Richmond , Virginia .
In Denver , Colorado , two health-care professionals in scrubs and respirator masks stood silently in an intersection during red lights , trying to remind protesters what they were inviting by demanding an end to the coronavirus isolation measures .
“ This is a free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a pickup truck shouted at one of the counterprotestors .
“ You go to work , why can ’ t I go to work too ?
” she demanded .
The short answer to her question is that those who wear scrubs to the office are saving people ’ s lives during a pandemic .
For most others , whose jobs have been disrupted by the lockdown , they are endangering people ’ s lives by leaving the house .
That apparently is a distinction not worth making to the protesters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” want a quick end to social-distancing measures .
The small but vocal right-wing protest movement in the United States can sometimes seem indifferent to what their demands will cost in human lives — opposing gun control in the face of shooting deaths or fighting public health coverage in the face of millions uninsured .
But it ’ s never so baldly resembled a death cult as it does fighting for the freedom to contract a deadly virus , and to spread it .
“ Live Free or Die ” was a popular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In this context , the familiar rallying cry might better be phrased as “ live free to die , and to kill.
” Give me liberty so I can spread death .
A series of recent polls show these protesters are a minority .
According to a Pew Research Center survey last week , a strong majority of Americans were worried that social distancing restrictions would be lifted too soon .
Less than a third were concerned they would be left in place too long .
But among the minority voicing support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ LIBERATE MINNESOTA !
” “ LIBERATE MICHIGAN !
” “ LIBERATE VIRGINIA , ” Trump tweeted Friday as protests in those states were underway .
“ Some governors have gone too far , ” Trump said Sunday at his press briefing .
Of the protestors , he said , “ I ’ m with everybody.
” Wanting a quick end to social distancing is nothing new for Trump , but blaming governors for prolonging lockdowns was a change from last week , when he ’ d suggested they were bystanders in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total authority.
” The constitution of the United States differed with him on that point , and so did the guidelines to reopen the country his administration released by the end of last week .
“ You ’ re going to call your own shots , ” he told governors on a conference call outlining the guidelines .
That appears now to have opened the door for Trump to attack governors for not opening their states immediately .
Virtually everyone here would like to see society , and the economy , reopened .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York City , hit worst and earliest , may have just seen the peak of its death curve ; bodies are piling up in emergency rooms in Detroit ; Washington , D.C. is converting a convention centre into a makeshift hospital in anticipation of an infection peak not projected to come until summer .
Trump ’ s guidelines , alongside the recommendations of experts at Harvard and the Centers for Disease Control , suggest two conditions for reopening : a falling case load for at least two weeks , and widespread testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible re-emergence of the virus .
Trump is insisting there are enough tests to begin reopening , and has said repeatedly that states have access to enough tests .
Many governors have insisted that ’ s not the case .
Larry Hogan , the Republican Maryland governor who is chair of the National Governor ’ s Association , says Trump ’ s contention is “ absolutely false.
” The U.S. has ramped up testing since last month : now , about 150,000 people per day are being tested nationwide .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are tested in Canada , and well short of the 500,000 tests per day Harvard researchers suggest would be needed for an early-May reopening .
Those researchers also suggest the rate of positives showing up in tests ( now about 20 per cent in the U.S. ) would need to be roughly halved before meeting international guidelines for lifting lockdowns .
Most governors and local authorities are pushing back against calls for an early reopening — since such a move is likely to kill more people and backfire by hurting the economy even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protestors , for their part , either don ’ t believe the risks exist or don ’ t care — there has been a strain of right-wing thought since the beginning of this crisis that suggests mass death is worth it to resist any restrictions on ordinary life .
Perhaps this is also about another kind of test — a test of American democracy .
Will it resist the impulse to risk mass death in the name of a conception of liberty that places the desire to buy garden seed on demand above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So far , the vast majority of Americans side with continuing the lockdown .
President Trump , joining the protestors , wants to put their resolve to the test .


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Virus kills 5-year-old child of Detroit firefighter, officer

DETROIT - A husband and wife who have jointly devoted decades to fighting crime and saving lives in Detroit lost their 5-year-old daughter to COVID-19 — Michigan ’ s youngest victim in the coronavirus pandemic .
Skylar Herbert died Sunday from complications due to the virus .
Even in Detroit , where more than 600 people have died from the virus , Skylar ’ s death brought an especially biting pain .
Mayor Mike Duggan called her “ a real daughter of the city of Detroit ” and told reporters that Monday was one of the “ saddest ” of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer opened her daily briefing with a tribute to Skylar ’ s mother , LaVondria Herbert , who has been a Detroit police officer for 25 years , and Skylar ’ s father , Ebbie , a firefighter of 18 years .
“ They ’ ve been on the front line and they ’ ve served with honour and integrity , ” Whitmer said .
“ They did not deserve to lose their child to this virus .
Nobody does.
” Skylar was one of 47 Detroit residents to die @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three days .
The city on Monday had 7,736 confirmed coronavirus cases and 629 deaths .
She ’ s the youngest in Michigan to die due to the virus , according to data collected by the state ’ s Department of Health and Human Services .
The other victims in Michigan ranged from 20 to 107 years old .
Whitmer and Duggan both said Skylar ’ s death underlines the need to continue to exercise strict social distancing .
“ I know that there are many prices that are being paid right now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the price of losing your child or your father or mother — any loved one — that ’ s what ’ s really at stake here.
” For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough , that clear up in two to three weeks .
But it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , for some people , especially older adults and people with existing health problems .
Coronavirus infections leading to death are unusual among children .
“ The loss of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under any circumstances , is a tragedy , “ Beaumont Hospital said in a statement .
“ We are heartbroken that COVID-19 has taken the life of a child , ” Beaumont ’ s statement continued .
“ We extend our deepest sympathy to Skylar ’ s family and all others who have lost a loved one to this virus.
” Condolences from around the Detroit area also were posted on social media .
“ There are no words to express how deeply saddened we are by the passing of our beloved member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with her cheerful spirit and brightened our Sundays with her smile , ” Metropolitan Church of God said on Facebook .

Corey Williams And David Eggert - The Associated Press