huffpost--2020-04-06--Patients Rush To Join Studies Testing Drug For Coronavirus

The new coronavirus made Dr. Jag Singh a patient at his own hospital .
His alarm grew as he saw an X-ray of his pneumonia-choked lungs and colleagues asked his wishes about life support while wheeling him into Massachusetts General ’ s intensive care unit .
When they offered him a chance to help test remdesivir , an experimental drug that ’ s shown promise against some other coronaviruses , “ it did not even cross my mind once to say ‘ no , ’ ” said Singh , a heart specialist .
Interest has been so great that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its study , which has nearly reached its initial goal of 440 patients .
The drug ’ s maker , California-based Gilead Sciences , is quickly ramping up its own studies , too .
“ I would enroll my family in a heartbeat ” if the need arose , said Dr. Libby Hohmann , who placed Singh and nearly 30 others in the NIH one at Mass General .
To have no approved medicines for COVID-19 now is “ kind of terrifying , ” she said .
For most people , the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which can include fever and cough but sometimes pneumonia requiring hospitalization .
The risk of death is greater for older adults and people with other health problems .
In animal tests against SARS and MERS , diseases caused by similar coronaviruses , the drug helped prevent infection and reduced the severity of symptoms when given early enough in the course of illness .
It ’ s farther along in testing than many other potential therapies and the current studies could lead to regulatory approval .
Gilead has given remdesivir to more than 1,700 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but more people ultimately will be helped if the company does the needed studies to prove safety and effectiveness , chief executive Dan O ’ Day wrote in a recent letter to the public .
“ Many people have reached out to Gilead to advocate for access to remdesivir on behalf of friends and loved ones .
I can only imagine how it must feel to be in that situation , ” he wrote .
“ We are taking the ethical , responsible approach.
” In another letter on Saturday , O ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doses , which could mean more than 140,000 treatment courses , depending on how long treatment needs to last .
The company is providing the drug for free for now and has set a goal of making 500,000 treatment courses by October and more than a million by the end of the year .
Gilead supplied remdesivir for two studies in China expected to give results by the end of the month .
It also launched two studies for hospitalized patients in the U.S. , Asia , Europe and elsewhere .
One in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days of treatment .
Another in moderately sick patients compares those two options to standard care alone .
“ There ’ s so much anxiety about the disease that the patients are quite interested ” and no one offered the chance has refused , said Dr. Arun Sanyal , the study leader at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond .
The NIH study is the most rigorous test .
It compares remdesivir to placebo infusions , and neither patients nor doctors know who is getting what until the end of the study .
Besides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Japan , Korea and Singapore .
At the University of California , Irvine , Dr. Alpesh Amin has enrolled several patients .
All are getting standard care even if they wind up getting a placebo rather than remdesivir , Amin said .
The Boston cardiologist , Singh , said he was willing to take that chance to advance science even if he personally winds up not benefiting .
He ’ s now recovering at home after spending a week in the hospital .

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The new coronavirus made Dr. Jag Singh a patient at his own hospital. His alarm grew as he saw an X-ray of his pneumonia-choked lungs and colleagues asked his wishes about life support while wheeling him into Massachusetts General’s intensive care unit.
When they offered him a chance to help test remdesivir, an experimental drug that’s shown promise against some other coronaviruses, “it did not even cross my mind once to say ‘no,’” said Singh, a heart specialist.
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Coronavirus patients around the world have been rushing to join remdesivir studies that opened in hospitals in the last few weeks.
Interest has been so great that the U.S. National Institutes of Health is expanding its study, which has nearly reached its initial goal of 440 patients. The drug’s maker, California-based Gilead Sciences, is quickly ramping up its own studies, too.
“I would enroll my family in a heartbeat” if the need arose, said Dr. Libby Hohmann, who placed Singh and nearly 30 others in the NIH one at Mass General. To have no approved medicines for COVID-19 now is “kind of terrifying,” she said.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, which can include fever and cough but sometimes pneumonia requiring hospitalization. The risk of death is greater for older adults and people with other health problems.
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Remdesivir is given through an IV. It’s designed to interfere with an enzyme that reproduces viral genetic material.
In animal tests against SARS and MERS, diseases caused by similar coronaviruses, the drug helped prevent infection and reduced the severity of symptoms when given early enough in the course of illness. It’s farther along in testing than many other potential therapies and the current studies could lead to regulatory approval.
Gilead has given remdesivir to more than 1,700 patients on a case-by-case emergency basis, but more people ultimately will be helped if the company does the needed studies to prove safety and effectiveness, chief executive Dan O’Day wrote in a recent letter to the public.
“Many people have reached out to Gilead to advocate for access to remdesivir on behalf of friends and loved ones. I can only imagine how it must feel to be in that situation,” he wrote. “We are taking the ethical, responsible approach.”
In another letter on Saturday, O’Day said the company has 1.5 million doses, which could mean more than 140,000 treatment courses, depending on how long treatment needs to last. The company is providing the drug for free for now and has set a goal of making 500,000 treatment courses by October and more than a million by the end of the year.
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Gilead supplied remdesivir for two studies in China expected to give results by the end of the month. It also launched two studies for hospitalized patients in the U.S., Asia, Europe and elsewhere. One in severely ill patients tests five versus 10 days of treatment. Another in moderately sick patients compares those two options to standard care alone.
“There’s so much anxiety about the disease that the patients are quite interested” and no one offered the chance has refused, said Dr. Arun Sanyal, the study leader at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.
The first patient he enrolled was a previously healthy middle-aged man who had an out-of-state visitor a few days before his symptoms began. What started as mild illness escalated to profound shortness of breath requiring supplemental oxygen.
At University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Dr. Grace McComsey has enrolled roughly half a dozen patients.
“We’re seeing more and more younger people, like 30, really sick,” she said.
The NIH study is the most rigorous test. It compares remdesivir to placebo infusions, and neither patients nor doctors know who is getting what until the end of the study. Besides the U.S., it’s open in Japan, Korea and Singapore.
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In Chicago, an 89-year-old man was Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s first participant and “the family was very excited” to have him included, said infectious diseases chief Dr. Babafemi Taiwo.
At the University of California, Irvine, Dr. Alpesh Amin has enrolled several patients. All are getting standard care even if they wind up getting a placebo rather than remdesivir, Amin said.
The Boston cardiologist, Singh, said he was willing to take that chance to advance science even if he personally winds up not benefiting. He’s now recovering at home after spending a week in the hospital.
“The word ‘placebo’ freaks some people out,” but rigorous testing is needed to avoid giving false hope or using something unsafe. Still, it’s tough to face patients with no proven therapy now, Hohmann said.
“The worst thing is seeing some really young people who are really, really sick,” such as a 49-year-old man with three young children on life support, she said. “That’s pretty awful.”
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Marilynn Marchione can be followed on Twitter: @MMarchioneAP
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huffpost--2020-04-06--Industry Groups Ask California To Delay Pollution Rules, Citing Pandemic

Groups have sent at least six letters to California officials in the past two weeks requesting delays or modifications to new pollution limits on the oil and gas , transportation , building and agriculture sectors , according to documents shared with HuffPost .
The rules are set to go into effect later this year , but industry is asking to push back or indefinitely delay those implementation dates .
The businesses represented say that given the economic strain , it ’ s simply not the time .
Industries have seen success with that argument on the national level , after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month .
But California , one of the most environmentally stringent states in the country , is a different battle .
Given the long-standing industry opposition to the new rules , the effort to tie the coronavirus to the same regulations reeks of opportunism to critics ― made particularly disturbing as the rapidly spreading disease specifically affects people ’ s ability to breathe .
“ It ’ s cynically trying to take advantage of a national emergency to achieve their own goals of just increasing their profits at the expense of public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All of these polluters [ are ] trying to exploit this crisis as a way to delay or even weaken health protective standards that , of course , they had never liked.
” The Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association , which represents 28 companies that manufacture internal combustion engines and heavy-duty trucks , asked California for an indefinite delay of a new tailpipe pollution regulation .
It argued in a March 23 letter that the California Air and Resources Board should “ take account of the incredibly adverse impacts on manufacturers that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a direct result of the COVID-19 crisis.
” The association also asked officials to delay or “ significantly ” modify plans to implement two new regulations increasing tailpipe emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks in California and requiring manufacturers to offer for sale zero-emission vehicles in the state .
Heavy-duty trucks are responsible for nearly 25 % of diesel particulate pollution and 8 % of total greenhouse gases across California .
Those rules “ always were going to be challenging , ” the group wrote , but “ they simply are no longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic strains caused by the on-going COVID-19 crisis and the apparent recession that we now face.
” The California Association of Port Authorities , which represents the maritime industry , called for “ a pause ” on an expected regulatory package meant to reduce air pollution from cargo ships until January 2021 .
Environmentalists say the new rule is imperative for Southern California , where oceangoing vessels are anticipated to be the largest source of smog-emitting pollution by 2023 .
A separate March letter signed by 22 different trucking and growers associations requested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing development of the state ’ s Transport Refrigeration Unit regulation―which impacts diesel powered refrigeration trucks .
The most recent draft of the regulation was released on March 12 , with updates focusing on improving the efficiency of refrigerated freight transportation and increasing the use of zero emission technologies .
In that capacity , CARB has granted requests to extend public comment on some of the regulations including the final cargo ship rule , the draft of the rule for refrigerated trucks and the amendments being considered to the heavy-duty truck emissions standard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision to extend the timeline for individuals and businesses to comment on the rules would allow parties “ ample ” time to participate .
But the pandemic doesn ’ t mean industries can stop following the state ’ s current pollution regulations .
“ CalEPA recognizes that , due to restrictions in place related to COVID-19 , regulated entities may have additional need for compliance assistance or enforcement relief , ” the agency said in a statement .
“ If an entity can not meet a regulatory requirement , it should contact the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local partner before falling out of compliance.
” The California Independent Petroleum Association cited coronavirus in its argument to halt the hiring of 128 new oil production oversight staff slated under the state geologic agency ’ s latest budget proposal , staff positions that the industry would fund at an estimated cost of $ 24 million annually .
They said the plan was “ problematic before the COVID-19 outbreak .
”

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LOS ANGELES — Industry groups are pushing for California regulators to delay new environmental measures, including those meant to promote clean air. Their reason: the economic stress the COVID-19 pandemic is putting on their businesses.
Groups have sent at least six letters to California officials in the past two weeks requesting delays or modifications to new pollution limits on the oil and gas, transportation, building and agriculture sectors, according to documents shared with HuffPost. The rules are set to go into effect later this year, but industry is asking to push back or indefinitely delay those implementation dates.
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The businesses represented say that given the economic strain, it’s simply not the time. Industries have seen success with that argument on the national level, after the Trump administration paused federal environmental regulations last month. But California, one of the most environmentally stringent states in the country, is a different battle. Given the long-standing industry opposition to the new rules, the effort to tie the coronavirus to the same regulations reeks of opportunism to critics ― made particularly disturbing as the rapidly spreading disease specifically affects people’s ability to breathe.
In this Oct. 26, 2018, file photo, downtown Los Angeles is shrouded in early morning coastal fog and smog. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bill Magavern, policy director for environmental advocacy group The Coalition for Clean Air, likened some of the industry requests to “wartime profiteering.”
“It’s cynically trying to take advantage of a national emergency to achieve their own goals of just increasing their profits at the expense of public health,” he said. “All of these polluters [are] trying to exploit this crisis as a way to delay or even weaken health protective standards that, of course, they had never liked.”
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California’s Unique Position
The coronavirus pandemic has caused major damage to the U.S. economy, bringing everything from restaurants to retail to a halt. The country’s daily economic output is down 29%, according to Moody’s Analytics.
The situation in California is more dire. The state has lost an estimated 32% of its daily gross domestic product output largely due to the statewide lockdown. Industry groups repeatedly noted these effects in letters to California officials.
The Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association, which represents 28 companies that manufacture internal combustion engines and heavy-duty trucks, asked California for an indefinite delay of a new tailpipe pollution regulation. It argued in a March 23 letter that the California Air and Resources Board should “take account of the incredibly adverse impacts on manufacturers that have occurred, and that continue to evolve as a direct result of the COVID-19 crisis.”
The association also asked officials to delay or “significantly” modify plans to implement two new regulations increasing tailpipe emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks in California and requiring manufacturers to offer for sale zero-emission vehicles in the state. Heavy-duty trucks are responsible for nearly 25% of diesel particulate pollution and 8% of total greenhouse gases across California.
An employee parks a Toyota gas-electric hybrid automobile in a row of similar cars at a dealership in Los Angeles Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Those rules “always were going to be challenging,” the group wrote, but “they simply are no longer sustainable or implementable on top of the economic strains caused by the on-going COVID-19 crisis and the apparent recession that we now face.”
The Western Growers Association, an industry group representing commercial farmers, separately asked California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to issue an executive order temporarily halting development of new environmental regulations on agriculture, also citing COVID-19.
“Agriculture and food production have been deemed an essential activity,” the letter dated March 20 read. “This is simply not the time to add to the intense burdens farmers are facing.”
The California Association of Port Authorities, which represents the maritime industry, called for “a pause” on an expected regulatory package meant to reduce air pollution from cargo ships until January 2021. Environmentalists say the new rule is imperative for Southern California, where oceangoing vessels are anticipated to be the largest source of smog-emitting pollution by 2023.
A separate March letter signed by 22 different trucking and growers associations requested “an immediate pause” to the ongoing development of the state’s Transport Refrigeration Unit regulation―which impacts diesel powered refrigeration trucks. The most recent draft of the regulation was released on March 12, with updates focusing on improving the efficiency of refrigerated freight transportation and increasing the use of zero emission technologies.
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‘Just So Contrary To Public Health’
California Air and Resources Board spokesperson Stanley Young said that while regulatory deadlines have not changed, board staff is working with industry parties “on specific issues related to specific programs on a case-by-case basis.”
In that capacity, CARB has granted requests to extend public comment on some of the regulations including the final cargo ship rule, the draft of the rule for refrigerated trucks and the amendments being considered to the heavy-duty truck emissions standard, Young said.
Young said the decision to extend the timeline for individuals and businesses to comment on the rules would allow parties “ample” time to participate. But the pandemic doesn’t mean industries can stop following the state’s current pollution regulations.
“CalEPA recognizes that, due to restrictions in place related to COVID-19, regulated entities may have additional need for compliance assistance or enforcement relief,” the agency said in a statement. “If an entity cannot meet a regulatory requirement, it should contact the applicable CalEPA board or department or appropriate local partner before falling out of compliance.”
Some of the industry letters asked for indefinite delays to all new regulations in general, not just specific concerns.
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The California Independent Petroleum Association cited coronavirus in its argument to halt the hiring of 128 new oil production oversight staff slated under the state geologic agency’s latest budget proposal, staff positions that the industry would fund at an estimated cost of $24 million annually. They said the plan was “problematic before the COVID-19 outbreak.”
“Now, with a global pandemic, the economy in turmoil, and oil prices plunging due to a price war and oil glut caused by Saudi Arabia and Russia, California’s independent producers are experiencing unprecedented challenges,” the group wrote in a March 30 letter to the California Natural Resources Agency.
A March 22 letter from the Construction Industry and Air Quality coalition sent to Newsom requested he mandate that the California Air and Resources Board “suspend any further regulatory development” until the pandemic is over, calling their intent to continue to monitor air pollution rules “draconian.”
“It is completely tone-deaf for CARB to be making these demands in this uncertain environment,” they wrote.
Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized its replacement vehicle emissions rule, which weakened the tailpipe pollution standard the Obama administration and California leaders had jointly developed. California’s Attorney General Xavier Becerra has already threatened to sue over the changes to the regulation, which is likely to negatively impact the state’s variable air quality.
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Magavern of the Coalition for Clean Air said any delay on air pollution rules could have long-term impacts for California.


huffpost--2020-04-06--Tiger At Bronx Zoo Tests Positive For Coronavirus After Contact With Worker

“ This is the first time we know of , or from any of the people we ’ ve been in contact with , that an animal has gotten sick with COVID , ” Dr. Paul Calle , chief veterinarian at the Bronx Zoo , told the New York Daily News .
After the onset of Nadia ’ s respiratory symptoms , a number of other tests were run before it occurred to zoo officials to test her for COVID-19 , the outlet reported .
“ Because of New York City being an epicenter for COVID right now in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure we also did that testing , ” Calle said .
Nadia was the only cat tested because the process requires anesthetizing a big cat , Calle told The Associated Press .
She was also temperature checked and received a normal result .
Measures have been put in place to protect zoo staff who care for the animals , as well as other cats at three other zoos operated by the Wildlife Conservation Society ( WCS ) , which is in charge of the Bronx Zoo .
HuffPost has reached out to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the World Health Organization , while there has been one instance of a dog testing positive for coronavirus in Hong Kong , there is no evidence that animals can transmit the virus .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is aware of a small number of cases of animals testing positive outside the U.S. , but there is nothing to suggest they can pass it on to humans .
Still , they suggest practicing general hygiene around animals , like hand-washing after handling and restricting contact with pets when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Agriculture is not recommending routine coronavirus testing for animals , veterinarian and department official Dr. Jane Rooney told the AP .
The small number of animals that have been tested in the U.S. have returned negative results , excluding Nadia ’ s , Rooney said .
The positive COVID-19 test for the tiger was confirmed by the USDA ’ s National Veterinary Services Laboratory , based in Ames , Iowa .
The Bronx Zoo and other WCS affiliate zoos and aquariums have been shuttered temporarily since March 16 .

“This is the first time we know of, or from any of the people we’ve been in contact with, that an animal has gotten sick with COVID,” Dr. Paul Calle, chief veterinarian at the Bronx Zoo, told the New York Daily News.
After the onset of Nadia’s respiratory symptoms, a number of other tests were run before it occurred to zoo officials to test her for COVID-19, the outlet reported.
“Because of New York City being an epicenter for COVID right now in the pandemic, we of course wanted to make sure we also did that testing,” Calle said.
Nadia was the only cat tested because the process requires anesthetizing a big cat, Calle told The Associated Press. She was also temperature checked and received a normal result.
Measures have been put in place to protect zoo staff who care for the animals, as well as other cats at three other zoos operated by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), which is in charge of the Bronx Zoo.
HuffPost has reached out to the WCS for additional information.
According to the World Health Organization, while there has been one instance of a dog testing positive for coronavirus in Hong Kong, there is no evidence that animals can transmit the virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is aware of a small number of cases of animals testing positive outside the U.S., but there is nothing to suggest they can pass it on to humans. Still, they suggest practicing general hygiene around animals, like hand-washing after handling and restricting contact with pets when sick.
The United States Department of Agriculture is not recommending routine coronavirus testing for animals, veterinarian and department official Dr. Jane Rooney told the AP. The small number of animals that have been tested in the U.S. have returned negative results, excluding Nadia’s, Rooney said.
The positive COVID-19 test for the tiger was confirmed by the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory, based in Ames, Iowa.
The Bronx Zoo and other WCS affiliate zoos and aquariums have been shuttered temporarily since March 16.


huffpost--2020-04-06--Coronavirus Live Updates: CDC May Loosen Guidelines For Some Exposed To Virus

HuffPost reporters around the world are tracking the pandemic and the measures being taken to flatten the curve of transmission .
Read the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic below .
( To see the latest updates , you may need to refresh the page .
All times are Eastern .
For earlier updates on the pandemic , go here . )
CDC May Loosen Restrictions For Some People Already Exposed To The Virus , Pence Says — 4/8/20 , 10:20 a.m .
ET The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering loosening its self-isolation guidelines to allow people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected with COVID-19 to return to work if they do not have symptoms — especially workers in essential jobs , the Associated Press reported .
The announcement could come as soon as Wednesday , U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said .
Boris Johnson ‘ Responding To Treatment ’ In Intensive Care — 4/8/20 , 8 a.m .
ET U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is “ responding to treatment ” for his coronavirus symptoms , Downing Street said Wednesday afternoon .
Johnson has now spent two nights in intensive care in St. Thomas ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister remains clinically stable and is responding to treatment , ” Johnson ’ s spokesperson said .
“ He continues to be cared for in the intensive care unit at St Thomas ’ Hospital.
” The spokesperson added that Johnson remained “ in good spirits ” and was “ receiving standard oxygen treatment and is breathing without any other assistance.
” Foreign secretary Dominic Raab , who is standing in for the prime minister where necessary , said the day before that he was “ confident ” Johnson would pull through and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Emotional Scenes In Wuhan As Lockdown Lifts — 4/8/2020 , 6:30 a.m. Thousands of Wuhan residents traveled back to their hometowns as the city eased its lockdown restrictions on Wednesday , after 76 days .
While some restrictions are still in place , like school closures , city leaders want to bring back social and commercial life to the city .
The government reported no new infections in the city on Wednesday , but there has been some dispute over the veracity of China ’ s statistics , the AP reports .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ asleep last night .
I was looking forward to lockdown lift very much .
I set up an alert to remind myself .
I was very happy , ” said Xiao Yonghong , who was waiting for a train .
Deliberate COVID-19 Transmission In Australia Could Result In ‘ Imprisonment For Life ’ — 4/8/20 , 5:10 a.m .
ET Following recent cases of Australians assaulting , threatening or coughing on healthcare workers , the maximum penalty for trying to deliberately spread coronavirus has been announced , HuffPost Australia reports .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the general criminal laws that apply in every state and territory .
The most serious of these offenses may carry maximum penalties up to imprisonment for life if somebody was to take a step which led to the death of a healthcare worker , ” Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said at a press conference on Wednesday .
Hunt said two people had already been charged for “ this type of behavior ” and the government ’ s plan supports “ stepping up our protection of healthcare workers.
” At least 5,900 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Australia and 49 people have died .
14 Transport Workers Die In London — 4/8/20 , 4:30 a.m .
ET Fourteen public transport workers have died in the England capital after testing positive for coronavirus , London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said .
“ They are in my thoughts and prayers and my condolences to their families , ” he told Sky News .
Khan said the death toll includes nine bus drivers , as well as three Transport for London workers , an Underground employee and a worker for one of TfL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week told HuffPost UK they were being forced to work without adequate personal protective equipment ( PPE ) , and worried about being exposed to COVID-19 .
“ I ’ m scared about catching coronavirus and what it ’ ll mean for my family , ” one said .
On Monday , a union called for London Underground drivers to be provided with masks and gloves to help protect them from contracting coronavirus .
Walgreens To Open Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing Sites In 7 States ― 04/08/2020 , 1:10 a.m. Walgreens announced on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the novel coronavirus outside 15 of its stores in Arizona , Florida , Illinois , Kentucky , Louisiana , Tennessee and Texas .
The tests , which promise results within minutes , will be self-administered outside stores , the company said .
Pharmacists will on hand to assist .
The expansion of Walgreens ’ drive-thru testing efforts comes weeks after President Donald Trump announced that four companies — Walmart , Target , CVS and Walgreens — would be offering drive-thru COVID-19 tests .
However , as CBS News reported on Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have opened a handful of testing sites .
The Chinese city of Wuhan has ended its lockdown , a major step for the first reported city to have a COVID-19 outbreak .
The news came as China reported no new coronavirus deaths on Tuesday , the first such day since the outbreak began .
China ’ s National Health Commission said there were 32 confirmed cases in Wuhan , down from 39 on Monday , according to the BBC .
Despite the city ’ s reopening , the recovery for businesses and people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a city of 11 million , has been sealed off since late January .
At least 55,000 people are expected to leave the city by train on Wednesday , The New York Times reported .
“ Wuhan people experienced it firsthand , ” Yan Hui , a Wuhan native in her 50s who recovered from the coronavirus , told the Times .
“ Their friends got sick .
Their friends and friends ’ relatives died .
Right before their eyes , one by one , they left us.
” The Chinese government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country have been infected with the coronavirus , with nearly two-thirds of the cases coming from Wuhan .
U.S. , State Supreme Court Rulings Force In-Person Elections In Wisconsin Despite Warnings ― 4/7/20 , 10:40 a.m .
ET Conservative majorities on the U.S. Supreme Court and the Wisconsin Supreme Court handed down decisions Monday shutting down efforts by Wisconsin ’ s governor and civil rights groups to ease voting restrictions or delay Tuesday ’ s primary and local elections due to the coronavirus .
By Tuesday morning , there were reports of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , just as advocates pushing for the delay had warned .
The state Supreme Court ordered the election back on after Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers ( D ) announced an executive order Monday to postpone it until June .
Later on Monday , the U.S. Supreme Court overruled a lower court ’ s decision that would have allowed Wisconsin to extend absentee voting an extra six days to encourage voting by mail .
Voting by mail would comply with guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large groups during the pandemic .
Eyeing the reelection of a Donald Trump-backed conservative justice on the state Supreme Court , Wisconsin Republicans have fought against efforts by civil rights groups and some Democrats in the state to mail each voter a ballot or postpone the vote to a later date .
As a result , thousands of voters headed to the polls Tuesday morning to cast ballots , several of them practicing social distancing but also wary of whether they were contracting or spreading the coronavirus .
Boris Johnson Awake And Breathing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
ET U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is breathing without a ventilator and is in “ good spirits ” while being treated in intensive care for coronavirus symptoms , Downing Street has said .
Johnson was transferred to the intensive care unit at St Thomas ’ Hospital in London on Monday evening as his condition worsened .
On Tuesday afternoon , Johnson ’ s official spokesperson said : “ The prime minister has been stable overnight and remains in good spirits .
He is receiving standard oxygen treatment and is breathing without any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mechanical ventilation or non-invasive respiratory support.
” Dominic Raab , the foreign secretary and first secretary of state , is currently standing in for the prime minister .
The pressure on the government was underlined this morning when it emerged that Michael Gove – one of the senior ministers leading the government ’ s response to the crisis – had been forced to self-isolate after a family member displayed symptoms .
Spain ICUs Back From The Brink Of Collapse — 4/7/20 , 7:50 a.m .
ET After dire warnings just seven days ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ units were at risk of being overrun , Spain has now achieved a “ balance ” between admissions and discharges .
The pace of coronavirus deaths in Spain ticked up slightly for the first time in five days today , with 743 people succumbing overnight to reach a total of 13,798 .
However , after ICU capacity reached almost 200 % in some areas , almost all regions of Spain , the country with the second-highest toll of fatalities , are at or past the peak .
HuffPost Spain reports ( in Spanish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see the light , ” with an increase of just 1 % in patients ( 70 people ) to ICU between Sunday and Monday .
India Lifts Hydroxychloroquine Export Ban After Trump Threat — 4/7/20 , 7:30 a.m .
ET A day after Donald Trump said India could face retaliation if it doesn ’ t clear the export of hydroxychloroquine — an anti-malarial drug that has not yet been proven safe for use on people infected with the coronavirus — the Indian government said it had lifted its export ban “ in view @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” India ’ s ministry of external affairs said it had decided to license paracetamol and hydroxychloroquine in appropriate quantities “ to all our neighboring countries who are dependent on our capabilities , ” HuffPost India reports .
“ We will also be supplying these essential drugs to some nations who have been particularly badly affected by the pandemic , ” the ministry said .
Last week , Trump said he had sought help from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow the sale of hydroxychloroquine tablets ordered by the U.S. to treat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his country , hours after India banned the export of the anti-malarial drug .
Trump is deeply invested in the idea that the malaria drugs will show a benefit , and has personally pressured U.S. federal health officials to make them available , Reuters reported Saturday .
The White House Knew : Memo Warned ‘ Millions ’ Were In Danger — 4/7/2020 , 6:30 a.m .
ET President Trump has repeatedly said that “ no one ” saw the coronavirus pandemic coming .
But the New York Times and Axios reported that trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January and February about the potential devastation of the pandemic .
Read Dominique Mosbergen ’ s story here .
Senior UK Minister In Self-Isolation — 4/7/20 , 6:15 a.m .
ET Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove has become the latest member of the U.K. government to go into self-isolation after someone in his family began experiencing coronavirus symptoms , HuffPost UK reports .
Gove , one of the most senior figures in government , is understood not to be displaying any symptoms himself .
He had earlier spent the morning updating the media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boris Johnson , who is in intensive care at St Thomas ’ Hospital in London .
“ He is not on a ventilator .
The prime minister has received some oxygen support , ” Gove said .
Johnson spent the night in intensive care , after being moved there last night as his coronavirus symptoms worsened .
U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has returned to work after testing positive for COVID-19 in March , while the chief medical officer Chris Whitty as also recovered .
Dozens Of U.S. Customs And Border Protection Employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a.m. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday that at least 160 of its employees , including customs officers and border agents , have contracted the novel coronavirus .
More than 50 of these cases were in the New York City metro area , the agency said on its website .
Twenty-six employees working at the U.S.-Mexico border also tested positive for the virus .
Almost 20 % Of NYPD Officers Out Sick Amid Pandemic — 04/07/20 , 1:25 a.m. As the coronavirus crisis continues to rage in New York , the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York City Police Department announced on Monday that 7,000 of its officers — or almost one-fifth of its force — had called out sick , the New York Post reported .
More than 2,200 officers have been officially diagnosed with COVID-19 , the NYPD said .
Thirteen members of the department , including one detective , have died due to complications from the virus .
The First Coronavirus-Themed , Socially Distanced TV Episode Is Coming — 4/6/20 , 5:46 p.m .
While Hollywood ’ s movie and television production has halted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to escalate in the U.S. , it was only a matter of time before someone attempted a coronavirus-themed and socially distanced TV episode .
The CBS legal drama “ All Rise ” is giving it a shot , planning to return to the air May 4 with an episode set during the outbreak and promising that the production will adhere to social distancing guidelines .
CBS says the show ’ s cast and crew will use video conferencing tools like FaceTime , Zoom and WebEx to film the episode , and producers will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes and add visual effects to create the backgrounds .
It ’ s the first scripted television show to announce it ’ s working on an episode produced remotely .
Elsewhere on TV , most of the major late-night shows have returned , with hosts filming from their homes , and some reality shows have also planned coronavirus-themed spinoffs that will document contestants ’ lives under quarantine .
Read more here .
Navy Has Taken In Coronavirus Patients — 4/6/20 , 5:42 p.m .
ET The U.S. Navy has taken in some coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed Monday .
“ Comfort will continue to accept trauma , emergency and urgent care patients , irrespective of their COVID status , ” Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said of the ship docked in New York Harbor .
However , he noted the department ’ s “ current preference ” would be for New York to use beds at the Javits Center for COVID-19 patients before moving them to the hospital ship .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) also said Monday that President Donald Trump had granted his request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , calling it a “ major relief.
” U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been moved to intensive care after his coronavirus symptoms worsened , Downing Street has confirmed .
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will “ deputize where necessary ” while the prime minister is in intensive care with COVID-19 , a spokesperson said .
Johnson was admitted to St. Thomas ’ hospital in London on Sunday after his coronavirus symptoms persisted for 10 days .
After time in the hospital for tests and observation , his doctors advised that he be admitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ require ventilation .
Raab had earlier faced questions at the government ’ s daily coronavirus press conference about Johnson ’ s apparent decision to keep running the government from his hospital bed instead of handing over the reins .
California Will Send 500 Ventilators To National Stockpile For Other States — 4/6/20 , 2:50 p.m. California Gov .
Gavin Newsom ( D ) announced Monday that the state plans to lend 500 state-owned ventilators to the national stockpile , so they can go to states in more dire need , like New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.S. “ California is stepping up to help our fellow Americans in New York and across the country who are being impacted the hardest right now by the COVID-19 pandemic , ” Newsom said .
He added that while the state is “ aggressively preparing for a surge ” in cases in its own region , “ we can ’ t turn our back on Americans whose lives depend on having a ventilator now.
” Several governors across the country have made it clear they need more ventilators to treat the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York , which is expected to hit its peak number of cases in the coming week , has had more than 4,700 deaths from the virus , with about 600 people dying per day over the past three days .
Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers ( D ) declared that the state ’ s primary election , originally scheduled for Tuesday , will now be held on June 9 , unless state legislators approve a different date for in-person voting .
Since mid-March , when the pandemic began to worsen in the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March or April have postponed them until at least May or June , given that in-person voting would violate social distancing recommendations and put voters in danger .
But the decisions to postpone have created much confusion .
Last month , Ohio moved its primary election to June 2 .
To do so , the governor declared a statewide health emergency , essentially overriding a judge ’ s ruling that blocked his original request to postpone the election because he technically did not have the authority to do it , according to state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unemployment Could Reach ‘ Depression Levels , ’ But Recovery Will Likely Be Much Swifter — 4/6/20 , 1:50 p.m. Janet Yellen , the former chair of the Federal Reserve , predicted more job losses and economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis that could rival the devastation of the Great Depression ― but , she said , Americans should remain hopeful for a much swifter recovery , given the strength of the U.S. economy prior to the pandemic .
“ Unemployment rates for a time may go to Depression levels .
But this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or the recession in the U.S. economy that we experienced in 2009 and after , ” Yellen , who chaired the Fed under President Barack Obama , said on CNBC .
Last week , the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that nearly 10 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits in the previous two weeks combined .
Its jobs report for March noted the first decline in U.S. job growth after nearly a decade of gains , and an unemployment rate of 4.4 % , up from a 50-year low of 3.5 % in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely much higher , because the report does not include the job losses in the last half of March , when the pandemic forced most businesses across the country to close , putting millions of Americans out of work .
New York Gov .
Asks That Navy Ship Be Used For COVID-19 Patients ― 4/6/20 , 12:50 p.m. During his daily press conference on Monday , New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) said he will call President Donald Trump to request that the U.S .
Naval Ship Comfort , currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not have the coronavirus , be converted into a facility for patients with the virus .
The USNS Comfort has been docked in Manhattan since it was deployed on March 30 .
To date , the ship has been used to provide relief to New York hospitals overwhelmed by the rapid influx of patients due to the coronavirus .
Hospitals have been transferring patients without the virus to receive care on the ships in order to treat coronavirus patients more rapidly .
“ We don ’ t need the Comfort for non-COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The governor said the USNS Comfort , along with the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan , should be used to help hospitals treat patients with the disease .
“ If we had those two facilities as a relief valve , that would make a significant difference , ” Cuomo said .
He added that the expanded capacity to treat COVID-19 patients would help New York maintain the current rate of treatment .
“ We would feel much better knowing that we can sustain this pace if we can start to offload patients to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
United Nations Chief Urges World Leaders To Combat ‘ Horrifying Global Surge In Domestic Violence ’ — 4/6/20 , 10:28 a.m. As countries around the world try to slow the spread of COVID-19 with lockdowns , quarantines and stay-at-home orders , forcing most people into prolonged home confinement , those with abusive partners and family members face a greater danger of domestic abuse .
In a video message Sunday night , the United Nations secretary-general warned that “ we have seen a horrifying global surge in domestic violence ” and urged world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic plans .
“ Violence is not confined to the battlefield .
For many women and girls , the threat looms largest where they should be safest : in their own homes , ” António Guterres said .
“ I urge all governments to make the prevention and redress of violence against women a key part of their national response plans for COVID-19.
” As HuffPost U.S. ’ s Melissa Jeltsen has reported , lockdowns and other restrictions create prime conditions for domestic violence because victims are stuck at home with their abusers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends , co-workers and support services .
Read more on HuffPost U.S. Walmart Guard Allegedly Dragged By Driver Angry About COVID-19 Policies — 4/6/20 , 9:20 a.m. A Walmart security guard in Canada is fighting for his life after being struck and dragged by a driver who was allegedly enraged by social distancing policies aimed to curb the spread of COVID-19 , local police said .
Police in Sherbrooke , Quebec , said the 25-year-old suspect tried to enter the Walmart with his partner , only to be told just one person per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He allegedly got angry , and at some point ran into the guard with his vehicle , “ even dragging him on the hood ” for a distance , said police .
The 35-year-old guard is in critical condition with a serious head injury .
U.S .
Withholding N95 Masks , Turning Away Canadians On Cruises Sparks Outrage On Social Media — 4/6/20 , 8:53 a.m .
In light of the news that President Donald Trump pressured manufacturer 3M to stop exporting N95 masks to Canada , Canadians are reminding the U.S. what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when its neighbor needed help .
“ Dear America , ” reads one of the messages flooding Twitter .
“ On 9/11 we were there for you .
In Afghanistan , we were there for you .
We ’ re here for you now .
We ’ ll be here for you in the future .
Even if you don ’ t send us the masks.
” Trump : Passengers On Coronavirus-Stricken Ships Allowed To Disembark — 4/6/20 , 8:51 a.m. President Donald Trump on Monday said that passengers on two cruise ships @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed to disembark once they receive medical treatment onboard .
Trump , who shared the news on Twitter , said the decision was made for “ humanitarian reasons ” and that the passengers will be “ under strict supervision .
”

HuffPost reporters around the world are tracking the pandemic and the measures being taken to flatten the curve of transmission.
Read the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic below. (To see the latest updates, you may need to refresh the page. All times are Eastern. For earlier updates on the pandemic, go here.)
CDC May Loosen Restrictions For Some People Already Exposed To The Virus, Pence Says — 4/8/20, 10:20 a.m. ET
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering loosening its self-isolation guidelines to allow people who have already been exposed to someone infected with COVID-19 to return to work if they do not have symptoms — especially workers in essential jobs, the Associated Press reported.
Under the proposed guidance, people who are exposed to someone infected would be allowed back on the job if they have no symptoms, test their temperature twice a day and wear a face mask, said a person familiar with the proposal under consideration. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss the draft because it had not been finalized and described the proposal on the condition of anonymity.
The announcement could come as soon as Wednesday, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said.
Read more here.
— Marina Fang
Boris Johnson ‘Responding To Treatment’ In Intensive Care — 4/8/20, 8 a.m. ET
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is “responding to treatment” for his coronavirus symptoms, Downing Street said Wednesday afternoon. Johnson has now spent two nights in intensive care in St. Thomas’ Hospital in London.
“The prime minister remains clinically stable and is responding to treatment,” Johnson’s spokesperson said. “He continues to be cared for in the intensive care unit at St Thomas’ Hospital.”
The spokesperson added that Johnson remained “in good spirits” and was “receiving standard oxygen treatment and is breathing without any other assistance.”
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab, who is standing in for the prime minister where necessary, said the day before that he was “confident” Johnson would pull through and that Johnson was a “fighter.”
Read more.
— Ned Simons & Arj Singh
Joyous, Emotional Scenes In Wuhan As Lockdown Lifts — 4/8/2020, 6:30 a.m.
Thousands of Wuhan residents traveled back to their hometowns as the city eased its lockdown restrictions on Wednesday, after 76 days. While some restrictions are still in place, like school closures, city leaders want to bring back social and commercial life to the city.
The government reported no new infections in the city on Wednesday, but there has been some dispute over the veracity of China’s statistics, the AP reports.
“We were too excited to fall asleep last night. I was looking forward to lockdown lift very much. I set up an alert to remind myself. I was very happy,” said Xiao Yonghong, who was waiting for a train.
— Liza Hearon
Deliberate COVID-19 Transmission In Australia Could Result In ‘Imprisonment For Life’ — 4/8/20, 5:10 a.m. ET
Following recent cases of Australians assaulting, threatening or coughing on healthcare workers, the maximum penalty for trying to deliberately spread coronavirus has been announced, HuffPost Australia reports.
“The deliberate transmission of COVID-19 is an offense under the general criminal laws that apply in every state and territory. The most serious of these offenses may carry maximum penalties up to imprisonment for life if somebody was to take a step which led to the death of a healthcare worker,” Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said at a press conference on Wednesday.
Hunt said two people had already been charged for “this type of behavior” and the government’s plan supports “stepping up our protection of healthcare workers.”
At least 5,900 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Australia and 49 people have died.
— Alicia Vrajlal
14 Transport Workers Die In London — 4/8/20, 4:30 a.m. ET
Fourteen public transport workers have died in the England capital after testing positive for coronavirus, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said.
“They are in my thoughts and prayers and my condolences to their families,” he told Sky News.
Khan said the death toll includes nine bus drivers, as well as three Transport for London workers, an Underground employee and a worker for one of TfL’s suppliers.
Bus drivers last week told HuffPost UK they were being forced to work without adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), and worried about being exposed to COVID-19.
“I’m scared about catching coronavirus and what it’ll mean for my family,” one said.
On Monday, a union called for London Underground drivers to be provided with masks and gloves to help protect them from contracting coronavirus.
— Nadine White
Walgreens To Open Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing Sites In 7 States ― 04/08/2020, 1:10 a.m.
Walgreens announced on Tuesday that it plans to offer drive-thru testing for the novel coronavirus outside 15 of its stores in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Tennessee and Texas.
The tests, which promise results within minutes, will be self-administered outside stores, the company said. Pharmacists will on hand to assist.
The expansion of Walgreens’ drive-thru testing efforts comes weeks after President Donald Trump announced that four companies — Walmart, Target, CVS and Walgreens — would be offering drive-thru COVID-19 tests. However, as CBS News reported on Tuesday, to date, only CVS and Walgreens have opened a handful of testing sites.
— Dominique Mosbergen
China Ends Wuhan Lockdown ― 4/7/20, 12:30 p.m. ET
The Chinese city of Wuhan has ended its lockdown, a major step for the first reported city to have a COVID-19 outbreak.
The news came as China reported no new coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, the first such day since the outbreak began. China’s National Health Commission said there were 32 confirmed cases in Wuhan, down from 39 on Monday, according to the BBC.
Despite the city’s reopening, the recovery for businesses and people will be a long one. Wuhan, a city of 11 million, has been sealed off since late January. At least 55,000 people are expected to leave the city by train on Wednesday, The New York Times reported.
“Wuhan people experienced it firsthand,” Yan Hui, a Wuhan native in her 50s who recovered from the coronavirus, told the Times. “Their friends got sick. Their friends and friends’ relatives died. Right before their eyes, one by one, they left us.”
The Chinese government has said more than 80,000 people in the country have been infected with the coronavirus, with nearly two-thirds of the cases coming from Wuhan.
― Sebastian Murdock
U.S., State Supreme Court Rulings Force In-Person Elections In Wisconsin Despite Warnings ― 4/7/20, 10:40 a.m. ET
Conservative majorities on the U.S. Supreme Court and the Wisconsin Supreme Court handed down decisions Monday shutting down efforts by Wisconsin’s governor and civil rights groups to ease voting restrictions or delay Tuesday’s primary and local elections due to the coronavirus.
By Tuesday morning, there were reports of long voter lines and large gatherings of people, just as advocates pushing for the delay had warned.
The state Supreme Court ordered the election back on after Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) announced an executive order Monday to postpone it until June. Later on Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court overruled a lower court’s decision that would have allowed Wisconsin to extend absentee voting an extra six days to encourage voting by mail. Voting by mail would comply with guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has urged Americans not to gather in large groups during the pandemic.
Eyeing the reelection of a Donald Trump-backed conservative justice on the state Supreme Court, Wisconsin Republicans have fought against efforts by civil rights groups and some Democrats in the state to mail each voter a ballot or postpone the vote to a later date.
As a result, thousands of voters headed to the polls Tuesday morning to cast ballots, several of them practicing social distancing but also wary of whether they were contracting or spreading the coronavirus.
― Ja’han Jones
Boris Johnson Awake And Breathing Without Ventilator — 4/7/20, 8:00 a.m. ET
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is breathing without a ventilator and is in “good spirits” while being treated in intensive care for coronavirus symptoms, Downing Street has said. Johnson was transferred to the intensive care unit at St Thomas’ Hospital in London on Monday evening as his condition worsened.
On Tuesday afternoon, Johnson’s official spokesperson said: “The prime minister has been stable overnight and remains in good spirits. He is receiving standard oxygen treatment and is breathing without any other treatment. He has not required mechanical ventilation or non-invasive respiratory support.”
Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary and first secretary of state, is currently standing in for the prime minister.
The pressure on the government was underlined this morning when it emerged that Michael Gove – one of the senior ministers leading the government’s response to the crisis – had been forced to self-isolate after a family member displayed symptoms.
— Ned Simons & Arj Singh
Spain ICUs Back From The Brink Of Collapse — 4/7/20, 7:50 a.m. ET
After dire warnings just seven days ago that the country’s intensive care units were at risk of being overrun, Spain has now achieved a “balance” between admissions and discharges.
The pace of coronavirus deaths in Spain ticked up slightly for the first time in five days today, with 743 people succumbing overnight to reach a total of 13,798.
However, after ICU capacity reached almost 200% in some areas, almost all regions of Spain, the country with the second-highest toll of fatalities, are at or past the peak.
HuffPost Spain reports (in Spanish) that ICUs are beginning “to see the light,” with an increase of just 1% in patients (70 people) to ICU between Sunday and Monday.
— James Martin
India Lifts Hydroxychloroquine Export Ban After Trump Threat — 4/7/20, 7:30 a.m. ET
A day after Donald Trump said India could face retaliation if it doesn’t clear the export of hydroxychloroquine — an anti-malarial drug that has not yet been proven safe for use on people infected with the coronavirus — the Indian government said it had lifted its export ban “in view of the humanitarian aspects of the pandemic.”
India’s ministry of external affairs said it had decided to license paracetamol and hydroxychloroquine in appropriate quantities “to all our neighboring countries who are dependent on our capabilities,” HuffPost India reports.
“We will also be supplying these essential drugs to some nations who have been particularly badly affected by the pandemic,” the ministry said.
Last week, Trump said he had sought help from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow the sale of hydroxychloroquine tablets ordered by the U.S. to treat the growing number of coronavirus patients in his country, hours after India banned the export of the anti-malarial drug. Trump is deeply invested in the idea that the malaria drugs will show a benefit, and has personally pressured U.S. federal health officials to make them available, Reuters reported Saturday.
— Meryl Sebastian
The White House Knew: Memo Warned ‘Millions’ Were In Danger — 4/7/2020, 6:30 a.m. ET
President Trump has repeatedly said that “no one” saw the coronavirus pandemic coming. But the New York Times and Axios reported that trade adviser Peter Navarro sounded the alarm in January and February about the potential devastation of the pandemic. Read Dominique Mosbergen’s story here.
— Liza Hearon
Senior UK Minister In Self-Isolation — 4/7/20, 6:15 a.m. ET
Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove has become the latest member of the U.K. government to go into self-isolation after someone in his family began experiencing coronavirus symptoms, HuffPost UK reports.
Gove, one of the most senior figures in government, is understood not to be displaying any symptoms himself. He had earlier spent the morning updating the media on the condition of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is in intensive care at St Thomas’ Hospital in London.
“He is not on a ventilator. The prime minister has received some oxygen support,” Gove said. Johnson spent the night in intensive care, after being moved there last night as his coronavirus symptoms worsened.
U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has returned to work after testing positive for COVID-19 in March, while the chief medical officer Chris Whitty as also recovered.
— James Martin
Dozens Of U.S. Customs And Border Protection Employees Diagnosed With COVID-19 — 04/07/2020, 1:29 a.m.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday that at least 160 of its employees, including customs officers and border agents, have contracted the novel coronavirus.
More than 50 of these cases were in the New York City metro area, the agency said on its website. Twenty-six employees working at the U.S.-Mexico border also tested positive for the virus.
— Dominique Mosbergen
Almost 20% Of NYPD Officers Out Sick Amid Pandemic — 04/07/20, 1:25 a.m.
As the coronavirus crisis continues to rage in New York, the virus’ epicenter in the U.S., the New York City Police Department announced on Monday that 7,000 of its officers — or almost one-fifth of its force — had called out sick, the New York Post reported.
More than 2,200 officers have been officially diagnosed with COVID-19, the NYPD said. Thirteen members of the department, including one detective, have died due to complications from the virus.
— Dominique Mosbergen
The First Coronavirus-Themed, Socially Distanced TV Episode Is Coming — 4/6/20, 5:46 p.m.
While Hollywood’s movie and television production has halted in the weeks since the coronavirus pandemic began to escalate in the U.S., it was only a matter of time before someone attempted a coronavirus-themed and socially distanced TV episode.
The CBS legal drama “All Rise” is giving it a shot, planning to return to the air May 4 with an episode set during the outbreak and promising that the production will adhere to social distancing guidelines. CBS says the show’s cast and crew will use video conferencing tools like FaceTime, Zoom and WebEx to film the episode, and producers will take footage shot from the actors’ homes and add visual effects to create the backgrounds.
It’s the first scripted television show to announce it’s working on an episode produced remotely. Elsewhere on TV, most of the major late-night shows have returned, with hosts filming from their homes, and some reality shows have also planned coronavirus-themed spinoffs that will document contestants’ lives under quarantine. Read more here.
— Marina Fang
Navy Has Taken In Coronavirus Patients — 4/6/20, 5:42 p.m. ET
The U.S. Navy has taken in some coronavirus patients aboard the USNS Comfort, officials confirmed Monday.
“Comfort will continue to accept trauma, emergency and urgent care patients, irrespective of their COVID status,” Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said of the ship docked in New York Harbor.
However, he noted the department’s “current preference” would be for New York to use beds at the Javits Center for COVID-19 patients before moving them to the hospital ship.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) also said Monday that President Donald Trump had granted his request for the ship to treat coronavirus patients, calling it a “major relief.”
— Lydia O’Connor
Boris Johnson Admitted To Intensive Care — 4/6/20, 3:45 p.m.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been moved to intensive care after his coronavirus symptoms worsened, Downing Street has confirmed. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will “deputize where necessary” while the prime minister is in intensive care with COVID-19, a spokesperson said.
Johnson was admitted to St. Thomas’ hospital in London on Sunday after his coronavirus symptoms persisted for 10 days. After time in the hospital for tests and observation, his doctors advised that he be admitted to intensive care. He does not require ventilation.
Raab had earlier faced questions at the government’s daily coronavirus press conference about Johnson’s apparent decision to keep running the government from his hospital bed instead of handing over the reins.
Read more here.
― Graeme Demianyk
California Will Send 500 Ventilators To National Stockpile For Other States — 4/6/20, 2:50 p.m.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced Monday that the state plans to lend 500 state-owned ventilators to the national stockpile, so they can go to states in more dire need, like New York, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S.
“California is stepping up to help our fellow Americans in New York and across the country who are being impacted the hardest right now by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Newsom said. He added that while the state is “aggressively preparing for a surge” in cases in its own region, “we can’t turn our back on Americans whose lives depend on having a ventilator now.”
Several governors across the country have made it clear they need more ventilators to treat the most severe cases of COVID-19. New York, which is expected to hit its peak number of cases in the coming week, has had more than 4,700 deaths from the virus, with about 600 people dying per day over the past three days.
― Sarah Ruiz-Grossman
Wisconsin Becomes Latest State To Postpone Primary Election — 4/6/20, 2:35 p.m.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) declared that the state’s primary election, originally scheduled for Tuesday, will now be held on June 9, unless state legislators approve a different date for in-person voting.
HuffPost’s Tara Golshan reports:
The order comes just days after Evers told Wisconsinites that his “hands are tied” in changing the election date. Evers has already declared a public health emergency in the state, but state laws aren’t clear whether that gives him the authority to change the election date without a law passed by the state Legislature.
Since mid-March, when the pandemic began to worsen in the U.S., most states with primary elections in March or April have postponed them until at least May or June, given that in-person voting would violate social distancing recommendations and put voters in danger. But the decisions to postpone have created much confusion.
Last month, Ohio moved its primary election to June 2. To do so, the governor declared a statewide health emergency, essentially overriding a judge’s ruling that blocked his original request to postpone the election because he technically did not have the authority to do it, according to state law.
Read more here.
― Marina Fang
Former Fed Chair Says U.S. Unemployment Could Reach ‘Depression Levels,’ But Recovery Will Likely Be Much Swifter — 4/6/20, 1:50 p.m.
Janet Yellen, the former chair of the Federal Reserve, predicted more job losses and economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis that could rival the devastation of the Great Depression ― but, she said, Americans should remain hopeful for a much swifter recovery, given the strength of the U.S. economy prior to the pandemic.
“Unemployment rates for a time may go to Depression levels. But this is very different than the Great Depression or the recession in the U.S. economy that we experienced in 2009 and after,” Yellen, who chaired the Fed under President Barack Obama, said on CNBC.
Last week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that nearly 10 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits in the previous two weeks combined. Its jobs report for March noted the first decline in U.S. job growth after nearly a decade of gains, and an unemployment rate of 4.4%, up from a 50-year low of 3.5% in February.
The actual unemployment rate is likely much higher, because the report does not include the job losses in the last half of March, when the pandemic forced most businesses across the country to close, putting millions of Americans out of work.
Read more here.
― Marina Fang
New York Gov. Asks That Navy Ship Be Used For COVID-19 Patients ― 4/6/20, 12:50 p.m.
During his daily press conference on Monday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said he will call President Donald Trump to request that the U.S. Naval Ship Comfort, currently docked in Manhattan to assist patients who do not have the coronavirus, be converted into a facility for patients with the virus.
The USNS Comfort has been docked in Manhattan since it was deployed on March 30.
To date, the ship has been used to provide relief to New York hospitals overwhelmed by the rapid influx of patients due to the coronavirus. Hospitals have been transferring patients without the virus to receive care on the ships in order to treat coronavirus patients more rapidly.
“We don’t need the Comfort for non-COVID cases,” Cuomo said Monday.
The governor said the USNS Comfort, along with the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, should be used to help hospitals treat patients with the disease.
“If we had those two facilities as a relief valve, that would make a significant difference,” Cuomo said.
He added that the expanded capacity to treat COVID-19 patients would help New York maintain the current rate of treatment.
“We would feel much better knowing that we can sustain this pace if we can start to offload patients to these two facilities,” he said.
― Ja’han Jones
United Nations Chief Urges World Leaders To Combat ‘Horrifying Global Surge In Domestic Violence’ — 4/6/20, 10:28 a.m.
As countries around the world try to slow the spread of COVID-19 with lockdowns, quarantines and stay-at-home orders, forcing most people into prolonged home confinement, those with abusive partners and family members face a greater danger of domestic abuse.
In a video message Sunday night, the United Nations secretary-general warned that “we have seen a horrifying global surge in domestic violence” and urged world leaders to include protective measures in their pandemic plans.
“Violence is not confined to the battlefield. For many women and girls, the threat looms largest where they should be safest: in their own homes,” António Guterres said. “I urge all governments to make the prevention and redress of violence against women a key part of their national response plans for COVID-19.”
As HuffPost U.S.’s Melissa Jeltsen has reported, lockdowns and other restrictions create prime conditions for domestic violence because victims are stuck at home with their abusers and are cut off from family, friends, co-workers and support services.
Read more on HuffPost U.S.
— Marina Fang
Walmart Guard Allegedly Dragged By Driver Angry About COVID-19 Policies — 4/6/20, 9:20 a.m.
A Walmart security guard in Canada is fighting for his life after being struck and dragged by a driver who was allegedly enraged by social distancing policies aimed to curb the spread of COVID-19, local police said.
Police in Sherbrooke, Quebec, said the 25-year-old suspect tried to enter the Walmart with his partner, only to be told just one person per vehicle was allowed inside at once. He allegedly got angry, and at some point ran into the guard with his vehicle, “even dragging him on the hood” for a distance, said police.
The 35-year-old guard is in critical condition with a serious head injury.
— Andree Lau with additional reporting from Canadian Press
U.S. Withholding N95 Masks, Turning Away Canadians On Cruises Sparks Outrage On Social Media — 4/6/20, 8:53 a.m.
In light of the news that President Donald Trump pressured manufacturer 3M to stop exporting N95 masks to Canada, Canadians are reminding the U.S. what kind of country Canada has always been when its neighbor needed help.
“Dear America,” reads one of the messages flooding Twitter. “On 9/11 we were there for you. In Afghanistan, we were there for you. We’re here for you now. We’ll be here for you in the future. Even if you don’t send us the masks.”
— Sima Shakeri
Trump: Passengers On Coronavirus-Stricken Ships Allowed To Disembark — 4/6/20, 8:51 a.m.
President Donald Trump on Monday said that passengers on two cruise ships infected with the new coronavirus have been allowed to disembark once they receive medical treatment onboard.
Trump, who shared the news on Twitter, said the decision was made for “humanitarian reasons” and that the passengers will be “under strict supervision.”


huffpost--2020-04-06--Meghan Markle, Prince Harry React To Queen Elizabeth's Emotional Speech

“ We as children spoke from here at Windsor to children who had been evacuated from their homes and sent @ @ @ @ @ , ” the queen said .
“ Today , once again , many will feel @ @ @ @ @ from their loved ones .
But now as then , we know deep down , @ @ @ @ @ thing to do.
” Queen Elizabeth said she knew these were difficult times for everyone @ @ @ @ @ ahead for all .
“ We should take comfort that while we have more still @ @ @ @ @ will return , ” she continued .
“ We will be with our friends again @ @ @ @ @ our families again ; we will meet again .
”

“We as children spoke from here at Windsor to children who had been evacuated from their homes and sent away for their own safety,” the queen said. “Today, once again, many will feel a painful sense of separation from their loved ones. But now as then, we know deep down, that it is the right thing to do.”
Queen Elizabeth said she knew these were difficult times for everyone, but promised better days ahead for all.
“We should take comfort that while we have more still to endure, better days will return,” she continued. “We will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.”


huffpost--2020-02-17--Sen. Tom Cotton Still Pitching Debunked Theory About Coronavirus

Cui Tiankai , Chinese ambassador to the U.S. , denounced Cotton ’ s misinformation on “ Face The Nation ” earlier this month .
“ It ’ s very harmful , it ’ s very dangerous to stir up suspicion , rumors and spread them among the people , ” Cui said .
“ For one thing , this will create panic .
Another thing is that it will fan up racial discrimination , xenophobia , all these things that will really harm our joint efforts to combat the virus.
” Vipin Narang , an associate professor at the Massachusetts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post that “ we don ’ t have any evidence ” that the general population was exposed to a virus through an accident at a lab .
He called Cotton ’ s speculation a conspiracy theory that was borderline irresponsible .
“ Cotton should spend more time funding the agencies in the United States that can help contain and combat the virus rather than trying to assign blame , ” Narang said .
Richard Ebright , a professor of chemical biology at Rutgers University , told the Post that there was nothing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicated it had been engineered .
“ The possibility this was a deliberately released bioweapon can be firmly excluded , ” Ebright added .
The coronavirus , know as COVID-19 , has killed at least 1,666 people and infected more than 68,500 people globally , the vast majority in mainland China .

Cui Tiankai, Chinese ambassador to the U.S., denounced Cotton’s misinformation on “Face The Nation” earlier this month.
“It’s very harmful, it’s very dangerous to stir up suspicion, rumors and spread them among the people,” Cui said. “For one thing, this will create panic. Another thing is that it will fan up racial discrimination, xenophobia, all these things that will really harm our joint efforts to combat the virus.”
Vipin Narang, an associate professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told The Washington Post that “we don’t have any evidence” that the general population was exposed to a virus through an accident at a lab. He called Cotton’s speculation a conspiracy theory that was borderline irresponsible. “Cotton should spend more time funding the agencies in the United States that can help contain and combat the virus rather than trying to assign blame,” Narang said.
Richard Ebright, a professor of chemical biology at Rutgers University, told the Post that there was nothing in the genome sequence of the coronavirus that indicated it had been engineered.
“The possibility this was a deliberately released bioweapon can be firmly excluded,” Ebright added.
The coronavirus, know as COVID-19, has killed at least 1,666 people and infected more than 68,500 people globally, the vast majority in mainland China.


huffpost--2020-04-01--Trump Said Coronavirus Would 'Miraculously' Be Gone By April. Well, It's April.

But Trump spent weeks , if not months , downplaying the seriousness of the virus while pushing his political agenda of boosting his own brand and trying to shut down U.S. borders .
In fact , the president really didn ’ t want to do much of anything about the virus .
He tried to assure people that it would be gone by April .
Nothing to see here .
On Feb. 10 , he repeatedly predicted ― at a meeting with governors , at a campaign rally and in a Fox Business interview ― that the coronavirus would no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He then made this claim at least three more times a few days later .
On Feb. 10 , there were 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19 , the illness caused by the coronavirus , in the United States , according to Johns Hopkins University .
Now there are nearly 200,000 .
And on Tuesday , the death toll in the U.S. surpassed 3,000 , making the virus more deadly than the 9/11 terrorist attacks that reshaped much of American life .
“ We don ’ t know a lot about this virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Feb. 13 .
“ This virus is probably with us beyond this season , beyond this year , and I think eventually the virus will find a foothold and we will get community-based transmission.
” On Feb. 10 , there were 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19 , the illness caused by the coronavirus , in the United States , according to Johns Hopkins University .
Now there are more than 174,000 .
Much of the U.S. economy is now shut down as people work from home and practice social distancing in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
Medical experts say it will get worse before it gets better .
But even amid the rising number of cases , Trump has continued to insist that everything is going well .
As recently as last week , he said he wanted the country “ opened up and just raring to go by Easter , ” which is on April 12 .
“ I just want to say on behalf of everyone I know in the business , that is literally out of the question , ” Redlener said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not happen .
We actually should be increasing the restrictions for some period of time.
” At the same press conference , he wondered why hospitals , which usually don ’ t need so many masks and ventilators , are suddenly saying they do .
Instead of realizing that the need for medical equipment has jumped exponentially with the spread of the coronavirus , Trump offered up a conspiracy theory : that the ventilators and masks that hospitals are asking for might be “ going out the back door .
”

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President Donald Trump thinks he’s doing a fabulous job getting the country through the coronavirus crisis. He’s more than happy to boast about it.
But Trump spent weeks, if not months, downplaying the seriousness of the virus while pushing his political agenda of boosting his own brand and trying to shut down U.S. borders.
In fact, the president really didn’t want to do much of anything about the virus. He tried to assure people that it would be gone by April. Nothing to see here.
On Feb. 10, he repeatedly predicted ― at a meeting with governors, at a campaign rally and in a Fox Business interview ― that the coronavirus would no longer be a problem by April. He then made this claim at least three more times a few days later.
On Feb. 10, there were 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University. Now there are nearly 200,000. And on Tuesday, the death toll in the U.S. surpassed 3,000, making the virus more deadly than the 9/11 terrorist attacks that reshaped much of American life.
Medical experts never agreed with Trump’s rosy prediction. But as usual, science didn’t stop Trump from saying whatever he wanted.
“We don’t know a lot about this virus,” CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said on Feb. 13. “This virus is probably with us beyond this season, beyond this year, and I think eventually the virus will find a foothold and we will get community-based transmission.”
“On Feb. 10, there were 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University. Now there are more than 174,000.”
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Much of the U.S. economy is now shut down as people work from home and practice social distancing in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. Medical experts say it will get worse before it gets better.
On Tuesday, the White House said that in a best-case scenario, as many as 240,000 Americans could die from COVID-19.
But even amid the rising number of cases, Trump has continued to insist that everything is going well. As recently as last week, he said he wanted the country “opened up and just raring to go by Easter,” which is on April 12.
Health experts have warned against easing restrictions too early.
During an online COVID-19 briefing last week, Irwin Redlener, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University, dismissed Trump’s Easter target.
“I just want to say on behalf of everyone I know in the business, that is literally out of the question,” Redlener said. “This cannot happen. It should not happen. We actually should be increasing the restrictions for some period of time.”
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A group of more than 800,000 physicians with the Council of Medical Specialty Societies also wrote to the White House urging continued social distancing measures.
“Federal, state, and local governments should only set a date for lifting nationwide social distancing restrictions consistent with assessments by public health and medical experts,” they wrote. “Lifting restrictions sooner will gravely jeopardize the health of all Americans and extend the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
On Sunday, Trump endorsed extending social distancing guidelines through the end of April, saying his Easter timeline was “aspirational.”
At the same press conference, he wondered why hospitals, which usually don’t need so many masks and ventilators, are suddenly saying they do. Instead of realizing that the need for medical equipment has jumped exponentially with the spread of the coronavirus, Trump offered up a conspiracy theory: that the ventilators and masks that hospitals are asking for might be “going out the back door.”


huffpost--2020-04-02--Coronavirus Deaths Mount In New York

Coronavirus Deaths Mount In New York

NEW YORK ( AP ) — New York authorities rushed to bring in an army of medical volunteers Wednesday as the statewide death toll from the coronavirus doubled in 72 hours to more than 1,900 and the wail of ambulances in the otherwise eerily quiet streets of the city became the heartbreaking soundtrack of the crisis .
Trump said his administration has agreed to ship out 1,000 ventilators — breathing machines that are vital for treating people with severe cases of COVID-19 .
He said that the U.S. government has a stockpile of nearly 10,000 but has kept close hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly to states that need them .
Worldwide , more than 900,000 people have been infected and over 45,000 have died , according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University , though the real figures are believed to be much higher because of testing shortages , differences in counting the dead and large numbers of mild cases that have gone unreported .
“ It ’ s hard when you lose patients .
It ’ s hard when you have to tell the family members : ‘ I ’ m sorry , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ” said nurse Katherine Ramos , of Cape Coral , Florida , who has been working at New York Presbyterian Hospital .
“ It ’ s even harder when we really don ’ t have the time to mourn , the time to talk about this.
” To ease the crushing caseload , the city ’ s paramedics have been told they shouldn ’ t take fatal heart attack victims to hospitals to have them pronounced dead .
Patients have been transferred to the Albany area .
A Navy hospital ship has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Javits Convention Center has been turned into a hospital , and the tennis center that hosts the U.S. Open is being converted to one , too .
“ After 9/11 , I remember we actually wanted to hear the sound of ambulances on our quiet streets because that meant there were survivors , but we didn ’ t hear those sounds , and it was heartbreaking .
Today , I hear an ambulance on my strangely quiet street and my heart breaks , too , ” said 61-year-old Meg Gifford , a former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Upper East Side .
“ Let ’ s cooperate to address that in New York because it ’ s going to be in your town tomorrow , ” he warned .
“ If we learn how to do it right here — or learn how to do it the best we can , because there is no right , it ’ s only the best we can — then we can work cooperatively all across this country.
” Spain reported a record 864 deaths in one day , for a total of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unprecedented 509 and more than 4,000 in all .
In Italy , with over 13,000 dead , the most of any country , morgues overflowed with bodies , caskets piled up in churches and doctors were forced to decide which desperately ill patients would get breathing machines .

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NEW YORK (AP) — New York authorities rushed to bring in an army of medical volunteers Wednesday as the statewide death toll from the coronavirus doubled in 72 hours to more than 1,900 and the wail of ambulances in the otherwise eerily quiet streets of the city became the heartbreaking soundtrack of the crisis.
As hot spots flared around the U.S. in places like New Orleans and Southern California, the nation’s biggest city was the hardest hit of them all, with bodies loaded onto refrigerated morgue trucks by gurney and forklift outside overwhelmed hospitals, in full view of passing motorists.
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”It’s like a battlefield behind your home,” said 33-year-old Emma Sorza, who could hear the sirens from severely swamped Elmhurst Hospital in Queens.
And the worst is yet to come.
“How does it end? And people want answers,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “I want answers. The answer is nobody knows for sure.”
President Donald Trump acknowledged that the federal stockpile is nearly depleted of personal protective equipment used by doctors and nurses.
“Difficult days are ahead for our nation,” Trump said. “We’re going to have a couple of weeks, starting pretty much now, but especially a few days from now that are going to be horrific.”
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Scientists offered more evidence Wednesday that the coronavirus is spread by seemingly healthy people who show no clear symptoms, leading the U.S. government to issue new guidance warning that anyone exposed to the disease can be considered a carrier.
Stocks tumbled on Wall Street and markets around the world, with 100,000 to 240,000 deaths projected in the U.S. before the crisis is over. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost more than 970 points, or over 4%.
A new report Wednesday from the United Nations said the global economy could shrink by almost 1% this year instead of growing at a projected 2.5%.
Under growing pressure, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis belatedly joined his counterparts in more than 30 states in issuing a statewide stay-home order, taking action after conferring with fellow Republican Trump. The governors of Pennsylvania and Nevada, both Democrats, and Mississippi’s GOP governor took similar steps.
Trump said his administration has agreed to ship out 1,000 ventilators — breathing machines that are vital for treating people with severe cases of COVID-19. He said that the U.S. government has a stockpile of nearly 10,000 but has kept close hold on them so they can be deployed quickly to states that need them.
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Meanwhile, European nations facing extraordinary demand for intensive-care beds are putting up makeshift hospitals, unsure whether they will find enough healthy medical staff to run them. London is days away from unveiling a 4,000-bed temporary hospital built in a huge convention center.
In a remarkable turnabout, rich economies where virus cases have exploded are welcoming help from less wealthy ones. Russia sent medical equipment and masks to the United States. Cuba supplied doctors to France. Turkey dispatched protective gear and disinfectant to Italy and Spain.
Worldwide, more than 900,000 people have been infected and over 45,000 have died, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University, though the real figures are believed to be much higher because of testing shortages, differences in counting the dead and large numbers of mild cases that have gone unreported.
The U.S. recorded about 210,000 infections and about 4,600 deaths, with New York City accounting for about 1 out of 4 dead.
More than 80,000 people have volunteered as medical reinforcements in New York, including recent retirees, health care professionals taking a break from their regular jobs and people between gigs.
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Few have made it into the field yet, as authorities vet and figure out how to use them, but hospitals are expected to begin bringing them in later this week.
Those who have hit the ground already, many brought in by staffing agencies, found a hospital system being driven to the breaking point.
“It’s hard when you lose patients. It’s hard when you have to tell the family members: ‘I’m sorry, but we did everything that we could,’” said nurse Katherine Ramos, of Cape Coral, Florida, who has been working at New York Presbyterian Hospital. “It’s even harder when we really don’t have the time to mourn, the time to talk about this.”
To ease the crushing caseload, the city’s paramedics have been told they shouldn’t take fatal heart attack victims to hospitals to have them pronounced dead. Patients have been transferred to the Albany area. A Navy hospital ship has docked in New York, the mammoth Javits Convention Center has been turned into a hospital, and the tennis center that hosts the U.S. Open is being converted to one, too.
With New York on near-lockdown, the normally bustling streets in the city of 8.6 million are empty, and sirens are no longer easily ignored as just urban background noise.
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“After 9/11, I remember we actually wanted to hear the sound of ambulances on our quiet streets because that meant there were survivors, but we didn’t hear those sounds, and it was heartbreaking. Today, I hear an ambulance on my strangely quiet street and my heart breaks, too,” said 61-year-old Meg Gifford, a former Wall Streeter who lives on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
Cuomo moved to close the city’s playgrounds because of too much crowding, but people can still use wide-open green spaces as long as they stay 6 feet apart. Police went around in patrol cars, blaring warnings to obey the rules.
Nearly 6,200 New York City police officers, or one-sixth of the department, were out sick Wednesday, including about 4,800 who reported flu-like systems, though it was not clear how many had the virus.
Cuomo said projections suggest the crisis in New York will peak at the end of April, with a high death rate continuing through July.
“Let’s cooperate to address that in New York because it’s going to be in your town tomorrow,” he warned. “If we learn how to do it right here — or learn how to do it the best we can, because there is no right, it’s only the best we can — then we can work cooperatively all across this country.”
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Elsewhere around the country, the number of dead in Louisiana was put at more than 270. In Southern California, officials reported that at least 51 residents and six staff members at a nursing home east of Los Angeles have been infected and two have died.
Florida’s DeSantis was locked in a standoff over whether two cruise ships with sick and dead passengers may dock in his state. More than 300 U.S. citizens were on board. Two deaths were blamed on the virus, and nine people tested positive, Holland America cruise line said.
Even as the virus appears to have slowed its growth in overwhelmed Italy and in China, where it first emerged, hospitals on the Continent are buckling under the load.
“It feels like we are in a Third World country. We don’t have enough masks, enough protective equipment, and by the end of the week we might be in need of more medication too,” said Paris emergency worker Christophe Prudhomme.
Spain reported a record 864 deaths in one day, for a total of more than 9,000, while France registered an unprecedented 509 and more than 4,000 in all. In Italy, with over 13,000 dead, the most of any country, morgues overflowed with bodies, caskets piled up in churches and doctors were forced to decide which desperately ill patients would get breathing machines.
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England’s Wimbledon tennis tournament was canceled for the first time since World War II.
India’s highest court ordered news media and social media sites to carry the government’s “official version” of developments, echoing actions taken in other countries to curb independent reporting.
The strain facing some of the world’s best health care systems has been aggravated by hospital budget cuts over the past decade in Italy, Spain, France and Britain. They have called in medical students, retired doctors and even laid-off flight attendants with first aid training.
The staffing shortage has been worsened by the high numbers of infected personnel. In Italy alone, nearly 10,000 medical workers have contracted the virus and more than 60 doctors have died.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. But for others, especially older adults and people with health problems, it can cause severe symptoms like pneumonia.
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Charlton reported from Paris. Sherman reported from Washington. Associated Press writers around the world contributed, including Joseph Wilson in Barcelona; Danica Kirka and Jill Lawless in London; Frank Jordans in Berlin; Karen Matthews in New York; and Nick Perry in Wellington, New Zealand.
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