rt--2020-04-07--Acting US Navy secretary RESIGNS amid scandal over coronavirus-hit USS Theodore Roosevelt

A day after issuing a formal apology for appearing to call the ousted captain of Covid-19-stricken aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt “ too naive or too stupid ” for command , acting US Navy Secretary Thomas Modly has resigned .
Modly tendered his resignation on Tuesday , and Defense Secretary Mark Esper accepted it the same afternoon .
Modly 's resignation came less than an hour after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had publicly demanded his removal .
Pelosi praised the actions of Captain Brett Crozier , whom Modly had relieved of command over his decision to make public a memo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ship , and accused Modly of failing to “ prioritize the force protection of our troops.
” The departing Navy Secretary had excoriated Crozier for allowing the memo to end up in the hands of the media , suggesting in an address to the Theodore Roosevelt 's crew over the weekend that if he hadn ’ t intended that outcome – which would have been a violation in itself – he was “ too naive or too stupid to be a commanding officer of a ship like this.
” Modly slammed the letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to send resources to help 100-plus Covid-19-infected sailors , as a “ betrayal of trust , ” claiming the news of the virus-soaked ship had deeply disturbed the government of Guam , where the carrier was docked Modly will be replaced by Army Undersecretary James McPherson , Esper told reporters on Tuesday , adding that President Donald Trump had approved the appointment .
McPherson himself had only been officially sworn in as Army Undersecretary last month after holding the role on an interim basis since July .
Modly himself had only held the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his predecessor , Richard Spencer , was fired over his handling of the case of Navy SEAL and accused war criminal Eddie Gallagher .
Trump had backed Modly ’ s decision to fire Crozier , denying last week that the captain was being “ punished ” for trying to save the lives of the men under his command – a move which immediately made the Navy Secretary a target of the president ’ s nemeses .
On Monday , Democratic Senators Ted Lieu ( California ) and Ruben Gallego ( Arizona ) wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for relieving Crozier of his command “ before an investigation was started into all the facts and circumstances ” and making “ inflammatory comments about a highly decorated commander.
” The USS Theodore Roosevelt is home to some 5,000 sailors and was deployed in the South China Sea before the Covid-19 outbreak forced it to return to harbor .
Its crew is being tested for the virus and quarantined in hotels on the US territory .
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A day after issuing a formal apology for appearing to call the ousted captain of Covid-19-stricken aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt “too naive or too stupid” for command, acting US Navy Secretary Thomas Modly has resigned.
Modly tendered his resignation on Tuesday, and Defense Secretary Mark Esper accepted it the same afternoon. Modly's resignation came less than an hour after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had publicly demanded his removal. Pelosi praised the actions of Captain Brett Crozier, whom Modly had relieved of command over his decision to make public a memo warning of a coronavirus outbreak aboard the ship, and accused Modly of failing to “prioritize the force protection of our troops.”
The departing Navy Secretary had excoriated Crozier for allowing the memo to end up in the hands of the media, suggesting in an address to the Theodore Roosevelt's crew over the weekend that if he hadn’t intended that outcome – which would have been a violation in itself – he was “too naive or too stupid to be a commanding officer of a ship like this.”
Modly slammed the letter, which had pleaded with the Navy to send resources to help 100-plus Covid-19-infected sailors, as a “betrayal of trust,” claiming the news of the virus-soaked ship had deeply disturbed the government of Guam, where the carrier was docked
Also on rt.com Carrier captain fired over coronavirus letter becomes latest Resistance icon
Modly will be replaced by Army Undersecretary James McPherson, Esper told reporters on Tuesday, adding that President Donald Trump had approved the appointment. McPherson himself had only been officially sworn in as Army Undersecretary last month after holding the role on an interim basis since July. Modly himself had only held the Acting Secretary post since November, when his predecessor, Richard Spencer, was fired over his handling of the case of Navy SEAL and accused war criminal Eddie Gallagher.
Trump had backed Modly’s decision to fire Crozier, denying last week that the captain was being “punished” for trying to save the lives of the men under his command – a move which immediately made the Navy Secretary a target of the president’s nemeses.
On Monday, Democratic Senators Ted Lieu (California) and Ruben Gallego (Arizona) wrote to Esper, demanding Modly be fired for relieving Crozier of his command “before an investigation was started into all the facts and circumstances” and making “inflammatory comments about a highly decorated commander.”
The USS Theodore Roosevelt is home to some 5,000 sailors and was deployed in the South China Sea before the Covid-19 outbreak forced it to return to harbor. Its crew is being tested for the virus and quarantined in hotels on the US territory.
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rt--2020-04-07--Rand Paul says he’s volunteering at Kentucky hospital after testing negative for Covid-19 (PHOTO)

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul has revealed he has been retested for Covid-19 and is negative , and is now volunteering at a local hospital in Kentucky to help coronavirus-infected patients .
“ I have been retested and I am negative , ” Paul tweeted on Tuesday .
The senator — a doctor who practiced ophthalmology before turning to politics full-time — had tested positive for Covid-19 only two weeks prior to the announcement .
The Republican received congratulations online both for his new negative test and his volunteer work amid the ongoing pandemic , though Paul did not specify what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul initially received a backlash when he tested positive for Covid-19 , as critics said he did not adhere to recommended social distancing guidelines while awaiting his results , and could have infected others .
The senator ’ s office said at the time that he insisted on being tested due to his travel schedule and high contact with others , despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending tests only for people suffering from symptoms .
In the time it took to get his results , Paul did not self-quarantine — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earning him ire from critics and fellow senators .
Paul hit back at the criticism , taking a swipe at the CDC guidelines by stating that if he had adhered to them , he never would have been tested in the first place .
`` For those who want to criticize me for lack of quarantine , realize that if the rules on testing had been followed to a tee , I would never have been tested and would still be walking around the halls of the Capitol , '' the senator said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this story , share it with a friend !

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul has revealed he has been retested for Covid-19 and is negative, and is now volunteering at a local hospital in Kentucky to help coronavirus-infected patients.
“I have been retested and I am negative,” Paul tweeted on Tuesday. The senator — a doctor who practiced ophthalmology before turning to politics full-time — had tested positive for Covid-19 only two weeks prior to the announcement.
I appreciate all the best wishes I have received. I have been retested and I am negative. I have started volunteering at a local hospital to assist those in my community who are in need of medical help, including Coronavirus patients. Together we will overcome this! pic.twitter.com/9SeypT7rL6 — Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) April 7, 2020
The Republican received congratulations online both for his new negative test and his volunteer work amid the ongoing pandemic, though Paul did not specify what specific volunteer work he's doing.
wonderful news for Rand Paul and for all of us https://t.co/zzyWJmceT8 — John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) April 7, 2020
@RandPaul is the politician I respect the most, even when I disagree with him. As a bonus, it is starting to look as if nothing can kill him. #coronavirushttps://t.co/NblIKsFPNg — Scott Adams (@ScottAdamsSays) April 7, 2020
Now recovered from Covid-19, Senator @RandPaul is set to volunteer in his local hospital to assist medical staff in the fight against the virus. Amazing effort. https://t.co/VD7b9Xl7MH — Kate Andrews (@KateAndrs) April 7, 2020
Paul initially received a backlash when he tested positive for Covid-19, as critics said he did not adhere to recommended social distancing guidelines while awaiting his results, and could have infected others.
The senator’s office said at the time that he insisted on being tested due to his travel schedule and high contact with others, despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending tests only for people suffering from symptoms. In the time it took to get his results, Paul did not self-quarantine — and even used the Senate gym, earning him ire from critics and fellow senators.
Also on rt.com ‘WHO blew it!’ Trump accuses global health watchdog of being CHINA-CENTRIC despite ‘largely US-funded’
Paul hit back at the criticism, taking a swipe at the CDC guidelines by stating that if he had adhered to them, he never would have been tested in the first place.
"For those who want to criticize me for lack of quarantine, realize that if the rules on testing had been followed to a tee, I would never have been tested and would still be walking around the halls of the Capitol," the senator said in a statement.
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rt--2020-04-07--Target becomes latest retail giant hit by wave of Covid-19 walkouts over ‘insultingly low pay’ & on-

Target becomes latest retail giant hit by wave of Covid-19 walkouts over ‘insultingly low pay’ & on-the-job hazards

Delivery workers at US megachain Target have walked off the job , demanding paid sick leave , personal protective equipment and hazard pay , following wildcat strikes at Amazon , Whole Foods and Instacart .
Staff walked off the job at Target delivery subsidiary Shipt on Tuesday , inspired by a growing number of 'essential workers ' demanding better working conditions as they risk their lives to serve customers in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic .
Led by a group calling itself `` Shipt Shoppers , '' the walkout participants have pledged not to return to work until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to its current `` insultingly low '' payout system , and expands its paid sick leave policy to include employees who have not tested positive for coronavirus but face heightened risk due to pre-existing health conditions .
Strikers have also demanded that Shipt supply adequate protective equipment and cleaning supplies for all workers , claiming that while those at Target stores are allotted a single pair of gloves and a tiny bottle of hand sanitizer , employees at non-Target stores get nothing .
Workers who lose a glove or run out of sanitizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shipt Shoppers claims employees have been `` sounding the alarm for weeks , '' the company has allegedly turned a deaf ear , stepping in only to `` add insult to injury '' by tweaking payment structures to disadvantage workers further .
The group was inspired to strike by last week 's Amazon warehouse walkouts , as well as a wildcat strike at grocery delivery platform Instacart , Shipt Shoppers organizer Will Solis told the Hill on Monday .
Amazon employees across the country have staged demonstrations for worker safety , with over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting coronavirus infections .
One group of striking Amazon employees in Staten Island , whose protest attracted international media attention last week , repeated its walkout on Monday , with some workers complaining nothing had changed despite Amazon 's promises to procure masks for its employees and conduct temperature checks .
Amazon has also pledged to promote safety by using AI and machine learning to enforce social distancing between employees .
But some see that as a thinly-veiled threat to workers who try to organize , given that Staten Island strike leader Chris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walkout for allegedly violating distancing rules in a move he slammed as retaliatory .
With more than 10 million newly-unemployed Americans looking for work , companies like Amazon , Shipt , and Instacart have brushed off widespread employee unrest by focusing on the thousands of new hires they 're bringing in to meet surging demand .
Sparing a thought for the desperate new arrivals , Shipt Shoppers included in its demands a plea for Target to `` stop exploiting its new workers , '' accusing the company of `` preying upon vulnerable populations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' throwing new employees into the mix without proper training – let alone safety equipment or reasonable pay .
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Delivery workers at US megachain Target have walked off the job, demanding paid sick leave, personal protective equipment and hazard pay, following wildcat strikes at Amazon, Whole Foods and Instacart.
Staff walked off the job at Target delivery subsidiary Shipt on Tuesday, inspired by a growing number of 'essential workers' demanding better working conditions as they risk their lives to serve customers in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
Led by a group calling itself "Shipt Shoppers," the walkout participants have pledged not to return to work until the company tacks on $5 per order to its current "insultingly low" payout system, and expands its paid sick leave policy to include employees who have not tested positive for coronavirus but face heightened risk due to pre-existing health conditions.
Also on rt.com ‘We will go to the governor’s door’: Fired Amazon walkout leader vows BIGGER protest if Covid-19 safety demands not met
Strikers have also demanded that Shipt supply adequate protective equipment and cleaning supplies for all workers, claiming that while those at Target stores are allotted a single pair of gloves and a tiny bottle of hand sanitizer, employees at non-Target stores get nothing. Workers who lose a glove or run out of sanitizer are apparently out of luck. While Shipt Shoppers claims employees have been "sounding the alarm for weeks," the company has allegedly turned a deaf ear, stepping in only to "add insult to injury" by tweaking payment structures to disadvantage workers further.
The group was inspired to strike by last week's Amazon warehouse walkouts, as well as a wildcat strike at grocery delivery platform Instacart, Shipt Shoppers organizer Will Solis told the Hill on Monday.
Amazon employees across the country have staged demonstrations for worker safety, with over 50 of the megacorporation's US facilities reporting coronavirus infections. One group of striking Amazon employees in Staten Island, whose protest attracted international media attention last week, repeated its walkout on Monday, with some workers complaining nothing had changed despite Amazon's promises to procure masks for its employees and conduct temperature checks.
Amazon has also pledged to promote safety by using AI and machine learning to enforce social distancing between employees. But some see that as a thinly-veiled threat to workers who try to organize, given that Staten Island strike leader Chris Smalls was fired the day of the walkout for allegedly violating distancing rules in a move he slammed as retaliatory.
note to self: Never underestimate punitive imagination of big business leaders. No real paid leave, no time to wash your hands, no hand sanitizer, but, huzzah! an inventive new way to make our failure to mitigate exposure your fault https://t.co/RvobbmAvcW — Dania Rajendra (@DaniaRajendra) April 6, 2020
Amazon is now physically and psychologically torturing its already struggling work force. https://t.co/PeEVTyL6ww — Input (@inputmag) April 7, 2020
With more than 10 million newly-unemployed Americans looking for work, companies like Amazon, Shipt, and Instacart have brushed off widespread employee unrest by focusing on the thousands of new hires they're bringing in to meet surging demand. Sparing a thought for the desperate new arrivals, Shipt Shoppers included in its demands a plea for Target to "stop exploiting its new workers," accusing the company of "preying upon vulnerable populations who have recently lost their jobs," throwing new employees into the mix without proper training – let alone safety equipment or reasonable pay.
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rt--2020-04-07--‘Take me back!’ NYC patients ‘crying & screaming’ not to be sent to overcrowded hospitals during Cov

‘Take me back!’ NYC patients ‘crying & screaming’ not to be sent to overcrowded hospitals during Covid-19 — doctor (VIDEO)

Patients in New York , gripped by a massive outbreak of the Covid-19 , are resisting hospitalization out of fear of catching the deadly disease as medical facilities are severely overcrowded with coronavirus cases , a doctor said .
New York has become one of the epicenters of the coronavirus epidemic in the US .
The state has seen more than 130,000 confirmed cases as well as 4,758 deaths — already more than in all of China , where the disease was first reported .
The dire situation has put a severe strain on the local health system and , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitted to a hospital is more like a nightmare than salvation , according to Calvin Sun , a per-diem emergency physician and clinical professor of emergency medicine .
“ I have patients coming , crying and screaming that they do not want to be sent to emergency rooms from the nursing homes because they have a fever , ” he told Ruptly video news agency .
“ They are screaming because they do not want to get the virus .
They are saying : “ Take me back , take me back.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be seriously concerned about their health during hospitalization , given overcrowding and the risk of infection across shared wards and busy hallways .
He suggested it might be much safer for the elderly to stay in their nursing homes than be sent to hospital .
The doctor partly blames the dire situation New York has found itself in on the panic that spread among the local population when the outbreak was only in its early stages , and that the Covid-19 ‘ curve ’ might well have been flattened through proper social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ looked good ” and “ had no symptoms ” flocked to emergency rooms in droves seeking coronavirus testing — even though hospitals didn ’ t even have the tests yet , Sun explained .
They kept coming in the following weeks , with some displaying mild symptoms of the disease — despite the fact that they could have stayed home and received treatment there — likely spreading the disease to far more people .
‘ Being sent to certain doom ’ Now , the situation in the overcrowded hospitals looks really grim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives of those already admitted there , while dealing with an increasing influx of new arrivals .
“ People upstairs were dying on a regular basis every hour .
People were dying in emergency rooms waiting for their beds .
Every day is just worse than the last , ” Sun recalls of hospital conditions .
The situation is particularly dangerous for the elderly , a known high-risk group for Covid-19 , and older people are terrified of going to hospital .
The medic also acknowledged that hospitals still do not have reliable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to mention ongoing uncertainties around how Covid-19 kills people so quickly .
“ There is still no vaccine and no cure , ” Sun said .
“ The hypothetical treatments that might work are based on poorly-run studies with very few patients , so I would not bet my life on it — or risk my life for.
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Patients in New York, gripped by a massive outbreak of the Covid-19, are resisting hospitalization out of fear of catching the deadly disease as medical facilities are severely overcrowded with coronavirus cases, a doctor said.
New York has become one of the epicenters of the coronavirus epidemic in the US. The state has seen more than 130,000 confirmed cases as well as 4,758 deaths — already more than in all of China, where the disease was first reported. The dire situation has put a severe strain on the local health system and, for patients, the prospect of being admitted to a hospital is more like a nightmare than salvation, according to Calvin Sun, a per-diem emergency physician and clinical professor of emergency medicine.
“I have patients coming, crying and screaming that they do not want to be sent to emergency rooms from the nursing homes because they have a fever,” he told Ruptly video news agency. “They are screaming because they do not want to get the virus. They are saying: “Take me back, take me back.”
Price of panic
Sun admits that patients have good reason to be seriously concerned about their health during hospitalization, given overcrowding and the risk of infection across shared wards and busy hallways. He suggested it might be much safer for the elderly to stay in their nursing homes than be sent to hospital.
The doctor partly blames the dire situation New York has found itself in on the panic that spread among the local population when the outbreak was only in its early stages, and that the Covid-19 ‘curve’ might well have been flattened through proper social distancing. Initially, people, who “looked good” and “had no symptoms” flocked to emergency rooms in droves seeking coronavirus testing — even though hospitals didn’t even have the tests yet, Sun explained.
They kept coming in the following weeks, with some displaying mild symptoms of the disease — despite the fact that they could have stayed home and received treatment there — likely spreading the disease to far more people.
Also on rt.com New York confirms record 731 coronavirus deaths in one day
‘Being sent to certain doom’
Now, the situation in the overcrowded hospitals looks really grim as medics try desperately to save the lives of those already admitted there, while dealing with an increasing influx of new arrivals.
“People upstairs were dying on a regular basis every hour. People were dying in emergency rooms waiting for their beds. Every day is just worse than the last,” Sun recalls of hospital conditions. The situation is particularly dangerous for the elderly, a known high-risk group for Covid-19, and older people are terrified of going to hospital.
They know they are being sent to certain doom because they are going to inhale the air in the emergency rooms where the patients — 99 percent of whom are testing positive for Covid-19 — are coughing and sneezing.
The medic also acknowledged that hospitals still do not have reliable tactics to combat the deadly disease, not to mention ongoing uncertainties around how Covid-19 kills people so quickly.
“There is still no vaccine and no cure,” Sun said. “The hypothetical treatments that might work are based on poorly-run studies with very few patients, so I would not bet my life on it — or risk my life for.”
Also on rt.com ‘There'll be a lot of death’: Trump sends 1,000s of troops to Covid-19-hit states for ‘toughest 2 weeks’
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rt--2020-04-07--New York confirms record 731 coronavirus deaths in one day

Death toll in the US state of New York has jumped by record 731 over the last 24 hours reaching 5,489 , Governor Andrew Cuomo has confirmed .
The number of new hospitalizations in the state gripped by Covid-19 also almost doubled .
Cuomo described the new death toll as the largest single-day increase so far .
Yet , despite the grim news , he said that the state is approaching a “ plateau ” in the total number of coronavirus hospitalizations .
ICU admissions and intubations are both down , and Cuomo announced the state has enough beds and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaint for the governor in previous press briefings .
Cuomo maintained , however , that hospital staffing is a `` problem . ''
In spite of the single day record death toll , Cuomo says lockdown measures taken in the state are `` changing the curve '' of the virus and `` social distancing is working . ''
Cuomo says he believes New York has not `` lost a single person because we could n't provide care , '' even though he admitted `` you ca n't save everyone . ''
New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Think your friends would be interested ?
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Death toll in the US state of New York has jumped by record 731 over the last 24 hours reaching 5,489, Governor Andrew Cuomo has confirmed. The number of new hospitalizations in the state gripped by Covid-19 also almost doubled.
Cuomo described the new death toll as the largest single-day increase so far. Yet, despite the grim news, he said that the state is approaching a “plateau” in the total number of coronavirus hospitalizations.
ICU admissions and intubations are both down, and Cuomo announced the state has enough beds and ventilators, something that was a common complaint for the governor in previous press briefings.
Cuomo maintained, however, that hospital staffing is a "problem."
The healthcare staff is getting sick. They're overworked, they're stressed. They're under great emotional stress.
In spite of the single day record death toll, Cuomo says lockdown measures taken in the state are "changing the curve" of the virus and "social distancing is working."
Cuomo says he believes New York has not "lost a single person because we couldn't provide care," even though he admitted "you can't save everyone."
This virus is very good at what it does, and it kills vulnerable people. That's what it does.
New York currently has 138,836 confirmed coronavirus cases.
Also on rt.com Plot thickens as Wisconsin Supreme Court overrules governor & orders ‘pandemic primary’ to proceed
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rt--2020-04-07--‘WHO blew it!’ Trump accuses global health watchdog of being CHINA-CENTRIC despite ‘largely US-funde

‘WHO blew it!’ Trump accuses global health watchdog of being CHINA-CENTRIC despite ‘largely US-funded’

US President Donald Trump slammed the World Health Organization for its “ faulty recommendation ” that the US – which now has more coronavirus cases than China – should keep its borders open during the early weeks of the epidemic .
The president warned he would be having a “ good look ” at why the WHO , chiefly funded by the US , was so “ China centric ” in a tweet on Tuesday .
Congratulating himself for not listening to the NGO ’ s advice , Trump wondered aloud about its motivations .
As the coronavirus epidemic has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , China to a global pandemic , world leaders have rushed to point fingers , each accusing the others of “ getting it wrong ” early on .
While Trump ’ s early attempts to downplay the seriousness of the virus have gotten heaps of media attention , the WHO ’ s early reports that there was no evidence of person-to-person transmission have been largely forgotten .
The UN health organization ’ s recommendations have shifted dramatically over the intervening weeks .
As of Tuesday , a spokesman was warning countries eager to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the sweeping restrictions that have pitched the world economy into a death spiral would trigger a resurgence of the epidemic , even in areas where it seems to be waning .
While Trump had previously expressed hope of getting Americans out of their lockdowns by Easter , he seemed more recently to have resigned himself and the nation to another month of quarantine .
Meanwhile , the US economy continues to bleed out , with over 10 million workers filing unemployment claims in the last two weeks .
The US leads the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with 368,533 as of Tuesday to China ’ s 82,718 .
Some 11,018 people have died with the virus in the US , a good deal more than China ’ s officially confirmed 3,335 deaths .
The WHO praised China ’ s strict quarantines and other sweeping control measures for slowing the spread of the virus .
However , the US ’ own efforts to emulate Beijing with mass lockdowns were doomed by foot-dragging and false starts on testing .
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US President Donald Trump slammed the World Health Organization for its “faulty recommendation” that the US – which now has more coronavirus cases than China – should keep its borders open during the early weeks of the epidemic.
The president warned he would be having a “good look” at why the WHO, chiefly funded by the US, was so “China centric” in a tweet on Tuesday.
Congratulating himself for not listening to the NGO’s advice, Trump wondered aloud about its motivations.
The W.H.O. really blew it. For some reason, funded largely by the United States, yet very China centric. We will be giving that a good look. Fortunately I rejected their advice on keeping our borders open to China early on. Why did they give us such a faulty recommendation? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 7, 2020
As the coronavirus epidemic has grown from a localized outbreak around Wuhan, China to a global pandemic, world leaders have rushed to point fingers, each accusing the others of “getting it wrong” early on. While Trump’s early attempts to downplay the seriousness of the virus have gotten heaps of media attention, the WHO’s early reports that there was no evidence of person-to-person transmission have been largely forgotten.
Also on rt.com WHO warns Covid-19 may reignite if restrictions lifted too early as Austria & Denmark announce gradual reopening
The UN health organization’s recommendations have shifted dramatically over the intervening weeks. As of Tuesday, a spokesman was warning countries eager to get back to work that lifting some of the sweeping restrictions that have pitched the world economy into a death spiral would trigger a resurgence of the epidemic, even in areas where it seems to be waning.
While Trump had previously expressed hope of getting Americans out of their lockdowns by Easter, he seemed more recently to have resigned himself and the nation to another month of quarantine. Meanwhile, the US economy continues to bleed out, with over 10 million workers filing unemployment claims in the last two weeks.
The US leads the world in number of confirmed coronavirus cases, with 368,533 as of Tuesday to China’s 82,718. Some 11,018 people have died with the virus in the US, a good deal more than China’s officially confirmed 3,335 deaths. The WHO praised China’s strict quarantines and other sweeping control measures for slowing the spread of the virus. However, the US’ own efforts to emulate Beijing with mass lockdowns were doomed by foot-dragging and false starts on testing.
Also on rt.com WHO can we trust? Just when coronavirus gave the World Health Organization its moment to shine, it bottled it
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rt--2020-04-07--White House press secretary Grisham leaves post... without ever having held a briefing

White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham is stepping down from her position after less than a year .
She will instead begin working with Melania Trump .
Grisham served as press secretary for the White House for 10 months and is notable in her position for having never held one single press briefing .
She mainly conducted media interviews , mostly with Fox News .
Grisham will be returning to her previous role in the administration as First Lady Melania Trump ’ s chief of staff .
“ I am excited to welcome back to the team , ” Melania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grisham said her replacement will be announced “ in the coming days.
” Grisham ’ s position shift is due to Mark Meadows , President Donald Trump ’ s new chief of staff , reorganizing the West Wing personnel .
Alyssa Farah , the spokesperson for the Department of Defense , is reportedly being considered as a replacement for Grisham .
Last Friday , Grisham dismissed reports she was losing her press secretary position , telling Axios : “ Sounds like more palace intrigue to me , but I ’ ve also been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ironic that the press secretary would hear about being replaced in the press.
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White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham is stepping down from her position after less than a year. She will instead begin working with Melania Trump.
Grisham served as press secretary for the White House for 10 months and is notable in her position for having never held one single press briefing. She mainly conducted media interviews, mostly with Fox News.
Grisham will be returning to her previous role in the administration as First Lady Melania Trump’s chief of staff.
Stephanie Grisham is leaving her role as the White House Press Secretary and becoming the chief of staff to First Lady Melania Trump.Grisham never held a single White House briefing.Here's the White House's official announcement. pic.twitter.com/eDuzwd34hY — Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) April 7, 2020
“I am excited to welcome back to the team,” Melania Trump announced in a public statement. Grisham said her replacement will be announced “in the coming days.”
Grisham’s position shift is due to Mark Meadows, President Donald Trump’s new chief of staff, reorganizing the West Wing personnel. Alyssa Farah, the spokesperson for the Department of Defense, is reportedly being considered as a replacement for Grisham.
Last Friday, Grisham dismissed reports she was losing her press secretary position, telling Axios: “Sounds like more palace intrigue to me, but I’ve also been in quarantine. If true, how ironic that the press secretary would hear about being replaced in the press.”
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rt--2020-04-07--Plot thickens as Wisconsin Supreme Court overrules governor & orders ‘pandemic primary’ to proceed

State , local and primary elections in Wisconsin must proceed , the state Supreme Court said after ruling that the governor lacks authority to postpone them – which he tried to do earlier , citing the coronavirus crisis .
The court made the 4-2 ruling on Monday afternoon , after the Republican majority in the state legislature complained that Governor Tony Evers overstepped his powers by ordering the April 7 primary moved to June 9 .
The ruling did not come as a surprise , for two reasons .
Republicans have a 5-2 majority on the panel , with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because he is up for re-election on Tuesday .
Secondly , the governor himself admitted he did not have the statutory power to delay the election .
Wisconsin has been under a “ stay-at-home ” order since March 24 .
Poll workers – mostly elderly people who are at greatest risk from Covid-19 – have indeed been reluctant to volunteer , forcing the authorities to call up 2,500 members of the National Guard to man and disinfect the polling stations .
Evers , a Democrat , resisted calls to postpone the primary – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – for weeks , until he suddenly changed his mind over the weekend , and tried to do it with an executive order that he presumably knew would be voided .
Now the state Democratic Party leader is arguing that anything that happens in the election will be the Republicans ’ fault – and fundraising “ to help us fight to protect voters.
” National Democrats are also amplifying this message , with California Congressman Ted Lieu accusing Republicans of “ working overtime to undermine the election.
” The Washington Post ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wars point to a ” GOP plot to save ” President Donald Trump .
Yet it was Republicans in Ohio who agreed to postpone the state primary until April 28 and conduct it mostly by mail , while Democrat-run Illinois insisted on holding theirs – which , as expected , provided a major boost to establishment favorite Joe Biden over the Bernie Sanders insurgency – on March 17 , even as much of the nation was going into lockdown .
All this opprobrium may have something to do with the fact that President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a one-percent margin over Hillary Clinton – who didn ’ t bother campaigning there – in 2016 .
Democrats have been focused on recapturing the state this November .
Postponing elections due to a pandemic lockdown sounds like common sense .
Trying to do so at the eleventh hour through overreach , knowing that the other side will have no choice but to oppose it and the courts will overrule it – and perhaps counting on that to happen – sounds more like a political ploy to weaponize the coronavirus , rather than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your friends would be interested ?
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State, local and primary elections in Wisconsin must proceed, the state Supreme Court said after ruling that the governor lacks authority to postpone them – which he tried to do earlier, citing the coronavirus crisis.
The court made the 4-2 ruling on Monday afternoon, after the Republican majority in the state legislature complained that Governor Tony Evers overstepped his powers by ordering the April 7 primary moved to June 9.
Also on rt.com Wisconsin governor suspends state, local & primary elections over coronavirus concerns despite lacking authority
The ruling did not come as a surprise, for two reasons. Republicans have a 5-2 majority on the panel, with the fifth judge recusing himself from the case because he is up for re-election on Tuesday. Secondly, the governor himself admitted he did not have the statutory power to delay the election.
Wisconsin has been under a “stay-at-home” order since March 24. Poll workers – mostly elderly people who are at greatest risk from Covid-19 – have indeed been reluctant to volunteer, forcing the authorities to call up 2,500 members of the National Guard to man and disinfect the polling stations.
If you're a Wisconsin poll worker, your duty to democracy right now is NOT to risk your life so citizens can risk theirs to vote tomorrow.Your duty is to publicly refuse to work tomorrow in order to shut this primary down, save lives & protect the right to vote.#SafeVoteForWI — Kai Newkirk #NotMeUs (@kai_newkirk) April 6, 2020
Evers, a Democrat, resisted calls to postpone the primary – along with the state and local elections – for weeks, until he suddenly changed his mind over the weekend, and tried to do it with an executive order that he presumably knew would be voided.
Now the state Democratic Party leader is arguing that anything that happens in the election will be the Republicans’ fault – and fundraising“to help us fight to protect voters.”
Every headline announcing that Wisconsin's Supreme Court is forcing an in-person election tomorrow should make clear that the court is GOP-dominated 4-2 and voted accordingly. — Ben Wikler (@benwikler) April 6, 2020
National Democrats are also amplifying this message, with California Congressman Ted Lieu accusing Republicans of “working overtime to undermine the election.”
Wisconsin will play a critical role in the presidential election. And right now the GOP is working overtime to undermine the election. Donate to help make sure every vote counts: https://t.co/DFSVslS37Ihttps://t.co/msrljqE38x — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) April 6, 2020
The Washington Post’s pro-Democrat bloggers outright argue the Wisconsin poll wars point to a ”GOP plot to save” President Donald Trump.
Opinion: Surprise twist in Wisconsin voting wars points to GOP plot to save Trump https://t.co/hjsMmhsSC5 — The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) April 6, 2020
Yet it was Republicans in Ohio who agreed to postpone the state primary until April 28 and conduct it mostly by mail, while Democrat-run Illinois insisted on holding theirs – which, as expected, provided a major boost to establishment favorite Joe Biden over the Bernie Sanders insurgency – on March 17, even as much of the nation was going into lockdown.
All this opprobrium may have something to do with the fact that President Donald Trump won Wisconsin with less than a one-percent margin over Hillary Clinton – who didn’t bother campaigning there – in 2016. Democrats have been focused on recapturing the state this November.
Also on rt.com Not letting a crisis go to waste: Some seize on Covid-19 to force change on America
Postponing elections due to a pandemic lockdown sounds like common sense. Trying to do so at the eleventh hour through overreach, knowing that the other side will have no choice but to oppose it and the courts will overrule it – and perhaps counting on that to happen – sounds more like a political ploy to weaponize the coronavirus, rather than true concern about public health.
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rt--2020-04-06--Covid tears: ‘No masks nurse’ story shows how pandemic is newfound opportunity for MSM to peddle emo

Covid tears: ‘No masks nurse’ story shows how pandemic is newfound opportunity for MSM to peddle emotionally-charged fake news

Stories of human tragedy abound during the Covid-19 pandemic , but in its hunger for tear-jerking moments , CBS has thrown the rule book out the window and spread some viral “ fake news.
” In a clip aired on Sunday but filmed a week earlier , nurse Imaris Vera bursts into tears and describes how she quit her job after “ none of the nurses ” in a dedicated coronavirus unit were wearing masks .
Furthermore , she called out her Chicago hospital for banning nurses from using their own protective equipment in the facility .
“ America is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ and nurses are not being protected.
” On the surface , the video is a damning indictment of the US government ’ s response to the pandemic .
Indeed , the media have frequently lambasted President Donald Trump for failing to act quick enough to contain the spread of the virus .
But dig a little deeper and the story begins to collapse .
Vera admitted in a tweet on Saturday that she had actually been assigned an N95 respirator to wear , despite claiming in the video that “ none of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were wearing masks .
Whether her hospital banned the wearing of masks in hallways and corridors to preserve supplies is still unclear .
Furthermore , the nurse didn ’ t quit her job after a long and tireless struggle against the coronavirus .
Her social media posts revealed that she quit on her first day on the job .
According to her Facebook page , the woman had taken a year off , during which time she had built a career as a blogger and Instagram model .
Since the virus hit US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instagram page to promote boutique hand sanitizer and designer nurse ’ s scrubs .
That ’ s not to say the woman wasn ’ t feeling scared .
Flogging luxury hand sanitizer isn ’ t a sin , and neither is feeling overwhelmed .
Vera claims on her social media profiles that she suffers from “ anxiety and bi-polar depression , ” and has said that the information overload surrounding the coronavirus “ triggers ” her .
However , had the CBS News team done some basic vetting , they would have learned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source .
But then again , maybe CBS didn ’ t care about accuracy .
After all , this is the same network that used footage last month from an overwhelmed Italian ICU ward in a story about the outbreak in New York .
Before airing the misleading footage , CBS described it as “ right here ” in New York .
The mix-up was later blamed by CBS on an “ editing mistake.
” The pursuit of headlines – particularly ones that damage the Donald Trump administration – by the mainstream media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
CBS opened 2020 by declaring that it had caught a group of firefighters making a “ ‘ white power ’ hand gesture ” in a group photo , regurgitating a long-disproven internet hoax .
When President Trump withdrew US forces from Kurdish-controlled northern Syria last year , the media accused him of giving Turkey a “ green light ” to move in and annihilate the Kurds .
In a report on the “ slaughter in Syria , ” ABC News showed a torrent of fire and explosions , supposedly unleashed on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ footage was actually shot at a Kentucky gun range , some 6,200 miles ( 10,000km ) away .
ABC said at the time that it regretted “ the error.
” Whether its aim is to mislead viewers or to tug on heartstrings , the media hasn ’ t missed an opportunity to rush dodgy footage in front of viewers .
Such videos may generate clicks , but they also lend credence to President Trump ’ s oft-repeated assertion that the “ fake news media ” doesn ’ t care about the truth .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ world suggest that the Trump administration is doing all it can to pressure industry into keeping masks in the US .
Amid reports of American buyers snapping up shipments bound for other countries , Trump said on Saturday that “ we need the masks , we don ’ t want other people getting it.
” Trump ’ s ‘ America First ’ approach to acquiring these masks has also been criticized heavily by the media .
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Stories of human tragedy abound during the Covid-19 pandemic, but in its hunger for tear-jerking moments, CBS has thrown the rule book out the window and spread some viral “fake news.”
In a clip aired on Sunday but filmed a week earlier, nurse Imaris Vera bursts into tears and describes how she quit her job after “none of the nurses” in a dedicated coronavirus unit were wearing masks. Furthermore, she called out her Chicago hospital for banning nurses from using their own protective equipment in the facility.
“America is not prepared,” she sobbed, “and nurses are not being protected.”
In tears, a nurse says she quit her job after she was asked to work in a coronavirus ICU without a face mask: “America is not prepared, and nurses are not being protected” https://t.co/ywoSuLOPYPpic.twitter.com/S5BsnlO5nt — CBS News (@CBSNews) April 5, 2020
On the surface, the video is a damning indictment of the US government’s response to the pandemic. Indeed, the media have frequently lambasted President Donald Trump for failing to act quick enough to contain the spread of the virus.
But dig a little deeper and the story begins to collapse. Vera admitted in a tweet on Saturday that she had actually been assigned an N95 respirator to wear, despite claiming in the video that “none of the nurses” in her ICU unit were wearing masks. Whether her hospital banned the wearing of masks in hallways and corridors to preserve supplies is still unclear.
Furthermore, the nurse didn’t quit her job after a long and tireless struggle against the coronavirus. Her social media posts revealed that she quit on her first day on the job. According to her Facebook page, the woman had taken a year off, during which time she had built a career as a blogger and Instagram model. Since the virus hit US shores, she’s used her Instagram page to promote boutique hand sanitizer and designer nurse’s scrubs.
That’s not to say the woman wasn’t feeling scared. Flogging luxury hand sanitizer isn’t a sin, and neither is feeling overwhelmed. Vera claims on her social media profiles that she suffers from “anxiety and bi-polar depression,” and has said that the information overload surrounding the coronavirus “triggers” her.
However, had the CBS News team done some basic vetting, they would have learned that they were dealing with an unreliable source.
But then again, maybe CBS didn’t care about accuracy. After all, this is the same network that used footage last month from an overwhelmed Italian ICU ward in a story about the outbreak in New York. Before airing the misleading footage, CBS described it as “right here” in New York.
During a Pandemic it is essential that the Media gives us real and accurate information.It’s completely irresponsible for @CBSNews to use footage from an Italian Hospital when talking about the outbreak in New York City.This is unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/Essp4uEHle — ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) March 30, 2020
The mix-up was later blamed by CBS on an “editing mistake.”
The pursuit of headlines – particularly ones that damage the Donald Trump administration – by the mainstream media has previously led to some suspicious mistakes. CBS opened 2020 by declaring that it had caught a group of firefighters making a “‘white power’ hand gesture” in a group photo, regurgitating a long-disproven internet hoax.
When President Trump withdrew US forces from Kurdish-controlled northern Syria last year, the media accused him of giving Turkey a “green light” to move in and annihilate the Kurds. In a report on the “slaughter in Syria,” ABC News showed a torrent of fire and explosions, supposedly unleashed on the Kurds by the Turks. Except the footage was actually shot at a Kentucky gun range, some 6,200 miles (10,000km) away. ABC said at the time that it regretted “the error.”
Whether its aim is to mislead viewers or to tug on heartstrings, the media hasn’t missed an opportunity to rush dodgy footage in front of viewers. Such videos may generate clicks, but they also lend credence to President Trump’s oft-repeated assertion that the “fake news media” doesn’t care about the truth.
Also on rt.com Hating Boris: For US liberals, the Covid-19-stricken UK PM is a proxy for Trump
And meanwhile, reports from around the world suggest that the Trump administration is doing all it can to pressure industry into keeping masks in the US. Amid reports of American buyers snapping up shipments bound for other countries, Trump said on Saturday that “we need the masks, we don’t want other people getting it.”
Trump’s ‘America First’ approach to acquiring these masks has also been criticized heavily by the media.
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rt--2020-04-06--Wisconsin governor suspends state, local & primary elections over coronavirus concerns despite lacki

Wisconsin governor suspends state, local & primary elections over coronavirus concerns despite lacking authority

Because of Covid-19 , in-person voting in Wisconsin ’ s elections will be postponed to June 9 , Governor Tony Evers said in an executive order .
His admitted constitutional overreach has sparked a furious partisan backlash .
Mailed-in ballots will still be counted , Evers said on Monday in a controversial decision he admitted he had no powers to actually make , but insisting that it had to be done as a matter of public health .
“ The people of Wisconsin , they don ’ t care about the fighting between Democrats and Republicans – they 're scared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sentinel .
Republicans , who hold the majority in the state legislature , reacted to the decision by filing a legal challenge before the state supreme court , saying that the governor had no authority to cancel or postpone elections .
Evers has previously admitted as much , but has been under growing pressure over the past week from the rank-and-file Democrats who pointed out that in-person voting – combined with a drastic reduction in the number of polling places due to the pandemic – would lead to widespread infection .
On Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convene for a special session and vote on postponing the elections , but the Republican majority ignored him .
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos argued that the vote should proceed as normal , hundreds of thousands of essential workers still went to work every day , and “ an election is just as important as getting take-out food.
” While Democrats have accused Republicans of “ voter suppression ” for trying to force the in-person ballot , the GOP has argued that Democrat-favored voting by mail will lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help that Wisconsin is a major swing state , with Democrats hoping to recover lost ground on the state Supreme Court and in the November general election .
Many local and state offices have terms that begin in April , so the delay effectively extends the incumbents ’ terms .
Other US states have opted to delay their primaries and local elections – most notably Louisiana , which announced that decision on March 13 .
Ohio followed suit on March 17 , even as Illinois , Arizona and Florida went ahead with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , Wisconsin has registered 2,440 positive tests of Covid-19 , of which there were 668 hospitalizations and 77 deaths .
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Because of Covid-19, in-person voting in Wisconsin’s elections will be postponed to June 9, Governor Tony Evers said in an executive order. His admitted constitutional overreach has sparked a furious partisan backlash.
Mailed-in ballots will still be counted, Evers said on Monday in a controversial decision he admitted he had no powers to actually make, but insisting that it had to be done as a matter of public health.
“The people of Wisconsin, they don’t care about the fighting between Democrats and Republicans – they're scared," Evers told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
"It could end up in the Supreme Court yet today but the bottom line is the people of Wisconsin, they don’t care about the fighting between Democrats and Republicans — they're scared," @GovEvers said in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. — Molly Beck (@MollyBeck) April 6, 2020
Republicans, who hold the majority in the state legislature, reacted to the decision by filing a legal challenge before the state supreme court, saying that the governor had no authority to cancel or postpone elections.
Evers has previously admitted as much, but has been under growing pressure over the past week from the rank-and-file Democrats who pointed out that in-person voting – combined with a drastic reduction in the number of polling places due to the pandemic – would lead to widespread infection.
Normally Wisconsin’s largest city has 180 polling locations.On Tuesday because of #COVID19 and because @wisgop totally blew off the special session called to delay it - Milwaukee will have 5 places to vote.Milwaukee has over 595,000 people and 5 places to vote.#wiunion — Randy Bryce (@IronStache) April 5, 2020
On Friday, the governor ordered the legislature to convene for a special session and vote on postponing the elections, but the Republican majority ignored him. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos argued that the vote should proceed as normal, hundreds of thousands of essential workers still went to work every day, and “an election is just as important as getting take-out food.”
While Democrats have accused Republicans of “voter suppression” for trying to force the in-person ballot, the GOP has argued that Democrat-favored voting by mail will lead to widespread fraud.
It does not help that Wisconsin is a major swing state, with Democrats hoping to recover lost ground on the state Supreme Court and in the November general election. Many local and state offices have terms that begin in April, so the delay effectively extends the incumbents’ terms.
Also on rt.com Covid-19 unites Democrats & Republicans: Most voters want primaries postponed
Other US states have opted to delay their primaries and local elections – most notably Louisiana, which announced that decision on March 13. Ohio followed suit on March 17, even as Illinois, Arizona and Florida went ahead with the primaries scheduled that day.
As of Monday, Wisconsin has registered 2,440 positive tests of Covid-19, of which there were 668 hospitalizations and 77 deaths.
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rt--2020-04-06--Covid-19 deaths in US soar past 10,000 amid mix of concerns over undetected casualties & cautious op

Covid-19 deaths in US soar past 10,000 amid mix of concerns over undetected casualties & cautious optimism

The death toll from Covid-19 and related complications has exceeded 10,000 across the United States , according to a Reuters tally .
But this number could be under-reported due to limited posthumous testing , data aggregators say .
The agency reported the grim milestone around noon Eastern Time on Monday , before another popular tally by Johns Hopkins University followed suit , putting the number above 10,300 .
Even so , the resulting figures are still being undercounted , claimed Jennifer Nuzzo , a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security .
Concerns over the real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the official US government numbers have also been recently voiced in mainstream media like the Washington Post and the New York Times , which previously focused their criticism on allegedly understated figures coming from more “ authoritative ” and “ repressive ” states .
The latest reports allege that local authorities in the US might be dramatically undercounting Covid-19-related deaths due to an unwillingness to waste precious testing kits to double-check if people , who seemingly died of other causes , had actually been infected with the coronavirus .
Meanwhile , the official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hardest-hit epicenter of New York , have shown the first signs of “ leveling off , ” prompting US President Donald Trump to hold an unexpected briefing to share the good news with Americans .
“ Maybe that 's a good sign , ” Trump said , citing the first drop in daily fatalities there as a “ light at the end of the tunnel.
” Trump 's advisers on the coronavirus task force , however , warned against early optimism , with Dr Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Like this story ?
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The death toll from Covid-19 and related complications has exceeded 10,000 across the United States, according to a Reuters tally. But this number could be under-reported due to limited posthumous testing, data aggregators say.
The agency reported the grim milestone around noon Eastern Time on Monday, before another popular tally by Johns Hopkins University followed suit, putting the number above 10,300.
Even so, the resulting figures are still being undercounted, claimed Jennifer Nuzzo, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security.
We definitely think there are deaths that we have not accounted for.
Also on rt.com ‘There'll be a lot of death’: Trump sends 1,000s of troops to Covid-19-hit states for ‘toughest 2 weeks’
Concerns over the real death toll being possibly much higher than the official US government numbers have also been recently voiced in mainstream media like the Washington Post and the New York Times, which previously focused their criticism on allegedly understated figures coming from more “authoritative” and “repressive” states.
The latest reports allege that local authorities in the US might be dramatically undercounting Covid-19-related deaths due to an unwillingness to waste precious testing kits to double-check if people, who seemingly died of other causes, had actually been infected with the coronavirus.
Also on rt.com Coronavirus lockdowns shave off almost 30 percent of entire US economy — Moody's
Meanwhile, the official numbers, at least those coming from the hardest-hit epicenter of New York, have shown the first signs of “leveling off,” prompting US President Donald Trump to hold an unexpected briefing to share the good news with Americans.
“Maybe that's a good sign,” Trump said, citing the first drop in daily fatalities there as a “light at the end of the tunnel.”
Trump's advisers on the coronavirus task force, however, warned against early optimism, with Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, saying:
What you're hearing about potential light at the end of the tunnel doesn't take away from the fact that tomorrow, the next day, are going to look really bad.
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rt--2020-04-06--Pentagon orders US military personnel to wear face coverings made from... ‘СLEAN T-SHIRTS’ & other h

Pentagon orders US military personnel to wear face coverings made from... ‘СLEAN T-SHIRTS’ & other household items

All US military personnel must cover their faces in situations where they are unable to adhere to social-distancing guidelines , the Pentagon has announced .
However , a shortage of masks means troops will have to get creative .
The new anti-coronavirus protocol – which applies to military and civilian personnel , along with family members , contractors and guests on military bases – calls for wearing “ cloth face coverings ” when individuals are unable to keep at least six feet away from each other .
Personal protective equipment such as N95 respirators will be reserved for “ appropriate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to make their own masks , Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in a memo .
The Pentagon has been widely criticized for its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic among US forces .
A Navy captain who was relieved of duty after raising the alarm about the virus spreading on his ship has been hailed as a hero among those who think the US military has failed to adequately respond to the health crisis .
A global shortage of medical masks has already led to international feuds .
A German lawmaker who accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diverting a shipment of protective masks bound for Berlin sparked heated exchanges between the two allies .
The German senator later conceded that the US was not involved in the case .
The masks , however , remain missing .
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All US military personnel must cover their faces in situations where they are unable to adhere to social-distancing guidelines, the Pentagon has announced. However, a shortage of masks means troops will have to get creative.
The new anti-coronavirus protocol – which applies to military and civilian personnel, along with family members, contractors and guests on military bases – calls for wearing “cloth face coverings” when individuals are unable to keep at least six feet away from each other.
Personal protective equipment such as N95 respirators will be reserved for “appropriate personnel” – meaning everyone else will have to make their own masks, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in a memo.
As an interim measure, all individuals are encouraged to fashion face coverings from household items or common materials, such as clean T-shirts or other clean cloths that can cover the nose and mouth area
The Pentagon has been widely criticized for its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic among US forces. A Navy captain who was relieved of duty after raising the alarm about the virus spreading on his ship has been hailed as a hero among those who think the US military has failed to adequately respond to the health crisis.
A global shortage of medical masks has already led to international feuds. A German lawmaker who accused the US of “piracy” by diverting a shipment of protective masks bound for Berlin sparked heated exchanges between the two allies. The German senator later conceded that the US was not involved in the case. The masks, however, remain missing.
Also on rt.com Not quite piracy? Berlin senator CORRECTS story of US ‘snatching’ Germany-bound masks
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rt--2020-04-05--TIGER tests positive for Covid-19 as 6 more big cats develop ‘dry cough’ at Bronx Zoo

The Bronx Zoo has announced that one of its big cats tested positive for Covid-19 , apparently infected by a caretaker .
Three other tigers and three lions developed a dry cough , but are expected to recover .
“ Our cats were infected by a person caring for them who was asymptomatically infected with the virus or before that person developed symptoms , ” the Wildlife Conservation Society , which manages the zoo , said in a statement .
We tested the cat out of an abundance of caution and will ensure any knowledge we gain about Covid-19 will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understanding of this novel coronavirus .
The USDA ’ s National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed one positive Covid-19 test for Nadia , a four-year-old female Malayan tiger , but it was unclear whether additional test results were pending for other animals .
Nadia , her sister Azul , two Amur tigers , and three African lions had developed a “ dry cough ” and experienced “ some decrease in appetite , ” but were otherwise “ doing well ” under constant veterinary care .
While zoo officials expect the animals to fully recover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not known how this disease will develop in big cats ” since different species react differently to infections and the incident apparently marks the world ’ s first officially confirmed Covid-19 case for a tiger .
Is your pet at risk from Covid-19 ?
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The Bronx Zoo has announced that one of its big cats tested positive for Covid-19, apparently infected by a caretaker. Three other tigers and three lions developed a dry cough, but are expected to recover.
“Our cats were infected by a person caring for them who was asymptomatically infected with the virus or before that person developed symptoms,” the Wildlife Conservation Society, which manages the zoo, said in a statement.
We tested the cat out of an abundance of caution and will ensure any knowledge we gain about Covid-19 will contribute to the world’s continuing understanding of this novel coronavirus.
Also on rt.com Cat-astrophe in the making? ANOTHER feline tests positive for coronavirus, this time in Hong Kong
The USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed one positive Covid-19 test for Nadia, a four-year-old female Malayan tiger, but it was unclear whether additional test results were pending for other animals.
Nadia, her sister Azul, two Amur tigers, and three African lions had developed a “dry cough” and experienced “some decrease in appetite,” but were otherwise “doing well” under constant veterinary care.
While zoo officials expect the animals to fully recover, they admit that it is “not known how this disease will develop in big cats” since different species react differently to infections and the incident apparently marks the world’s first officially confirmed Covid-19 case for a tiger.
Also on rt.com Is your pet at risk from Covid-19? As the 1st dog to contract the coronavirus dies, we examine the evidence
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rt--2020-04-04--Covid-19 unites Democrats & Republicans: Most voters want primaries postponed

With the US recording the highest number of coronavirus cases , American voters say they would feel uncomfortable going to the polls for the primaries , regardless of their political preferences , a survey has revealed .
More than two-thirds of registered voters believe that the decision to postpone the primaries over Covid-19 , which has been made by more than a dozen US states , was the right thing to do , according to a survey by Pew Research Center .
This stance was shared by 71 percent of those who support the Democrats , and 64 percent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a polling station to cast their ballot amid a pandemic would be uncomfortable for 68 percent of Democrats .
The number of those who felt the same way among Republican voters was lower ( 58 percent ) .
However , for them it was just a theoretical question as the Republican Party will stage no competitive primaries this year due to their man , Donald Trump , already being in the White House .
The survey was conducted between March 19 and 24 , right after Ohio announced that it would delay its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health caused by the highly-contagious disease .
Since then , a similar decision was made by another 14 states .
`` I do n't think it 's wise to be bringing a lot of people to one location to vote .
A lot of people touching one door knob , a lot of people touching one pen , whatever you call it – device on the ballots , ” Andrew Cuomo , the governor of New York state , which is the hardest-hit by the pandemic , said as he announced the rescheduling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
The DNC had urged the remaining primary states to use vote by mail as a safer way to hold the election .
The only place in the US where the primaries will be staged this April despite Covid-19 concerns is Wisconsin .
The locals are scheduled to cast their ballots on Tuesday , but nobody would predict the turnout .
The US now has the world 's highest number of registered coronavirus cases , with more than 300,000 people testing positive .
The death toll has surpassed 8,100 , with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Thursday and Friday .
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With the US recording the highest number of coronavirus cases, American voters say they would feel uncomfortable going to the polls for the primaries, regardless of their political preferences, a survey has revealed.
More than two-thirds of registered voters believe that the decision to postpone the primaries over Covid-19, which has been made by more than a dozen US states, was the right thing to do, according to a survey by Pew Research Center. This stance was shared by 71 percent of those who support the Democrats, and 64 percent of those on the Republican side.
Visiting a polling station to cast their ballot amid a pandemic would be uncomfortable for 68 percent of Democrats. The number of those who felt the same way among Republican voters was lower (58 percent). However, for them it was just a theoretical question as the Republican Party will stage no competitive primaries this year due to their man, Donald Trump, already being in the White House.
63% of registered voters say they would personally feel uncomfortable going to a polling place to vote given the #coronavirusoutbreakhttps://t.co/4IoqZuH0zMpic.twitter.com/vXDpbwEw4y — Pew Research Center (@pewresearch) April 3, 2020
The survey was conducted between March 19 and 24, right after Ohio announced that it would delay its primaries due to the threat to public health caused by the highly-contagious disease. Since then, a similar decision was made by another 14 states.
"I don't think it's wise to be bringing a lot of people to one location to vote. A lot of people touching one door knob, a lot of people touching one pen, whatever you call it – device on the ballots,” Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York state, which is the hardest-hit by the pandemic, said as he announced the rescheduling of the vote to late June last week.
Also on rt.com ‘There'll be a lot of death’: Trump sends 1,000s of troops to Covid-19-hit states for ‘toughest 2 weeks’
The DNC had urged the remaining primary states to use vote by mail as a safer way to hold the election.
The only place in the US where the primaries will be staged this April despite Covid-19 concerns is Wisconsin. The locals are scheduled to cast their ballots on Tuesday, but nobody would predict the turnout.
The US now has the world's highest number of registered coronavirus cases, with more than 300,000 people testing positive. The death toll has surpassed 8,100, with a record 1,321 patients succumbing to the disease between Thursday and Friday.
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rt--2020-04-04--‘We need masks, we don't want others getting them’: Trump defends America First hoarding & ‘piracy’

Dismissing accusations of ‘ modern piracy ’ for banning exports and seizing shipments of vital protective masks from its allies in Germany and France , US President Donald Trump claimed the situation was somehow the exact ‘ opposite.
’ UPDATE : Not quite piracy ?
Berlin senator CORRECTS story of US ‘ snatching ’ Germany-bound masks Asked about the controversy over the White House pressuring safety gear manufacturer 3M to step up imports of protective masks from its Chinese factories to the US – often at the expense of other customers , including America ’ s closest allies – Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We are very disappointed in 3M ... they can sell to others , but they should be taking care of our country , ” Trump added in the true spirit of the 'America First ' policy .
Trump did not clarify exactly what he meant by the ‘ opposite of piracy , ’ apparently suggesting that there were some perfectly legal grounds for seizing international shipments .
Earlier this week , a delivery of 200,000 masks left a 3M factory in China for the German capital – only to be confiscated en @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Berlin 's Senator for the Interior Andreas Geisel , who shamed the supposed “ transatlantic partners ” for this “ act of modern piracy.
” Several days later , Geisel abruptly walked back his accusation , claiming that the masks had been ordered from a German firm , and not from 3M .
However , the masks are still unaccounted for .
“ We are using the Defense Production Act very powerfully .
Sometimes directly , in many cases indirectly , just a threat of it is usually enough , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the pressure on 3M to stop exports and prioritize the order for some 180 million masks from FEMA .
We need the masks , we do n't want other people getting it ... That 's why we are instituting a lot of Defense Production Act .
You could call it a retaliation , because that ’ s what it is , it 's a retaliation .
If people do not give us what we need for our people , we are going to be very tough .
The multinational conglomerate 3M – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks – warned the US administration about the dangers of invoking the DPA to limit its exports from American factories to other states and disrupting complex global supply chains .
`` Ceasing all export of respirators produced in the United States would likely cause other countries to retaliate and do the same , as some have already done , '' 3M said in a statement .
While Trump is `` working hard '' with 3M to make sure his order for 180 million N-95 respirators is fulfilled as soon as possible , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face-cover shortage .
At the same time , Trump noted that some American states that have not yet been hit too hard , are demanding much more supplies than needed , even with authorities distributing millions of masks from federal stockpiles .
The number of Covid-19 cases across the United States exceeded 300,000 on Saturday , with nearly half of them in New York and New Jersey .
Over 8,000 people succumbed to the virus and related complications as the outbreak has yet to reach its peak in the US – with Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of death '' in the coming weeks .
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Dismissing accusations of ‘modern piracy’ for banning exports and seizing shipments of vital protective masks from its allies in Germany and France, US President Donald Trump claimed the situation was somehow the exact ‘opposite.’
UPDATE: Not quite piracy? Berlin senator CORRECTS story of US ‘snatching’ Germany-bound masks
Asked about the controversy over the White House pressuring safety gear manufacturer 3M to step up imports of protective masks from its Chinese factories to the US – often at the expense of other customers, including America’s closest allies – Trump dismissed accusations of “modern piracy.”
There's been no act of piracy. It was the opposite.
“We are very disappointed in 3M... they can sell to others, but they should be taking care of our country,” Trump added in the true spirit of the 'America First' policy.
Also on rt.com ‘America First’: Covid-19 exposes cracks in Trans-Atlantic solidarity as US snatches up France-bound masks
Trump did not clarify exactly what he meant by the ‘opposite of piracy,’ apparently suggesting that there were some perfectly legal grounds for seizing international shipments.
Earlier this week, a delivery of 200,000 masks left a 3M factory in China for the German capital – only to be confiscated en route and diverted to the US, according to Berlin's Senator for the Interior Andreas Geisel, who shamed the supposed “transatlantic partners” for this “act of modern piracy.”
Several days later, Geisel abruptly walked back his accusation, claiming that the masks had been ordered from a German firm, and not from 3M. However, the masks are still unaccounted for.
Also on rt.com Not quite piracy? Berlin senator CORRECTS story of US ‘snatching’ Germany-bound masks
“We are using the Defense Production Act very powerfully. Sometimes directly, in many cases indirectly, just a threat of it is usually enough,” Trump said, answering a separate question about the pressure on 3M to stop exports and prioritize the order for some 180 million masks from FEMA.
We need the masks, we don't want other people getting it... That's why we are instituting a lot of Defense Production Act. You could call it a retaliation, because that’s what it is, it's a retaliation. If people do not give us what we need for our people, we are going to be very tough.
President Trump on 3M making N95 masks for the US government “We want them to help our country and I think it’s going to be ok … we need the masks, we don’t want other people getting it”#cdnpoli#covid19https://t.co/zYuIeiDy32pic.twitter.com/AgFokG80nX — Mackenzie Gray (@Gray_Mackenzie) April 4, 2020
The multinational conglomerate 3M – the world's largest maker of respirator masks – warned the US administration about the dangers of invoking the DPA to limit its exports from American factories to other states and disrupting complex global supply chains.
"Ceasing all export of respirators produced in the United States would likely cause other countries to retaliate and do the same, as some have already done," 3M said in a statement.
If that were to occur, the net number of respirators being made available to the United States would actually decrease
Also on rt.com US sidestepped OWN SANCTIONS against Russia to save American lives from Covid-19... If only it cared as much about Iranian lives
While Trump is "working hard" with 3M to make sure his order for 180 million N-95 respirators is fulfilled as soon as possible, the United States is suffering a severe medical-grade face-cover shortage. At the same time, Trump noted that some American states that have not yet been hit too hard, are demanding much more supplies than needed, even with authorities distributing millions of masks from federal stockpiles.
The number of Covid-19 cases across the United States exceeded 300,000 on Saturday, with nearly half of them in New York and New Jersey. Over 8,000 people succumbed to the virus and related complications as the outbreak has yet to reach its peak in the US – with Trump warning that "there will be a lot of death" in the coming weeks.
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rt--2020-04-04--‘Democrats make us all morons, I can’t vote for this guy’ – Joe Rogan balks at Biden, apparently bac

‘Democrats make us all morons, I can’t vote for this guy’ – Joe Rogan balks at Biden, apparently backs Trump

Podcaster and comedian Joe Rogan has said that he ’ d rather vote for Donald Trump than Joe Biden .
Once an ardent supporter of Bernie Sanders , Rogan ’ s semi-endorsement of Trump has caused ructions online .
Speaking to Thiel Capital director Eric Weinstein on Friday , Rogan accused the Democratic Party of making “ us all morons with this Joe Biden thing.
” “ I can ’ t vote for that guy , ” Rogan said .
“ I ’ d rather vote for Trump than [ Biden ] .
I don ’ t think he can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entirely on his cabinet.
” Rogan has previously mocked Biden ’ s verbal slip-ups and apparent confusion , describing the former vice president ’ s speech as “ not a normal way to communicate unless he ’ s high as f**k. ” Rogan ’ s podcast is among the most popular in the world .
However , despite saying in January that he ’ ll “ probably vote for Bernie , ” Rogan has regularly been blasted by progressives for interviewing right-wing guests , and for holding some views that clash with progressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” belief that transgender athletes shouldn ’ t compete as women .
Liberal commenters on social media rounded on Rogan for seemingly endorsing Trump , and puzzlingly , attacked Sanders for appealing to the podcaster in the first place .
Pundit Mehdi Hasan wondered if it were now time for Sanders to “ disown/distance himself from Rogan.
” Some chimed in to remind the furious left that Rogan “ speaks for more people than any centrist politician , ” and that the Democrats should “ consider why Bernie Sanders is able to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden is not.
” “ Liberal shaming is n't going to deliver votes in November , ” journalist Walker Bragman wrote .
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Podcaster and comedian Joe Rogan has said that he’d rather vote for Donald Trump than Joe Biden. Once an ardent supporter of Bernie Sanders, Rogan’s semi-endorsement of Trump has caused ructions online.
Speaking to Thiel Capital director Eric Weinstein on Friday, Rogan accused the Democratic Party of making “us all morons with this Joe Biden thing.”
“I can’t vote for that guy,” Rogan said. “I’d rather vote for Trump than [Biden]. I don’t think he can handle anything. You’re relying entirely on his cabinet.”
Joe Rogan on the 2020 election: “This is the real issue with the Democratic Party. They’ve essentially made us all morons with this Joe Biden thing. … I’d rather vote for Trump than [Biden]. I don’t think he can handle anything.”pic.twitter.com/2G93Jaim2X — Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) April 4, 2020
Rogan has previously mocked Biden’s verbal slip-ups and apparent confusion, describing the former vice president’s speech as “not a normal way to communicate unless he’s high as f**k.”
Rogan’s podcast is among the most popular in the world. However, despite saying in January that he’ll “probably vote for Bernie,” Rogan has regularly been blasted by progressives for interviewing right-wing guests, and for holding some views that clash with progressive orthodoxy, such as his “transphobic” belief that transgender athletes shouldn’t compete as women.
Liberal commenters on social media rounded on Rogan for seemingly endorsing Trump, and puzzlingly, attacked Sanders for appealing to the podcaster in the first place. Pundit Mehdi Hasan wondered if it were now time for Sanders to “disown/distance himself from Rogan.”
So Joe Rogan really is an idiot. I thought he was just pretending.🙄 — Rep Richard Dangler (@RDangler) April 4, 2020
Joe Rogan chooses the week Trump is willfully allowing thousands of Americans to die, due to a toxic cocktail of arrogance, incompetence, and malevolence—to give him his blessing over Joe Biden.That's peak Joe Rogan. — John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) April 4, 2020
Bernie Sanders endorser Joe Rogan now admits he’s voting for Trump. It’s the latest reminder that the “Bernie movement” is led by a bunch of alt right goons and burn it all down anarchists, who are manipulating the most naive people on the left into hurting the left. — Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) April 4, 2020
Given Bernie (mistakenly, imho) elevated Joe Rogan's endorsement of him, and given Rogan is now saying he'd rather vote for Trump than Biden... is it not time for Bernie to also now disown/distance himself from Rogan, too? #JustAsking — Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) April 4, 2020
Some chimed in to remind the furious left that Rogan “speaks for more people than any centrist politician,” and that the Democrats should “consider why Bernie Sanders is able to win over people like Joe Rogan and Joe Biden is not.”
I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that Joe Rogan speaks for more people than any centrist politician. pic.twitter.com/Aezo8plL7H — Waiting for Baseball (@WhiteSoxSlater) April 4, 2020
“Liberal shaming isn't going to deliver votes in November,” journalist Walker Bragman wrote.
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rt--2020-04-04--‘There'll be a lot of death’: Trump sends 1,000s of troops to Covid-19-hit states for ‘toughest 2 we

‘There'll be a lot of death’: Trump sends 1,000s of troops to Covid-19-hit states for ‘toughest 2 weeks’

US President Donald Trump has warned that the next two weeks will be the toughest and there will be a lot more deaths , promising additional military deployments to help states contain the Covid-19 outbreak .
Trump announced the deployment of “ thousands ” of soldiers and military personnel to help states across the country .
At least 1,000 additional troops are being deployed to New York City alone .
The number of Covid-19 cases across the United States exceeded 300,000 on Saturday , nearly half of them in New York and New Jersey .
Over 8,000 people succumbed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak has yet to reach its peak in the US .
Some of the states that have not been hit as hard , but are demanding much more supplies than needed , Trump added .
To avoid shortages , the Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA ) and the Department of Health and Social Services have ordered the production of 180 million face masks , while some 29 million doses of antimalarial drugs will be placed in the National Strategic Reserve .
Globally , the death toll from coronavirus passed a grim benchmark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with more than 1.1 million people infected worldwide , according to a tally maintained by Johns Hopkins University .
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US President Donald Trump has warned that the next two weeks will be the toughest and there will be a lot more deaths, promising additional military deployments to help states contain the Covid-19 outbreak.
Trump announced the deployment of “thousands” of soldiers and military personnel to help states across the country. At least 1,000 additional troops are being deployed to New York City alone.
We are going to be adding a tremendous amount of military to help
The number of Covid-19 cases across the United States exceeded 300,000 on Saturday, nearly half of them in New York and New Jersey. Over 8,000 people succumbed to the virus and related complications as the outbreak has yet to reach its peak in the US.
Also on rt.com ‘We need masks, we don't want others getting them’: Trump defends America First hoarding & ‘piracy’
Some of the states that have not been hit as hard, but are demanding much more supplies than needed, Trump added. To avoid shortages, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Health and Social Services have ordered the production of 180 million face masks, while some 29 million doses of antimalarial drugs will be placed in the National Strategic Reserve.
Globally, the death toll from coronavirus passed a grim benchmark, topping 60,000, on Saturday, with more than 1.1 million people infected worldwide, according to a tally maintained by Johns Hopkins University.
Also on rt.com Global Covid-19 death toll surpasses 60,000 – Johns Hopkins University
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rt--2020-04-04--US reports record 1,300+ Covid-19 deaths & 30,000+ new cases in 24hrs as New York braces for ‘D-Day’

With little sign of the curve flattening , the US has confirmed over 1,300 Covid-19 deaths in a single day , as well as more than 30,000 new cases , as New York City sounds alarms that its hospitals will soon run out of ventilators .
The disease and death tolls in the US continued to grow on Friday with daily tallies bringing the overall figures to 277,953 cases and 7,152 fatalities , according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University .
Leading the world in infections , the US outbreak has yet to reach its peak .
With New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , contributing over one third of the nation ’ s cases and a disproportionate number of deaths , Mayor Bill De Blasio warned that Sunday could be the city ’ s “ D-Day , ” seeing hospitals run short of life-saving ventilators and healthcare workers overwhelmed with the influx of new patients .
“ The hard part is our hospitals dealing with a massive surge in the coming days of not just Covid-19 cases , but folks who need ICU care , ” the mayor said on Friday .
If we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipment , lives are going to be saved .
If we don ’ t , people will die who did not need to die .
The city is on track to have 5,000 patients on mechanical ventilation by Monday or Tuesday , and will require another 3,000 breathing machines and additional medical staff to make it through next week , De Blasio added .
While a US Navy medical ship was dispatched to help take the load off New York ’ s crowded hospitals and treat non-coronavirus patients , the vessel has only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NYT reported , citing a “ tangle of military protocols and bureaucratic hurdles ” limiting intake of those needing treatment .
Just shy of 1.1 million people worldwide have been sickened in the Covid-19 pandemic , with outbreaks across 181 countries and nearly 60,000 fatalities to date .
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With little sign of the curve flattening, the US has confirmed over 1,300 Covid-19 deaths in a single day, as well as more than 30,000 new cases, as New York City sounds alarms that its hospitals will soon run out of ventilators.
The disease and death tolls in the US continued to grow on Friday with daily tallies bringing the overall figures to 277,953 cases and 7,152 fatalities, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University. Leading the world in infections, the US outbreak has yet to reach its peak.
With 1,480 deaths counted between 8:30 pm (0030 GMT) Thursday and the same time Friday, according to the university's continuously updated figures, the total number of people who have died since the start of the pandemic in the US is now 7,406 pic.twitter.com/qpuhap9Fh1 — AFP news agency (@AFP) April 4, 2020
With New York City the hardest-hit area of the country, contributing over one third of the nation’s cases and a disproportionate number of deaths, Mayor Bill De Blasio warned that Sunday could be the city’s “D-Day,” seeing hospitals run short of life-saving ventilators and healthcare workers overwhelmed with the influx of new patients.
Also on rt.com New York state sees highest daily jump in Covid-19 deaths, from total of 2,373 to 2,935 – Governor Cuomo
“The hard part is our hospitals dealing with a massive surge in the coming days of not just Covid-19 cases, but folks who need ICU care,” the mayor said on Friday.
If we have the personnel, if we have the equipment, lives are going to be saved. If we don’t, people will die who did not need to die.
The city is on track to have 5,000 patients on mechanical ventilation by Monday or Tuesday, and will require another 3,000 breathing machines and additional medical staff to make it through next week, De Blasio added.
While a US Navy medical ship was dispatched to help take the load off New York’s crowded hospitals and treat non-coronavirus patients, the vessel has only accepted 20 people to date, the NYT reported, citing a “tangle of military protocols and bureaucratic hurdles” limiting intake of those needing treatment.
Just shy of 1.1 million people worldwide have been sickened in the Covid-19 pandemic, with outbreaks across 181 countries and nearly 60,000 fatalities to date.
Also on rt.com Isn’t that ‘Medicare for all’? Trump administration rolls out interesting plan for funding Covid-19 treatments in US
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rt--2020-04-03--Isn’t that ‘Medicare for all’? Trump administration rolls out interesting plan for funding Covid-19

Isn’t that ‘Medicare for all’? Trump administration rolls out interesting plan for funding Covid-19 treatments in US

The Trump administration has said it intends to pay providers treating coronavirus patients at ‘ Medicare rates ’ and prohibit additional billing – in effect , testing a flagship progressive proposal for nationalized healthcare .
“ We will send money to providers through the same mechanism used for testing , ” Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told reporters on Friday , referring to the $ 100 billion in funds earmarked for healthcare providers in the CARES stimulus act .
The government will reimburse any patients with Covid-19 that lack health insurance at Medicare rates , and will ban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Azar added , noting that this will give the millions of newly unemployed – and therefore uninsured – Americans a better deal than falling back on “ Obamacare ” insurance exchanges .
This did not escape the attention of President Barack Obama ’ s former healthcare czar Andy Slavitt , who hinted that this basically amounted to “ Medicare for all ” – a proposal for single-payer healthcare championed by Senator Bernie Sanders as part of his bid for the Democrat presidential nomination .
Azar ’ s announcement amounts to a field @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a time when the US economy has been crippled by the weeks-long shutdown ordered as a measure to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
Meanwhile , mainstream Democrats – such as the establishment favorite Joe Biden and 2016 candidate Hillary Clinton – have clamored for the government to reopen Obamacare exchanges , condemning Trump for not doing so , only to get “ outflanked from the left ” by the White House .
The CARES Act is an ambitious $ 2.2 trillion package passed by Congress last week , intended to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economic fallout of the measures imposed to combat its spread .
As of Friday , the US has registered almost 274,000 cases of Covid-19 , with just over 7,000 deaths .
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The Trump administration has said it intends to pay providers treating coronavirus patients at ‘Medicare rates’ and prohibit additional billing – in effect, testing a flagship progressive proposal for nationalized healthcare.
“We will send money to providers through the same mechanism used for testing,” Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told reporters on Friday, referring to the $100 billion in funds earmarked for healthcare providers in the CARES stimulus act.
The government will reimburse any patients with Covid-19 that lack health insurance at Medicare rates, and will ban them from “balance-billing” those patients, Azar added, noting that this will give the millions of newly unemployed – and therefore uninsured – Americans a better deal than falling back on “Obamacare” insurance exchanges.
Rather than open the ACA exchanges, Trump & Alex Azar just announced another plan. People without insurance can get cared for for free. And hospitals would get paid for at Medicare rates.Wish there was a phrase for that. — Andy Slavitt @ 🏡 (@ASlavitt) April 3, 2020
This did not escape the attention of President Barack Obama’s former healthcare czar Andy Slavitt, who hinted that this basically amounted to “Medicare for all” – a proposal for single-payer healthcare championed by Senator Bernie Sanders as part of his bid for the Democrat presidential nomination.
Azar’s announcement amounts to a field test of Sanders’s proposal, at a time when the US economy has been crippled by the weeks-long shutdown ordered as a measure to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, mainstream Democrats – such as the establishment favorite Joe Biden and 2016 candidate Hillary Clinton – have clamored for the government to reopen Obamacare exchanges, condemning Trump for not doing so, only to get “outflanked from the left” by the White House.
Trump just announced what amounts to a Medicare-for-All policy for uninsured COVID-19 patients. Congrats to Hillary Clinton & centrist Democrats for again letting Donald Trump outflank you from the left: https://t.co/ULJ5XJSETp — Aaron Maté (@aaronjmate) April 3, 2020
The CARES Act is an ambitious $2.2 trillion package passed by Congress last week, intended to deal with the pandemic but also offset the economic fallout of the measures imposed to combat its spread. As of Friday, the US has registered almost 274,000 cases of Covid-19, with just over 7,000 deaths.
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