Coronavirus live updates: US death toll tops 20,000, Governors call for $500 billion more in aid

The U.S. death toll reached 20,071, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. surpassed Italy on Saturday as the country with the most coronavirus deaths in the world, according to JHU data.

At least 20,071 people have died from the virus in the U.S. Italy has suffered 19,468 fatalities; Spain has recorded at least 16,353 deaths; and France has confirmed 13,851 deaths. —Meg Graham, Riya Bhattacharjee

Celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti, who was convicted of trying to extort over $20 million from Nike, was temporarily released from a federal jail in New York City due to concerns over the coronavirus, authorities said Saturday.

Avenatti has to report back to jail in 90 days, U.S. District Judge James Selna stated in his order.

Before Avenatti is allowed to leave the Metropolitan Correctional Center, judge Selna said he has to quarantine for 14 days and submit to a health screening to ensure he does not have the coronavirus.

He will be released to home confinement at a friend’s house in Los Angeles. A $1 million bond was posted to secure his release. —NBC News

Drone pictures show bodies being buried on New York’s Hart Island where the department of corrections is dealing with more burials overall, amid the coronavirus outbreak in New York City.

The United States surpassed Italy on Saturday as the country with the most coronavirus deaths in the world, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Saturday said hospitalizations seemed to be plateauing in New York state, the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States. During a press conference Saturday, he said 783 people died of the virus in New York on Friday, bringing the state’s death toll to 8,627. —Reuters, Meg Graham

Two NASA astronauts said Friday they expect it will be tough returning to such a drastically changed world next week, after more than half a year at the International Space Station.

Andrew Morgan said the crew has tried to keep atop the pandemic news. But it’s hard to comprehend what’s really going on and what to expect, he noted, when his nine-month mission ends next Friday.

“It is quite surreal for us to see this whole situation unfolding on the planet below,” said Jessica Meir, who took part in the first all-female spacewalk last fall. “We can tell you that the Earth still looks just as stunning as always from up here, so it’s difficult to believe all the changes that have taken place since both of us have been up here.” —Associated Press

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Saturday announced an executive order to cut capacity on all transit systems by half, and asked all passengers to wear face coverings.

In addition, the order requires NJ Transit and private carriers to supply their workers with gloves and face coverings.

“Right now for many of our essential workers, public transit is how they get to work and we need to protect them during that trip,” Murphy said during a press briefing.

The order requires New Jersey Transit “and all private carriers to cut the capacity on all trains, buses, light rail vehicles, and paratransit vehicles to 50% of their maximum,” Murphy said.

Murphy further expanded the executive order to restaurant workers and customers. He announced that anyone heading into restaurants and bars to pick up takeout orders must wear a mask. Restaurants and bars will also be required to give face coverings and gloves to their food-service personnel. All orders will be effective April 13 at 8 p.m. —Jasmine Kim

Britain’s COVID-19 death toll neared 10,000 on Saturday after health officials reported another 917 hospital deaths, while one senior minister said Prime Minister Boris Johnson will need time off as he recovers from being seriously ill with the virus.

Britain has now reported 9,875 deaths from the coronavirus pandemic, the fifth highest national number globally. Saturday’s increase was the second day running that the number of deaths had increased by more than 900.

Almost 80,000 people in Britain have tested positive for the virus, among them Johnson, who is in the early stages of recovery on a hospital ward after spending three nights in intensive care.

Downing Street said Johnson “continues to make very good progress”, but interior minister Priti Patel said it was vital he took time to fully recover. —Reuters

The two top Republicans in the U.S. Congress vowed on Saturday to oppose Democrats’ demands to boost a proposed $250 billion bill to aid small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic by adding money for hospitals and state and local governments.

The statement from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House of Representatives Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy came a day after top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said he and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin planned to hold bipartisan talks on the bill next week.

“American workers are in crisis,” McConnell and McCarthy said. “This will not be Congress’s last word on Covid-19, but this crucial program needs funding now. American workers cannot be used as political hostages.”

Senate Republicans on Thursday failed to ram through a $250 billion increase in loans for small businesses suffering due to the outbreak. Democrats support the $250 billion in new funding but want to set aside some of the lending for community and minority-owned banks.

The $250 billion in small-business loans, which could turn into government-paid grants if certain terms are met, would be in addition to $349 billion already allocated by Congress in a $2.3 trillion relief measure passed last month. —Reuters

The United States surpassed Italy on Saturday as the country with the most coronavirus deaths in the world, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

At least 18,860 people have died from the virus in the U.S. Italy has suffered 18,849 fatalities; Spain has recorded at least 16,353 deaths; and France has confirmed 13,197 deaths.

Meanwhile, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Saturday said hospitalizations seemed to be plateauing in New York state, the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States. During a press conference Saturday, he said 783 people died of the virus in New York on Friday, bringing the state’s death toll to 8,627. —Meg Graham

Shortly after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that public schools would remain closed for the remainder of the academic year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that the announcement was de Blasio’s “opinion” and that there was no official decision yet.

“He didn’t close them and he can’t open them,” Cuomo said at his own news conference. “We may do that, but we’re going to do that in a coordinated sense with the other localities.” —Emma Newburger

Deaths from the Covid-19 epidemic in Italy rose by 619 on Saturday, up from 570 the day before, and the number of new cases climbed to 4,694 from a previous 3,951.

The daily death toll was the highest since April 6 and the rise in infections was the biggest since April 4.

After easing from peaks around the end of March, Italy’s daily death and infection tallies have declined but are not falling steeply, as was hoped by Italians who have been in lockdown for a month.

The number of officially confirmed cases climbed to 152,271, the third-highest global tally behind those of the United States and Spain. —Reuters

Governors Larry Hogan of Maryland and Andrew Cuomo of New York issued a bipartisan call Saturday for an additional $500 billion in federal aid for U.S. states and territories dealing with the coronavirus.

Hogan, a Republican, is chairman of the National Governors Association and Cuomo, a Democrat, is the vice chair. The two said in a statement Saturday morning that implementing stay-at-home orders and other public health measures have “resulted in catastrophic damage to state economies.”

“In the absence of unrestricted fiscal support of at least $500 billion from the federal government, states will have to confront the prospect of significant reductions to critically important services all across this country, hampering public health, the economic recovery, and—in turn—our collective effort to get people back to work,” the statement said. —Associated Press

State leaders are relying on a hodgepodge of statistical models with wide-ranging numbers to guide their paths through the deadly coronavirus emergency and make critical decisions, such as shutting down businesses and filling their inventory of medical supplies.

During hurricane season, coastal states can trust the same set of computer models to warn of a storm’s track. During this pandemic, there is no uniform consensus to predict the toll and direction of the virus that is tearing through communities around the country.

With little agreed-upon information, governors and local officials are basically creating do-it-yourself sources of information with their own officials and universities. —Associated Press

Nestled in the Lower East Side of Manhattan is a shop with a unique table in the window. A simple wood ledge is balanced on four big white letters that spell out the word “MEOW.”

On a typical day, New Yorkers walking the streets can spot adoptable cats sunning themselves, sprawled out on the table or napping under the “M” or inside the “O.”

These days, Meow Parlour, New York City’s first cat cafe, doesn’t house a single cat. Its doors are shuttered, like many small businesses in the city, due to the coronavirus outbreak. The cats that once resided inside have either been adopted or gone to live in foster homes.

“We are basically on pause, which feels really weird,” Christina Ha, owner of Meow Parlour, said, “It looks a little bit like those horror movies where a place has been abandoned. It’s very familiar to you, but it’s not the same.”

Meow Parlour, like other animal rescues across the country, saw a spike in adoptions and foster applications in late February and early March as people prepared for extended stays at home. Now Ha wonders if she’ll be able to reopen once the pandemic ebbs. —Sarah Whitten

With the coronavirus initiating international travel bans and campuses shut down, colleges and universities are seeking alternative ways to provide students with continued academic opportunities, including the iconic, immersive overseas study experience.

One option: studying abroad from home.

At the University at Buffalo, Dr. Mara Huber, director of the school’s Experiential Learning Network, has brought groups to Tanzania to study women’s empowerment for more than ten years. This fall, in the wake of the pandemic, she’s launching the program virtually.

“I thought it was a good time to be bold and fully embrace the vision we had been working toward,” Huber said. “Universities have relationships with communities all around the world, and i think it’s time to use technology to give students access to these experiences.” —Sully Barrett

SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son said he has secured a monthly supply of 300 million face masks for Japan from May after reaching a deal with Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD Co, which has also started producing masks.

SoftBank will supply two different kinds of mask, initially for medical staff, in cooperation with the Japanese government’s “mask team,” set up to tackle shortages due to the coronavirus outbreak, Son said on Twitter.

Addressing the supply crunch is a priority for the Japanese government, which will begin delivering two washable masks to households next week — a move that has been widely criticized on social media as inadequate. —Reuters

“When we got the order we were non-essential, that was the day we cleared house,” said Suzanna Cameron, 30, the owner of Stems, a flower shop in Brooklyn, New York.

After her store was forced to close in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the single mom said she tried to pivot with virtual flower arranging workshops and free contactless delivery, but the business quickly came to a standstill.

“The next day I let most of my staff go.”

Cameron said she knew the business could not weather two months without work. For florists, spring is the peak season. “From a cash flow basis, that’s detrimental,” Cameron said.

“I am leaning into the fact that I have some savings in the business and basically it’s going to be a bleed out and I hope we make it to the other side,” she said.

There is hope: As a sole proprietor, Cameron is eligible for the government’s Paycheck Protection Program to help survive the economic fallout from Covid-19. —Jessica Dickler

Italy plans to increase testing for the coronavirus and use voluntary contact tracing whenever it exits from a lockdown that’s currently in effect until at least May 3.

Italy’s special commissioner for the virus emergency Domenico Arcuri told SKYTG 24 there will be mandatory blood tests to set up a system of ″immunity passports.″⁣

The voluntary contact tracing mobile apps will allow people to know if they have come in contact with someone who is positive for the virus. Then they can be tested in an effort to limit further spread of the virus.

The blood tests identifying anti-bodies are still being developed. Virologists have cautioned the tests will not prove immunity but will give a snapshot whether a person has been in contact with the virus. If an antibody test is positive, more testing would be needed to know if the virus is still active.

The goal of public health officials is to determine how long immunity to the virus lasts. —Associated Press

Two weeks after Congress approved a $50 billion bailout of airlines that earmarked carriers receiving $25 Billion in direct cash grants, it turns out those grants could require airlines to take on more debt. Executives at multiple U.S. airlines tell CNBC the preliminary grant offers extended by the federal government on Friday call for 30% of the money offered to come in the form of low-interest loans from the Treasury Department.

The structure of the offers has caught U.S. airlines by surprise. “This is not what Congress approved,” said one industry executive who asked not to be identified given the ongoing discussions between airlines and the Treasury Department. “The aid was supposed to be $25 Billion in cash grants and $25 Billion in loans.”

The cash grant offers extended to the largest airlines on Friday also come with several important provisions including no mass layoffs of airline employees through September 30th, a stipulation airlines expected as Congress was finalizing $50 billion in aid. As a result, all carriers have committed to not laying off employees for the next six months. —Phil LeBeau

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Saturday that New York City public schools will remain closed for the remainder of the academic year as the coronavirus spreads.

“Having to tell you that we cannot bring our schools back for the remainder of this school year is painful. But I can also tell you that it’s the right thing to do,” the Mayor said during a press briefing.

To prevent further spread of the coronavirus, 1.1 million students in the nation’s largest school system will continue their education remotely for the next three months. Approximately 1,800 schools in the city shut down on March 16 and were expected to reopen by April 20, after spring break.

“The worst mistake we could make is to take our foot off the gas and end up in a situation where this disease had a resurgence and threatened us even more,” de Blasio said. “We’re not gonna allow the coronavirus to start to attack us even more and to make sure it doesn’t, we have to be cautious. We have to be smart about the moves we make.”—Emma Newburger, Jasmine Kim

The coronavirus death toll in English hospitals rose over the past 24 hours by 823 to a total of 8,937, health officials reported on Saturday.

Those who died aged were between 11 and 102 years old, and 33 had no known underlying health condition, NHS England said. —Reuters

St. John the Divine is one of many Christian and Jewish houses of worship that are shuttered this week as congregations celebrate the Easter and Passover holidays online, amid shelter-in-place orders and social-distancing measures designed to stop the coronavirus epidemic from spreading even further, particularly in hard-hit New York City. There are 94,409 confirmed coronavirus cases in the city, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, accounting for nearly 20% of the nationwide case total of 501,615.

Brooklyn Heights Synagogue, affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism, is broadcasting Shabbat services to congregants in the safety of their homes through a live stream. Senior Rabbi Serge Lippe held a Passover Seder with dozens of participants through video conference on the platform Zoom. While Lippe, 55, was grateful to engage with his community, he compared the experience to being underwater due to the time lag and limitations on hearing.

“Passover has been diminished and limited,” Lippe said. “It’s a holiday that, for Jews, speaks of freedom and liberation, but we’re not feeling particularly freed or liberated this season.” —Spencer Kimball

Spain registered its lowest one-day increase in deaths from coronavirus since March 23 on Saturday, as thousands of businesses prepared to reopen under a loosening of nationwide lockdown restrictions.

An overnight death toll of 510 brought the total number of fatalities up to 16,353, the Health Ministry said in a statement. Confirmed cases of the infection climbed to 161,852 from 157,022 a day earlier.

The slowdown is an encouraging sign for Spain, which has suffered the third-highest number of deaths from the virus after Italy and the United States.

At the beginning of April, the overnight death tally rose as high as 950, overwhelming the national health service and forcing regional authorities to set up temporary mortuaries in an ice rink and disused public buildings. –Reuters

The coronavirus crisis is taxing New York City’s 911 system like never before.

Operators pick up a new call every 15.5 seconds. Panicked voices tell of loved ones in declining health. There are multitudes of cardiac arrests and respiratory failures and others who call needing reassurance that a mere sneeze isn’t a sign they’ve been infected.

The system is so overwhelmed, the city has started sending text and tweet alerts urging people to only call 911 “for life-threatening emergencies.”

As the city staggered through its deadliest week of the pandemic, its emergency response system and army of operators, dispatchers and ambulance crews is being pushed to the brink.

The Fire Department said it has averaged more than 5,500 ambulance requests each day — about 40% higher than usual, eclipsing the total call volume on Sept. 11, 2001.

“When you hang up with one call, another one pops in,” said 911 operator Monique Brown. “There’s no time for a minute’s rest.”

“It’s back-to-back, nonstop,” said dispatcher Virginia Creary. —Associated Press

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is making “very good progress” in his recovery from Covid-19, his office said.

Johnson was moved out of intensive care after three nights on Thursday and Downing Street said on Friday he had managed to start walking, although his recovery was at an early stage.

“The Prime Minister continues to make very good progress,” a Downing Street spokeswoman said. —Reuters

As manufacturers struggle to keep up with the surging demand for masks, gloves and gowns for medical professionals, states are bidding against each other — and the federal government — for supplies.

The situation has slowed down states’ ability to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) during a time of intense need, while also driving up costs.

“Everybody trying to purchase the same things is not an efficient way to do this,” said Casey Tingle, deputy director of the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. During past emergencies like Hurricane Katrina, the state has worked closely with regional officials for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and relied on the agency to procure supplies. But in an unprecedented situation that impacts not just Louisiana, but the entire country, the roadmap is murkier.

“There’s a real lack of clarity of whether or not the federal government will be able to push from their level down at least to our state,” Tingle said. —Lauren Feiner

The stock market’s rapid plunge into a bear market this year has been nearly matched by a blistering rally off its lows.

Through Thursday’s close, the S&P 500 has rallied nearly 25% from a low reached on March 23. The broader market average has also retraced half of its initial drop from its record high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up more than 28% from its late-March low while the Nasdaq Composite has jumped 19.1% in that time.

“As we’ve seen some hope that the coronavirus crisis may be peaking and unwavering Fed support, investor sentiment has turned,” said Lindsey Bell, chief investment strategist at Ally Invest, in a note. “This latest move up has been a welcome form of market volatility. But the world is moving fast. We believe the markets may need to get through the obstacles ahead before this bear truly ends.” —Fred Imbert

In a city ravaged by the coronavirus outbreak, members of the Zulu krewe, one of the groups that sponsors Mardi Gras parades and balls, have paid a heavy price. Four of the fraternal organization’s members have died from coronavirus-related complications, said Zulu President Elroy A. James. Two others have also died since the pandemic began, though it’s not known if their deaths were caused by the virus, he said.

An additional 20 have tested positive. Some are self-quarantining at home, some were hospitalized and released, while others are still hospitalized, James said.

“Members are calling every day checking on each other: ‘How’s this member doing? How’s this family member doing?’” he said.

It’s also taken a financial toll. Many Zulu members work in the hospitality sector and are out of work, James said, a widespread problem in a city with an economy closely tied to the restaurants, bars and nightclubs now largely shuttered due to the statewide stay-at-home order.

“Zulu is really a microcosm of the city of New Orleans,” said state Sen. Troy Carter, a longtime Zulu member. “We’re made up of every social and economic background that you can imagine. Our members come from all different walks of life.” —Associated Press

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to extend a nationwide lockdown to tackle the spread of the coronavirus, the Delhi state’s chief minister said, without saying how long the extension would be for.

Modi earlier in the day held a video conference call with several state ministers. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said Modi had “taken (a) correct decision to extend (the) lockdown”, without sharing further details.

“If it is stopped now, all gains would be lost. To consolidate, it is imp (important) to extend it,” Kejriwal said on Twitter.

India’s 21-day lockdown ends on Tuesday but several states had urged Modi to extend it further, even as concerns have risen that the shutdown has put millions of poor people out of work and forced an exodus of migrant workers from cities to villages. —Reuters