What happens if someone in your family comes down with COVID-19? How should you care for that person? The World Health Organization released some tips on how to care for people afflicted with COVID-19 at home. For caregivers, it is important to make sure that those who are ill drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious foods. It is also important to wear a mask when in the same room as the ill person and to discard the mask after use. The WHO also recommends designating dishes to be used by the ill person and to wash all dishes, towels, and bed linens the individual uses with soap and water. Other tips include frequently washing hands before and after any contact with an ill person, daily disinfecting surfaces touched by them, and to call a health care facility immediately if the ill person starts to worsen or experience difficulty breathing.
Tiffany Pinckney poses for a portrait in the Harlem neighborhood of New York on April 1, 2020. After a period of quarantine at home separated from her children, she has recovered from COVID-19. Pinckney became one of the nations first donors of "convalescent plasma." Using the blood product is experimental but scientists hope it could help treat the seriously ill and plan to test if it might offer some protection against infection for those at high risk. (AP Photo/Marshall Ritzell)
While the country continues its fight against the coronavirus, spring’s arrival brings with it the familiar fight against flooding. “In short, flooding is going to be significant this spring over a large part of the central United States,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. “Comparing it to last year where damage was at $12.5 billion, potentially, it could be as bad, and in some cases, worse.” Should levees need to be opened due to high waters, a flooding crisis could overlap with the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
April 4, 7:30 a.m.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft sent a team plane to China earlier this week and when it returned to Boston, it was loaded with 1.4 million protective masks for health care workers. Kraft and his son, Jonathan (the team's president), worked alongside Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker to make the transaction and shipment happen after the state was initially outbid for the equipment by the federal government.
More than 1 million of those N95 masks will be donated to Massachusetts while another 300,000 were purchased for the state of New York. “I’ll just tell you the response we’ve gotten from America when our plane came back, people are looking for good things,” Kraft told CNN. “This is the greatest country in the world.It’s time for us to rally together and solve these kinds of issues.”
Pedestrians wear face masks as they walk on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, Tuesday, March 24, 2020. New cases of the new coronavirus surged around the state. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
China declared Saturday a national day of mourning for the victims of the coronavirus pandemic, according to The South China Morning Press. All flags will be flown at half-mast and people were asked to observe three minutes of silence through sirens and vehicles blaring. Saturday coincides with the Ching Ming, or tomb-sweeping, festival, when people traditionally gather with family to remember their ancestors. This year, authorities have asked people to stay home for the holiday to curb another potential outbreak of COVID-19.
This will be the fourth day of mourning in 12 years for China. The other three days of mourning were held after the Sichuan earthquake in May 2008, the Yushu earthquake in April 2010 and the Gansu landslide in August 2010, according to the SCMP.
Pres. Trump on new mask recommendation: "I just don't want to wear one myself."
"Somehow sitting in the Oval Office, behind that beautiful Resolute Desk...I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens...I don't see it for myself." pic.twitter.com/ruWtlf1bcG
Pennsylvanians being told to wear masks whenever leaving their home.During a press conference on Friday, Gov. Tom Wolf recommended that everyone across the state wear a mask any time that they must leave their residence for life-sustaining reason. “Staying home is the most effective way to protect yourself and others against COVID-19,” Pennsylvania Sec. of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said during the press conference. “But, if you must go out because you are out of food or medication, then wearing a mask, or even a bandana across your nose and mouth, could be an extra layer of protection.” There are currently 8,420 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the commonwealth with over 100 virus-related fatalities.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson provides update on his health. It has been one week since Johnson announced that he tested positive for the coronavirus, and he posed a video on Friday to provide an update on his health. “Although I’m feeling better, and I’ve done my seven days of isolation, alas I still have one of the symptoms, a minor symptom, I still have a temperature,” Johnson said. He plans to follow the strict guidelines and remain in isolation until he no longer shows signs of the coronavirus.
Johnson also had a message for people that might be tempted to head outside this weekend, which will feature above normal temperatures and sunny spells. “I just want to say one crucial thing, one quick thing to everybody thinking about this weekend, and what may be some fine weather. There may be just a temptation to get out there, hang out and start to break the regulations. And I just urge you not to do that. Please, please stick with the guidance now.” The U.K. has reported 38,600 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 3,600 virus-related deaths.
April 3, 11:11 a.m.
Anthony Fauci addressed weather's role in spread of coronavirus. With April in full swing, people are looking forward to swapping out their heavy coats for shorts and enjoying time outside on a warm spring afternoon, but doctors are anxiously awaiting the onset of warmth and an uptick in humidity for a different reason. “In general, viruses that are respiratory borne tend to peter out in the moist warmer weather,” Fauci, the leading infectious disease doctor in the U.S., told CNN during a town hall on the coronavirus. “I think there will be some effect. I think when the country as a country gets into summer, that we’re going to get some positive effect.”
Newlyweds Alla and Modzi kiss through protective face masks after the wedding ceremony with only witnesses, as public gatherings are banned as part of Lithuania's lockdown measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Vilnius, Lithuania, Friday, April 3, 2020. All public and private events are banned in Lithuania, clubs, bars restaurants and most shops are closed due to the virus outbreak. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
While the world eclipsed 1 million cases on Thursday evening, some believe that threshold may have been reached weeks earlier and the current tally could be, as Australia’ Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy supposes, “five to 10 times as much as that.”
“We know that judging by the death rate, the testing rate, in many countries they’re not detecting all the cases,” Murphy said on Friday. “In Australia we’re pretty confident that our testing has been the best in the world.”
Here are the latest updated numbers from researchers at Johns Hopkins University, the first morning to start with over 1,000,000 total confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic:
Should Americans wear masks in everyday life to slow the #COVID19Pandemic? The debate is growing -- CDC and the WHO and now re-evaluating their guidelines. What method are you currently using when venturing into public during #CoronaLockdown? https://t.co/VTaS1pnUo5
The "Pink" moon is coming next week -- don't miss it. For those experiencing cabin fever as isolation measures stretch beyond three weeks in some places, a good diversion might be to get out of the house and look at the night sky. On April 7, another supermoon will rise -- the biggest and brightest of the year. And there will be more celestial activity to behold in the night sky later this month, which AccuWeather's resident astronomy expert Brian Lada has curated for skygazers. So, if the coronavirus pandemic and quarantine life is getting you down, don't fret -- read this for info on what and when to look up.
April 2, 5:57 p.m.
Doctors at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) say they have developed a potential vaccine against COVID-19.Doctors at UPMC started working on the vaccine on Jan. 21 and found that mice developed antibodies against COVID-19 about two weeks after being vaccinated. Although the vaccine is already developed and ready to be tested, it might take up to 18 months for it to be available to the public, as the government has yet to approve its use. The safety trials of the vaccine will begin as soon as the government grants permission.
April 2, 4:40 p.m.
Dr. Jacob Glanville, a scientist from California, and his team say they have a potential cure for COVID-19. On Monday, Dr. Glanville announced that they had “completed the engineering” and had “some very potent antibodies that can be effective against the virus.” Dr. Glanville spoke to News 8 Reporter Kelly Hessedal about the process of finding this cure. “We took a series of antibodies from around 2003 that were able to neutralize SARS,” Dr. Glanville said. “We were able to use technology in our laboratories to evolve those antibodies against SARS to adapt them to recognize COVID-19.”
Dr. Fauci, one of the leading researchers for this virus, was asked about this discovery on Wednesday during the daily White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing and said that he “supports the concept of monoclonal antibodies.”
April 2, 3:56 p.m.
ð¨ On Thursday, the coronavirus pandemic reached several bleak milestones. Global confirmed cases reached 1 million late in the day Thursday, while the number of confirmed deaths shot past 50,000, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.The vast spread of SARS-CoV-2, and COVID-19, the illness it causes, has been astonishing both in its speed and scale. The outbreak has shuttered businesses around the world leaving millions out of work and forcing much of the global population to shelter in their homes. Just one month ago, the global case count was nearing 90,000 and deaths were just over 3,000.
Health workers applaud as people react from their houses in support of the medical staff that are working on the COVID-19 virus outbreak at the Gregorio Maranon hospital in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, April 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
"Ensuring the safety of the convention’s host community and all convention-goers has been -- and always will remain -- the top priority of the Democratic National Convention Committee. As we continue to monitor the unpredictable and unprecedented public health emergency, we remain in constant communication with the local, state, and federal officials responsible for protecting public health and security, and will continue to follow their guidance," the statement said.
The incident is the latest reminder that younger age groups are not without risk from becoming infected. There are more than 300 cases of COVID-19 in the Austin area, with three deaths throughout surrounding Travis County. “Even if you are young, or otherwise healthy, you are at risk and your activities can increase the risk for others,” said Dr. Mark Escott, interim health authority for Austin-Travis County. “It is critical that you do your part to slow the spread of this virus.”
April 2, 11:22 a.m.
CDC highlights the three underlying health conditions that put people at the greatest risk of severe COVID-19 illness. Health officials at the federal agency have provided the first look at preliminary data findings of the first 122,653 COVID-19 cases in the U.S. The key takeaway is that three underlying health conditions appear to make people more susceptible to suffering extreme symptoms from COVID-19. The CDC cautioned that the data set is preliminary, but said the analysis aligns with what is being seen in other countries. The three conditions the CDC says put people most at risk are:
Spain's COVID-19 death toll soars past 10,000. Spain has been one of the hardest hit countries by the worsening pandemic with more than 110,000 confirmed cases. On Thursday, the country's ministry of health reported 950 new fatalities. Only Italy, with over 13,000 deaths has more.
April 2, 10:07 a.m.
Sales of alcoholic beverages soar in the U.S. amid pandemic. According to Nielsen -- the company known for measuring TV ratings -- Americans have been hitting the bottle a lot as stay-at-home orders have become more widespread. All told, booze sales were up 55% for the week ending on March 21. Over that same period, wine sales spiked 66% and beer sales increased 42%. And quarantine life has people buying more snacks, too, Nielsen reports. Potato chip sales surged by more than 60% for the same period, ice cream sales shot up 50% and sales of chocolate were up 21%.
In related news, Ina Garten, the host of Food Network's Barefoot Contessa, sent social media into a frenzy after she was seen on Instagram providing instructions to followers on how to make a gigantic cosmopolitan. "It’s always cocktail hour in a crisis!" she told her social media audience.
It took only one month for the fourth-most populated state in the U.S. to eclipse China, the world's most populated country and original epicenter of the virus, in total number of cases. With 84,046 cases, New York has seen nearly 2,000 more cases than China, as of Thursday morning. If New York were a country, it would rank fourth in the world for most cases, behind Spain, Italy and the U.S., which would still have the most confirmed cases of any country even with New York removed.
"Overall the number continue to go up. We're still on our way up the mountain... Well, we're a rural area - we're not going to get it. Oh really? COVID is in upstate New York if you want to talk about rural areas," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday. "We have rural areas. And just the way it's gone through rural New York, it will go through rural America."
A funeral director and a Wycoff Heights Medical Center, employee transport a body, Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
April 2, 6:46 a.m.
Just one day after moving past 4,000 deaths, the U.S. soared past 5,000 fatalities on Thursday morning. The country's 8,672 confirmed recoveries are the fewest of any country with more than 30,000 total cases.
The AccuWeather five-day forecastshows little change in temperature for Detroit with daily highs ranging from the middle to upper 50s, slightly above normal for this time of year. The city will have a pleasant start to the weekend with dry and sunny conditions Saturday but rain is expected to move in by Sunday.
(Image/AccuWeather)
April 1, 4:36 p.m.
The number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. eclipsed 206,000, which is more than double the number of cases in Spain (102,136) and more than four times the number of cases in Iran (47,593), according to analytics compiled by Johns Hopkins University. New York remains the hot spot across the U.S. with the cases in the state accounting for 40% of nation's total.
April 1, 3:57 p.m.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo saidNew York City playgrounds will be closed because they are too crowded and the density in the city is still too high. "Open spaces will remain open for fresh air and sun. Stay six feet apart. Stop the spread," he said on Twitter. The governor's order came as the city's death toll skyrocketed beyond 1,900 on Wednesday, double what it was three days ago, The Associated Press reported. The New York Police Department has more than 1,000 confirmed cases of the virus and and more than 5,600 cops are out sick, according to NYPD Police Chief Terence Monahan.
The U.S. Coast Guard has directed all cruise ships to start preparing to treat anyone on board who's sick while being isolated offshore indefinitely. The Coast Guard released a statement on Sunday warning that the increase in medical evacuations has started to cause a strain on already low medical resources. Due to the strain it has caused, the Port of Miami is no longer accepting medical evacuations and it is expected that other ports will soon follow. The statement also urged all vessels to increase medical capabilities, personnel, and equipment that are operating within the Seventh District Area of Responsibility with more than 50 people on board.
Cruise ships are docked at PortMiami, Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
“It has weighed heavily on our minds that the staging of The Championships has only been interrupted previously by World Wars,” club chairman Ian Hewitt said in a press release, “but, following thorough and extensive consideration of all scenarios, we believe that it is a measure of this global crisis that it is ultimately the right decision to cancel this year’s championships, and instead concentrate on how we can use the breadth of Wimbledon’s resources to help those in our local communities and beyond.”
“All I can say is thank you for being here for the people of the city of New York,” a member of the New York Fire Department said in an address to a crowd of public servants. “When I heard that this was actually a real thing, that people would come from across the country to help us out, I almost didn’t believe it. But seeing is believing. I want to thank each and every one of you for coming from where you are so you could help us.”
Initially, many officials and specialists shared the view that masks were unnecessary due to a lack of efficacy. However, experts are now learning from the experiences of other countries, such as South Korea, on how to best flatten the curve.
April 1, 11 a.m.
Larry David, creator of HBO's hit comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm and co-creator of Seinfeld, delivered a PSA in a way that few others could, teaming up with government officials to urge people to stay home. “You’re hurting old people like me. Well, not me … I’ll never see you,” David quipped.At least33 states and the District of Columbia have urged residents to stay at home.
“You know, if you’ve seen my show… nothing good ever happens going out of the house, you know that. There’s just trouble out there. It’s not a good place to be. So stay home and, you know, don’t see anyone,” David said.
When combined with other symptoms, people with loss of smell and taste appear to be three times more likely to have contracted COVID-19, according to Tim Spector, the King’s College London professor who led the study. The results of the study have not yet been not peer-reviewed, but researchers at King’s claimed those signs were stronger in predicting a positive COVID-19 diagnosis than reporting a fever.
People prepare places to sleep in area marked by painted boxes on the ground of a parking lot at a makeshift camp for the homeless Monday, March 30, 2020, in Las Vegas. Officials opened part of a parking lot as a makeshift homeless shelter after a local shelter closed when a man staying there tested positive for the coronavirus. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Communications director for the City of Las Vegas David Riggleman told ABC News that the people couldn’t stay inside the 483,000-square-foot center, as there a decision had already been made to reserve the space in case of an overflow of patients at nearby hospitals. There was backlash over the decision, as well as a call from former HUD Secretary and 2020 presidential candidate Julián Castroand others to allow those displaced to stay at the vacant hotel rooms available.
In the White House briefing, Trump, Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci all stressed the importance of social distancing. Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, said she believes Americans need to more seriously adhere to social distancing guidelines. “There’s no magic bullet,” she said. “There’s no magic vaccine or therapy. It’s just behaviors. Each of our behaviors, translating into something that changes the course of this viral pandemic.”
Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, gestures to a chart as President Donald Trump listens as they speak about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
April 1, 7:09 a.m.
We've got answers to practical questions about the spread of COVID-19. As the coronavirus pandemic has expanded, AccuWeather has been providing a tick-tock of everything that's developed in our daily briefing. Much of what we've covered has had to do with some of the most practical aspects of recognizing symptoms and staying safe. In case you missed any of it, we delve into proper hand-washing technique, how to safely clean your iPhone, whether chlorine in pool water neutralizes the coronavirus -- and much more intel for what has become the new normal.
Reporting by Lauren Fox, John Murphy, Brian Lada, Mark Puleo, Maria Antonieta Valery Gil, Kevin Byrne, Chaffin Mitchell, Adriana Navarro, Dexter Henry, Bill Wadell, Jonathan Petramala, and Monica Danielle
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News / Health
Previous coronavirus daily briefing updates, April 1-4
Published Apr 6, 2020 12:11 PM EDT
Current daily briefings on the coronavirus can be found here. Scroll below to read precious reports, listed in eastern time.
April 4, 8 p.m.
Major League Baseball player Justin Verlander announced on social media Saturday night that he will donate his paychecks each week to various organizations to support their efforts in fighting COVID-19. The announcement from Verlander, who pitches for the Houston Astros, comes after the MLB announced they would continue to pay players despite the season being suspended. "We know everyone is impacted by this crisis, but for those who are able, we encourage you to stay home to help flatten the curve and look to those around you who need a helping hand," he posted with wife Kate Upton.
April 4, 7:14 p.m.
Republican Rep. Bob Glanzer of South Dakota died on Friday after contracting COVID-19, making him the first sitting lawmaker to die from the virus and the fourth person in South Dakota, according to the New York Daily News. Glanzer, 74, is the second person in his family to contract and die from COVID-19.
“Our family would like to thank the amazing staff at Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center for their amazing care of our dad and of us. Their work was even more appreciated during this truly trying time in our world. They were able to comfort us without being next to us and that is human care on the highest level,” his son Thomas-Stephanie Glanzer said on Facebook.
April 4, 6:25 p.m.
President Donald Trump announced on Friday he is ordering the Defense Production Act to combat the hoarding and price gouging of personal protective equipment amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "If people don't give us what we need for our people, we're going to be very tough and we’ve been very tough,” Trump said on Saturday during the White House’s daily coronavirus briefing.
April 4, 5:36 p.m.
What happens if someone in your family comes down with COVID-19? How should you care for that person? The World Health Organization released some tips on how to care for people afflicted with COVID-19 at home. For caregivers, it is important to make sure that those who are ill drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious foods. It is also important to wear a mask when in the same room as the ill person and to discard the mask after use. The WHO also recommends designating dishes to be used by the ill person and to wash all dishes, towels, and bed linens the individual uses with soap and water. Other tips include frequently washing hands before and after any contact with an ill person, daily disinfecting surfaces touched by them, and to call a health care facility immediately if the ill person starts to worsen or experience difficulty breathing.
April 4, 4:39 p.m.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will be signing an executive order allowing medical students in the state who were expected to graduate in the spring to begin practice now. “These are extraordinary times and New York needs the help,” Cuomo said. Johns Hopkins reports there are 113,806 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state as of Saturday afternoon.
Tiffany Pinckney poses for a portrait in the Harlem neighborhood of New York on April 1, 2020. After a period of quarantine at home separated from her children, she has recovered from COVID-19. Pinckney became one of the nations first donors of "convalescent plasma." Using the blood product is experimental but scientists hope it could help treat the seriously ill and plan to test if it might offer some protection against infection for those at high risk. (AP Photo/Marshall Ritzell)
April 4, 3:47 p.m.
U.S. COVID-19 cases hit 300,000 on Saturday evening, reaching 300,915 cases in the country. The U.S. remains the country with the most confirmed cases of the virus in the world, according to Johns Hopkins University.
April 4, 3:31 p.m.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is donating one million surgical masks to essential workers in New York, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Saturday. The donation is in collaboration the New York Nicks, the Brooklyn Nets and China's Consul General Huang Ping.
April 4, 2:45 p.m.
After a warmer-than-average winter, some maple syrup producers have seen a high volume of sap below sugar content — requiring them to use more sap to make one gallon of syrup. “Typically you would use maybe 40 to 60 gallons to make one gallon of syrup, but this year it’s been as high as 90,” owner of Silloway Maple Bette Lambert told AccuWeather over the phone. The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t affected maple syrup production, but it has greatly impacted the maple syrup businesses through the cancelation of events such as farmers’ markets.
April 4, 1:40 p.m.
Spain's daily coronavirus death toll has fallen for the second day in a row, the Health Ministry said on Saturday. According to data, 809 people died from coronavirus over the past 24 hours, down from 932 during the previous period. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez still plans to extend the state of emergency in the country until April 26.
April 4, 12:35 p.m.
Public spaces will only remain open in London if residents are able to maintain proper social distancing orders, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said on Saturday. The announcement comes as warm weather is anticipated for the area this weekend. Deputy Mayor Sophie Linden said the only reasons people are allowed to be out are shopping for basic necessities, medical needs, to escape a risk of harm, provide care to a vulnerable person, to go outside for one form of exercise a day with members of your household and travel for work if you are unable to work from home.
April 4, 11:15 a.m.
Two passengers aboard Coral Princess cruise ship died from coronavirus. The ship that is docked in Miami had 12 positive cases as of Thursday. “I know how difficult this news is to bear, but given the current situation, we remain committed to [being] transparent and consistent communication with you,” the ship’s captain said.
April 4, 10:00 a.m.
The University of California, San Francisco, is studying a ring that may be able to detect the early onset of COVID-19. The smart ring called Oura looks at data such as body temperature and a daily symptom survey to detect the early onset of COVID-19.
April 4, 9:15 a.m.
One of the world’s oldest survivors of the coronavirus celebrated his 104th birthday while maintaining social distancing space. Bill Lapschies, a World War II veteran, also lived through the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic that killed between 50 to 100 million people. When asked how he managed to beat coronavirus Lapschies said, “I don’t know.” He paused then added, “It just went away. Sit out here and you can get rid of anything.”
April 4, 8:40 a.m.
While the country continues its fight against the coronavirus, spring’s arrival brings with it the familiar fight against flooding. “In short, flooding is going to be significant this spring over a large part of the central United States,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. “Comparing it to last year where damage was at $12.5 billion, potentially, it could be as bad, and in some cases, worse.” Should levees need to be opened due to high waters, a flooding crisis could overlap with the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
April 4, 7:30 a.m.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft sent a team plane to China earlier this week and when it returned to Boston, it was loaded with 1.4 million protective masks for health care workers. Kraft and his son, Jonathan (the team's president), worked alongside Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker to make the transaction and shipment happen after the state was initially outbid for the equipment by the federal government.
More than 1 million of those N95 masks will be donated to Massachusetts while another 300,000 were purchased for the state of New York. “I’ll just tell you the response we’ve gotten from America when our plane came back, people are looking for good things,” Kraft told CNN. “This is the greatest country in the world. It’s time for us to rally together and solve these kinds of issues.”
April 3, 10:00 p.m.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an alert to warn people about scams associated with the pandemic. The warning said that phone calls appearing to be from the CDC asking for donations are fraudelent. “Federal agencies do not request donations from the general public.”
April 3, 9:10 p.m.
After testing dozens of fabrics, the CEO of a Los Angeles boutique found that the improvement to the DIY cotton masks people are making at home lies in blue shop towels. By placing a layer of the fabric between two layers of cotton, Lindsay Medoff, CEO of Suay Sew Shop found that the new masks could filter out up to 95% of the particles they could test, compared to the 20% to 60% of the particles that cotton alone could filter, according to Business Insider. Medoff has tested ToolBox’s shop towels and ZEP’s industrial blue towels.
Pedestrians wear face masks as they walk on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, Tuesday, March 24, 2020. New cases of the new coronavirus surged around the state. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
April 3, 8:23 p.m.
National Guard being requested in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. On Friday afternoon, Luzerne County Manager David Pedri wrote a letter to Gov. Tom Wolf requesting the National Guard to be activated in Hazleton. The city accounts for more than 300 of the 484 cases reported in the county. One reason Hazleton is becoming a local hot spot in northeastern Pennsylvania is due to people ignoring the state guidelines. Only 18% of the community is practicing social distancing, the Citizens’ Voice reported. “I am fearful that if more aggressive steps are not taken to curb certain travel to and from the city, to enforce social distancing and ‘stay at home’ orders then our health system will be overwhelmed and our community will suffer catastrophic losses,” Pedri said.
April 3, 7:53 p.m.
China declared Saturday a national day of mourning for the victims of the coronavirus pandemic, according to The South China Morning Press. All flags will be flown at half-mast and people were asked to observe three minutes of silence through sirens and vehicles blaring. Saturday coincides with the Ching Ming, or tomb-sweeping, festival, when people traditionally gather with family to remember their ancestors. This year, authorities have asked people to stay home for the holiday to curb another potential outbreak of COVID-19.
This will be the fourth day of mourning in 12 years for China. The other three days of mourning were held after the Sichuan earthquake in May 2008, the Yushu earthquake in April 2010 and the Gansu landslide in August 2010, according to the SCMP.
April 3, 7:00 p.m.
President Donald Trump announced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now recommending Americans cover their faces with “non-medical cloth” masks when venturing into public. Trump said during a Friday briefing at the White House that people should refrain from using medical masks and allow them to be reserved for health care workers. The masks are to be used alongside social distancing methods, not as a replacement for them. The about-face came just a few days after a CDC spokesperson insisted to AccuWeather that no plan was in the works to change the agency's guidelines on face masks. As for the president, he told reporters he has no plans to wear a mask. Are you wearing a mask when going into public? Click here to vote in our poll.
April 3, 6:11 p.m.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is signing an executive order in an effort to redistribute ventilators. The order will allow the state to mobilize the National Guard to "take ventilators and redistribute to hospitals in need."
April 3, 5:21 p.m.
Pennsylvanians being told to wear masks whenever leaving their home. During a press conference on Friday, Gov. Tom Wolf recommended that everyone across the state wear a mask any time that they must leave their residence for life-sustaining reason. “Staying home is the most effective way to protect yourself and others against COVID-19,” Pennsylvania Sec. of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said during the press conference. “But, if you must go out because you are out of food or medication, then wearing a mask, or even a bandana across your nose and mouth, could be an extra layer of protection.” There are currently 8,420 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the commonwealth with over 100 virus-related fatalities.
April 3, 4:23 p.m.
The White House is stepping up efforts to ensure the president and vice president don't contract COVID-19. "Starting today anyone who is expected to be in close proximity to either of them will be administered a COVID-19 test to evaluate for pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic carriers status to limit inadvertent transmission," White House spokesperson Judd Deere said, according to Reuters. President Trump was given one of the new rapid results tests on Thursday -- he tested negative for the second time, ABC News reported. The test returns results in 15 minutes and is the same one that will be used on those in the president's inner orbit.
April 3, 3:26 p.m.
New Orleans has been a U.S. hotspot for COVID-19-related deaths, with the city's death rate being twice that of New York City’s, Reuters reported. The cause of this high death rate, they say, could be linked to the underlying medical conditions that much of the population has due to obesity. Currently, the city's death rate sits just above 4%, with 3,476 total cases and 148 deaths. In New Orleans, 97% of the COVID-19-related deaths had a pre-existing conditions, 40% had diabetes, 25% had obesity and 21% had cardiac problems.
April 3, 2:18 p.m.
Asymptomatic cases may be higher than previously thought. A new batch of testing in China has revealed that there may be a greater number of people with coronavirus that are not showing any symptoms. Of 181 people that tested positive, 115 of them were asymptomatic, meaning that they did not have a fever, cough or other symptoms that are common with the coronavirus, Bloomberg reported. People that are asymptomatic may never show signs of carrying the coronavirus but can still pass it on to others. It is also challenging to identify these individuals as they may not qualify for testing depending on the circumstances.
April 3, 1:25 p.m.
“The curve continues to go up” in New York. During a press conference on Friday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced 562 new COVID-19-related fatalities over the past 24 hours, the biggest single-day increase since the outbreak began, according to CNBC. “New York is in crisis. Help New York,” Cuomo said. As of midday Friday, New York City accounted for 55% of the 102,863 confirmed cases across the Empire State.
April 3, 11:52 a.m.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson provides update on his health. It has been one week since Johnson announced that he tested positive for the coronavirus, and he posed a video on Friday to provide an update on his health. “Although I’m feeling better, and I’ve done my seven days of isolation, alas I still have one of the symptoms, a minor symptom, I still have a temperature,” Johnson said. He plans to follow the strict guidelines and remain in isolation until he no longer shows signs of the coronavirus.
Johnson also had a message for people that might be tempted to head outside this weekend, which will feature above normal temperatures and sunny spells. “I just want to say one crucial thing, one quick thing to everybody thinking about this weekend, and what may be some fine weather. There may be just a temptation to get out there, hang out and start to break the regulations. And I just urge you not to do that. Please, please stick with the guidance now.” The U.K. has reported 38,600 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 3,600 virus-related deaths.
April 3, 11:11 a.m.
Anthony Fauci addressed weather's role in spread of coronavirus. With April in full swing, people are looking forward to swapping out their heavy coats for shorts and enjoying time outside on a warm spring afternoon, but doctors are anxiously awaiting the onset of warmth and an uptick in humidity for a different reason. “In general, viruses that are respiratory borne tend to peter out in the moist warmer weather,” Fauci, the leading infectious disease doctor in the U.S., told CNN during a town hall on the coronavirus. “I think there will be some effect. I think when the country as a country gets into summer, that we’re going to get some positive effect.”
However, Fauci warns that warmer weather won’t be a cure-all. “We really can’t rely on that being the mechanism where we’re going to get out of that. We just have to assume it’s not going to help and still continue to push on the social distancing.” An increase of UV radiation from the sun may also help to slow the spread of COVID-19 during the summer months. Other recent studies have shown warmer weather could contribute to slowing the spread of the illness.
April 3, 10:20 a.m.
Nearly 4 billion people, or about half of humanity, are under orders to stay at home due to the coronavirus. This threshold was reached on Friday after Thailand introduced a curfew for the country’s 69 million citizens, according to Euronews. In the U.S., 40 of the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, have issued stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of COVID-19. On Thursday, Dr. Anthony Fauci expressed that he believes the entire nation should be staying at home, despite some states holding out on issuing an order to do so. “If you look at what's going on in this country, I just don't understand why we're not doing that. We really should be."
Newlyweds Alla and Modzi kiss through protective face masks after the wedding ceremony with only witnesses, as public gatherings are banned as part of Lithuania's lockdown measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Vilnius, Lithuania, Friday, April 3, 2020. All public and private events are banned in Lithuania, clubs, bars restaurants and most shops are closed due to the virus outbreak. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
April 3, 9:35 a.m.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused the World Meteorological Organization to cancel its annual week-long meeting of the organization's hurricane committee. The committee instead met by video conference to address "critical operational issues and coordination for forthcoming season." At this annual meeting, the group typically retires any storm names that have become have become notorious for being exceptionally severe. However, due to the abbreviated meeting, 2019 storm name retirements were not discussed.
When the group next convenes, Dorian will almost certainly be retired. The storm was the most devastating and destructive of the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season and is the most destructive storm on record for the Bahamas. To view the names for the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1, click here. AccuWeather's forecast for the upcoming season is now out and calls for an "above-normal" season. Read the full outlook here.
April 3, 7:20 a.m.
While the world eclipsed 1 million cases on Thursday evening, some believe that threshold may have been reached weeks earlier and the current tally could be, as Australia’ Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy supposes, “five to 10 times as much as that.”
“We know that judging by the death rate, the testing rate, in many countries they’re not detecting all the cases,” Murphy said on Friday. “In Australia we’re pretty confident that our testing has been the best in the world.”
Australia announced 248 new cases on Friday, pushing the country’s total to over 5,000. The Department of Health said the country has conducted over 270,000 cases.
April 3, 6:36 a.m.
Here are the latest updated numbers from researchers at Johns Hopkins University, the first morning to start with over 1,000,000 total confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic:
Total confirmed cases: 1,026,974
Total deaths: 53,975
Total recoveries: 217,433
April 2, 10 p.m.
The city of Laredo, Texas, issued a face-mask wearing mandate this week. San Diego County is set to implement similar measures on Saturday. The WHO is re-evaluating its position on wearing face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. And the CDC, is taking another look, too. Where do you stand on wearing face masks? Vote in our poll below.
April 2, 9:15 p.m.
After the 16th COVID-19 death was reported in San Diego, the county is implementing new guidelines that include recommending people cover their noses and mouths while out in public in an effort to slow the spread of the illness. Effective Saturday, April 4, all employees of essential businesses will be required to wear a facial covering. Disobeying essential business guidelines or being out in public in a group could result in a penalty of up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail.
"People should continue to practice physical distancing even when wearing facial coverings," the county public health officer Wilma Wooten said in a statement.
April 2, 8:55 p.m.
President Donald Trump is expected to update the coronavirus guidelines to include wearing face coverings, Politico reported. The news outlet cited two unnamed officials who described the revision to the guidelines “imminent but not yet finalized.” The guidance would encourage the use of homemade coverings, such as cloth and scarves, rather than masks.
April 2, 8:05 p.m.
During the White House coronavirus daily briefing on Thursday, Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx expressed her concern about recommending everyone wear masks, saying she feared it would give people a false sense of security. “The most important thing is the social distancing and washing your hands, and we don’t want people to get an artificial sense of protection because they’re behind a mask,” Birx said. She clarified any recommendations coming out for the use of masks is to be taken as an additive measure to the preexisting presidential guidelines.
April 2, 7 p.m.
The "Pink" moon is coming next week -- don't miss it. For those experiencing cabin fever as isolation measures stretch beyond three weeks in some places, a good diversion might be to get out of the house and look at the night sky. On April 7, another supermoon will rise -- the biggest and brightest of the year. And there will be more celestial activity to behold in the night sky later this month, which AccuWeather's resident astronomy expert Brian Lada has curated for skygazers. So, if the coronavirus pandemic and quarantine life is getting you down, don't fret -- read this for info on what and when to look up.
April 2, 5:57 p.m.
Doctors at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) say they have developed a potential vaccine against COVID-19.Doctors at UPMC started working on the vaccine on Jan. 21 and found that mice developed antibodies against COVID-19 about two weeks after being vaccinated. Although the vaccine is already developed and ready to be tested, it might take up to 18 months for it to be available to the public, as the government has yet to approve its use. The safety trials of the vaccine will begin as soon as the government grants permission.
April 2, 4:40 p.m.
Dr. Jacob Glanville, a scientist from California, and his team say they have a potential cure for COVID-19. On Monday, Dr. Glanville announced that they had “completed the engineering” and had “some very potent antibodies that can be effective against the virus.” Dr. Glanville spoke to News 8 Reporter Kelly Hessedal about the process of finding this cure. “We took a series of antibodies from around 2003 that were able to neutralize SARS,” Dr. Glanville said. “We were able to use technology in our laboratories to evolve those antibodies against SARS to adapt them to recognize COVID-19.”
Dr. Fauci, one of the leading researchers for this virus, was asked about this discovery on Wednesday during the daily White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing and said that he “supports the concept of monoclonal antibodies.”
April 2, 3:56 p.m.
ð¨ On Thursday, the coronavirus pandemic reached several bleak milestones. Global confirmed cases reached 1 million late in the day Thursday, while the number of confirmed deaths shot past 50,000, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The vast spread of SARS-CoV-2, and COVID-19, the illness it causes, has been astonishing both in its speed and scale. The outbreak has shuttered businesses around the world leaving millions out of work and forcing much of the global population to shelter in their homes. Just one month ago, the global case count was nearing 90,000 and deaths were just over 3,000.
Health workers applaud as people react from their houses in support of the medical staff that are working on the COVID-19 virus outbreak at the Gregorio Maranon hospital in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, April 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
April 2, 3:03 p.m.
People in the city of Laredo, Texas, who enter a building outside of their home face a fine of up to $1,000 if they're not wearing a mask, according to the Laredo Morning Times. Bandanas, scarfs or other types of fabric are acceptable to wear in the city, located along the Texas-Mexico border. The mandate went into effect Thursday and will continue through April 30. The Times reported the Laredo City Council initially voted to require anyone that goes outside at all to wear a mask, but the legislation was later refined.
April 2, 2:52 p.m.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo warned on Thursday that despite the measures taken to stretch supplies, New York has six days of ventilators left in its stockpile at the current “burn rate” as the death toll soared to 2,373 in the state, according to the Associated Press. Hospitals in New York have prepared to use anesthesia machines and BiPAP machines, or non-invasive ventilation machines, in the place of ventilators as well as “splitting” ventilator tubes so two patients can share one ventilator
“Every county in New York has now reported a coronavirus case,” Cuomo reported on Thursday. “This virus has marched across our state. We have counties with more cows than people. That didn’t stop it.”
April 2, 1 p.m.
In light of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the Democratic National Convention has been rescheduled until the week of Aug. 17. The convention, which will take place in Milwaukee, was originally scheduled for July 13-17. The delay will provide Democratic officials more time to "determine the most appropriate structure for this historic event," according to a statement from convention organizers.
"Ensuring the safety of the convention’s host community and all convention-goers has been -- and always will remain -- the top priority of the Democratic National Convention Committee. As we continue to monitor the unpredictable and unprecedented public health emergency, we remain in constant communication with the local, state, and federal officials responsible for protecting public health and security, and will continue to follow their guidance," the statement said.
April 2, 12:32 p.m.
Warm weather is impacting drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites in the Tampa area, AccuWeather's Jonathan Petramala reports. Healthcare workers administering the tests have been working in full medical gear during the heat of the day. Watch Petramala's full report to learn how city and county officials are helping to better protect patients as well as doctors and nurses on the frontlines of the battle against the coronavirus.
The Tampa area was nearly 7 degrees above normal for the month of March and saw the mercury rise to 90 F or higher on five consecutive days at the end of the month. The AccuWeather five-day forecast shows temperatures staying in the low to mid-80s into early next week. A normal high temperature for this time of year in Tampa is 79 F.
April 2, 11:43 a.m.
Spring breakers test positive for coronavirus. A group of more than 70 students from the University of Texas at Austin visited Mexico for spring break last month and now at least 44 of them have tested positive for the virus and are self-isolating, The New York Times reports. Austin TV station KVUE shared emails from the travel company that organized the trip, JusCollege, that encouraged the students that the trip was still on, despite growing concerns about the virus. “We believe that our travel destinations remain among the safest and most enjoyable places in the world to visit right now,” one of the emails obtained by KVUE said. The company has since postponed all remaining spring break trips.
The incident is the latest reminder that younger age groups are not without risk from becoming infected. There are more than 300 cases of COVID-19 in the Austin area, with three deaths throughout surrounding Travis County. “Even if you are young, or otherwise healthy, you are at risk and your activities can increase the risk for others,” said Dr. Mark Escott, interim health authority for Austin-Travis County. “It is critical that you do your part to slow the spread of this virus.”
April 2, 11:22 a.m.
CDC highlights the three underlying health conditions that put people at the greatest risk of severe COVID-19 illness. Health officials at the federal agency have provided the first look at preliminary data findings of the first 122,653 COVID-19 cases in the U.S. The key takeaway is that three underlying health conditions appear to make people more susceptible to suffering extreme symptoms from COVID-19. The CDC cautioned that the data set is preliminary, but said the analysis aligns with what is being seen in other countries. The three conditions the CDC says put people most at risk are:
• Diabetes mellitus
• Chronic lung disease including asthma and COPD
• Cardiovascular disease
April 2, 11:14 a.m.
Spain's COVID-19 death toll soars past 10,000. Spain has been one of the hardest hit countries by the worsening pandemic with more than 110,000 confirmed cases. On Thursday, the country's ministry of health reported 950 new fatalities. Only Italy, with over 13,000 deaths has more.
April 2, 10:07 a.m.
Sales of alcoholic beverages soar in the U.S. amid pandemic. According to Nielsen -- the company known for measuring TV ratings -- Americans have been hitting the bottle a lot as stay-at-home orders have become more widespread. All told, booze sales were up 55% for the week ending on March 21. Over that same period, wine sales spiked 66% and beer sales increased 42%. And quarantine life has people buying more snacks, too, Nielsen reports. Potato chip sales surged by more than 60% for the same period, ice cream sales shot up 50% and sales of chocolate were up 21%.
In related news, Ina Garten, the host of Food Network's Barefoot Contessa, sent social media into a frenzy after she was seen on Instagram providing instructions to followers on how to make a gigantic cosmopolitan. "It’s always cocktail hour in a crisis!" she told her social media audience.
April 2, 9:33 a.m.
COVID-19's impact on the U.S. economy continues to be seismic. Unemployment claims hit another record on Thursday, with the U.S. Department of Labor reporting a staggering 6.6 million weekly jobless claims, an increase of over 3.3 million from last week. Nearly 10 million Americans have filed for unemployment over the past two weeks, according to Labor Department figures. Prior to the recent two-week stretch, the previous record for weekly jobless claims in the U.S. was 695,000 in 1982.
April 2, 8:02 a.m.
It took only one month for the fourth-most populated state in the U.S. to eclipse China, the world's most populated country and original epicenter of the virus, in total number of cases. With 84,046 cases, New York has seen nearly 2,000 more cases than China, as of Thursday morning. If New York were a country, it would rank fourth in the world for most cases, behind Spain, Italy and the U.S., which would still have the most confirmed cases of any country even with New York removed.
"Overall the number continue to go up. We're still on our way up the mountain... Well, we're a rural area - we're not going to get it. Oh really? COVID is in upstate New York if you want to talk about rural areas," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday. "We have rural areas. And just the way it's gone through rural New York, it will go through rural America."
A funeral director and a Wycoff Heights Medical Center, employee transport a body, Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
April 2, 6:46 a.m.
Just one day after moving past 4,000 deaths, the U.S. soared past 5,000 fatalities on Thursday morning. The country's 8,672 confirmed recoveries are the fewest of any country with more than 30,000 total cases.
Here are the latest updated numbers, compiled by researchers from Johns Hopkins University:
Total confirmed cases: 941,949
Total deaths: 47,522
Total recoveries: 195,929
April 1, 8:50 p.m.
"My greatest advice for anyone in isolation is to get creative and make sure you have a routine." That's sound advice and it comes from someone who knows a thing or two about living in isolation: Christine Schultz, a meteorologist who lived at the South Pole for a year-long stretch. Schultz told AccuWeather in an interview that, especially in the winter months when there was total darkness and temps would bottom out at about -70 F, keeping a routine helped her maintain her sense of day and night. She also suggests not staying in pajamas all day and shared some of the activities she found useful in maintaining a daily routine -- which may work well for those hunkered down during the pandemic.
April 1, 7:45 p.m.
With the coronavirus pandemic dominating headlines worldwide, it may be easy to look past the flu season. However, as AccuWeather's John Roach reports, demand for the flu vaccine is expected to high this fall due to COVID-19 concerns, and the World Health Organization (WHO) is already taking the necessary steps to prepare for 2020-21. Click here to read the full story and find out what manufacturers of the flu vaccine have to say about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
April 1, 7 p.m.
Golf fans may not have The Masters to look forward to this spring, but a star-studded event could still happen in May. With many golf tournaments postponed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, CNBC reports that a two-on-two golf event including Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will likely take place next month. The two golf icons will be reportedly joined by legendary NFL quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
April 1, 6:03 p.m.
While Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders called Wisconsin to postpone the election, Gov. Tony Evers ordered the National Guard to staff undermanned polling sites for next week’s presidential primary on April 7.
April 1, 5:09 p.m.
Aerial footage showed a lengthy line of cars waiting to enter a COVID-19 drive-thru testing site at the Michigan State Fairgrounds in Detroit on Tuesday. Michigan has the fourth-most confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. with more than 7,600, according to Johns Hopkins University. The state also has the third-most fatalities across the country with 259. In the Motor City, there are over 2,300 cases and 81 deaths.
The AccuWeather five-day forecast shows little change in temperature for Detroit with daily highs ranging from the middle to upper 50s, slightly above normal for this time of year. The city will have a pleasant start to the weekend with dry and sunny conditions Saturday but rain is expected to move in by Sunday.
(Image/AccuWeather)
April 1, 4:36 p.m.
The number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. eclipsed 206,000, which is more than double the number of cases in Spain (102,136) and more than four times the number of cases in Iran (47,593), according to analytics compiled by Johns Hopkins University. New York remains the hot spot across the U.S. with the cases in the state accounting for 40% of nation's total.
April 1, 3:57 p.m.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said New York City playgrounds will be closed because they are too crowded and the density in the city is still too high. "Open spaces will remain open for fresh air and sun. Stay six feet apart. Stop the spread," he said on Twitter. The governor's order came as the city's death toll skyrocketed beyond 1,900 on Wednesday, double what it was three days ago, The Associated Press reported. The New York Police Department has more than 1,000 confirmed cases of the virus and and more than 5,600 cops are out sick, according to NYPD Police Chief Terence Monahan.
April 1, 3:14 p.m.
The CDC is now warning about COVID-19 spread from those who are presymptomatic or even asymptomatic. In a statement released Wednesday, the agency said people who are showing no symptoms may still be able to transmit the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19. The new warning comes in light of a study of patients in Singapore from Jan. 23 through March 16 and concluded that "presymptomatic transmission is the most likely explanation for the occurrence" of secondary COVID-19 cases. This development will no doubt further fuel the growing debate about whether Americans should wear faces masks as they venture into public.
April 1, 2:35 p.m.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued a statewide stay-at-home order that will go into effect Thursday at midnight and will continue until May 1. There have been nearly 7,000 cases of COVID-19 across the state with over 30% of the cases being reported out of Miami-Dade County alone. Pennsylvanians are also being ordered to stay at home after Gov. Tom Wolf expanded the order to include all 67 counties. Prior to Wednesday, only 33 counties in Pennsylvania were under orders to remain at home with the exception of essential, life-sustaining activities. These counties were ones with the highest number of COVID-19 cases.
April 1, 1:40 p.m.
The U.S. Coast Guard has directed all cruise ships to start preparing to treat anyone on board who's sick while being isolated offshore indefinitely. The Coast Guard released a statement on Sunday warning that the increase in medical evacuations has started to cause a strain on already low medical resources. Due to the strain it has caused, the Port of Miami is no longer accepting medical evacuations and it is expected that other ports will soon follow. The statement also urged all vessels to increase medical capabilities, personnel, and equipment that are operating within the Seventh District Area of Responsibility with more than 50 people on board.
Cruise ships are docked at PortMiami, Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
April 1, 1 p.m.
"If you go on a ventilator, there's roughly only 20% chance that you come off the ventilator," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during his Wednesday press briefing. Cuomo showed a Gates Foundation-funded Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation model of projected deaths, which showed the number of deaths leveling out at 93,000 cases nation-wide lasting through July.
“Look at us today, see yourself tomorrow,” Cuomo warned. “Let’s address it New York, because it’s going to be in your town tomorrow, metaphorically.”
April 1, 12:30 p.m.
For the first time since World War II, the Wimbledon tennis tournament won’t be played. The Championships were canceled on Wednesday due to the coronavirus, making it the third time in history the fabled sporting event has been canceled. The first time was a stretch from 1915 to 1918 because of World War I, followed by a stretch from 1940 to 1945 because of World War II, according to The Associated Press.
“It has weighed heavily on our minds that the staging of The Championships has only been interrupted previously by World Wars,” club chairman Ian Hewitt said in a press release, “but, following thorough and extensive consideration of all scenarios, we believe that it is a measure of this global crisis that it is ultimately the right decision to cancel this year’s championships, and instead concentrate on how we can use the breadth of Wimbledon’s resources to help those in our local communities and beyond.”
April 1, 11:51 a.m.
Help arrived in New York on Tuesday, the wave of aid consisting of about 250 ambulances staffed with 500 medics from around the country, according to WABC. The New York City Fire Department posted photos and videos on social media of the influx of ambulances, thanking the new help.
“All I can say is thank you for being here for the people of the city of New York,” a member of the New York Fire Department said in an address to a crowd of public servants. “When I heard that this was actually a real thing, that people would come from across the country to help us out, I almost didn’t believe it. But seeing is believing. I want to thank each and every one of you for coming from where you are so you could help us.”
April 1, 11:27 a.m.
The CDC appears to be slowly walking back its initial suggestion that uninfected Americans do not need to wear masks in public. After President Trump suggested that health officials would reconsider the stance on Tuesday night, Attorney General Jerome Adams told Good Morning America that “We’ve asked the CDC to take another look at whether masks will prevent transmission of the disease to other people.”
Initially, many officials and specialists shared the view that masks were unnecessary due to a lack of efficacy. However, experts are now learning from the experiences of other countries, such as South Korea, on how to best flatten the curve.
April 1, 11 a.m.
Larry David, creator of HBO's hit comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm and co-creator of Seinfeld, delivered a PSA in a way that few others could, teaming up with government officials to urge people to stay home. “You’re hurting old people like me. Well, not me … I’ll never see you,” David quipped. At least 33 states and the District of Columbia have urged residents to stay at home.
“You know, if you’ve seen my show… nothing good ever happens going out of the house, you know that. There’s just trouble out there. It’s not a good place to be. So stay home and, you know, don’t see anyone,” David said.
April 1, 10:14 a.m.
More evidence has emerged that the loss of smell and taste is a primary symptom of COVID-19. Reuters reports that data analyzed by researchersshow nearly 60% of patients who were confirmed positive for COVID-19 reported losing their sense of smell and taste. This is compared to 18% who tested negative.
When combined with other symptoms, people with loss of smell and taste appear to be three times more likely to have contracted COVID-19, according to Tim Spector, the King’s College London professor who led the study. The results of the study have not yet been not peer-reviewed, but researchers at King’s claimed those signs were stronger in predicting a positive COVID-19 diagnosis than reporting a fever.
April 1, 9:22 a.m.
A homeless shelter in Las Vegas was forced to close after a man was tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in about 500 people losing the roof over their heads as temperatures dipped in the area. A new “temporary shelter,” managed by the city of Las Vegas and Clark County, was set up in the parking lot of the city’s multi-use Cashman Center, areas for people to sleep taped off in white boxes on the concrete.
People prepare places to sleep in area marked by painted boxes on the ground of a parking lot at a makeshift camp for the homeless Monday, March 30, 2020, in Las Vegas. Officials opened part of a parking lot as a makeshift homeless shelter after a local shelter closed when a man staying there tested positive for the coronavirus. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Communications director for the City of Las Vegas David Riggleman told ABC News that the people couldn’t stay inside the 483,000-square-foot center, as there a decision had already been made to reserve the space in case of an overflow of patients at nearby hospitals. There was backlash over the decision, as well as a call from former HUD Secretary and 2020 presidential candidate Julián Castro and others to allow those displaced to stay at the vacant hotel rooms available.
April 1, 7:34 a.m.
President Donald Trump warned Americans to prepare for “one of the roughest two or three weeks we’ve ever had in our country.” The White House forecast that 100,000 to 240,000 COVID-19 related deaths in the U.S. could surface in the coming weeks.
In the White House briefing, Trump, Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci all stressed the importance of social distancing. Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, said she believes Americans need to more seriously adhere to social distancing guidelines. “There’s no magic bullet,” she said. “There’s no magic vaccine or therapy. It’s just behaviors. Each of our behaviors, translating into something that changes the course of this viral pandemic.”
Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, gestures to a chart as President Donald Trump listens as they speak about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
April 1, 7:09 a.m.
We've got answers to practical questions about the spread of COVID-19. As the coronavirus pandemic has expanded, AccuWeather has been providing a tick-tock of everything that's developed in our daily briefing. Much of what we've covered has had to do with some of the most practical aspects of recognizing symptoms and staying safe. In case you missed any of it, we delve into proper hand-washing technique, how to safely clean your iPhone, whether chlorine in pool water neutralizes the coronavirus -- and much more intel for what has become the new normal.
April 1, 6:33 a.m.
Here are the latest updated numbers, compiled by researchers from Johns Hopkins University:
Total confirmed cases: 862,243
Total deaths: 42,404
Total recoveries: 178,836
On Wednesday morning, the U.S. also surpassed 4,000 deaths, the third most fatalities of any country in the world.
Previous coverage:
Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from March 29-31.
Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from March 26-28.
Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak.
Reporting by Lauren Fox, John Murphy, Brian Lada, Mark Puleo, Maria Antonieta Valery Gil, Kevin Byrne, Chaffin Mitchell, Adriana Navarro, Dexter Henry, Bill Wadell, Jonathan Petramala, and Monica Danielle
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