Previous coronavirus daily briefing updates, April 18-21

Current daily briefings on the coronavirus can be found here. Scroll below to read precious reports, listed in eastern time.

April 21, 10:10 p.m.

On Tuesday, Gov. Chris Sununu announced New Hampshire will have a phased approach to reopening after coronavirus begins to subside. Coronavirus numbers in the state have stabilized, but are not declining. "We're looking at the different options for that stay-at-home order," Sununu said. "Will it just continue as it is for an indefinite amount of time? No, we hope not. We may, again, take a phased approach, whether geographically or different demographics of our population that we may have to keep that stay-at-home order in place for."

April 21, 8:55 p.m.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said a new order could be implemented after it's current stay-at-home order expires on May 1. The governor said that they are figuring out where the state is in terms of the criteria to reach a phase one reopening. “I know you are waiting for more details on what comes after April 30. We don’t know yet,” he said at a news conference. Edwards said he hoped the state could reach phase one “sooner, rather than later,” according to CNN. Louisiana has had 23,928 confirmed cases, 7,044 recoveries, and 1,296 deaths.

April 21, 7:45 p.m.

Small businesses could see relief sometime soon. The Senate approved a $484 billion relief package this afternoon to deliver aid to small businesses struggling from the economic effects triggered by the pandemic along with other priorities like money for hospitals and expanded COVID-19 testing. Funding for the program ran out earlier this month, prompting an outcry from the small business community, according to CNN.

April 21, 6:35 p.m.

THE FDA is seeking plasma donations to help patients beat COVID-19. Individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 could help others who are severely ill by donating plasma. One donation has the potential to help up to four patients, according to the FDA. People who have fully recovered from COVID-19 for at least two weeks can contact a local blood or plasma collection center to schedule an appointment. FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn recently issued an appeal for COVID-19 survivors to come forward. Watch it below.  

April 21, 5:15 p.m.

With the warmer weather comes an increase in garage theft as people head out to garden and enjoy the spring air during social distancing restrictions, according to police in Eugene, Oregon. Garage doors and side doors have mostly been closed during the cold weather months, but now that people are getting outdoors they aren’t as cautious about locking up. Officials are asking people to prevent easy access to property by always locking up. “Some of the people I've talked to say they went into the house for just a glass of water or a sandwich - something really quick,” said EPD’s Jeff Blonde according to KVAL. “Or they came in really quick and came back out, and then some of their property was gone. So, it only takes a second.”

April 21, 4 p.m.

How easily can SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, spread? Very easily -- in fact, just from someone talking, as researchers from the NIH and the University of Pennsylvania showed in a study published last week in The New England Journal of Medicine. They used a laser light demonstration to show how easily droplets that can carry viruses spread when doing something as simple as speaking. They also demonstrated how effective a face covering is at blocking the spread of those droplets. And they recorded the experiment on video, which can be viewed here.

April 21, 2:53 p.m.

A tornado warning was issued for parts of New York City until 3 p.m. The area under the warning initially included the Bronx, Yonkers, and New Rochelle, New York. Other parts of the city are under a severe thunderstorm warning, including midtown Manhattan where Central Park and one of the largest COVID-19 field hospitals is located. No significant damage reports have emerged so far, but there have been reports of small hail in the tornado-warned areas. A 71 mph wind gust was reported in the Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx.

April 21, 2:30 p.m.

Could customers soon be banned from grocery stores? According to a CNN Business report, some experts believe it might become necessary to help protect workers in the stores.  Some small, independent grocers have already switched to curbside pickup only for customers, CNN reports.  "Anything that reduces the need for interaction with the public and allows for greater physical distancing will ultimately better protect grocery workers," John Logan, professor and director of Labor and Employment Studies at San Francisco State University told CNN. "Shuttering stores and repurposing them for pickup and delivery only would be a positive step."

April 21, 2:03 p.m.

Nurses gathered outside of the White House on Tuesday, demanding more personal protective equipment for hospital workers battling on the front lives of the coronavirus pandemic. At least two dozen nurses from National Nurses United (NNU) gathered, but maintained a safe distance from each other, and read aloud the names of nurses who have died due to the coronavirus, according to NBS News. “I think that right now, people think of us as heroes. But we're feeling like martyrs, we're feeling like we're being left on the battlefield with nothing,” Erica Jones, a nurse at Washington Hospital Center in D.C., told NBC News. The nurses are calling for President Trump to use the Defense Production Act to provide healthcare workers with the supplies that they need. It is a mild day in Washington, D.C. with temperatures in the lower 60s F, but the protesters may contend with showers and gusty thunderstorms throughout the afternoon.

April 21, 1:40 p.m.

In-person voting may be to blame for for new coronavirus cases in Wisconsin following the state’s primary elections in early April. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, seven new COVID-19 cases appear to be linked to the in-person voting, including one poll worker. "There needs to be a little bit more analysis so we can connect the dots, that's why case investigation and contact tracing is so important," Milwaukee Health Commissioner Jeanette Kowalik said. The governor of Wisconsin tried to delay the elections due to the risk of transmission, but the state’s supreme court ultimately ruled that the elections would go on as planned. "This will tell you why we were so adamant about trying to not have this occur," Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said, referring to the attempt to change the voting process. 

April 21, 1:17 p.m.

The finals of the 2020 Scripps National Spelling Bee have been canceled. It's the first time the Bee has canceled the finals since World War II. Event organizers had previously stated that they hoped to reschedule the finals, but determined "there is no clear path to safely set a new date in 2020." The Bee is expected to recognize those participants who won their regional programs in the coming months. The program has been an annual staple since 1925.  

"Our thoughts immediately go to our spellers and their families," said Paige Kimble, the Bee's executive director. "The students have dedicated time and effort to their passion for learning. They should be proud of all they have accomplished by winning spelling bees at the classroom, school and regional level. Nevertheless, our first priority has to be the health and well-being of our spellers and their families and the hundreds of staff and spectators that come together for Bee Week."

April 21, 12:55 p.m.

One of the unexpected effects of the lockdown in Venice is the change in the water running through the city's canals -- a change for the better. This phenomenon was illustrated in a video captured this week by biologist Andrea Mangoni, which showed a jellyfish taking a swim through the deserted canals. Watch below. 

April 21, 12:41 p.m.

On Monday, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster issued an executive order that restores public beach access and said local residents can visit the beaches at their discretion. The order also said that local authorities may restrict access as they see fit. In addition, the governor told some retailers that they may reopen, but they must follow strict social distancing guidelines. These retailers include:   

• Furniture and home-furnishings stores

• Clothing, shoe, and clothing-accessory stores 

• Jewelry, luggage, and leather goods stores 

• Department stores, with the exception of hardware and home-improvement stores

• Sporting goods stores 

• Book, craft, and music stores

• Flea markets

• Florists and flower stores

"Please stay safe and follow all recommendations from public health experts," McMaster said. McMaster joined his neighboring states in Georgia and Tennessee in lifting some restrictions for businesses. The South Carolina Department of Health and Emergency Control said over 41,200 tests for COVID-19 have been conducted in the state, with 4,439 of those coming back positive. The state has reported 124 fatalities.

April 21, 12:25 p.m.

Top official at the WHO warns people to get ready for "a new way of living." Dr. Takeshi Kasai said that if restrictions are lifted or relaxed before there is a strong system in place to identify and care for the sick, an increase in the spread of the disease is likely. "Individuals and society need to be ready for a new way of living that strikes the right balance between measures to keep the virus in check, and enable vital parts of our economies and societies to function once more,” said Kasai. He then continued by reminding people to accept responsibility for protecting yourself, your family, and your community by physically distancing, cleaning hands, covering coughs and sneezes, and to simply just stay at home.  

April 21, 12:04 p.m.

The coronavirus death toll in the United Kingdom may be higher than reported, according to Reuters. The U.K's Office of National Statistics, whose figures include deaths in care homes, hospitals and hospices, recorded 13,212 deaths in England and Wales by April 10, compared to 9,288 in the government's daily toll. As of this past Sunday, the latest hospital data showed 16,509 people had died across the U.K., Reuters reported. "If these figures underestimate the overall death toll by a similar amount, then the true human cost for the United Kingdom as a whole could be above 23,000 based on the latest data - making it the second worst hit in Europe after Italy," the article states. 

April 21, 11:48 a.m.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first at-home COVID-19 test under the emergency use authorization (EUA). The LabCorp COVID-19 RT-PCR Test will come with a self-collection kit that includes nasal swabs and saline. After conducting the test at home, the person who conducted the test will then mail their sample in an insulated package to the LabCorp testing site. LabCorp and the FDA both warn that due to sterility and cross-reactivity concerns, people should never use cotton swabs that didn't come with the kit to test for COVID-19. The FDA also reminds consumers that this approval only applies to the LabCorp kit and it is not possible to test using other swabs or methods. LabCorp says they intend to make the test available to consumers in most states who have a doctor's order in the coming weeks.

April 21, 11:27 a.m.

Massachusetts becoming a hot spot for the coronavirus. The Associated Press reports that health officials in Massachusetts are scrambling to expand capacity at hospitals to deal with the sudden influx of new patients. The state opened two new field hospitals on Monday that are designed specifically to deal with COVID-19 patients. State officials have explored new ways to trace infections such as alerting people who may have come into close proximity with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 by using a group of "contact tracers." So far, 765 people in the state who have COVID-19 were traced by contact tracers which has resulted in over 1,000 people being alerted to having come into close contact with someone infected. In total, as many as 1,800 people have died and more than 39,500 are infected across the state with deaths expected to exceed 2,000 sometime this week.

April 21, 11:08 a.m.

Pamplona cancels famed running of the bulls due to pandemic. City officials made the announcement Tuesday, saying the annual nine-day San Fermin festival set for July will be called off because fighting the spread of COVID-19 is top priority. The news was delivered by Pamplona's acting mayor, Ana Elizalde, because Mayor Enrique Maya is recovering from COVID-19. "No matter how highly anticipated it was, it does not stop us all feeling sad," Elizalde said in a statement. According to Time, the festival dates back as far as the 13th century. High temperatures in early July there typically are in the low 80s and weather forecasting may have played a role in the number of injuries that have occurred at past editions of the event.

April 21, 10:55 a.m.

Major League Baseball continues to pursue ways to start season. According to a report from CBS Sports, MLB officials have recently discussed having teams stationed in Florida, Texas and Arizona using a combination of major league and minor league stadiums. Each of those three states has at least one retractable roof stadium that can protect against rainouts, CBS Sports points out.  

Previously MLB had discussed beginning the season in May with all 30 teams playing games within the Phoenix area. However, multiple players have raised concerns about being quarantined for months at a time without the opportunity to see their families. 

April 21, 10:15 a.m.

Rigorous COVID-19 testing plan proposed. The Rockefeller Foundation, one of America's longest running private foundations, has devised a national COVID-19 testing action plan. As laid out on the foundation's website by its president, Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, the plan describes the necessary steps to "enact robust testing, tracing, and coordination to more safely reopen our economy – starting with a dramatic expansion of testing from 1 million tests per week to initially 3 million per week and eventually 30 million per week."  

"Testing is our way out of this crisis. Instead of ricocheting between an unsustainable shutdown and a dangerous, uncertain return to normalcy, the United States must mount a sustainable strategy with better tests and contact tracing, and stay the course for as long as it takes to develop a vaccine or cure," Shah said in a statement.

April 21, 9:27 a.m.

Tom Brady kicked out of Tampa park closed due to coronavirus pandemic. The legendary NFL quarterback shook up the football world last month when he left the New England Patriots after 20 years and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. On Monday, Brady shook things up again in Tampa when he was spotted working out alone in a park that's been closed to the public. Brady was asked to leave by a member of Tampa's parks and rec department. The city of Tampa later addressed the six-time Super Bowl champ directly on Twitter, saying the parks and rec staff "can’t wait to welcome you and our entire community back with even bigger smiles," but added the admonishment: "Until then, stay safe and stay home as much as you can to help flatten the curve.  

The weather in Tampa on Monday was gorgeous, sunny with a high of 82 -- perfect for a little light football training -- until some storms rolled in around 2 p.m., AccuWeather National Reporter Jonathan Petramala, who is based in Tampa, said. As the week goes on, the temperatures will inch up to about 90 before a chance of thunderstorms returns by Friday.

April 21, 9:02 a.m.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said Monday that "due to favorable data and testing," a number of businesses in the state can begin to reopen on Friday, April 24. Some of the businesses include, gyms, fitness centers, bowling alleys, barbers, cosmetologists, and body art studios. Venues such as bars, nightclubs, amusement parks and live performance venues will remain closed. The governor said the state's shelter in place order is still active and will expire at 11:59 p.m. on April 30. Georgia has over 19,000 cases of COVID-19 and has reported 774 fatalities, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Despite the governor's decision, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in an interview with ABC News that she is still urging all city residents to stay at home.

April 21, 8:01 a.m.

The largest beer festival in the world will not happen as scheduled this fall. Due to the novel coronavirus, Germany's annual Oktoberfest has been postponed, Bavaria Minister Markus Söder and Munich's Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter said in a joint press conference on Tuesday. About 6 million visitors from around the world were expected to attend what Söder called "the biggest and most beautiful beer festival in the world" from Sept. 19 to Oct 4. Officials said the danger of infection from people packed into crowded beer tents and out in the streets would be too high. Soder said recent festivals and carnivals that took place in Germany turned out to be virus hubs. "This is why the greatest sensitivity applies to public festivals."As long as there is no vaccine, as long as there is no medicine, special care must be taken." Soder said.  "It hurts, it's such a pity.

April 21, 7:24 a.m.

Chile officials hope to issue digital immunity cards to people who have recovered from coronavirus, according to the Chilean Health Minister. The so-called “COVID cards” would be issued to people who tested positive for the virus and have shown signs of recovery after a 14-day quarantine.

April 21, 6:48 a.m.

Here are the latest updated totals from around the world, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University:

• Total confirmed cases: 2,492,963

• Total deaths: 171,152

• Total recovered: 656,010

April 20, 10 p.m.

Penguins and kangaroos were spotted enjoying fewer people in public during the coronavirus lockdown. Police saw a kangaroo hopping through empty streets in Australia while penguins were videoed walking down the sidewalks in Cape Town, South Africa. Watch the full videos on AccuWeather's Videowall. 

April 20, 9:09 p.m.

Protests fighting for the reopening of states amid the COVID-19 pandemic have extended to the Pennsylvania capitol building. Protesters gathered in Harrisburg on Monday to call on Gov. Tom Wolf to reopen the state and allow them to return to work.  ABC reported Wolf is following an "evidence-based, regional approach" led by health experts to determine when the state shall reopen.   The same day as the protest, Wolf extended the stay-at-home order in the state to May 8, calling that the "target date" to begin reopening the state, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. He expressed the process will be a gradual one, and likely begin with rural areas before moving into densely populated parts of the state. Currently in Pennsylvania there are 32,902 cases of COVID-19, and over 1,000 new cases are being confirmed each day.

April 20, 8 p.m.

Antiviral drug used to treat Ebola may be effective medicine for coronavirus patients, preliminary results suggest. The drug remdesivir appears to reduce fever and alleviate respiratory symptoms associated with coronavirus, allowing many patients who receive it to be discharged from the hospital in less than a week, Live Science reports. 

Early treatment significantly reduced clinical disease and damage to the lungs, according to the National Institutes of Health. "The best news is that most of our patients have already been discharged, which is great. We've only had two patients perish," Dr. Kathleen Mullane, the University of Chicago infectious diseases specialist overseeing the remdesivir studies for the hospital, said in a private video meeting that was leaked to Stat News.

April 20, 6:45 p.m.

Toilet paper shortages may get even worse as 25% of sawmill capacity in Canada is shut down. As the coronavirus continues to spread, several markets are faced with turbulent times, and the lumber market is no exception. Producers from West Fraser Timber Co. and Canfor Corp., the two largest companies in the market, halted operations for the spring due to the pandemic. This has caused a reduction of production of wood chips that pulp mills use to make toilet paper. Derek Nighbor, president and chief executive officer of Forest products Association of Canada, said that this could lead to a big shortage of toilet papers. “The demand from pulp mills has gone up at a time when we’re starting to see the chip supply become more scarce from the sawmills,” Nighbor told Bloomberg. “It could drive the cost up or there could be product constraints for sure in the months ahead.”

April 20, 5:35 p.m.

First Michigan child dies from COVID-19. After being on a ventilator for two weeks, 5-year-old Skylar Herbert died on Sunday. The Detroit girl had developed a rare form of meningitis and brain swelling, said to be a rare complication of the coronavirus, while battling the disease. “We decided to take her off the ventilator today because her improvement had stopped, the doctors told us that it was possible she was brain dead, and we basically just knew she wasn’t coming back to us,” Skylar's mother, LaVondria Herbert, told The Detroit News.

April 20, 4:55 p.m.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the latest initiative to curb the spread of COVID-19. New York state will deliver 500,000 cloth masks and 10,000 gallons of hand sanitizer to public housing communities. Every resident in the community will have at least one mask. On Sunday, the state saw its smallest increase of deaths since April 2, with 478 fatalities related to the virus. It was also the smallest single-day increase for new cases since mid-March with 4,726 new cases, according to Bloomberg.

April 20, 3:44 p.m.

JBS USA closed down its pork processing plant in Worthington, Minnesota, after several workers tested positive for COVID-19. In a statement released by the company, President of JBS USA Bob Krebs said, “We recognize JBS Worthington is critical to local hog producers, the U.S. food supply and the many businesses that support the facility each and every day.” The company will start to slow down operations the next two days with a reduced staff, so that all of the products that currently exist in the facility can be used to provide food supply. The statement also announced that the company's main goal is to help reduce the spread of the illness. “We have taken aggressive actions to keep the coronavirus out of our plant and keep this critical infrastructure facility operational,” Krebs said. “We must work together to defeat this common enemy.”

April 20, 2:35 p.m.

World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday that easing restrictions is not the end of the epidemic in any country. "Ending the epidemic will require a sustained effort on the part of individuals, communities and governments to continue suppressing and controlling this deadly virus," Tedros said. "So-called lockdowns can help to take the heat out of a country’s epidemic, but they cannot end it alone."  

According to The Associated Press, the director-general also said the worst of the outbreak is still to come and mentioned the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-19 as one example. “It has a very dangerous combination and this is happening ... like the 1918 flu that killed up to 100 million people.” “Trust us. The worst is yet ahead of us,” he said. “Let’s prevent this tragedy. It’s a virus that many people still don’t understand.”

April 20, 1:30 p.m.

New Zealand eases lockdown restrictions. Starting next week, the New Zealand government will shift from a "Level 4 Lockdown" alert, the highest level on the country's coronavirus alert system, to a "Level 3 Restrict" alert starting next Tuesday, April 28. The government's decision allows businesses to resume operations and many people to return to work. Schools will be allowed to reopen soon after the transition. "We will hold at Alert Level 3 for two weeks, before Cabinet reviews how we are tracking and makes further decisions on May 11," a government statement said. 

According to the BBC, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern thanked the country for "stopping an uncontrolled explosion of COVID-19." "We have done what very few countries have been able to do," Ardern said.

April 20, 1:10 p.m.

Due to a lack of widespread testing, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday that the city could remain locked down for weeks, or even months, while states and cities across the U.S. begin to reopen. De Blasio said the city needs to be doing hundreds of thousands of tests daily and see a decline in hospitalization rates in order to reopen, Reuters reported. New York state currently has 238,831 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 12,654 deaths related to the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University.

April 20, 12:38 p.m.

As people wash their hands more frequently, a question about how to properly wash fruits and vegetables during the COVID-19 pandemic has emerged. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests people wash produce the same way they would normally. Before touching the fruits or vegetables, wash your hands with soap and water. Then, thoroughly wash the produce with clean water. According to the WHO, there are currently no confirmed cases of anyone contracting COVID-19 through food or food packaging.

April 20, 12:10 p.m.

Some COVID-19 testing sites are being closed in Florida due to the risk of severe weather. The testing site in Lot J of TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville is one of those closed due to the risk of high winds. Jacksonville is currently under a wind advisory until 4 p.m. EDT with the potential for wind gusts up to 40 mph. Earlier Monday morning, a wind gust blew a tent used by staff for testing in Lot J into a tree. A tornado was also reported near Sanford, Florida, earlier Monday. Sanford is about 28 miles north of Orlando. The risk for severe weather in northeastern Florida will diminish Tuesday and Wednesday but another round of severe weather will be possible on Thursday.

April 20, 11:43 a.m.

COVID-19 outbreak shuts down North Dakota wind power plant. According to the North Dakota Department of Health, the LM Wind Power manufacturing plant in Grand Forks confirmed 88 additional cases of COVID-19 on Saturday. Earlier in the week, the plant was forced to close after eight employees tested positive. North Dakota health officials have tested 426 people at the plant in total. When including employees and their close contacts, there have been 110 total confirmed cases strictly related to the plant, the department of health said. Only one person out of the 110 has been hospitalized. Throughout North Dakota, there have been nearly 600 positive cases and 15 people are currently hospitalized.   

GE, the parent company of LM Wind Power, said it has temporarily closed the Grand Forks facility for at least two weeks so it can "conduct an extensive disinfection process while also continuing to pay employees as usual during this period."  Local medical officials say they have maintained a plan for a potential surge in patients to the region's hospital system. “The results of this event have greatly increased the total cases in Grand Forks in a short period of time,” said Dr. Steven Weiser, president of Altru Health System. “While Altru has a very strong plan in place to accommodate a surge in our hospital, it is more imperative than ever for the citizens of our community to adhere to the expectations put forth by our public health officials. Now is the time to slow the spread of this virus.”

April 20, 11:14 a.m.

Summer vacation in Europe may still be a possibility. Europeans hoping to go on holiday across the continent this summer may still be able to do it, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, but with some key modifications to the sorts of vacation lifestyles most are accustomed to. "I think we are going to find smart solutions to have a summer vacation. Maybe a little different, with other hygiene measures, with a little more social distance," von der Leyen said in an interview with the Portuguese newspaper Expresso, adding that she is "optimistic about summer holidays." She cautioned that predicting what the next few months will look like is "difficult," but that the modifications -- like social distancing and better hygiene practices -- so many have adopted is fueling her optimism.

April 20, 10:42 a.m.

Florida beaches back open. Following an order from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday, several beaches allowed residents to return in a limited capacity over the weekend. According to USA Today, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said beaches in Duval County would have restricted hours, but could be used for walking, biking, hiking, fishing and several other activities. DeSantis said at his Friday news conference that it was important for people to get exercise, sunshine and fresh air. “Do it in a good way. Do it in a safe way,” DeSantis said.

April 20, 9:57 a.m.

Hundreds of protesters arrived in the Colorado capital of Denver on a sunny Sunday to oppose the state's social distancing and stay-at-home orders, a trend that has unfolded elsewhere in states such as Michigan, Virginia and North Carolina. 

Two health care workers, who declined to be identified, were seen staging a counter-protest of their own in the city when they stood at a crosswalk in full medical attire during red lights.Their decision was a signal to many of why the shutdowns are in place, according to Chase Woodruff a reporter for the Denver Westword who snapped the dramatic photo. “Pot shops are open, abortion clinics are open and my church is closed,” Mary Conley, one of the protesters, of Jefferson County, Colorado, told The Denver Post. Conley was seen holding a sign that read, “Trust the people.” She believes the shutdown in Colorado has stretched on for too long, the Post reported.

A video circulating on Twitter captured the heated scene. Amid the persistent honking of car horns, a woman was seen berating the nurses from her truck, while holding a sign that read "land free." At one point, the woman appeared to shout, "you go to work, why can't I go to work?"

April 20, 9:41 a.m.

Great weather for Patriots' Day, but no Boston Marathon because of the pandemic. For the first time in more than 100 years, the iconic race, which brings out about 30,000 harriers each year, was rescheduled due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Boston Marathon in recent years has been run in some very unforgiving weather conditions, and it's even more of a shame the 124th running of the race won't go off as scheduled this year, because the weather is providing nearly perfect conditions: partly sunny skies with an AccuWeather Realfeel temperature of 53 degrees. Race organizers urged people to stay off the course and posted a message of support on social media dedicated to all of the people working on the frontlines in the battle against COVID-19. As MassLive reported, though, at least one runner hit the marathon course this morning, despite the warnings not to do so. As of now, the 124th Boston Marathon is scheduled to take place on Sept. 14.

April 20, 8:32 a.m.

Singapore's health ministry reported 1,426 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, a new daily record for the country, according to Reuters. The ministry said the majority of the new cases were the result of foreign workers living in dormitories while only 16 of the cases were from permanent residents. Singapore has more than 8,000 total cases of COVID-19 and 11 fatalities.

April 20, 7:30 a.m.

Death toll in Iran eclipsed 5,000 over the weekend. The country was one of the hardest-hit in the world in the early days of the outbreak, but recently the number of deaths reported has been much lower, Reuters reports. However, there is some question about a discrepancy between the number of COVID-19 fatalities reported and the actual number of deaths, which a government report there suggests could be double the official tally, according to Reuters. As of Monday, Iran had the ninth-most total cases in the world with more than 83,000.

April 20, 6:33 a.m.

Here are the latest totals from around the globe, compiled by researchers from Johns Hopkins University:

• Total confirmed cases: 2,415,370

• Total deaths: 165,903

• Total recoveries: 632,484

April 19, 10 p.m.

Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Seema Verma announced on Sunday that new measures will require all nursing homes to report any cases of COVID-19 in their facilities to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, residents and families of residents. “Nursing homes are already required to report cases of infectious disease to their state or local health department, as those entities are best suited to address localized outbreaks, but since the #COVID19 pandemic is unique, we need to increase our nationwide surveillance,” Verma said.

April 19, 8:58 p.m.

Public lands face vandalism, illegal activity despite being closed. Cape Cod National Seashore, one of more than 200 sites managed by the National Park Service that have been partially or fully closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, has recently seen an uptick in violations.. In the past week, officials at Cape Cod have discovered vandalism and illegal dumping across the seashore. “We do not have the resources to address these careless acts,” Superintendent Brian Carlstrom said. “We will issue citations to those who do not follow regulations, and we may be forced to close areas of the seashore if violations continue.” People that do not adhere to regulations face fines up to $5,000.

All facilities at Cape Cod National Seashore have been closed since April 16, including restrooms. All trash cans have also been removed to reduce staff exposure to the virus. “We understand how important it is for people to have the opportunity to get outdoors to relieve some of the stress that COVID-19 is causing,” said Carlstrom. “We urge the public to respect their seashore, follow all guidance and regulations, and act responsibly."

April 19, 7:22 p.m.

Severe thunderstorms have been keeping insurance agents busy this spring. But with current stay-at-home mandates and social distancing guidelines in place due to COVID-19, agents have had to turn to technology to assist customers with insurance claims as AccuWeather's Bill Wadell reports. Watch Wadell's full report to see how agents are aiding storm victims without meeting them in person.

April 19, 6:10 p.m.

Protesting took a new form in Israel on Sunday, after photos spread on social media of protesters standing six feet apart from each other in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square. Over 2,000 Israelis protested the government's stringent coronavirus guidelines, which includes tracking the phones of citizens. Axios reported the police marked on the ground where protesters were allowed to stand to ensure social distancing protocol was followed, and organizers of the protests were required to provide masks for participants.

April 19, 5:18 p.m.

The coronavirus pandemic is changing the way that billions of people around the globe are interacting with each other, including a simple greeting between a mother and daughter. Earlier this week, a video surfaced of a nurse in the Philippines reuniting with her daughter for the first time in a month. However, the reunion was out of the ordinary. The little girl was wearing a mask and was covered head-to-toe in a plastic bag to limit any chances of the mother transmitting COVID-19 to her daughter. Watch the reunion as the two hug each other through a veil of plastic.

April 19, 4:21 p.m.

Tornado-battered communities in the South are once again facing the risk of severe weather this weekend. The threatening storms could make recovery from the Easter Sunday tornado outbreak even more complicated for many families who lost their homes, especially with the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. This week, AccuWeather spoke to insurance agents from State Farm, as well an official with the American Red Cross, to get a sense of how they're able to help storm victims, but also follow social distancing guidelines.

April 19, 3:30 p.m.

Is six feet enough space for social distancing? This number has become the standard for social distancing guidelines across the U.S., but that number could change depending on the type of activity you are doing. “As the droplets come out of a person’s mouth that are in the air, if you’re moving quickly toward where those droplets are, you need to create a much greater distance,” said AccuWeather Founder and CEO Dr. Joel N. Myers. “And if you’re both moving in the same direction at those speeds, you probably should be at least 20 or 25 feet apart. And if you’re biking, you probably need to be more like 30 to 40 feet apart.” AccuWeather’s John Roach breaks down what is considered a ‘safe distance’ for various activities.

April 19, 2:00 p.m.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a news conference that even though the number of coronavirus cases is still growing, the state has fewer people in the hospital and fewer people using ventilators. “We’re in a much, much better place today than we thought we were going to be,” Edwards said.

April 19, 12:55 p.m.

Got questions about wearing a face mask? We've got answers. From who's required to make a mask, to the do's and don'ts of face coverings, and how to make your own, our all-in-one guide will help emphasize the essential information you need to know about one of the biggest changes to daily life amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's the intel you need to be ready.

April 19, 11:40 a.m.

In New York City’s plea for health care workers to volunteer, more than 1,400 medical workers have signed up to help the city’s hospitals and nursing homes, Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference. The volunteers will be divided throughout 40 hospitals and 40 nursing homes, the mayor said.

April 19, 10:15 a.m.

The Navajo Department of Health issued an emergency health order stating all people on the tribe's reservation must wear protective masks when out in public, which includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The tribe and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service said the number of positive coronavirus tests reached 1,197 as of Saturday. 

April 19, 9 a.m.

Los Angeles turned Venice Skate Park into a giant sandbox to deter people from visiting or skating during the state's coronavirus quarantine. All parks, beaches, bike paths and trails in Los Angeles County are closed until at least May 15.

April 19, 7:45 a.m.

A professional cyclist has been using his bike to help deliver medicine to elderly residents and others in need throughout the pandemic. With no race to win, cyclist Davide Martinelli is helping the hard-hit Lombardy region of northern Italy. The village has neither a pharmacy nor a supermarket, so Martinelli makes a daily trip to the next town over, to pick up supplies. “I’ve got a bike and two legs in pretty good form, so riding 10 kilometers (6 miles) a day is no big deal,” Martinelli said in an interview this week, The New Brunswick reported. “I wanted to help the people who always support me during the season. It’s time to give back to them.”

Previous coverage:

Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from April 12-15

Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from April 12-14

Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from April 8-11

Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from April 5-7

Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from April 1-4

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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