Previous coronavirus daily briefing updates, April 5-7
Published Apr 9, 2020 5:47 PM EDT
Current daily briefings on the coronavirus can be found here. Scroll below to read precious reports, listed in eastern time.
The Kraft Heinz Company is working hard to provide its products to Americans as the coronavirus continues to spread across the country, causing uncertainty for millions. According to Mitch Arends, the senior vice president of operations and manufacturing for the company, Kraft Heinz will continue to meet demand, even if sales continue to increase at a rapid rate. “I would say at this point, we are prepared to continue to make product exactly as we are today for the foreseeable future,” Arends told Food Dive. “I can’t imagine a situation that would change that.” With factories open 24 hours a day, Kraft Heinz will continue to work hard to produce their Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Oscar Mayer hot dogs and many other products that help feed millions of Americans. As for worker health, Arends mentioned that most of the manufacturing plants have strict rules of social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus and ensure the safety of factory workers.
Robots wearing caps and gowns? In a scene straight out of a science fiction movie, that's what some graduation ceremonies have turned to in Japan as students are unable to attend commencements due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the Business Breakthrough University in Tokyo, robots, which are called "Newme" and produced by a company called ANA Holdings, wore traditional graduation attire, Reuters reported. The faces on the devices were tablets that displayed live feeds of the students themselves. The students were able to remotely control the robots toward a podium where a school administrator would place the diplomas onto racks mounted onto the devices.
Nearly 300,000 people worldwide have recovered from COVID-19, and more than 20,000 in the U.S. have beaten it. Every now and then, those inspiring moments are caught on video. While communities have been applauding health care workers for their efforts in combatting the new coronavirus, staff at Staten Island University Hospital in New York cheered for a woman on April 4 as she was discharged from the hospital after having won her fight against the virus. A video from the hospital shows the halls lined with applauding hospital workers as the woman is wheeled out into the lobby in a wheelchair, where she was met by a loved one.
In AccuWeather’s "Daily Dose of Sunshine" psychologist Erik Fisher offers advice on how to deal with the mental aspects of social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. “Today in these situations it's important to stay in balance,” Fisher said. “What is important to be aware of is your diet. Are you consuming a healthy social media diet or are you consuming a lot of the junk food that we find that feeds your brain?” Fisher suggests that every time you see something that might feel negative or invoke fear, anxiety or stress, find three or more things that might feel more positive.
Wisconsin voters practice social distancing. Long lines of voters were seen in Madison, Wisconsin, on Tuesday as people headed out to the polls to vote in the state’s primary elections. Many of the voters donned masks and kept their distance from other voters amid fears that voter turnout could lead to an accelerated spread of the coronavirus. Around midday Tuesday, voting sites across Milwaukee had wait times as long as two-and-a-half hours, according to The Associated Press. Although the election is being held today, results are not expected for several days.
Voters line up at Riverside High School for Wisconsin's primary election Tuesday April 7, 2020, in Milwaukee. 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/Morry Gash)
Britain’s death toll climbed to almost 6,200 people, after a one-day increase of nearly 800 deaths as U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson remains in intensive care fighting the virus. It is unclear what happens if a prime minister becomes unable to perform job duties since heads of government only leave office through resignation or death, according to The Associated Press. “We’re desperately hoping that Boris can make the speediest possible recovery,” Cabinet minister Michael Gove said.
Americans who are looking to get outside but not violate stay-at-home orders have something to look forward to tonight. Tuesday night's Super Pink Moon will be the biggest and brightest full moon of 2020, rising in the eastern sky around sunset and shining all night long. On the opposite side of the sky, onlookers will be able to see Venus shining incredibly bright after nightfall with the planet out-shining all the stars in the sky. Stargazing can be a simple and fun activity for families with children of all ages, and does not require a telescope.
New York City’s death toll from the coronavirus surpassed the number of people killed at the World Trade Center on 9/11, health officials said Tuesday. At least 2,753 people died in New York City during the attack on the twin towers, another 224 people losing their lives when two more hijacked planes crashed into the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field. In total, at least 2,977 people lost their lives during the attacks. New York health officials say at least 3,202 people have died in the city from the new coronavirus. If New York City were a country, it would rank sixth worldwide in COVID-19 deaths.
Medical workers wearing personal protective equipment wheel bodies to a refrigerated trailer serving as a makeshift morgue at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Monday, April 6, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. 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/John Minchillo)
“Behind every one of those numbers is an individual. There’s a family, there’s a mother, there’s a father, there’s a sister, there’s a brother. So a lot of pain again today for many New Yorkers,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
Wuhan, China, the original epicenter of the global COVID-19 pandemic, has begun to ease lockdown restrictions in place for over two months, Reuters reported. People will be allowed to leave the city, and non-essential businesses will be opening shop. However, residents still remain wary over the potential threat to their health. Some residents told Reuters that they are apprehensive about going outdoors.
In Wuhan, China, it will be dry through at least Thursday with highs in the 70s, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty. “Friday may be dry as well, though late in the day a few showers or a thunderstorm could move in, Douty said. It may be cooler on Friday with highs in the upper 60s, but Saturday will be the chilliest day with occasional rain and temps only in the 50s, according to Douty. Sunday will turn warmer into early next week. “Air quality will also be poor through the rest of the week,” Douty said.
Economist Seth Stephens-Davidowitz believes he has discovered a new symptom of COVID-19: eye pain. Through downloading state-level Google search data for symptoms he found from medicinenet.com, he sifted out the searches that were most related to a state’s disease prevalence rate, Stephens-Davidowitz explained in an opinion piece for The New York Times.
“I explored the question of which symptoms are now being searched in unusually high numbers in states with unusually high rates of COVID-19,” Stephens-Davidowitz wrote. The three most related searches to the disease rates were loss of smell, fever and chills. The fourth most-related search, catching Stephens-Davidowitz off guard, was eye pain. Fever and chills are known symptoms and the American Academy of Ophtalmalogy has warned eye doctors that conjunctivitis, also known as "pink eye," has been observed in some patients who test positive for COVID-19, along with "less specific symptoms" like eye pain and fatigue.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced 731 new deaths in the state, the largest single day increase to date. The death toll in New York is now 5,489. However, some good news did come out of Cuomo's news conference as the governor said three-day average hospitalization rates are down and the change in daily ICU admissions is significantly lower, going from a peak of 395 patients on Apr. 3 to just 89 on Monday. Cuomo added that the hospital ship, the USNS Comfort, and the Javitz Convention Center in New York City are adding 3,000 "much-needed" beds.
Severe weather is forecast to unfold in "a couple clusters of thunderstorms" that will take aim at the Midwest and mid-Atlantic through tonight, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Matt Benz. One batch of storms will bring the threat of damaging winds and hail to places like northern Virginia and Maryland and possibly Delaware through the afternoon. “A second batch of storms is expected to blossom late this afternoon or early evening around the Chicago area and across lower Michigan as a storm system races eastward across the Great Lakes,” Benz said. “These storms may grow quickly and may produce hail, damaging winds, and even the threat for isolated tornadoes, especially across southern lower Michigan and northern Indiana and northern Ohio. The storms are expected to move quickly to the southeast across Ohio and Pennsylvania tonight bringing the threat for damaging winds, hail and heavy rainfall.
AccuWeather is now offering hospitals and medical facilities in all 50 U.S. states specialized AccuWeather SkyGuard severe weather warning services to help reduce weather-related risks to temporary structures established for COVID-19 testing and triage. The specialized version of AccuWeather’s Skyguard warning service includes advanced warnings for the threat of lightning, wind gusts, flash flooding and tornadoes that may impact temporary coronavirus testing and triage sites. Hospitals can sign up at hospital.accuweather.com.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has declared a state of emergency for seven prefectures around Japan, including Tokyo, until May 6. While a stay-at-home order was not put into place, Abe did still encourage people to stay home. The state of emergency permits governors in the seven prefectures to reinforce demands for social distancing. Japan is approaching 4,000 cases of COVID-19 and currently has 19 deaths. Tokyo has experienced a sudden surge of new cases following consecutive days of 100 or more new cases over the weekend being reported. Tokyo currently has 1,196 confirmed cases.
It's a cloudy and cool day in Milwaukee as voters line up at a safe distance to head to the polls in the Wisconsin primary. On Monday, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers issued an executive order ordering the primary be pushed back until June 9 as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and several weeks earlier, the governor issued a stay-at-home order for residents. But late Monday night, the Wisconsin Supreme Court blocked the order, allowing the election to continue.
Video taken by New York Times reporter Astead Herndon shows a long line of voters forming around a block in Milwaukee, with most people wearing masks. Only five polling places are open in Milwaukee after officials reduced the number of locations from 180, according to the Times. The state is the first to hold in-person voting despite stay-at-home orders.
Monday marked France’s highest 24-hour death toll with 613 fatalities reported in hospitals, according to the New York Times. France has reported about 98,984 confirmed cases and about 8,926 deaths as of Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University. Meanwhile in the neighboring nation of Spain, the number of deaths spiked for the first time in five days on Tuesday with 743 people dying overnight, Reuters reported. Spain is currently the second highest number of confirmed cases behind the U.S. at about 140,510.
“We’re not out of the woods yet,” France’s health minister Olivier Véran told BFM TV on Tuesday, also noting that the nation has not reached the peak of reported cases and was “still in a worsening phase.”
America's national pastime could return as soon as May. According to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan, Major League Baseball and the MLB Players' Association are focused on beginning the season in early May, with all games taking place in the greater Phoenix area. No fans would be in attendance. According to The Associated Press, there are 10 spring training baseball stadiums within 50 miles of the Arizona Diamondbacks'' home field. The league's current plan has support from top government health officials, according to Passan. Still there are several hurdles the league most overcome, with some officials believing a June start is more likely. The MLB season was scheduled to begin nearly two weeks ago, but has been suspended indefinitely since March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, is cited as one venue teams will use in addition to the 10 spring training facilities. Weather won't likely be a significant factor, in part because Chase Field has a retractable roof, but because rain is so scarce during the Phoenix area in May. A normal monthly rainfall total for May at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a meager 0.11 of an inch. Chase Field is climate controlled, but the spring training facilities don't have that luxury. Players playing at the open air stadiums will have to endure the sweltering Arizona heat. An average high for May 1 in Phoenix is 90 F, but by the end of the month, the average high climbs to around 100.
A broadcast crew finishes-up near the Kansas City Royals' dugout in an otherwise empty ballpark after the cancellation of a spring training baseball game between the Royals and the Seattle Mariners Thursday, March 12, 2020, in Surprise, Ariz.(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
On Tuesday, a spokesperson announced British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was in stable condition overnight and “remains in good spirits” after he was moved to an intensive care unit on Monday, CNN reported. His office also announced Johnson has been receiving standard oxygen treatment, was breathing without assistance and has not been diagnosed with pneumonia.
Monday marked the first day in months with no new coronavirus-related deaths to report in China. The country’s National Health Commission began reporting new cases, recoveries and deaths in late January and Monday was the first day with no fatalities since January 22.
The commission also shared that 32 new confirmed cases were recorded across mainland China, but all were imported cases from abroad. The nation recently began recording asymptotic cases on April 1 and Monday’s update reported 30 new cases of asymptomatic infections.
Tourists could face 18 months in jail or a fine of up to $5,000 if they visit Gunnison County in Colorado during the pandemic. Officials initiated the public health order stating non-residents and tourists must stay out to help slow the spread of the virus. In the statement, the public health director said non-residents from lower altitudes were at greater risk for COVID-19 complications than residents who are acclimatized to the altitude.
“The public health director also finds that non-residents, regardless of whether they own a residence in Gunnison County, are imposing unnecessary burdens on health care, public services, first responders, food supplies and other essential services.”
Here are the latest updated totals from researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
-
Total confirmed cases: 1,359,398
-
Total deaths: 74,870
-
Total recoveries: 289,109
The AccuWeather TV network debuted a new segment on Monday called "Daily Dose of Sunshine." With so much focus being put on physical health as the coronavirus pandemic has worsened, it's important for people not to lose sight of mental health also -- particularly as social distancing measures have been in place for weeks in some places at this point. Bernie Rayno spoke with Dr. Erik Fisher about how soaking up some sunshine can be critical to maintaining mental health, and the effect sunlight has on mood. Watch the full segment here.
Due to COVID-19, Washington K-12 public, private and charter schools will remain closed through the end of the academic year, which ends in June. The state’s more than 1.2 million K-12 students will continue distance learning, Gov. Jay Inslee and state schools Superintendent Chris Reykdal announced Monday.
Wisconsin primaries back on for Tuesday, April 7. On Monday, Gov. Tony Evers signed an executive order that postponed the state’s primary elections from Tuesday, April 7 to Tuesday, June 9 due to growing fears that it could accelerate the spread of the coronavirus in the state. However, just hours later, the state’s Supreme Court overruled the order, saying that the governor did not have the authority to move the date of the election, according to The Associated Press. Members of the National Guard have been dispatched to staff the polls after thousands of poll workers said they wouldn’t work, AP reported. As of Monday evening, there were 2,449 cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin and 78 fatalities.
Data from Michigan, Illinois, and North Carolina, show that African Americans are contracting COVID-19 and dying of the illness in disproportionate numbers, according to a report by Pro Publica. Two experts have suggested the disease is having a starker effect on African Americans because people in that demographic are more likely to live in poverty and to be in ill health, both of which can exacerbate the effects of the virus. “COVID is just unmasking the deep disinvestment in our communities, the historical injustices and the impact of residential segregation," Dr. Camara Jones, a family physician, epidemiologist and visiting fellow at Harvard University, told Pro Publica.
Severe thunderstorms could close COVID-19 testing sites on Tuesday. Poor weather has caused several drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites to temporarily close in recent weeks, and that may be the case for location from the Ohio Valley to the coast of the Carolinas on Tuesday. Indianapolis and Cincinnati are two of the larger cities that could experience severe weather on Tuesday afternoon. AccuWeather is providing free weather forecasting and warning services to hospitals and COVID-19 test centers across the country to help the worldwide effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the city has partnered with its hometown pro sports teams for a new campaign called the “We Are Not Playing" initiative aimed at reminding people to follow the state's stay-at-home order.
“We love our sports in Chicago, and we’d rather be here in Soldier Field or Wrigley or Sox Park or the United Center or Wintrust, cheering on our players and having a good time with our friends,” Lightfoot said during a press conference from Soldier Field under pleasant weather conditions. “But as we know, this crisis has changed almost everything, and particularly our sports. Coming to these parks would be dangerous and deadly to ourselves and to our city." According to the AccuWeather forecast, weather in Chicago will comprise a mix of sun and rain with high temperatures ranging from the mid-40s to the low 70s.
(Image/Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot)
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson moved to the intensive care unit at Thomas’ Hospital in London. This news broke just one day after Johnson was admitted to the hospital for persistent coronavirus symptoms. “Over the course of this afternoon, the condition of the Prime Minister has worsened and, on the advice of his medical team, he has been moved to the Intensive Care Unite at the hospital,” a spokesman said in a statement. On March 27, Johnson announced that he tested positive for coronavirus and has been in self-isolation since, leading the country while working from his home.
Just one day before residents were slated to head to the polls, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has issued an executive order to suspend in-person voting and delay the state's primary until June 9. Prior to Monday's announcement, a group of Wisconsin mayors had collaborated on a letter to the state's top health official, Andrea Palm, imploring her to use emergency powers to delay the primary, ABC News reported.
"The upcoming election is statewide election and it requires a statewide solution. In-person voting, by definition, inhibits our ability to physically distance," Palm said Monday, citing the recent consolidation of polling locations throughout the state. "In-person voting would without question accelerate the transmission of COVID-19 and increase the number of cases."
Another grim milestone in United States. The COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. reached 10,000 on Monday afternoon, as global confirmed cases eclipsed 1.3 million, data from Johns Hopkins University showed. The country's first coronavirus-related death was reported in Washington state back on Feb. 29 in the early stages of the outbreak. Since then, the virus has moved through the country at a blistering place, altering life for all Americans as quarantines became the new normal. The U.S. blew past China and Italy in the middle of March for total confirmed cases worldwide as the frequency and availability of testing increased. Over 340,000 Americans have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19.
The Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument are visible on the National Mall as a woman and child make their way across the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, Monday, April 6, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
This week would've marked the start of the Masters golf tournament at famed Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. However, the tournament was postponed back on March 13 amid a wave of other major sporting event cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday, tournament organizers said they are eyeing dates in the fall for a rescheduled tournament.
"In collaboration with the leading organizations in golf, Augusta National Golf Club has identified November 9-15 as the intended dates to host the 2020 Masters," Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club said in a statement. "While more details will be shared in the weeks and months to come, we, like all of you, will continue to focus on all mandated precautions and guidelines to fight against the Coronavirus. Along the way, we hope the anticipation of staging the Masters Tournament in the fall brings a moment of joy to the Augusta community and all those who love the sport.
Could the curve be flattening in hard-hit New York? The state's governor, Andrew Cuomo, revealed in a Monday press conference that the number of hospital beds needed in the state is now lower than initial projections, which ranged from 55,000 to 110,000. "Social distancing appears to be working," he said. Despite that, Cuomo said he will ask the federal government to allow the USNS Comfort hospital ship, which arrived in New York Harbor one week ago, to treat COVID-19 patients. The state's hospital system, which is treating over 16,000 people, is stressed and hospitals are" pulling off miracles" on a daily basis, he said.
-
The number of deaths in New York reached 4,758 on Monday up from 4,159 on Sunday. Cuomo said the death toll was "effectively flat" for two days. "While none of this is good news, the possible flattening of the curve is better than the increases we have seen," Cuomo said.
-
New York has more than 130,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, easily the most in the U.S. New Jersey, with more than 37,000 cases, is a distant second.
-
The governor also said that he will raise fines for not following social distancing orders from $500 to $1,000. "You don’t have the right to risk someone else’s life," he said.
-
Cuomo also said schools and non-essential businesses will remain closed through April 29.
Patricia Armand, an anesthesia nurse at Montefiore Medical Center, speak during an “urgent community speak out” and press conference in front of the hospital, demanding N95s and other critical PPE to handle the COVID-19 outbreak, Thursday April 2, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
(AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
COVID-19 poses unique challenges to people who smoke or vape. That's the message from Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which is part of the National Institutes of Health. According to a news release from the NIDA, Volkow outlined several important concerns last week in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. Among them, she said patients that suffer from compromised lung conditions may be at higher risk for severe complications from COVID-19.
"Specifically, people who smoke or vape, or use opioids or methamphetamine may face heightened risk," Volkow writes. "In addition, chronic opioid use already increases the risk of slowed breathing due to hypoxemia, which can lead to cardiac and pulmonary complications that may result in overdose and death." Volkow also cautioned that with social distancing in effect, the number of observed overdoses will also decrease.
One day after he was admitted to a London hospital for coronavirus symptoms, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday that he was in "good spirits." The prime minister added that he was keeping in touch with his team on the latest coronavirus procedures for the country as they worked to fight the virus. Johnson was taken to the hospital for routine tests as he was still experiencing COVID-19 symptoms over 10 days after initially announcing he had tested positive.
"I’d like to say thank you to all the brilliant NHS staff taking care of me and others in this difficult time. You are the best of Britain. Stay safe everyone, and please remember to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives," Johnson said.
Another victim of the coronavirus outbreak is Corona beer. Grupo Modelo, the company that brews Corona, temporarily suspended brewing operations on Sunday in response to the Mexican government declaring beer-brewing a non-essential activity, Reuters reported. Corona is exported to 180 countries including the U.S. where some imbibers may differ with the Mexican government's assessment about what is and isn't essential. According to Nielsen, alcohol sales in the U.S. have been surging during the pandemic, with sales of beer jumping 42%.
The daily toll of coronavirus-related deaths in France fell for the second consecutive day on Sunday, according to France 24. The country's health ministry said 357 people died on Sunday, compared to 441 in the previous 24 hours. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, France has nearly 94,000 total cases of COVID-19 and over 8,000 deaths since the outbreak began.
A policewoman wears a mask to protect herself against the spread of the new coronavirus, left, patrols at the garden of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Monday, April 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will order a state of emergency in Tokyo and six other prefectures in order to contain the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus, The Japan Times reported. The order is expected to go into effect as soon as Tuesday. The latest numbers show confirmed cases are over 4,000 in the country with the death toll now at 108. The capital city of Tokyo is currently the epicenter of the outbreak, and 83 new cases were reported in the city on Monday, the Times reported. Despite calling for a state of emergency, Abe is avoiding calling for lockdowns.
“(The declaration) is estimated to last a period of one month,” Abe said, according to the Times. “This state of emergency declaration is to ensure the medical care system stays intact and to ask for even more cooperation from the public to avoid contact with each other to reduce infection as much as possible.” The weather in Tokyo this week will be mostly sunny, with highs ranging from the low to upper 60s F, according to the AccuWeather forecast.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued instructions on how to make sew and no-sew facemasks at home using T-shirts, coffee filters and bandanas. The CDC also provided comprehensive steps on how to most effectively wear homemade face masks and how to safely remove and sterilize a cloth mask.
U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams posted a 45-second video over the weekend demonstrating how to make a homemade face mask. Watch it below.
Here are the latest updated totals from researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
-
Total confirmed cases: 1,280,046
-
Total deaths: 69,789
-
Total recoveries: 265,462
After a handful of big cats in the Bronx Zoo began to exhibit a dry cough and loss of appetite, a 4-year-old female Malayan tiger has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Bronx News 12. The zoo, which has been closed since March 16, stressed to the public that there is no evidence of any humans in the U.S. contracting COVID-19 through an animal. “It is not known how this disease will develop in big cats since different species can react differently to novel infections, but we will continue to monitor them closely and anticipate full recoveries,” the zoo said.
Social distancing regulations did not stop people from observing Palm Sunday. Instead of heading to their local church, many tuned in to their religious services via livestream on Sunday through services like Zoom and Facebook Live. “My biggest concern is the elderly and those living alone. I don’t want them to feel alone,” Reverend Albert Cutié from St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church told CBS Miami.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was admitted to the hospital on Sunday after testing positive for COVID-19 last week, Politico reported. “This is a precautionary step, as the prime minister continues to have persistent symptoms of coronavirus ten days after testing positive for the virus," a spokesperson for Johnson said in a news release.
Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci said COVID-19 will likely “assume a seasonal nature” and be unable to be globally controlled, according to ABC News. The inability to fully control the virus, Fauci said, could cause a resurgence during the next flu season.
In a “rare” speech, the Queen of England personally thanked medical and care workers on the frontline for “selflessly” dedicating their time to combating COVID-19. She also thanked everyone staying home for their contribution in protecting vulnerable members of society. The Huffington Post reported this is the fifth time the Queen has addressed the nation in this format. “We will succeed and that success will belong to every one of us,” she said.
When a friend ran out of toilet paper, one man in Florida got creative in helping out while still maintaining proper social distancing. Tom Kane attached a few rolls to a drone before flying the remote control aircraft across a lagoon and dropping them into the neighbor’s garden. “Most of the stores around here are still sold out of toilet paper,” Kane said. “So I said to him I will try to rig up something with my drone, fly it to your house and make a drop of toilet paper. The idea worked perfectly." Naturally, the whole thing was caught on video by a camera mounted on another drone.
For the past few days, the number of deaths and new hospitalizations per day due to COVID-19 in New York have been dropping. Additionally, 1,709 people who tested positive for COVID-19 were discharged from the hospital in one day. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said “it’s too early to tell” the significance of those numbers, but said the discharge rate is "great news.”
A pedestrian wearing a protective face mask due to COVID-19 concerns walks by a shuttered movie theater off Times Square, Saturday, March 21, 2020, in New York. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced sweeping orders Friday that will severely restrict gatherings of any size for the state's more than 19 million residents and will require workers in nonessential businesses to stay home. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Former NFL kicker Tom Dempsey died at the age of 73 Saturday night due to COVID-19 complications. Dempsey held the field goal record in the league for 43 years for a 63-yard kick in 1970, according to NFL. He has played for the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, Houston Oilers and Buffalo Bills during his time in the league.
The U.S. surgeon general said the upcoming period is going to be the "hardest and the saddest" describing the upcoming two weeks in the United States as a "Pearl Harbor moment" and a "9/11 moment."
"I want Americans to understand that as hard as this week is going to be, there is a light at the end of the tunnel," Vice Admiral Jerome Adams said on "Fox News Sunday."
President Trump has also said that this week and next will be very tough. "This will be probably the toughest week between this week and next week, and there will be a lot of death, unfortunately, but a lot less death than if this wasn't done but there will be death," Trump said.
With sports shut down, many bettors have been left searching for something new on which to wager their money. Enter the weather. While there are no winners or losers in the weather, gamblers can bet on the weather through sites like Weather Battle. The app allows users to compete in different categories, such as heat, wind, rain, and cold, and battle against others. “It’s basically just picking the 10 coldest, hottest, rainiest, windiest cities in America and doing your forecasting,” Weather Battle’s Jon Haverfield told AccuWeather National Reporter Dexter Henry. “This is fun to watch as well and you can actually live what you’re betting … maybe we can turn people into weather enthusiasts who never really knew much about weather.”
Pope Francis led the Palm Sunday ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica without the usual audience. Every year, tens of thousands of people travel from all over to attend the outdoor mass at St. Peter's Square led by the pope, according to The Associated Press, but not this year due to COVID-19 social distancing rules. Despite the beautiful weather outside, ‘brilliant sunshine,’ according to AccuWeather’s forecast, with temperatures headed for a high of 69, only a few Vatican staffers were on hand to attend the mass in person, which was held inside this year. Those who wanted to see it for themselves were limited to watching a livestream. An eerie emptiness came over the square, with just a few members of the media there to document the unusual occasion.
The pontiff's message during his sermon was directed squarely at the trying times much of the people around the world are enduring. "Look at the real heroes who come to light in these days: they are not famous, rich and successful people; rather they are those who are giving themselves in order to serve others," Francis said, according to CNN. "May we reach out to those who are suffering and those most in need,” he added. “May we not be concerned with what we lack, but what good we can do for others.”
A woman walks past journalists standing in front of St. Peter's Square at the Vatican as Pope Francis celebrates Palm Sunday Mass behind closed doors at the Vatican, Sunday, April 5, 2020, during the lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 infection. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
NASCAR expands on success of virtual racing. For the third weekend in a row, NASCAR drivers of the past and present will be contending again each other in an online race that will be nationally televised at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday. Last weekend’s virtual NASCAR race drew in 1.3 million viewers, becoming the highest-rated televised esports event in history, according to Fox News. NASCAR is expanding on the popularity of these exhibition-style races with “Saturday Night Thunder.” This will be a virtual race on Saturday night featuring drivers from other series across the sport.
Like many other sports, the 2020 NASCAR season remains on hold with all events through May 3 being postponed. Officials have yet to announce plans for the rest of the season, but they intend to run all 36 races this year. The coronavirus is also facing delays in the production of future stock cars. “Due to challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic, the debut of the Next Gen car will be delayed until 2022,” said John Probst, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Racing Innovation. “We will continue to develop the Next Gen car, and a revised testing timeline will be shared when more information is available.”
Previous coverage:
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
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Health
Previous coronavirus daily briefing updates, April 5-7
Published Apr 9, 2020 5:47 PM EDT
Current daily briefings on the coronavirus can be found here. Scroll below to read precious reports, listed in eastern time.
April 7, 9:30 p.m.
The Kraft Heinz Company is working hard to provide its products to Americans as the coronavirus continues to spread across the country, causing uncertainty for millions. According to Mitch Arends, the senior vice president of operations and manufacturing for the company, Kraft Heinz will continue to meet demand, even if sales continue to increase at a rapid rate. “I would say at this point, we are prepared to continue to make product exactly as we are today for the foreseeable future,” Arends told Food Dive. “I can’t imagine a situation that would change that.” With factories open 24 hours a day, Kraft Heinz will continue to work hard to produce their Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Oscar Mayer hot dogs and many other products that help feed millions of Americans. As for worker health, Arends mentioned that most of the manufacturing plants have strict rules of social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus and ensure the safety of factory workers.
April 7, 8:15 p.m.
Robots wearing caps and gowns? In a scene straight out of a science fiction movie, that's what some graduation ceremonies have turned to in Japan as students are unable to attend commencements due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the Business Breakthrough University in Tokyo, robots, which are called "Newme" and produced by a company called ANA Holdings, wore traditional graduation attire, Reuters reported. The faces on the devices were tablets that displayed live feeds of the students themselves. The students were able to remotely control the robots toward a podium where a school administrator would place the diplomas onto racks mounted onto the devices.
April 7, 7:07 p.m.
Nearly 300,000 people worldwide have recovered from COVID-19, and more than 20,000 in the U.S. have beaten it. Every now and then, those inspiring moments are caught on video. While communities have been applauding health care workers for their efforts in combatting the new coronavirus, staff at Staten Island University Hospital in New York cheered for a woman on April 4 as she was discharged from the hospital after having won her fight against the virus. A video from the hospital shows the halls lined with applauding hospital workers as the woman is wheeled out into the lobby in a wheelchair, where she was met by a loved one.
April 7, 6 p.m.
In AccuWeather’s "Daily Dose of Sunshine" psychologist Erik Fisher offers advice on how to deal with the mental aspects of social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. “Today in these situations it's important to stay in balance,” Fisher said. “What is important to be aware of is your diet. Are you consuming a healthy social media diet or are you consuming a lot of the junk food that we find that feeds your brain?” Fisher suggests that every time you see something that might feel negative or invoke fear, anxiety or stress, find three or more things that might feel more positive.
April 7, 4:54 p.m.
Wisconsin voters practice social distancing. Long lines of voters were seen in Madison, Wisconsin, on Tuesday as people headed out to the polls to vote in the state’s primary elections. Many of the voters donned masks and kept their distance from other voters amid fears that voter turnout could lead to an accelerated spread of the coronavirus. Around midday Tuesday, voting sites across Milwaukee had wait times as long as two-and-a-half hours, according to The Associated Press. Although the election is being held today, results are not expected for several days.
Voters line up at Riverside High School for Wisconsin's primary election Tuesday April 7, 2020, in Milwaukee. 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/Morry Gash)
April 7, 3:48 p.m.
Britain’s death toll climbed to almost 6,200 people, after a one-day increase of nearly 800 deaths as U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson remains in intensive care fighting the virus. It is unclear what happens if a prime minister becomes unable to perform job duties since heads of government only leave office through resignation or death, according to The Associated Press. “We’re desperately hoping that Boris can make the speediest possible recovery,” Cabinet minister Michael Gove said.
April 7, 3:07 p.m.
Americans who are looking to get outside but not violate stay-at-home orders have something to look forward to tonight. Tuesday night's Super Pink Moon will be the biggest and brightest full moon of 2020, rising in the eastern sky around sunset and shining all night long. On the opposite side of the sky, onlookers will be able to see Venus shining incredibly bright after nightfall with the planet out-shining all the stars in the sky. Stargazing can be a simple and fun activity for families with children of all ages, and does not require a telescope.
April 7, 2:40 p.m.
New York City’s death toll from the coronavirus surpassed the number of people killed at the World Trade Center on 9/11, health officials said Tuesday. At least 2,753 people died in New York City during the attack on the twin towers, another 224 people losing their lives when two more hijacked planes crashed into the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field. In total, at least 2,977 people lost their lives during the attacks. New York health officials say at least 3,202 people have died in the city from the new coronavirus. If New York City were a country, it would rank sixth worldwide in COVID-19 deaths.
Medical workers wearing personal protective equipment wheel bodies to a refrigerated trailer serving as a makeshift morgue at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Monday, April 6, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. 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/John Minchillo)
“Behind every one of those numbers is an individual. There’s a family, there’s a mother, there’s a father, there’s a sister, there’s a brother. So a lot of pain again today for many New Yorkers,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
April 7, 2:06 p.m.
Wuhan, China, the original epicenter of the global COVID-19 pandemic, has begun to ease lockdown restrictions in place for over two months, Reuters reported. People will be allowed to leave the city, and non-essential businesses will be opening shop. However, residents still remain wary over the potential threat to their health. Some residents told Reuters that they are apprehensive about going outdoors.
In Wuhan, China, it will be dry through at least Thursday with highs in the 70s, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty. “Friday may be dry as well, though late in the day a few showers or a thunderstorm could move in, Douty said. It may be cooler on Friday with highs in the upper 60s, but Saturday will be the chilliest day with occasional rain and temps only in the 50s, according to Douty. Sunday will turn warmer into early next week. “Air quality will also be poor through the rest of the week,” Douty said.
April 7, 1:30 p.m.
Economist Seth Stephens-Davidowitz believes he has discovered a new symptom of COVID-19: eye pain. Through downloading state-level Google search data for symptoms he found from medicinenet.com, he sifted out the searches that were most related to a state’s disease prevalence rate, Stephens-Davidowitz explained in an opinion piece for The New York Times.
“I explored the question of which symptoms are now being searched in unusually high numbers in states with unusually high rates of COVID-19,” Stephens-Davidowitz wrote. The three most related searches to the disease rates were loss of smell, fever and chills. The fourth most-related search, catching Stephens-Davidowitz off guard, was eye pain. Fever and chills are known symptoms and the American Academy of Ophtalmalogy has warned eye doctors that conjunctivitis, also known as "pink eye," has been observed in some patients who test positive for COVID-19, along with "less specific symptoms" like eye pain and fatigue.
April 7, 12:42 p.m.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced 731 new deaths in the state, the largest single day increase to date. The death toll in New York is now 5,489. However, some good news did come out of Cuomo's news conference as the governor said three-day average hospitalization rates are down and the change in daily ICU admissions is significantly lower, going from a peak of 395 patients on Apr. 3 to just 89 on Monday. Cuomo added that the hospital ship, the USNS Comfort, and the Javitz Convention Center in New York City are adding 3,000 "much-needed" beds.
April 7, 12:10 p.m.
Severe weather is forecast to unfold in "a couple clusters of thunderstorms" that will take aim at the Midwest and mid-Atlantic through tonight, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Matt Benz. One batch of storms will bring the threat of damaging winds and hail to places like northern Virginia and Maryland and possibly Delaware through the afternoon. “A second batch of storms is expected to blossom late this afternoon or early evening around the Chicago area and across lower Michigan as a storm system races eastward across the Great Lakes,” Benz said. “These storms may grow quickly and may produce hail, damaging winds, and even the threat for isolated tornadoes, especially across southern lower Michigan and northern Indiana and northern Ohio. The storms are expected to move quickly to the southeast across Ohio and Pennsylvania tonight bringing the threat for damaging winds, hail and heavy rainfall.
AccuWeather is now offering hospitals and medical facilities in all 50 U.S. states specialized AccuWeather SkyGuard severe weather warning services to help reduce weather-related risks to temporary structures established for COVID-19 testing and triage. The specialized version of AccuWeather’s Skyguard warning service includes advanced warnings for the threat of lightning, wind gusts, flash flooding and tornadoes that may impact temporary coronavirus testing and triage sites. Hospitals can sign up at hospital.accuweather.com.
April 7, 11:50 a.m.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has declared a state of emergency for seven prefectures around Japan, including Tokyo, until May 6. While a stay-at-home order was not put into place, Abe did still encourage people to stay home. The state of emergency permits governors in the seven prefectures to reinforce demands for social distancing. Japan is approaching 4,000 cases of COVID-19 and currently has 19 deaths. Tokyo has experienced a sudden surge of new cases following consecutive days of 100 or more new cases over the weekend being reported. Tokyo currently has 1,196 confirmed cases.
April 7, 11 a.m.
It's a cloudy and cool day in Milwaukee as voters line up at a safe distance to head to the polls in the Wisconsin primary. On Monday, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers issued an executive order ordering the primary be pushed back until June 9 as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and several weeks earlier, the governor issued a stay-at-home order for residents. But late Monday night, the Wisconsin Supreme Court blocked the order, allowing the election to continue.
Video taken by New York Times reporter Astead Herndon shows a long line of voters forming around a block in Milwaukee, with most people wearing masks. Only five polling places are open in Milwaukee after officials reduced the number of locations from 180, according to the Times. The state is the first to hold in-person voting despite stay-at-home orders.
April 7, 10:07 a.m.
Monday marked France’s highest 24-hour death toll with 613 fatalities reported in hospitals, according to the New York Times. France has reported about 98,984 confirmed cases and about 8,926 deaths as of Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University. Meanwhile in the neighboring nation of Spain, the number of deaths spiked for the first time in five days on Tuesday with 743 people dying overnight, Reuters reported. Spain is currently the second highest number of confirmed cases behind the U.S. at about 140,510.
“We’re not out of the woods yet,” France’s health minister Olivier Véran told BFM TV on Tuesday, also noting that the nation has not reached the peak of reported cases and was “still in a worsening phase.”
April 7, 9:30 a.m.
America's national pastime could return as soon as May. According to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan, Major League Baseball and the MLB Players' Association are focused on beginning the season in early May, with all games taking place in the greater Phoenix area. No fans would be in attendance. According to The Associated Press, there are 10 spring training baseball stadiums within 50 miles of the Arizona Diamondbacks'' home field. The league's current plan has support from top government health officials, according to Passan. Still there are several hurdles the league most overcome, with some officials believing a June start is more likely. The MLB season was scheduled to begin nearly two weeks ago, but has been suspended indefinitely since March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, is cited as one venue teams will use in addition to the 10 spring training facilities. Weather won't likely be a significant factor, in part because Chase Field has a retractable roof, but because rain is so scarce during the Phoenix area in May. A normal monthly rainfall total for May at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a meager 0.11 of an inch. Chase Field is climate controlled, but the spring training facilities don't have that luxury. Players playing at the open air stadiums will have to endure the sweltering Arizona heat. An average high for May 1 in Phoenix is 90 F, but by the end of the month, the average high climbs to around 100.
A broadcast crew finishes-up near the Kansas City Royals' dugout in an otherwise empty ballpark after the cancellation of a spring training baseball game between the Royals and the Seattle Mariners Thursday, March 12, 2020, in Surprise, Ariz.(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
April 7, 9:05 a.m.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson announced British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was in stable condition overnight and “remains in good spirits” after he was moved to an intensive care unit on Monday, CNN reported. His office also announced Johnson has been receiving standard oxygen treatment, was breathing without assistance and has not been diagnosed with pneumonia.
April 7, 7:36 a.m.
Monday marked the first day in months with no new coronavirus-related deaths to report in China. The country’s National Health Commission began reporting new cases, recoveries and deaths in late January and Monday was the first day with no fatalities since January 22.
The commission also shared that 32 new confirmed cases were recorded across mainland China, but all were imported cases from abroad. The nation recently began recording asymptotic cases on April 1 and Monday’s update reported 30 new cases of asymptomatic infections.
April 7, 6:54 a.m.
Tourists could face 18 months in jail or a fine of up to $5,000 if they visit Gunnison County in Colorado during the pandemic. Officials initiated the public health order stating non-residents and tourists must stay out to help slow the spread of the virus. In the statement, the public health director said non-residents from lower altitudes were at greater risk for COVID-19 complications than residents who are acclimatized to the altitude.
“The public health director also finds that non-residents, regardless of whether they own a residence in Gunnison County, are imposing unnecessary burdens on health care, public services, first responders, food supplies and other essential services.”
April 7, 6:34 a.m.
Here are the latest updated totals from researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
Total confirmed cases: 1,359,398
Total deaths: 74,870
Total recoveries: 289,109
April 6, 10 p.m.
The AccuWeather TV network debuted a new segment on Monday called "Daily Dose of Sunshine." With so much focus being put on physical health as the coronavirus pandemic has worsened, it's important for people not to lose sight of mental health also -- particularly as social distancing measures have been in place for weeks in some places at this point. Bernie Rayno spoke with Dr. Erik Fisher about how soaking up some sunshine can be critical to maintaining mental health, and the effect sunlight has on mood. Watch the full segment here.
April 6, 9:03 p.m.
Due to COVID-19, Washington K-12 public, private and charter schools will remain closed through the end of the academic year, which ends in June. The state’s more than 1.2 million K-12 students will continue distance learning, Gov. Jay Inslee and state schools Superintendent Chris Reykdal announced Monday.
April 6, 7:58 p.m.
Wisconsin primaries back on for Tuesday, April 7. On Monday, Gov. Tony Evers signed an executive order that postponed the state’s primary elections from Tuesday, April 7 to Tuesday, June 9 due to growing fears that it could accelerate the spread of the coronavirus in the state. However, just hours later, the state’s Supreme Court overruled the order, saying that the governor did not have the authority to move the date of the election, according to The Associated Press. Members of the National Guard have been dispatched to staff the polls after thousands of poll workers said they wouldn’t work, AP reported. As of Monday evening, there were 2,449 cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin and 78 fatalities.
April 6, 6:46 p.m.
Data from Michigan, Illinois, and North Carolina, show that African Americans are contracting COVID-19 and dying of the illness in disproportionate numbers, according to a report by Pro Publica. Two experts have suggested the disease is having a starker effect on African Americans because people in that demographic are more likely to live in poverty and to be in ill health, both of which can exacerbate the effects of the virus. “COVID is just unmasking the deep disinvestment in our communities, the historical injustices and the impact of residential segregation," Dr. Camara Jones, a family physician, epidemiologist and visiting fellow at Harvard University, told Pro Publica.
April 6, 5:50 p.m.
Severe thunderstorms could close COVID-19 testing sites on Tuesday. Poor weather has caused several drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites to temporarily close in recent weeks, and that may be the case for location from the Ohio Valley to the coast of the Carolinas on Tuesday. Indianapolis and Cincinnati are two of the larger cities that could experience severe weather on Tuesday afternoon. AccuWeather is providing free weather forecasting and warning services to hospitals and COVID-19 test centers across the country to help the worldwide effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
April 6, 4:44 p.m.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the city has partnered with its hometown pro sports teams for a new campaign called the “We Are Not Playing" initiative aimed at reminding people to follow the state's stay-at-home order.
“We love our sports in Chicago, and we’d rather be here in Soldier Field or Wrigley or Sox Park or the United Center or Wintrust, cheering on our players and having a good time with our friends,” Lightfoot said during a press conference from Soldier Field under pleasant weather conditions. “But as we know, this crisis has changed almost everything, and particularly our sports. Coming to these parks would be dangerous and deadly to ourselves and to our city." According to the AccuWeather forecast, weather in Chicago will comprise a mix of sun and rain with high temperatures ranging from the mid-40s to the low 70s.
(Image/Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot)
April 6, 4:00 p.m.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson moved to the intensive care unit at Thomas’ Hospital in London. This news broke just one day after Johnson was admitted to the hospital for persistent coronavirus symptoms. “Over the course of this afternoon, the condition of the Prime Minister has worsened and, on the advice of his medical team, he has been moved to the Intensive Care Unite at the hospital,” a spokesman said in a statement. On March 27, Johnson announced that he tested positive for coronavirus and has been in self-isolation since, leading the country while working from his home.
April 6, 3:19 p.m.
Just one day before residents were slated to head to the polls, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has issued an executive order to suspend in-person voting and delay the state's primary until June 9. Prior to Monday's announcement, a group of Wisconsin mayors had collaborated on a letter to the state's top health official, Andrea Palm, imploring her to use emergency powers to delay the primary, ABC News reported.
"The upcoming election is statewide election and it requires a statewide solution. In-person voting, by definition, inhibits our ability to physically distance," Palm said Monday, citing the recent consolidation of polling locations throughout the state. "In-person voting would without question accelerate the transmission of COVID-19 and increase the number of cases."
April 6, 2:32 p.m.
Another grim milestone in United States. The COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. reached 10,000 on Monday afternoon, as global confirmed cases eclipsed 1.3 million, data from Johns Hopkins University showed. The country's first coronavirus-related death was reported in Washington state back on Feb. 29 in the early stages of the outbreak. Since then, the virus has moved through the country at a blistering place, altering life for all Americans as quarantines became the new normal. The U.S. blew past China and Italy in the middle of March for total confirmed cases worldwide as the frequency and availability of testing increased. Over 340,000 Americans have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19.
The Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument are visible on the National Mall as a woman and child make their way across the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, Monday, April 6, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
April 6, 1:38 p.m.
This week would've marked the start of the Masters golf tournament at famed Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. However, the tournament was postponed back on March 13 amid a wave of other major sporting event cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday, tournament organizers said they are eyeing dates in the fall for a rescheduled tournament.
"In collaboration with the leading organizations in golf, Augusta National Golf Club has identified November 9-15 as the intended dates to host the 2020 Masters," Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club said in a statement. "While more details will be shared in the weeks and months to come, we, like all of you, will continue to focus on all mandated precautions and guidelines to fight against the Coronavirus. Along the way, we hope the anticipation of staging the Masters Tournament in the fall brings a moment of joy to the Augusta community and all those who love the sport.
April 6, 1:20 p.m.
Could the curve be flattening in hard-hit New York? The state's governor, Andrew Cuomo, revealed in a Monday press conference that the number of hospital beds needed in the state is now lower than initial projections, which ranged from 55,000 to 110,000. "Social distancing appears to be working," he said. Despite that, Cuomo said he will ask the federal government to allow the USNS Comfort hospital ship, which arrived in New York Harbor one week ago, to treat COVID-19 patients. The state's hospital system, which is treating over 16,000 people, is stressed and hospitals are" pulling off miracles" on a daily basis, he said.
The number of deaths in New York reached 4,758 on Monday up from 4,159 on Sunday. Cuomo said the death toll was "effectively flat" for two days. "While none of this is good news, the possible flattening of the curve is better than the increases we have seen," Cuomo said.
New York has more than 130,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, easily the most in the U.S. New Jersey, with more than 37,000 cases, is a distant second.
The governor also said that he will raise fines for not following social distancing orders from $500 to $1,000. "You don’t have the right to risk someone else’s life," he said.
Cuomo also said schools and non-essential businesses will remain closed through April 29.
Patricia Armand, an anesthesia nurse at Montefiore Medical Center, speak during an “urgent community speak out” and press conference in front of the hospital, demanding N95s and other critical PPE to handle the COVID-19 outbreak, Thursday April 2, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
April 6, 12:20 p.m.
COVID-19 poses unique challenges to people who smoke or vape. That's the message from Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which is part of the National Institutes of Health. According to a news release from the NIDA, Volkow outlined several important concerns last week in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. Among them, she said patients that suffer from compromised lung conditions may be at higher risk for severe complications from COVID-19.
"Specifically, people who smoke or vape, or use opioids or methamphetamine may face heightened risk," Volkow writes. "In addition, chronic opioid use already increases the risk of slowed breathing due to hypoxemia, which can lead to cardiac and pulmonary complications that may result in overdose and death." Volkow also cautioned that with social distancing in effect, the number of observed overdoses will also decrease.
April 6, 11:40 a.m.
One day after he was admitted to a London hospital for coronavirus symptoms, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday that he was in "good spirits." The prime minister added that he was keeping in touch with his team on the latest coronavirus procedures for the country as they worked to fight the virus. Johnson was taken to the hospital for routine tests as he was still experiencing COVID-19 symptoms over 10 days after initially announcing he had tested positive.
"I’d like to say thank you to all the brilliant NHS staff taking care of me and others in this difficult time. You are the best of Britain. Stay safe everyone, and please remember to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives," Johnson said.
April 6, 11:03 a.m.
Another victim of the coronavirus outbreak is Corona beer. Grupo Modelo, the company that brews Corona, temporarily suspended brewing operations on Sunday in response to the Mexican government declaring beer-brewing a non-essential activity, Reuters reported. Corona is exported to 180 countries including the U.S. where some imbibers may differ with the Mexican government's assessment about what is and isn't essential. According to Nielsen, alcohol sales in the U.S. have been surging during the pandemic, with sales of beer jumping 42%.
April 6, 10:05 a.m.
The daily toll of coronavirus-related deaths in France fell for the second consecutive day on Sunday, according to France 24. The country's health ministry said 357 people died on Sunday, compared to 441 in the previous 24 hours. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, France has nearly 94,000 total cases of COVID-19 and over 8,000 deaths since the outbreak began.
A policewoman wears a mask to protect herself against the spread of the new coronavirus, left, patrols at the garden of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Monday, April 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
April 6, 9:32 a.m.
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will order a state of emergency in Tokyo and six other prefectures in order to contain the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus, The Japan Times reported. The order is expected to go into effect as soon as Tuesday. The latest numbers show confirmed cases are over 4,000 in the country with the death toll now at 108. The capital city of Tokyo is currently the epicenter of the outbreak, and 83 new cases were reported in the city on Monday, the Times reported. Despite calling for a state of emergency, Abe is avoiding calling for lockdowns.
“(The declaration) is estimated to last a period of one month,” Abe said, according to the Times. “This state of emergency declaration is to ensure the medical care system stays intact and to ask for even more cooperation from the public to avoid contact with each other to reduce infection as much as possible.” The weather in Tokyo this week will be mostly sunny, with highs ranging from the low to upper 60s F, according to the AccuWeather forecast.
April 6, 6:59 a.m.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued instructions on how to make sew and no-sew facemasks at home using T-shirts, coffee filters and bandanas. The CDC also provided comprehensive steps on how to most effectively wear homemade face masks and how to safely remove and sterilize a cloth mask.
U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams posted a 45-second video over the weekend demonstrating how to make a homemade face mask. Watch it below.
April 6, 6:48 a.m.
Here are the latest updated totals from researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
Total confirmed cases: 1,280,046
Total deaths: 69,789
Total recoveries: 265,462
April 5, 7:56 p.m.
After a handful of big cats in the Bronx Zoo began to exhibit a dry cough and loss of appetite, a 4-year-old female Malayan tiger has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Bronx News 12. The zoo, which has been closed since March 16, stressed to the public that there is no evidence of any humans in the U.S. contracting COVID-19 through an animal. “It is not known how this disease will develop in big cats since different species can react differently to novel infections, but we will continue to monitor them closely and anticipate full recoveries,” the zoo said.
April 5, 6:57 p.m.
Social distancing regulations did not stop people from observing Palm Sunday. Instead of heading to their local church, many tuned in to their religious services via livestream on Sunday through services like Zoom and Facebook Live. “My biggest concern is the elderly and those living alone. I don’t want them to feel alone,” Reverend Albert Cutié from St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church told CBS Miami.
April 5, 6:04 p.m.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was admitted to the hospital on Sunday after testing positive for COVID-19 last week, Politico reported. “This is a precautionary step, as the prime minister continues to have persistent symptoms of coronavirus ten days after testing positive for the virus," a spokesperson for Johnson said in a news release.
April 5, 5:07 p.m.
Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci said COVID-19 will likely “assume a seasonal nature” and be unable to be globally controlled, according to ABC News. The inability to fully control the virus, Fauci said, could cause a resurgence during the next flu season.
April 5, 4:10 p.m.
In a “rare” speech, the Queen of England personally thanked medical and care workers on the frontline for “selflessly” dedicating their time to combating COVID-19. She also thanked everyone staying home for their contribution in protecting vulnerable members of society. The Huffington Post reported this is the fifth time the Queen has addressed the nation in this format. “We will succeed and that success will belong to every one of us,” she said.
April 5, 3 p.m.
When a friend ran out of toilet paper, one man in Florida got creative in helping out while still maintaining proper social distancing. Tom Kane attached a few rolls to a drone before flying the remote control aircraft across a lagoon and dropping them into the neighbor’s garden. “Most of the stores around here are still sold out of toilet paper,” Kane said. “So I said to him I will try to rig up something with my drone, fly it to your house and make a drop of toilet paper. The idea worked perfectly." Naturally, the whole thing was caught on video by a camera mounted on another drone.
April 5, 1:55 p.m.
For the past few days, the number of deaths and new hospitalizations per day due to COVID-19 in New York have been dropping. Additionally, 1,709 people who tested positive for COVID-19 were discharged from the hospital in one day. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said “it’s too early to tell” the significance of those numbers, but said the discharge rate is "great news.”
A pedestrian wearing a protective face mask due to COVID-19 concerns walks by a shuttered movie theater off Times Square, Saturday, March 21, 2020, in New York. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced sweeping orders Friday that will severely restrict gatherings of any size for the state's more than 19 million residents and will require workers in nonessential businesses to stay home. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
April 5, 12:45 p.m.
Former NFL kicker Tom Dempsey died at the age of 73 Saturday night due to COVID-19 complications. Dempsey held the field goal record in the league for 43 years for a 63-yard kick in 1970, according to NFL. He has played for the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, Houston Oilers and Buffalo Bills during his time in the league.
April 5, 11:11 a.m.
The U.S. surgeon general said the upcoming period is going to be the "hardest and the saddest" describing the upcoming two weeks in the United States as a "Pearl Harbor moment" and a "9/11 moment."
"I want Americans to understand that as hard as this week is going to be, there is a light at the end of the tunnel," Vice Admiral Jerome Adams said on "Fox News Sunday."
President Trump has also said that this week and next will be very tough. "This will be probably the toughest week between this week and next week, and there will be a lot of death, unfortunately, but a lot less death than if this wasn't done but there will be death," Trump said.
April 5, 9:50 a.m.
With sports shut down, many bettors have been left searching for something new on which to wager their money. Enter the weather. While there are no winners or losers in the weather, gamblers can bet on the weather through sites like Weather Battle. The app allows users to compete in different categories, such as heat, wind, rain, and cold, and battle against others. “It’s basically just picking the 10 coldest, hottest, rainiest, windiest cities in America and doing your forecasting,” Weather Battle’s Jon Haverfield told AccuWeather National Reporter Dexter Henry. “This is fun to watch as well and you can actually live what you’re betting … maybe we can turn people into weather enthusiasts who never really knew much about weather.”
April 5, 8:35 a.m.
Pope Francis led the Palm Sunday ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica without the usual audience. Every year, tens of thousands of people travel from all over to attend the outdoor mass at St. Peter's Square led by the pope, according to The Associated Press, but not this year due to COVID-19 social distancing rules. Despite the beautiful weather outside, ‘brilliant sunshine,’ according to AccuWeather’s forecast, with temperatures headed for a high of 69, only a few Vatican staffers were on hand to attend the mass in person, which was held inside this year. Those who wanted to see it for themselves were limited to watching a livestream. An eerie emptiness came over the square, with just a few members of the media there to document the unusual occasion.
The pontiff's message during his sermon was directed squarely at the trying times much of the people around the world are enduring. "Look at the real heroes who come to light in these days: they are not famous, rich and successful people; rather they are those who are giving themselves in order to serve others," Francis said, according to CNN. "May we reach out to those who are suffering and those most in need,” he added. “May we not be concerned with what we lack, but what good we can do for others.”
A woman walks past journalists standing in front of St. Peter's Square at the Vatican as Pope Francis celebrates Palm Sunday Mass behind closed doors at the Vatican, Sunday, April 5, 2020, during the lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 infection. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
April 5, 7:30 a.m.
NASCAR expands on success of virtual racing. For the third weekend in a row, NASCAR drivers of the past and present will be contending again each other in an online race that will be nationally televised at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday. Last weekend’s virtual NASCAR race drew in 1.3 million viewers, becoming the highest-rated televised esports event in history, according to Fox News. NASCAR is expanding on the popularity of these exhibition-style races with “Saturday Night Thunder.” This will be a virtual race on Saturday night featuring drivers from other series across the sport.
Like many other sports, the 2020 NASCAR season remains on hold with all events through May 3 being postponed. Officials have yet to announce plans for the rest of the season, but they intend to run all 36 races this year. The coronavirus is also facing delays in the production of future stock cars. “Due to challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic, the debut of the Next Gen car will be delayed until 2022,” said John Probst, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Racing Innovation. “We will continue to develop the Next Gen car, and a revised testing timeline will be shared when more information is available.”
Previous coverage:
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
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo