Category: Corona Virus

The 10th Amendment protects state powers and puts a hamper on presidential powers. Here's how the fight for control is playing out today. USA TODAY

Madison Elmer got the offer shortly after she and some friends startedorganizing a protest to oppose Wisconsin's coronavirus stay-at-home order: An outside group wanted to chip in some money to help pay for the rally she plans this week.

Concerned about the strings that could be attached, Elmer turned it down.

"We felt like it had a political agenda behind it, said the Wisconsin native, who declined to name the group.We didnt want to be pawns in somebodys elses game.

As protesters across the country plan to challenge statewide coronavirus orders, they fiercely resist a growing narrative that they are aligned with or funded by national groups, gun rights organizations or entities supporting President Donald Trumps reelection even as some of those groups take part in the events.

The protests, focused on rolling back stay-at-home orders to slow the spread of coronavirus, snarled traffic in Michigan,blocking a hospital entrance.Thousands of cheering, flag-waving drivers cruised aroundPennsylvania. Some demonstrations feature Trump campaign flags, but homemade signs such as one in Tennessee that encouraged Americans to "fear your government,"not the coronavirus are more prevalent.

Fact check: Trump claims coronavirus tests are widely available. They are not

Suspend immigration: Trump's vow to halt immigration puts industries on edge

They have continued even as some states tentatively began reopening businesses and easing distancing guidelines. More than 46,000 Americans have died from the disease, according to Johns Hopkins University. Trump encouraged states with fewer cases and deaths to begin bringing their economies back online.

Wisconsin had more than 4,800 confirmed cases of the virus by Wednesday and had recorded 246 deaths, according to the state health department.

Elmer said she started organizing a protest for Friday after hearing from friends who were struggling, not because they are sick but because they are running out of money. Friday was the day thatGov. Tony Evers' social distancing restrictionswere initially set to lift.

Instead, they have been extended to May 26.

"I was listening to all these concerns, and I was sick of not doing anything about it," she said. "There are people suffering on both sides of this."

A woman holds a sign out the sunroof of a car during a demonstration April 20 in Pittsburgh.(Photo: Keith Srakocic, AP)

Much like the tea party movement that sprang up a decade ago, the coronavirus protests are a culturaleddy of conservative ideologies, from gun rights advocates to religious groups. Though many organizers insist the "gridlock" events and protestsare nonpartisan, many have taken on the flavor of Trump rallies including a smattering of campaign signs and the president's trademark red "MAGA" caps.

The events underscorehowefforts to contain the virus havedivided millions of Americans along familiar political battle lines.

Nearly 60% of the nations voters say they are more concerned about additional deaths from the virus than they are about the economic impact, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll this week. That sentiment is more prevalent amongDemocratsthan Republicans. GOP respondents are divided almost half are more concerned with the economy.

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Alvin Tillery, a political scientist at Northwestern University, sees the protests and Trumps exhortations as an attempt to rally his base when he has faced intense criticism from Democrats for his early handling of the crisis.

Its directed toward the blue states. Its meant to distract from Mr. Trumps incredibly poor performance in managing the crisis, Tillery said. It distracts but also gives them an issue that activates their desire to vote against the Democrats.

Trump has encouraged the groups, including from the podium of the White House briefing room. Friday, in a series of tweets, he suggested it was time to "liberate"Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia. He has beenless clear about what he'd like those states to do, and he has batted away questions about whether the protesters flout social distancing guidelines he and his aides promoted.

Liberate: Trump seeks to 'liberate' states as protesters demand easing of orders

The first item in those guidelines is to "listen and follow" directions from authorities. The guidance goes on to encourageAmericans to work from home, cancel unnecessary travel and avoid gatherings of more than 10 people.

Protesters took to the streets around the Virginia State Capitol to show support for ending tight restrictions due to coronavirus pandemic USA TODAY

"Look, people they want to get back to work, they got to make a living," Trump said late Tuesday. "They have to take care of their family."

Georgia: Trump says he disagrees with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's reopeningplan

Trump took a different approach a day later,saying he disagreed "strongly" with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's decision to move toward reopening parts of that state's economy. Kemp, a Republican and Trump ally, is pushing to reopen gyms, barber shops and other businesses as soon as Friday.

Trump said Wednesday he thought it was"just too soon."

Elmer stressed that she took no money or help from outside interests, but she's aware that a group called Wisconsinites Against Excessive Quarantine plans an event Friday at the same place and at roughly the same time as the rally she organized. That entity is associated witha national gun rights group.

"Coolif theyre supporting our mission, which is reopening Wisconsin, she said.

Similarly, organizers reached by USA TODAY in Virginia, Tennessee, Indiana and several other states denied working with national groups but said they were inspired by protests elsewhere. Some tapped into guns rights or tea party organizations to help spread the wordbut claimed no formal affiliation with wider networks.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina to demonstrate against Gov. Roy Cooper's stay-at-home order and to demand reopening the state's economy. (April 21) AP Domestic

There is some overlap: In addition to Wisconsin, rallies in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Minnesota were promoted by Facebook pages started by brothers Chris, Benand Aaron Dorr who have a network of gun advocacy organizations in multiple states.

Pennsylvanians Against Excessive Quarantine, which was launched by the Pennsylvania Firearms Association and led by Chris Dorr, was among a trio of groups that helped organize Mondays rally in Harrisburg.

"A government that is powerful enough to make unilateral decisions that close down the means of production, well, theyre also then able, in a future school shooting or another Pittsburgh shooting, to reinvoke that same power and say were going to ban constitutional freedoms to bear arms, said Dorr, the firearms associations director.

Dorr downplayed the amount of money and coordination involved.

These Facebook groups, they are completely free," Dorr said. "All I did was start the page and then invited about 10 or 15 friends into it, and it spiraled out of control from there. Theres not even 5 bucks behind this whole thing."

Protesters hold up signs and wave flags in Denver on April 21 as they protest the stay-at-home order issued during the COVID-19 pandemic.(Photo: Isaiah J. Downing/USA TODAY NETWORK)

Several national groupsthat fueled the tea party movement during President Barack Obama's administration said they are helping but not leading the groups. Many of the same charges about "AstroTurf" organizing were leveled against that movement, which sprang up partly in response to the Affordable Care Act.

"There is no central person organizing everything," said Adam Brandon, president of FreedomWorks, a conservative group that focuses on economic issues.

Brandon said 25,000 people took his group's"grassroots training program," and many of them work withgroups to stage the demonstrations. The training includes coaching organizers on how to promote their events, such as through writing news releases and contacting reporters.

Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots, said the real organizers are "people who are fed up."

Martin described the events as an organic movement that relies on social media. National groups such as hers, she said, blast out announcements posted to social media by local organizers to help spread the word.

More than 1,000 protesters gathered at the Idaho Statehouse Friday in defiance of Gov. Brad Little's extension of a statewide stay-at-home order. Little extended the order to the end of April in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. (April 17) AP Domestic

"We want to make sure our supporters are aware events are happening," Martin said.

Organizers dismissed claims of national organization.

"Its nonsense," said Robert Hall, a longtime conservative figure in Indiana whohelped promote a protest in Indianapolis. "Its all grassroots."

Stephen Moore, an outside economic adviser to Trump, applauded the events but said he declined invitations to speak at them because he doesn't want organizers to be seen as swayed by national interests. Moore cautioned protesters against wearing MAGA hats and other Trump merchandise, arguing it could turn off some supporters.

"It really has been a spontaneous combustion," he told USA TODAY.

Demonstrators drive through Kansas City, Mo., during a protest of the stay-at-home order issued as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.(Photo: Jay Biggerstaff/USA TODAY NETWORK)

In some cases, the organization of the protests borders on chaotic.

Teo De Las Heras created a "ReOpen PA" Facebook page last week after spotting a similar effort in North Carolina.The tech company employeefrom Langhorne, Pennsylvania, told USA TODAY that the pagequickly grew to more than 60,000 members. Within days, other members of the grouporganized a protest he attended but didn't help to stage.

Were basically a grassroots thing right now, said De Las Heras, a registered Republican, who said he abstained from voting in the 2016 election. "All the admin and moderators are basically just small-business owners and people impacted by this."

He said an individual reached out to him about having a conversation about"some kind of national organization," but he didn't know the specifics nor the person's group. "They're contacting all the different influencers out there on social media," De Las Heras said. He agreed to talk, but the meeting was canceled.

De Las Herassaid his Facebook group was initially filled with people looking to impeach Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat,but hes sought to keep it focused on the economy.

A man who declined to provide his name wears yellow caution tape as a mask during a protest in Texas on April 18, 2020.(Photo: Nick Wagner, Austin American-Statesman-USA TO)

Keeping protesters on message and avoiding an association with some of the hate speech that hascropped up has been a challenge for organizers. Some protestershave reportedly flashed anti-Semitic signs. Organizers have rebuked that behavior, which has been rare,and said it distracts from the intended message.

In Virginia, David Britt, a spokesman for the Reopen Virginia gridlock rally, said the support keeps getting "exponentially bigger" since the event was organized last Thursday. He said hisgroup is "not getting a dime in outside fundingor other help.

A self-described "constitutional conservative" and"political big-mouth on Facebook," Britt said he was driven to action after watching last weeks rally in Lansing, Michigan. He proposed on Facebook that Virginians do the same thing.

"Were winging this and flying by the seat of our pants, said Britt, a mental health counselor from Fairfax, Virginia.

Virginia organizers are particularly upset about the length of Democratic Gov. Ralph Northams stay-at-home order, which is to runthrough June 10. They said its too extreme and will lead to unemployment and other unintended consequences, from homelessness to domestic violence.

Virginia hadmore than 9,600 confirmed cases of the virus as of Tuesdayand recorded 324deaths, according to state health officials.

Britt said organizers discouraged people from turning an event planned for Wednesday into a Trump rally or a protest over Second Amendment rights and instead urged them tostay "laser-focused" on their message about getting Virginians back to work.

"We're trying to discourage that as much as possible," Britt said, who described himself as a supporter of the president."This isnt a Trump rally. This isnt a Republican rally."

Contributing: Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY; Lansing State Journal;Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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'We're winging this.' Coronavirus protests tout independence as national groups eye election - USA TODAY

"These are the first pets in the United States to test positive," the US Department of Agriculture said Wednesday in a joint statement with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A veterinarian tested the first house cat after it showed mild respiratory signs, but none of the humans in its household were confirmed to have the virus.

It's possible, officials said, that the cat was infected by somebody outside the home. Someone inside the house, with mild or no symptoms, could have also transmitted the virus.

The second cat, in a separate area of New York, was also tested after it showed signs of respiratory illness. The owner of that cat tested positive for Covid-19 before the cat became ill, but another cat in the household has shown no signs of illness.

Social distancing for cats and dogs, too

Asked about the cats on Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci said "it's not surprising" they could have been infected.

But Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease specialist, emphasized that "there is no evidence whatsoever that we've seen, from an epidemiological standpoint, that pets can be transmitters within the household."

While officials are still learning more about coronavirus and pets, the CDC is recommending that people limit interactions between their pets and people or animals outside the household.

Cats should be kept indoors when possible, the CDC said, and dogs should be walked on a leash, maintaining at least six feet from other people and animals.

The agency said dogs should also avoid public places where a large number of people and animals gather, such as dog parks.

If someone is ill with Covid-19 -- whether suspected or confirmed -- officials recommend having another member of the household care for pets.

If that's not possible, people should wear cloth face coverings around animals, making sure to wash their hands before and after any interactions.

And when people are sick, officials said they should refrain from petting or snuggling their pets -- and avoid being kissed or licked.

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Two cats in New York are first pets known to have coronavirus in the US - CNN

Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the creation of the 'Reopen DC Advisory Group' this morning.

The group, consisting of government and community leaders, will form recommendations for reopening the District of Columbia.

It will have 12 committees focusing on different areas, and will be led by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School. Recommendations from the group are expected in May.

Bowser emphasized that the advisory group will tackle what she called "longstanding...racial inequities" in the district when planning for reopening.

She said that this is a once in a generation opportunity to reopen our city in a way that builds a more equitable DC.

The current stay-at-home order in Washington is in place until May 15. Bowser reiterated that before phase one of the reopening can begin, a downward trend of positive coronavirus cases must occur over two weeks.

Additionally, hospitals must have the capacity to treat everyone and there needs to be a widespread contact tracing capacity.

By the numbers: As of Thursday morning, there have been 155 new positive coronavirus cases in Washington, DC, bringing the total number of positive cases to 3,361.There were 12 additional deaths, bringing the total to 139.

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Coronavirus pandemic in the US: Live updates - CNN

"By the grace of God I was able to get off (the ventilator)," said the 69-year-old woman from Lorain, Ohio.

They are learning how to breathe and walk again

Jesse Vanderhoof could barely move with a walker around his home in Blaine County, Idaho, and going to his upstairs bedroom was out of the question.

For the 40-year-old nurse, the skiing and hiking trips with his wife feel like distant memories. Ten days after leaving the hospital, walking only a couple of blocks leaves him extremely exhausted.

"You want to talk about humbling and challenging for a man, that's as tough as it gets right there," Vanderhoof said of his week on a ventilator after he contracted coronavirus while working on Covid-19 testing tents.

"He didn't understand why the world was at war with (Covid-19), why health care workers were heroes, why he was involved," Emily, 34, said. "We had the same conversation for four days straight."

Some survivors, such as David Lat, say one of their biggest challenges has been learning "how to breathe again" after spending 17 days in a New York hospital and six days on a ventilator.

The ventilator may have caused some damage to his vocal chords, Lat says, noting his hoarse voice, but "I wouldn't be here without it."

Leah Blomberg's muscles are weak after being in a medically-induced coma and on a ventilator for nine days. She says she feels lucky to be alive, but what used to be a 15-minute shower now takes her 45 minutes.

"The recovery is probably the worst," Blomberg said. "Basically it's having to learn to walk again, because your muscles ... it's like you've never used them before."

For those who were not hospitalized, the recovery at home can vary. Some say the process is not immediate and it has taken them weeks to recover their stamina, while others say it takes from days to weeks to get past the fever.

They are reuniting with their families

When Sandra Sandoli embraced her husband and daughters, it was a hug like no other. It was their own Easter Sunday miracle.

"I cried. It was a hug of relief and happiness but also of sadness for all we are all going through now. So many emotions at once," said Sandoli, 52, a retired teacher in Fair Haven, New Jersey.

For more than a month, Sandoli was quarantined in her bedroom after falling ill while visiting her parents in Delaware and testing positive for Covid-19. She couldn't see her parents, who contracted the virus through her, or comfort her two daughters who flew home from college.

They would leave her meals and tea by the door and pick up the empty dishes, wearing a mask and gloves, by the end of the day. They'd talk over the phone with her or while standing in different rooms.

Sandoli overcame the fever and regained her strength but a lingering cough worried her. Afraid of the virus and unable to get tested again, Sandoli said she and her doctor decided she would wait indefinitely until the cough was gone.

Sandoli left her bedroom Sunday and reunited with her family. They walked side by side for a few miles.

"It felt a little surreal," she said. "The simplest thing like taking a walk was the biggest deal."

They cooked and sat together at their dinner table eating fish, mashed potatoes and vegetables. They took a Zumba class online together.

"When I hugged my daughters, I didn't want it to end. I will never take those hugs for granted," Sandoli added. "We made it."

They are actively helping others

Nicole Chayet and her husband have been knocking on stranger's doors around New York and bringing them bags full of groceries and essentials for the past week.

"I want to help others. I survived the virus and I feel strong," Chayet, 33, told CNN. "I'm not afraid of going outside to help other people."

When Chayet, director of media relations for the New York City Football Club, and her husband were ill, she said she was afraid of telling other people or even asking others to take care of their 22-month-old daughter while they recovered.

Now, they are splitting their time between working from home, connecting with people suffering from coronavirus or their relatives, and trying to help others.

Earlier this week, Chayet gave a blood sample to a study conducted by Mount Sinai Hospital, aiming to use antibodies to treat coronavirus patients. She said she wants to volunteer in more studies and has since received messages from people in states as far away as Arizona and California asking whether she could find a way to help their loved ones.

Other survivors are mobilizing, donating blood or planning to help as soon as they make a full recovery.

"I'd like to think of it as a superhero -- me and all the other survivors have these internally-built hazmat suits," Berrent told CNN.

Even Vanderhoof, the nurse in Idaho who is still slowly trying to regain his stamina, is looking forward to getting back to work -- even if he doesn't know when that would be possible.

"If I've learned anything in this experience with medical problems, it's that I want to help people more than I ever have before," Vanderhoof said.

What has been one of his most vulnerable times has become motivation for Vanderhoof to keep living and ultimately defend others from the pandemic.

CNN's Eric Levenson, Paul Vercammen, Hollie Silverman and Holly Yan contributed to this report.

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They won the fight against coronavirus. Here's what life looks like on the other side - CNN

The coverage on this live blog has ended but for up-to-the-minute coverage on the coronavirus,visit thelive blog from CNBC's U.S. team.

The data above was compiled by Johns Hopkins University as of 3:31 p.m. Beijing time.

All times below are in Beijing time.

China is to donate an additional $30 million to the World Health Organization (WHO) to support efforts to combat the coronavirus, China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Thursday, Reuters reported.

Hua said on Twitter that the donation was aimed at strengthening developing countries' health systems and added that China had already donated $20 million to the WHO in March. Holly Ellyatt

Australia will push for an international investigation into the coronavirus pandemic at next month's annual meeting of the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the World Health Organization, its prime minister said on Thursday, Reuters reported.

Australia wants a review into the WHO's response to the pandemic and would like to see the organization strengthened. Holly Ellyatt

Spain has reported that 440 people have died from the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths to 22,157, its health ministry said.

The death toll has risen slightly from Wednesday, when 435 deaths were reported. The total number of cases has reached 213,024, up 4,635 from the previous day. Holly Ellyatt

Health workers at Hospital Clinic applaud at 8p.m. during the coronavirus pandemic on April 22, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain.

Xavi Torrent

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the end of the coronavirus pandemic is not yet in sight and that we will have to live with the virus "for a long time."

Speaking to Germany's Parliament, the Bundestag, on Thursday, Merkel said "we are not living in the final phase of the pandemic, but still at the beginning."

"We have won time," Merkel said, according to a Reuters translation, adding that this had been used to bolster Germany's health-care system. Holly Ellyatt

Euro zone business activity hit another record low during April in another sign that thecoronavirus pandemicis causing severe economic damage across the region.

The IHS Markit Purchasing Managers' Index, which measures both the services industry and manufacturing, droppedto 13.5in April, according to preliminary data. In March, the same index had already recorded its biggest ever single monthly drop to29.7. A contraction in PMI numbers a figure below 50 indicates a likely fall in economic growth overall.

"April saw unprecedented damage to the euro zone economy amid virus lockdown measures coupled with slumping global demand and shortages of both staff and inputs,"Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit, said in a statement. Silvia Amaro

The number of coronavirus cases in Singapore jumped by 1,037 to 11,178, according to preliminary data by the Ministry of Health. A vast majority of those cases were migrant workers living in dormitories, the ministry said. (See 10:18 am update)

Singapore is the first country in the Southeast Asia to report cumulative cases of above 10,000, according to the tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Yen Nee Lee

FacebookMarketplace is one of the biggest second-hand buying and selling platforms in the world. But its efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus pale in comparison to those of rival apps.

On March 24,one in five people worldwide were in some form of lockdown, with many people only able to go out to pick up essentials (food and medicine), or to get some exercise. Things remain largely unchanged. "Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives." That's the message U.K. citizens are hearing over and over again. Popping to someone's house to pick up a second-hand this or that probably isn't a great idea right now.

However, a host of Facebook Marketplace users in the U.K. told CNBC that they were still completing face-to-face transactions over the platform. Some of them said they're taking their own precautions by wearing masks and gloves, but not all. The company has said that users should follow government advice and it was monitoring the situation. Sam Shead

Britain's financial technology industry is racing to fill gaps in the government's coronavirus business relief measures, by offering loans quickly to those struggling financially as a result of the pandemic.

Several of the country's top fintech firms have been pushing for accreditation from the state-backed British Business Bank (BBB) to be able to provide loans under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS).

Initially only 40 banks including the major high street lenders Barclays, Lloyds, HSBC and RBS were accepted onto the program. But in recent weeks newer digital lenders such as Starling, OakNorth and Funding Circle have been approved as well. Ryan Browne

Credit Suisse reported a 75% rise in first-quarter net profit Thursday, in new CEO Thomas Gottstein's first earnings report since taking the helm.

The bank reported a net income of 1.31 billion Swiss francs ($1.35 billion) for the three months up to March 31, up from 749 million for the same period last year.

However, the Swiss lender set aside 568 million Swiss francs ($584.9 million) for potential loan losses, mainly as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and warned it expected "COVID-19-related uncertainty to persist." For comparison, in the first quarter of 2019, the bank set aside 81 million Swiss francs for potential loan losses. Elliot Smith

Demand for consumer loans is picking up inChina, especially among the less affluent, highlighting a group that some say could use more support during the coronavirus-induced economic downturn.

The disease, officially called Covid-19, emerged late last year in the Chinese city of Wuhan. The virus has since spread rapidly around the world, killing more than 183,000 people, including over 4,600 in China.

While the coronavirus' outbreak has stalled within the country, China is still trying to recover from theeconomic shockof weeks-long shutdowns,both domestically and nowfrom export destinations.

Official and third-party data show that China's poorest households are the hardest hit. Evelyn Cheng

It has never been implemented in the euro zone, but ultimately theEuropean Central Bankcould reach a point where so-called "helicopter money" is its best option amid the coronavirus crisis, two analysts told CNBC.

The term, coined by 20th century economist Milton Friedman, refers to an unconventional monetary policy, where a central bank prints additional money and distributes it directly to its citizens. The idea which evokes the image of money being thrown out of a helicopter to the people below is to boost consumer spending, and thus an economic recovery, during a recession. However, there are a range of ideas as to how central bankers could go about this.

European nations have been some of the hardest hit by Covid-19, with the International Monetary Fund projecting a GDP contraction of 7.5% for the euro area this year. Silvia Amaro

Confirmed coronavirus cases in Thailand rose by 13 to 2,839, according to the Ministry of Public Health's Department of Disease Control.

The country reported one more death to bring its tally to 50 since the outbreak, the department said. It added that 2,430 patients have recovered so far.

Thailand's important tourism industry has taken a hit as many countries globally closed borders and restricted travel. (see 9:50 am update) Yen Nee Lee

Germany reported another 2,352 cases of the coronavirus disease, taking its tally to148,046 since the outbreak, according to the latest data by Robert Koch Institute, a federal government agency responsible for disease monitoring and prevention.

The country's death toll increased by 215 to 5,094, said the institute. Yen Nee Lee

Japan has confirmed 14 more coronavirus cases on the Italian cruise ship Costa Atlantica currently docked in the western Japanese city of Nagasaki for repairs, reported Reuters.

At least 48 cases of infections have been identified on the ship, including cooks and staff members serving food to the crew on board, according to the report. The cruise ship is reportedly carrying 623 crew members and no passengers.

Nagasaki officials said they plan to test all on board the ship within the next few days, according to a report by Japanese broadcaster NHK. Yen Nee Lee

South Korea's gross domestic product fell by 1.4% in the first quarter compared to the previous three months, according to advance estimates by its central bank. That's a slightly smaller contraction compared to the 1.5% decline projected by economists in a Reuters poll.

Reuters reported that the quarterly decline in GDP was South Korea's worst since the fourth quarter of 2008.

The economic contraction was led by declines in private consumption as well as trade of goods and services, data by the Bank of Korea showed.

On a year-on-year basis, the South Korean economy grew by 1.3%, said the central bank.

South Korea on Thursday reported eight new cases of the coronavirus disease, bringing its tally of confirmed infections to 10,702 since the outbreak, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The country's death toll increase by two to a total of 240, said KCDC. Yen Nee Lee

Previously a poster child for its efficient handling of thecoronavirusspread,Singaporeis now back in the spotlight as it struggles to contain a new outbreak among a section of its population migrant workers.

The number of Covid-19 cases in the city-state has spiked in the past month from about 1,000 cumulative cases on April 1 to more than 10,000 today. Most of the newly infected patients are foreign migrant workers residing in dormitories, who hail from countries including India and Bangladesh.

There is "aggressive testing" underway inside migrant worker dormitories even among migrant workers who are not sick, and who do not display any symptoms, which could explain the high numbers of cases being reported everyday, according to Lawrence Wong, Singapore's minister for national development, at a virtual press conference. This could suggest the infections have been occurring for some time, he added. Audrey Cher

Arrivals of foreign tourists into Thailand fell by 76.4% in March from a year earlier, reported Reuters, citing the latest data from the country's tourism ministry.

The report also said that Chinese visitors, Thailand's largest source of foreign tourists,plunged 94.2% year over year last month.

Tourism is an important contributor of growth for the Thai economy. Last year, foreign tourist receipts accounted for 11% of the country's gross domestic product, said Reuters.

Globally, companies in the tourism and leisure industry have been among the hardest hit in the coronavirus pandemic as many countries restricted travel and closed borders to curb the spread of the virus. Yen Nee Lee

China reported just 10 new cases as of April 22, according to its National Health Commission (NHC) a decline from the 30 new cases reported the day before. Six were attributed to travelers coming from overseas. That takes the country's total to82,798 cases, according to government data.

For the eighth straight day, there were no new deaths, with total fatalities remaining at4,632, according to the NHC.

Separately, there were 27 new asymptomatic cases, where people tested positive for the virus but did not show any symptoms. That brings its number ofasymptomatic cases currently under medical observation to 984, the NHC said.Weizhen Tan

Even as recoveries rose and deaths dropped in Italy, the number of new cases in the country jumped again Wednesday. Italy reported 3,370 new cases, that's more than the 2,729 new cases reported Tuesday.

The country also reported 437 additional deaths, less than the 534 deaths reported Tuesday, according to Reuters. There were also fewer people in intensive care, 2,384 as of Wednesday compared with the 2,471 on Tuesday.

A worker wearing protective garments sanitizes the Duomo square, during the coronavirus disease outbreak in central Milan, Italy.

Flavio Lo Scalzo | REUTERS

Italy'sPrime Minister Giuseppe Conte said this week that the country will start lifting lockdown measures from May 4, but that the re-opening will be cautious and gradual, according to Reuters.

To date, Italy has reported a total of 187,327 cases, 54,543 recoveries and 25,085 deaths. Weizhen Tan

The number of confirmed cases in Mexico soared past 10,000, according to its health ministry, a Reuters report said. The country has seen 970 fatalities, according to the report.

Mexico has unveiled $25.6 billion in increased spending on social programs and infrastructure, in a bid to boost the ailing economy which had been hit by the pandemic. Weizhen Tan

All times below are in Eastern time.

President Donald Trump on Wednesdaysaid that he strongly disagreeswith Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's "phase one" plans toallow non-essential businesses to re-open in his state at the end of the week.

The re-opening of businesses, which begins Friday, includes tattoo parlors, spas, hair salons or barbershops, movie theaters and bowling alleys. They will be allowed to open their doors to the public, as long as they, and their patrons, follow physical distancing orders and other OSHA guidelines, Kemp announced on Monday.

Trump said he told the governor, "I disagree strongly," adding that the governor "has to do what he thinks is right."Lora Kolodny

The coronavirus hasinfected two cats in New York state, making them the first pets to test positive for the virus in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday.

One of the cats was tested after it showed mild respiratory signs, although its owners were not confirmed to have Covid-19. The virus may have been transmitted to this cat by mildly ill or asymptomatic household members or through contact with an infected person outside its home, the CDC said.

The owner of the second cat had tested positive for the coronavirus and the animal was also tested after showing signs of respiratory illness.Noah Higgins-Dunn

Read CNBC's coverage from the U.S. overnight: Harvard will not accept stimulus funds, California to start scheduling certain surgeries again

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China will give WHO more money; Spain's daily death toll steady - CNBC

The nonprofit, which runs the famed zoo in New York City, said three tigers and three African lions began showing symptoms in early April, when the zoo announced a 4-year-old Malayan tiger named Nadia tested positive. The six big cats were tested and those results now show they are also infected. According to the zoo, they had been coughing.

One more tiger, who showed no symptoms, also tested positive.

The zoo said the cats were infected by a staff member who was positive but at the time showed no symptoms. In response, preventive measures are now in place for staff who are caring for cats across all four zoos run by the nonprofit in the state.

All four have been closed since mid-March, the nonprofit said.

The zoo said the animals are now behaving normally, eating well and are not coughing as much.

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8 big cats have tested positive for coronavirus at the Bronx Zoo - CNN

At least 6,105 people have been confirmed to have the virus in Missouri and at least 229 have died, according to numbers from Johns Hopkins University.

Schmitt, in his official role as attorney general of Missouri, filed the civil lawsuit in federal court in the eastern district of Missouri.

Legal experts have said the lawsuit faces an uphill battle because China is protected by sovereign immunity. CNN is reaching out to the Chinese government for comment.

Missouri's lawsuit alleges that while the Chinese medical community had indications of human-to-human transmission of the virus, they did not inform the World Health Organization when they first reported the outbreak.

It also alleges Chinese leaders did little to curb spread of the virus, still allowing thousands of people to travel to and out of Wuhan.

"In mid-January, on or around January 16, despite knowing the risks of doing so, Wuhan leaders hosted a potluck dinner for 40,000 residents, increasing the potential spread of the virus," it says. "Defendants allowed these massive public gatherings and massive exodus from Wuhan despite knowing the risks of COVID-19, including the risk of human-to-human transmission."

The state also alleges China hoarded PPE while concealing the outbreak and that the small amounts they have released have been "faulty."

Those, among other actions taken by Chinese officials had a massive toll on human life and health and has led to "enormous" economic disruptions across the world, according to the lawsuit.

"Before the pandemic, Missouri had one of its lowest unemployment rates of the past decade, but on information and belief, Missouri's unemployment rate is now the highest it has been since the Great Depression," the suit claims. "Responding to the pandemic has required shutting down businesses, disrupting ordinary production and trade, and dislocating workers."

CNN's Chris Boyette and Hira Humayun contributed to this report.

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Missouri is suing China over coronavirus impacts saying the country did 'little to stop the spread of the disease' - CNN

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Though President Donald Trump has been not big in the empathy department during the coronavirus pandemiche more often talks about his own TV ratings than the tens of thousands Americans who have died during the crisisthe Trump campaign wants his supporters to know that Trump truly cares about them during this time of tragedy and hardship. As proof of Trumps deeply felt concern, his campaign is offering to send his devotees a set of Trump-Pence pint glasses. All for just a contribution of $31.

Yes, the Trump campaign is exploiting the coronavirus to sell campaign swag to Trump supporters. And it is claiming this is a beneficent act on the part of Trump himself.

This week, the Trump campaign sent out a bizarre email to its lists of supporters. Friend, it began, We have some exciting news to tell you. It noted that Trump knows the past few weeks have been extremely difficult for Americans from all across the Nation. Trump, the email said, appreciated those who have stood with him and wanted to do something special for them.

That special act Trump wished to perform for his supporter during this difficult stretch was to offer them EXCLUSIVE ACCESS to Official Trump-Pence Pint Glasses. Isnt that special? Though you may be suffering due to the coronavirus, you now can buy Trump junk. But, the email pointed out, you have to send in $31 for the set of these glasses by midnight. (That was a crockbecause the campaign zapped out this email two days in a row. There was no actual midnight deadline.)

This sounds like a bad joke. But its not. While tens of thousands of Americans are dying, Trump and his campaign decided he could console his supporters and show them hes on their side by peddling them campaign tchotchkes. And this emailsent out with the subject heading Cheersalso requested contributions of $250 and more. What could be more Trumpian? I will recognize this is a difficult period for you and other Americans by offering you the opportunity to help me.

The Trump campaigns fundraising emails often have the whiff of grift. They frequently tell supporters they can join an exclusive group of donorsbecome part of the Trump Gold Card Member circle!and be placed on a list of names that Trump will review personally, as long as they send in a donation immediately. (It can be as small of $35.) This is all bunk and goes above and beyond the usual political sales pitches.

Now the coronavirus pandemic has been seized upon by the Trump campaign as a marketing opportunity. Especially, given that so many Americans are currently self-isolating in their homes. In other recent fundraising solicitations, the campaign has peddled BRAND NEW Trump-Pence 2020 Playing Cards. Two decks for only $30. And the email for this offer proclaimed this was another special deal, for Trump has requested that we give you EARLY ACCESS to get these iconic cards before anyone else. Moreover, the email stated, this is the perfect time to buy playing cards: We know youre at home right now, doing your part to Keep America Safe, and there is no better way to keep yourself entertained AND support your President than by purchasing our Official Trump-Pence 2020 Playing Cards. Another campaign email offered an Official Trump Puzzle for $45. This note, too, declared that during a time of social isolation there is no better way to pass the time with family AND show your support for President Trump than by purchasing a Trump Puzzle.

Trump glasses, Trump cards, Trump puzzles. Theyre part of a long tradition: Trump Steaks, Trump Vodka, Trump University. If theres a chance to sell something, Trump will give it a try. (Another recent email from the campaign promoted Trump-Pence welcome mats.) Blatant commercialism and self-promotion is no surprise for Trump. That is his brand. But this week he and his campaign showed that they can surpass the usual Trumpish crassness by using the horrific coronavirus nightmare to make a buck by selling pint glasses bearing the campaigns logo. How long can it be before Trump and his campaign attempts to raise money by hawking MAGA face masks?

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Donald Trump Is Exploiting the Coronavirus Pandemic to Sell Campaign Swag - Mother Jones

Courier Journal reporter Morgan Watkins hosted a Q&A with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear to talk about the coronavirus and his administrations response. Louisville Courier Journal

Kentucky appears to be plateauing on the coronavirus curve, according to Gov. Andy Beshear, and while crushing the curve doesn't appear to be in the cards it looks like it's flattening.

Does that make sense?

If you've been paying attentionin the last six or so weeks, you probably understand at least a few of those words. The "curve" is a reference to the number of reported coronavirus cases per three-day average it rises early, as the virus spreads, then hits a peak and eventually declines as cases drop.

Kentucky, Beshear has said, appears to be through the rise and is now "plateauing," meaning the commonwealth is likely in or near the peak ahead of the drop. State officials have said Kentucky will be able to reopen after14 days of decreasing cases, an increase in testing capacity and a number of other factors, and many businesses should be able to open back up soon after.

Kentucky coronavirus map: How many cases are in Kentucky? Where are they?

Kentucky live coronavirus updates: Get the latest news here

Our updating graph below puts Kentucky's curve in perspective, from when the first case in the state was confirmed on March 6 to now. The goal, Beshear has said, is to keep the curve from rising too fast for hospitals to be able to handle. The peak will last longer if the curve is flattened, but the lower number of cases at any given time will help keep the nation's health care system from being overwhelmed.

The curve is going to determine a lot about Kentucky's future, and when businesses and other places can reopen. Let's take a closer look.

Beshear believes the commonwealth's curve has flattened, and there are some encouraging signs. The numbers aren't dropping yet, but Kentucky is no longer seeing a major rise in cases in each three-day average.

The Bluegrass State, Beshear has said, looks like it's "plateauing." Which brings us to our next question...

A plateau is what the top of the curve looks like when it's flattened. An unflattened curve drops more quickly than a plateau but spikes much higher than a plateau and would overwhelm hospitals. A plateau is a longer period of little or no movement after that initial rise in cases, followed by a drop.

Michael Gough, chief operating officer ofNorton Healthcare, recently told The Courier Journal that Kentucky has been in a plateau "for the last 10 to 14 days" and could remain there for a few additional weeks.

It's almost impossible to pin down an exact date, and models have shifted throughout the pandemic. Predictionsfromthe University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, which health officials backed in a recentThe Courier Journal story, projected Kentucky's peak could come Thursday, while other models have pointed toward later April or early May.

Also: U of L team's research into synthetic DNA tool could up the fight against COVID-19

New Zealand and South Korea have drawn some praise for "crushing" the curve the two nations implemented strict and heavy lockdown measures immediately after the first cases were confirmed and have since largely missed out on especially high death rates. (South Korea also used extensive contact tracing early to identify people who may have been exposed and aggressively tested potential coronavirus carriers.)

Kentucky, like everywhere else in the world, is at risk of being hit by a second wave until a vaccine is made available. Like the flu and common cold, case numbers could rise again when temperatures dip after the hot summer months, and relaxing social distancing guidelines too early before cases notably drop could also expose more people to the coronavirus.

Herd immunity has been brought up as a possible way to push through the pandemic. The phrase refers to the pointwhen a significant chunk of the population becomes immune to a disease or virus, stopping its spread because the number of people who can contract it is so much lower.

Herd immunity would likely overwhelm hospitals and would put many more lives at risk, though, health experts have said, and not enoughis known about the coronavirus to determine whether it would be effective.

Reporter Grace Schneider and USA TODAY's Molly Stellino contributed. Lucas Aulbach can be reached at laulbach@courier-journal.com, 502-582-4649 or on Twitter @LucasAulbach. Support strong local journalism and subscribe:www.courier-journal.com/lucasa.

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Is Kentucky's peak really April 23? Where the commonwealth stands on the coronavirus curve - Courier Journal

Stanford University researchers conducted blood tests in Santa Clara countyto reveal the prevalence of antibodies to the pandemic coronavirus.

By Gretchen VogelApr. 21, 2020 , 6:30 PM

Sciences COVID-19 reporting is supported by the Pulitzer Center.

Surveying large swaths of the public for antibodies to the new coronavirus promises to show how widespread undiagnosed infections are, how deadly the virus really is, and whether enough of the population has become immune for social distancing measures to be eased. But the first batch of results has generated more controversy than clarity.

The survey results, from Germany, the Netherlands, and several locations in the United States, find that anywhere from 2% to 30% of certain populations have already been infected with the virus. The numbers imply that confirmed COVID-19 cases are an even smaller fraction of the true number of people infected than many had estimated and that the vast majority of infections are mild. But many scientists question the accuracy of the antibody tests and complain that several of the research groups announced their findings in the press rather than in preprints or published papers, where their data could be scrutinized. Critics are also wary because some of the researchers are on record advocating for an early end to lockdowns and other control measures, and claim the new prevalence figures support that call.

Some observers warn the coronavirus march through the population has only just begun, and that even if the antibody results can be believed, they dont justify easing controls. You would have hoped for 45% or even 60% positive, says Mark Perkins, a diagnostics expert at the World Health Organization. That would mean that there is lots of silent transmission, and a lot of immunity in the population. It now looks like, sadly, thats not true. Even the high numbers are relatively small.

The many different academic and commercial tests for coronavirus antibodies are still being refined and validated. They can show whether someones immune system has encountered the virus. But because no one knows what level of antibodies, if any, confers protection against the new virus, the tests cant tell whether a person is immune to a future infection. And no one knows how long such immunity might last.

A German antibody survey was the first out of the gate several weeks ago. At a press conference on 9 April, virologist Hendrik Streeck from the University of Bonn announced preliminary results from a town of about 12,500 in Heinsberg, a region in Germany that had been hit hard by COVID-19. He told reporters his team had found antibodies to the virus in 14% of the 500 people tested. By comparing that number with the recorded deaths in the town, the study suggested the virus kills only 0.37% of the people infected. (The rate for seasonal influenza is about 0.1%.) The team concluded in a two-page summary that15% of the population can no longer be infected with SARS-CoV-2, and the process of reaching herd immunity is already underway. They recommended that politicians start to lift some of the regions restrictions.

Streeck had argued even before the study that the virus is less serious than feared and that the effects of long shutdowns may be just as bad if not worse than the damage the virus could do. However, Christian Drosten, a virologist at Charit University Hospital in Berlin, told reporters later that day that no meaningful conclusions could be drawn from the antibody study based on the limited information Streeck presented. Drosten cited uncertainty about what level of antibodies provides protection and noted that the study sampled entire households. That can lead to overestimating infections, because people living together often infect each other.

Streeck and his colleagues claimed the commercial antibody test they used has more than 99% specificity, but a Danish group found the test produced three false positives in a sample of 82 controls, for a specificity of only 96%. That means that in the Heinsberg sample of 500, the test could have produced more than a dozen false positives out of roughly 70 the team found.

A California serology study of 3300 people released last week in a preprint also drew strong criticisms. The lead authors of the study, Jay Bhattacharya and Eran Bendavid, who study health policy at Stanford University, worked with colleagues to recruit the residents of Santa Clara county through ads on Facebook. Fifty antibody tests were positiveabout 1.5%. But after adjusting the statistics to better reflect the countysdemographics, the researchers concluded that between 2.49% and 4.16% of the countys residents had likely been infected. That suggests, they say, that the real number of infections was as many as 80,000. Thats more than 50 times as many as viral gene tests had confirmed and implies a low fatality ratea reason to consider whether strict lockdowns are worthwhile, argue Bendavid and co-author John Ioannidis, who studies public health at Stanford.

On the day the preprint posted, co-author Andrew Bogana biotech investor with a biophysics Ph.D.published an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal asking, If policy makers were aware from the outset that the Covid-19 death toll would be closer to that of seasonal flu would they have risked tens of millions of jobs and livelihoods? The op-ed did not initially disclose his role in the study.

Yet Twitter threads and blog posts outlined a litany of apparent problems with the Santa Clara study. Recruiting through Facebook likely attracted people with COVID-19like symptoms who wanted to be tested, boosting the apparent positive rate. Because the absolute numbers of positive tests were so small, false positives may have been nearly as common as real infections. The study also had relatively few participants from low-income and minority populations, meaning the statistical adjustments the researchers made could be way off. I think the authors of the paper owe us all an apology, wrote Columbia University statistician and political scientist Andrew Gelman in an online commentary. The numbers were essentially the product of a statistical error. Bhattacharya says he is preparing an appendix that addresses the criticisms. But, he says, The argument that the test is not specific enough to detect real positives is deeply flawed.

Bhattacharya and Bendavid have also collaborated with Neeraj Sood, a health policy expert at the University of Southern California, to do a similar study in Los Angeles county. They used the same antibody test on 846 people selected by a marketing firm to represent the countys demographics. In a press release issued this week, they estimated that roughly 4% of the countys adult population has antibodies to the virusas many as 300,000 people. (Sood told Science that 35 subjects tested positive.)

Another serology study, in the Netherlands, produced a similar figure for antibody prevalence that was revealed in the countrys House of Representatives on16 April. Hans Zaaijer, a virologist at Sanquin, the Dutch national blood bank, who helped lead the study, says the team used a commercial test, which consistently shows superior results in validation studies, but didnt provide more details. The results made it clear that the country was not yet near the herd immunity that some had hoped for. Nevertheless, the government said on 21 April that it would start to lift some restrictions in the coming weeks, opening elementary schools and allowing childrens sports teams to practice.

A small study in the Boston suburb of Chelsea has found the highest prevalence of antibodies so far. Prompted by the striking number of COVID-19 patients from Chelsea colleagues had seen, Massachusetts General Hospital pathologists John Iafrate and Vivek Naranbhai quickly organized a local serology survey. Within 2 days, they collected blood samples from 200 passersby on a street corner. That evening, they processed the samplesand shared the results with a reporter from The Boston Globe. Sixty-three were positive31.5%. The result carries several large caveats. The team used a test whose maker, BioMedomics, says it has a specificity of only about 90%, though Iafrate says MGHs own validation tests found a specificity of higher than 99.5%. And pedestrians on a single corner arent a representative sample of the town,Naranbhai acknowledges.

The pair says a paper describing the teams results has been submitted to a journal but they shared the data with The Boston Globe first because we felt there was an urgent infection control issue in Chelsea that warranted getting the information out. The Boston researchers do not think quarantines should be eased, however. Better containment is urgently needed in Chelsea, they say, to help prevent further spread both within the community and in the larger Boston area.

Even if the antibody surveys show a COVID-19 death rate well below 1%, says Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, control measures will be needed for a long time to avoid overwhelmed hospitals. The seroprevalence data only confirm the challenge we face. The data [these studies] are generating is just showing how hard this is.

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Antibody surveys suggesting vast undercount of coronavirus infections may be unreliable - Science Magazine