Richmond

'I have a PhD': The spotlight is now on Peter Navarro's role in White House coronavirus response

Peter Navarro has a Harvard degree, and he isn’t shy about letting it be known. "You can always tell a Harvard man, but you can't tell him much,” Navarro joked after President Trump introduced him last week as director of supply-chain issues related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Wisconsin Supreme Court overrules governor's attempt to postpone election, despite coronavirus concerns

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Monday issued an executive order to postpone state elections scheduled for Tuesday until June 9, a dramatic last-minute move that capped weeks of indecision by state leaders.

Supreme Court won't hear Catholic Church challenge to ban on religious advertising

The case would have been the latest example of religious freedom appeals to be heard by the conservative-leaning court.

'Who gets the kids?' I took an oath to serve my patients. My family didn't, but we're all in this together.

A doctor treating COVID-19 patients sits down with her husband to make a will.

Recent developments surrounding the South China Sea

The People’s Liberation Army Daily and other state media reported last week that the Eastern Theater Command responsible for patrols around Taiwan held endurance training with early-warning aircraft last month.

Brazil minister offends China with 'racist' virus tweet

China demanded an explanation from Brazil Monday after the far-right government's education minister linked the coronavirus pandemic to the Asian country's "plan for world domination," in a tweet imitating a Chinese accent. In the latest incident to strain ties between Brasilia and Beijing, Education Minister Abraham Weintraub insinuated China was behind the global health crisis. "Geopolitically, who will come out stronger from this global crisis?" he wrote on Twitter Saturday.

Coronavirus wreaks havoc in African American neighbourhoods

Black Chicagoans account for 70% of coronavirus deaths, despite making up 30% of the population.

Pelosi reportedly tells Democrats next coronavirus relief package will top $1 trillion

During a private conference call with Democrats on Monday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said at least $1 trillion will be needed for the next coronavirus relief package.Last month, Congress passed a $2.2 trillion stimulus package, and Pelosi said the next bill will build onto that, people on the call told Bloomberg News. Pelosi said there will have to be more direct payments to individuals, extended unemployment insurance, and additional funding for food stamps and the Payroll Protection Plan, which provides small business loans.One lawmaker told Bloomberg News Pelosi also said the bill should help state and local governments, particularly in areas with no more than 500,000 residents. While the House isn't scheduled to be back in session until April 20 at the earliest, Pelosi said she wants the package passed this month. President Trump was asked on Monday evening about a second round of direct payments to Americans, and he said it is "absolutely under consideration."More stories from theweek.com Trump threatens to freeze U.S. funding to the World Health Organization Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey pledges $1 billion to coronavirus relief What America needs to do before lockdown can end

Austria and Denmark are planning to lift their coronavirus lockdowns. But experts say easing measures too early might bring the virus back worse than before.

Experts have warned that lifting restrictions too soon may lead to a "second wave of infections" in countries that gained an upper hand on the virus.

Is Trump leading a 'war' against the coronavirus?

While the term “warfare” is a useful metaphor for the kind of mobilization necessary to save lives in this crisis, it’s not a useful way to think about the primary responsibility of ordinary citizens right now, which is to stay at home.

Acting Navy secretary resigns amid uproar over leaked speech

Modly harshly criticized the former commanding officer of an aircraft carrier dealing with a coronavirus outbreak.

Fact check: Does Christian aid group require COVID-19 responders to sign anti-LGBTQ statement?

Samaritan's Purse, a Christian aid group led by Franklin Graham, confirmed to USA TODAY that it requires its personnel to sign its statement of faith.

Iran supreme leader approves withdrawal of 1 billion euros from sovereign wealth fund to fight coronavirus

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has approved the withdrawal of 1 billion euros from the country's sovereign wealth fund to help fight the coronavirus epidemic, President Hassan Rouhani's official website said on Monday.

Special Report: Johnson listened to his scientists about coronavirus - but they were slow to sound the alarm

It was early spring when British scientists laid out the bald truth to their government. It was "highly likely," they said, that there was now "sustained transmission" of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom. If unconstrained and if the virus behaved as in China, up to four-fifths of Britons could be infected and one in a hundred might die, wrote the scientists, members of an official committee set up to model the spread of pandemic flu, on March 2.

'CATastrophe' averted as India court rules on virus lockdown

A court in India's Kerala state said Tuesday it wanted to avoid "a CATastrophe" by allowing a man to break a coronavirus lockdown to buy food for his furry felines. The pun was included in a ruling by Kerala's High Court on a petition brought by N. Prakash, a Kochi-based owner of three cats, who said he was denied a pass by police to leave his home. The lockdown was imposed from March 25 for 21 days, with residents permitted to leave their homes only for essential services such as buying groceries and medicine.

3rd Guatemalan tests positive for virus after US deportation

Guatemala said Tuesday that a third deportee has tested positive for the coronavirus after being flown home by the United States. The report came a day after authorities announced they were suspending deportation flights from the U.S. over concerns about spreading the virus. The Health Ministry said the latest positive case was a 37-year-old man who was deported March 26 from Mesa, Arizona, and had been in quarantine since his return.

As New York Posts Highest One-Day Death Toll, Cuomo Says No Victim Died ‘Because We Couldn’t Provide Care’

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday that no victim of the coronavirus has died because the state could not provide health care for them, even as New York posted its highest number of deaths in one day."You can't save everyone. This virus is very good at what it does, and it kills vulnerable people," Cuomo said at his daily briefing providing updates on the outbreak. "The question is, are you saving everyone you can save? And there the answer is yes, and I take some solace in that fact.""Our health care system is operating. I don’t believe we’ve lost a single person because we couldn’t provide care," the Democratic governor continued. "People we lost we couldn’t save despite our best efforts."A record 731 New Yorkers died between Monday and Tuesday, Cuomo reported. He cautioned that the death rate is a "lagging indicator," meaning that those who died are often sick for weeks before they pass. More than 138,000 people in the state have been infected with the respiratory illness, with 8,157 new positive cases on Tuesday, the lowest rate in a week. The number of patients being hospitalized and moved to intensive care has dropped as well.The governor warned Thursday that New York state only had enough ventilators for six days and was considering how to increase the supply. The state released 400 ventilators to New York City a day earlier. Cuomo has worked to get as many ventilators as possible to the city, which has emerged as the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak with nearly half the total deaths in the country. On Friday, the governor issued an executive order allowing the state to take ventilators and personal protective equipment from hospitals and transfer them to places that need them.New York has also received medical equipment from other states and countries, including Oregon and China, where the coronavirus outbreak originated.

Her granddaughter was sick, so Dr. Birx stayed home: 'You can’t take that kind of risk' around the president

Dr. Deborah Birx, one of the two leading medical experts on the White House coronavirus task force, said Monday that out of deference to social-distancing rules she had stayed away from her daughter’s house — even though her 10-month-old granddaughter had registered a fever of 105 degrees over the

Sweden, which refused to implement a coronavirus lockdown, has so far avoided a mass outbreak. Now it's bracing for a potential surge in deaths.

Sweden urged people to practice social distancing but left shops and restaurants open, contrasting with many countries across Europe and the world.

86-year-old and three sons die after contracting COVID-19

The mother and three sons all died within days of each other, the New Orleans Coroner's Office confirmed.

Jakarta Orders Offices to Close, Bans Gatherings to Combat Virus

(Bloomberg) -- Indonesia announced tighter social distancing measures in capital Jakarta, including closing of offices and a ban on gathering of more than five people to prevent the spread of coronavirus pandemic.Operational hours of public transport services including railways, subway and city buses will be curtailed and users will need to follow distancing rules, Governor Anies Baswedan said on Tuesday. The new set of rules, effective from Friday for 14 days, will be enforced strictly and the duration can be extended if needed, he said.Jakarta is the epicenter of the virus outbreak in Indonesia with the city of about 10.5 million people accounting for almost 50% of the nation’s total confirmed cases of 2,738. The capital has seen a surge in infections in recent weeks after reporting its first cases only in early March, prompting authorities to shutter schools, spas, restaurants and entertainment spots from the middle of last month.The new social distancing measures are part of President Joko Widodo’s efforts to streamline quarantine rules across the archipelago to curb the deadly virus amid forecast the pandemic may infect as many as 95,000 people by the end of next month before easing. The president has rejected calls to lock down cities and regions to fight the virus, saying such harsh steps would hurt the poor the most.The social distancing rules in Jakarta should also be extended to adjoining satellite towns such as Bekasi, Bogor and Depok to prevent the spread of the virus, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil said in a statement.But the surge in cases has overwhelmed the country’s health care system, with authorities struggling to procure enough personal protection equipment, hazmat suits and ventilators for medical workers. The world’s fourth-most populous nation, along with India and the Philippines, could soon become the next Covid-19 hot spots given their large populations, weak health care infrastructure and social security net, according to Nomura Holdings Inc.Other social distancing measures for Jakarta include:Financial services, capital markets to function normallyParks, museums, sports centers to be shut from FridayNo ban on marriages but weddings need to be conducted in officesEmergency services such as food, water, gas, power, health and media among 8 sectors exempted from curbsPublic transport operations limited to 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.Government to start distribution of food for poor from ThursdayViolators of rules to face sanctionsFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

Illinois man who feared girlfriend had COVID-19 fatally shoots her, himself

The sheriff's office said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the vast majority of service calls involve domestic disputes and crisis intervention.

Coronavirus Puts Boris Johnson in Intensive Care After Symptoms Worsen

LONDON—The British prime minister Boris Johnson was admitted to intensive care Monday in a shock development that followed days of Downing Street playing down the severity of his illness.Fewer than 24 hours after the queen reassured the nation that Britain would overcome the threat of the coronavirus pandemic, the country’s leader was taken into the ICU.It’s the first time in more than a half a century that a British prime minister has been incapacitated while in office. Downing Street tried to keep up the appearance that Johnson was well enough to lead the country over the last 24 hours, but it has become increasingly clear that the 55-year-old is seriously ill.Reports emerged in the media over the weekend that Johnson was suffering quite severely, coughing and spluttering during cabinet Zoom meetings, but officials continued to insist that he was only feeling mild symptoms.U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson Admitted to Hospital After Testing Positive for COVID-19That changed dramatically Monday evening London time when No.10 was forced to admit that the prime minister’s “routine” stay in the hospital had now progressed to the intensive care ward when Johnson’s persistent coronavirus symptoms had significantly deteriorated.“Since Sunday evening, the prime minister has been under the care of doctors at St Thomas’ Hospital, in London, after being admitted with persistent symptoms of coronavirus,” a Downing Street statement read.“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 unit at the hospital.”The British prime minister became the first major world leader to catch the coronavirus and confirmed his positive test for the disease on March 27. On Sunday night, Downing Street said Johnson had been taken to a London hospital after his symptoms worsened and it was reported, though not officially confirmed, that he had been given oxygen treatment on arrival. Officials maintained that he was only undergoing routine tests despite staying overnight.Queen Delivers Coronavirus Rallying Cry: ‘If We Remain Strong, We Will Overcome...We Will Meet Again’Britain has no formal vice-prime ministerial role and there is no constitutional process to ensure a temporary successor assumes the powers of the state in the event that the prime minister is unable to continue his duties. Since 1953, when Winston Churchill reportedly suffered a stroke, there has been no need to call on a deputy.BBC News reported that Johnson personally asked Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, to take over before he was moved into the ICU. Although Johnson had officially maintained authority until Monday night, he had already handed off many of his duties. Raab is a divisive figure who came up on the right of the party and was rewarded for his hardline stance on Brexit by being promoted to foreign secretary last summer at the age of 45. He has already taken control of the regular COBRA meetings to oversee Britain’s handling of the crisis.Speaking to reporters late Monday night, Raab said: “The prime minister is in safe hands ... and the focus of the government will continue to be on making sure that the prime minister's direction, all the plans for making sure that we can defeat coronavirus and can pull the country through this challenge, will be taken forward.”The prime minister was reported to be conscious and the move to ICU came when doctors decided he could potentially require the use of a ventilator.While Johnson is not known to have any serious underlying health conditions, he has struggled with his weight throughout his political career. In December 2018, he said he was 16 and a half stone, which, at 5ft 9in, would have made him obese—a known coronavirus risk factor. However, he lost a noticeable amount of weight during his campaign to become leader of the Conservative party and prime minister in June last year.Johnson’s pregnant fiancee, Carrie Symonds, revealed on Saturday that she was in recovery after becoming bedridden from coronavirus symptoms—though she hasn’t been tested for the disease. The couple are expecting their first baby together in the early summer.Hours before his move into the ICU was confirmed, Johnson tweeted to say he was in “good spirits” and thanked the National Health Service staff who were looking after him and other people suffering from the coronavirus throughout the country.The United Kingdom has reported over 52,000 cases of the coronavirus, and over 5,300 people in the country have died.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

Time to put China on lockdown for its dishonesty amid coronavirus crisis

China’s response was inept, dishonest and utterly inconsiderate of the world. We need to teach the Chinese government a lesson.

Mideastern burial traditions clash with fears of contagion

Mohammed al-Dulfi's 67-year-old father died on March 21 after a brief struggle against the new coronavirus, but it would take nine days for his body to find a final resting place in the Shiite holy city of Najaf in southern Iraq. On two occasions, the family rejected remote burial plots proposed by the government outside Baghdad for him and seven other coronavirus victims, al-Dulfi said. A fight broke out between the families and the Health Ministry's team.

Coronavirus map of the US: latest cases state by state

* Coronavirus: world map of deaths and cases * Coronavirus – latest global updates * See all our coronavirus coverageThe number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 continues to grow in the US. Mike Pence, the vice-president, is overseeing the US response to the coronavirus.So far, 80% of patients experience a mild form of the illness, which can include a fever and pneumonia, and many of these cases require little to no medical intervention. That being said, elderly people and those with underlying conditions such as diabetes or heart and lung issues are the most vulnerable. The coronavirus death rate in China for people 80 or over, in the government’s study of more than 72,000 cases, was 14.8%.default default default * Due to the unprecedented and ongoing nature of the coronavirus outbreak, this article is being regularly updated to ensure that it reflects the current situation at the date of publication. Any significant corrections made to this or previous versions of the article will continue to be footnoted in line with Guardian editorial policy.

Trump berates reporters during coronavirus briefing: 'You will never make it'

Trump used Monday’s briefing of the coronavirus task force to lash out at several members of the press, despite having recently praised media coverage of his response to the crisis as “very fair.” 

‘I Take My Personal Hygiene Very Seriously’: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Violates Her Own Quarantine Advice to Get a Haircut

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is facing backlash after she violated her own quarantine advice over the weekend to go to a salon for a haircut.Lightfoot defended her decision by saying that she is the "public face of this city""I’m on national media and I’m out in the public eye," she responded to a reporter. "I take my personal hygiene very seriously. As I said, I felt like I needed to have a haircut. I’m not able to do that myself, so I got a haircut. You want to talk more about that?"The controversy began on Sunday after a woman posted photos on Facebook saying she “had the pleasure of giving Mayor Lightfoot a hair trim.”Lightfoot insisted she is "practicing what I’m preaching" since the woman who did her haircut wore a mask and gloves.“I think what really people want to talk about is, we’re talking about people dying here. We’re talking about significant health disparities. I think that’s what people care most about,” the mayor continued.In a humorous video posted to Twitter as part of the City's "Stay Home, Save Lives" campaign, encouraging residents to remain quarantined, Lightfoot tells a friend on the phone that "Getting your roots done is not essential."“The truth is, 40,000 hospitalizations will break our health care system," she says towards the end of the video.After closing Chicago’s lakefront beaches and parks last week, Lightfoot reprimanded those who had gathered outside during the good weather.“Congregating on our lakefront, to be blunt, is going to create a risk that is unacceptable and could lead to death. That is why we are taking these actions and going back and saying again: dear god, stay home, save lives,” she said.Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, a Democratic member of the Chicago City Council, rejected the mayor's explanation for violating quarantine.“She is under no obligation to look good on national TV. She is under no obligation to book national interviews. But she is under an obligation to follow and promote social distancing in order to save lives,” Ramirez-Rosa, wrote in a tweet. “This is a bad example for our city.”Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said he had not had a trim since the stay at home order went into effect, joking, “I’m going to turn into a hippie at some point.”

Spain’s New Virus Infections Fall as Austria Eases Lockdown

(Bloomberg) -- Spain reported the lowest number of new coronavirus cases in more than two weeks and German infections were the fewest in six days, tentative signs that the spread of the deadly disease is slowing in Europe’s worst-hit countries.The most recent figures from Spain, Italy, Germany and France suggest containment measures that have idled millions of workers are having an effect. While most leaders pleaded for patience, Austria became the first country in Europe to ease restrictions and Denmark may follow later.After weeks of measures designed to limit contact between people, European governments are seeing growing evidence that shutting down much of the economy is containing the disease. Italy, Spain, France and the U.K. have suffered the most deaths worldwide, accounting for nearly 60% of all fatalities.New infections in Spain were 4,273, the lowest since March 22, according to Health Ministry data on Monday. The death toll in Europe’s biggest outbreak rose by 637, the lowest number of daily fatalities since March 24.German infections rose by 4,031 to surpass 100,000, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. With 140 fatalities, it was the lowest daily increase in nearly a week. The coming days will show if the trend holds. New cases and deaths in Germany have consistently dropped over weekends as regional health authorities have been slower to report figures.Chancellor Angela Merkel’s chief of staff said it’s critical to reduce the number of infections before taking decisions on easing social-distancing rules. The concern is that patients require ventilation for a longer period of time than initially anticipated “because more and more older people get infected,” Helge Braun told Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung on Sunday.Reports on Covid-19 related outbreaks in nursing homes and hospitals are increasing, and the number of deaths is relatively high in some of these outbreaks, Germany’s health authority said. Europe’s largest economy continues to have the third-highest number of confirmed cases in Europe.Spain and Italy -- the epicenters of the pandemic in region -- have the highest death tolls worldwide. That means officials have to weigh any attempts to restart parts of the economy against the risk of reigniting the outbreak.In Spain, public opinion of the government’s management of the crisis has consistently deteriorated. Just 27.7% of voters approve of the efforts by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s administration, compared with 35.1% three weeks ago, according to a GAD3 poll published Monday by Spanish newspaper ABC.“It’s the lockdown measures that are helping us,” Silvio Brusaferro, head of Italy’s public health institute, said in Rome on Sunday. Rules designed to limit contact between people have led to a “significant slowdown in the spread,” he said.Italy reported 525 new deaths on Sunday, the lowest daily number in more than two weeks, and new confirmed cases also declined. France reported an additional 518 deaths, the fewest since last Tuesday.Crisis ExitIn Austria, small retailers, hardware stores and gardening shops will reopen next week after national lockdown measures succeeded in slowing the spread. The number of active coronavirus patients has declined, with recoveries outnumbering new positive tests for three consecutive days.Despite easing restrictions, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called on Austrians to sacrifice traditional Easter holiday celebrations with friends and family this weekend and stick to social-distancing rules at least until the end of April. Should Covid-19’s spread be contained, more shops could reopen in May and schools in mid-May.“We have reacted faster and more restrictive than other countries,” Kurz said in Vienna. “We’ll also get out of the crisis faster if everybody continues to stick to the measures.”Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen may also announce initial steps toward a return to normal life as early as Monday. Still, she’s made clear that any slight uptick in the number of cases would be followed by an instant return to tight restrictions.Italy is heading into its fifth week under lockdown, and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday that he can’t say when it will be lifted.He is expected to announce revised rules and timelines by the end of next week, Il Messaggero newspaper reported. Italy’s measures have been extended through at least April 13, and Spain’s will now be in force at least until April 25.Italy’s new confirmed cases totaled 4,316 on Sunday, lower than the day before. Total infections rose to 128,948 cases, slightly fewer than Spain.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

'OK, boomer!' Supreme Court hands partial victory to federal worker claiming age discrimination

The case won attention at oral argument when Chief Justice John Roberts asked whether the phrase "OK, boomer" would qualify as age discrimination.

Congo mine gun attack kills three Chinese nationals: Xinhua

A gun attack in a mining area in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed three Chinese nationals, China's official Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Chinese embassy in the mineral-rich central African country.

The largest study yet of children with COVID-19 suggests that males and infants may face a higher risk of infection and severe illness

Children show COVID-19 symptoms less frequently than adults, but infants are hospitalized more often than older kids.

Bangladesh arrests fugitive killer of independence leader

Police in Bangladesh arrested a fugitive killer of the country’s independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Tuesday, nearly 45 years after the brutal assassination, the country's home minister said. Abdul Majed, a former military captain, was arrested in the capital, Dhaka, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said, adding that the arrest was “the biggest gift” for Bangladesh this year. Majed had publicly announced his involvement in the assassination after the killing and had reportedly been hiding in India for many years.

Coronavirus live updates: Boris Johnson in intensive care, U.S. death toll tops 10,000

Here are the latest coronavirus updates from around the world.

President says US will withhold funding from WHO following its 'missed calls' on coronavirus

As New York City’s death toll from coronavirus hits 3,845, officials are considering using Hart Island in Long Island Sound off the Bronx as a temporary grave site at a time when morgues are overrun.Dr Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious diseases expert, has meanwhile broken with Donald Trump to warn that the world may never “go back to normal” after the outbreak because the threat will linger, issuing the caution as America approaches 400,000 cases and 12,300 deaths in total.

Thailand extends ban on incoming passenger flights

Thailand has extended a ban on all passenger flights from landing in the country to curb the outbreak of the new coronavirus, the country's aviation agency said on Monday. The ban on incoming flights came into effect on Saturday morning and was originally set to run until the end of Monday, according to a previous order by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand. Monday also marked two weeks - the estimated incubation period for the new coronavirus - since Bangkok shut down shopping malls to limit the spread of the virus.

Obama suggests lawmakers follow Elizabeth Warren's coronavirus recovery plans

Former President Barack Obama is handing out an endorsement of sorts.Even though she ended her presidential campaign a month ago, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has continued to crank out plans for how she'd like the government to be run. They've continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and, on Monday, got a stamp of approval from Obama.Linking to Warren's appearance on the Vox podcast The Ezra Klein Show, Obama described Warren as providing a "cogent summary of how federal policymakers should be thinking about the pandemic in the coming months." In the discussion, Warren outlined plans for protecting health care workers and stemming disease spread, federal deficit spending to save the economy, and collecting data to improve future response measures.> As she often does, @SenWarren provides a cogent summary of how federal policymakers should be thinking about the pandemic in the coming months. https://t.co/zkX0E7ncK5> > -- Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 6, 2020To some observers, it looked like an endorsement of Warren's policy agenda. And to NBC News' Mike Memoli, it looked like a wholesale endorsement for former Vice President Joe Biden's potential 2020 vice presidential pick. > TO: J.Robinette.Biden@JoeBiden.com > FROM: 44@barackobama.com > SUBJECT: Your VP Search https://t.co/pnjjZhvGsP> > -- Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) April 6, 2020More stories from theweek.com What America needs to do before lockdown can end YouTube bans coronavirus conspiracy videos after livestreamer falsely links virus to 5G networks Trump just ousted the inspector general overseeing coronavirus relief spending

Coronavirus Model Used by White House Changed to Reflect Decrease in Projected Fatalities

A coronavirus projection used by the White House to warn that the country could face between 100,000 and 200,000 deaths in a “best case scenario” has dramatically reduced its estimates, cutting the number of hospital beds needed by 58 percent and the death forecast by 12 percent.The IHME model, produced by the University of Washington, updated its numbers overnight to show that projected deaths decreased from 93,531 to 81,766, and the projected total bed shortage fell from 87,674 to 36,654, after projected needed hospital beds fell 45 percent from 262,000 to 141,000 and needed ICU beds decreased 26 percent from almost 39,700 to 29,200. While the model remained unchanged in estimating a peak of April 15, it also moved forward its projected date of fewer than 200 daily deaths from June 3 to May 18.A state-by-state breakdown suggested that a number of the U.S.’s hotspots were gaining ground on the virus, with death projections falling for California, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, Washington State, and others. New Jersey’s projection rose dramatically from 2,100 to 9,690, while the projection for Illinois remained essentially the same.The University of Washington model, led by Professor Chris Murray, has been widely cited and circulated to illustrate the seriousness of the coronavirus outbreak. Its estimates were also used by Dr. Debbie Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, to inform her own models.“If you go on [Murray’s] website, you can see the concern that we had with the growing number of potential fatalities,” Birx told reporters last week.The model also helped inform a projection made by Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci, a member of the task for and head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, that the country would face “a best case scenario” of 100,000 to 200,000 coronavirus deaths.

Sen. Rick Scott wants congressional probe into World Health Organization's coronavirus response

Florida Sen. Rick Scott, Republican member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, joins Tucker Carlson on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight.'

Coral Princess cruise passenger dies of coronavirus after disembarking delay, daughter says

Julie Maa says her father died of coronavirus after a disembarking delay on the Coral Princess, while her mother is still aboard with symptoms.

China is trying to relax its severe coronavirus lockdown, but a series of forced re-closures shows how hard it is to get back to normal

China — which is deeper than any other country in its coronavirus response — is struggling to snap back to reality. Others will likely struggle too.

Many Americans won't get coronavirus checks. Here's a look at who is ineligible.

Stimulus check funding leaves out most college kids, immigrants without Social Security numbers and some disabled adults.

U.K. Records Highest Daily Deaths With Johnson in Intensive Care

(Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Boris Johnson was still being monitored in a critical care unit as the U.K.’s coronavirus crisis deepened, with the highest daily rise in deaths so far.After he was taken into intensive care Monday, Johnson, 55, remained in a stable condition receiving oxygen treatment, and has not been diagnosed with pneumonia or put on a ventilator, his officials said. A statement Tuesday evening said this was unchanged.But the prime minister’s personal struggle to recover from Covid-19 leaves the U.K. without its leader at a critical time as the country prepares for cases to increase over the next 10 days. The death toll rose by 786, the Department for Health said Tuesday, bringing the total to 6,159.Asked why the U.K.’s death rates were so much higher than Germany’s, England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty appeared to blame the British government’s lack of wide testing for the virus.There were hints of better news elsewhere in the U.K. data, according to a televised briefing shortly after the death figures were published. There is no acceleration in the number of new cases, and it is “possible” that the infection curve is starting to flatten, said Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser. The trend won’t be clear for about another week, he said.With Johnson out of action, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is deputizing at the head of the government, with the peak of the outbreak expected in the days ahead. “I’m confident he’ll pull through because if there’s one thing I know about the prime minister, he’s a fighter,” Raab said at the same press conference on Tuesday evening.The cabinet is working collectively to deliver Johnson’s instructions on fighting the pandemic, Raab said when asked how much power he has over government policy.Johnson was taken to St. Thomas’ Hospital in London on Sunday evening after struggling to shake off virus symptoms for 10 days.Adding to the government’s woes, Cabinet Minister Michael Gove -- a key member of Johnson’s top team -- said he is in self-isolation after a family member displayed symptoms of coronavirus at the weekend. Gove has no symptoms himself and is continuing to work, he said in a Twitter post on Tuesday.Raab and the rest of the Cabinet face a series of key decisions in the days ahead -- on the process for easing the national lock down, and whether restrictions on people’s movements should be lifted, extended or tightened even further.Trump SupportIt’s an extraordinary turn of events for Johnson. Just over two months ago, he was at the peak of his powers, celebrating Britain’s departure from the European Union after scoring an emphatic election victory.U.S. President Donald Trump, a supporter of Johnson, said at a press briefing that he has told pharmaceutical companies to get in touch with London to offer help. Trump cited “rather complex” therapeutic treatments for the virus with “really incredible results,” but didn’t specify them.“When you get brought into intensive care, that gets very, very serious with this particular disease,” Trump said.With Johnson out of action, the untested Raab will now need to get a grip on the government machine and coordinate the pandemic response. Britain’s strategy for defeating coronavirus has already come under strain, with ministers accepting they had not done enough to test people for infections.Johnson himself was criticized by medical experts and members of his own Conservative Party for failing to act quickly enough to close schools and ban public gatherings.Cabinet DivisionsThere have been divisions among Johnson’s officials during his period of isolation already, a situation that risks getting worse with Raab, who was a leadership rival to Johnson last year, now in charge. Gove and Health Secretary Matt Hancock also stood for party leader and are now in lead roles in the virus strategy.On Tuesday, Gove told the BBC the government is working “in a team way” and taking decisions “completely by consensus,” as Raab chairs key meetings. “Physically, Boris is full of life and fit -- he is a keen tennis player and runner and he’s a man of great zest and appetite for life,” Gove told LBC radio later. “We hope and pray that he enjoys a quick recovery.”Johnson revealed on March 27 he had tested positive for coronavirus and was going into isolation in his Downing Street apartment. His meals and official papers were left outside his door, but he continued to chair daily crisis meetings via video link.The premier recorded several “selfie” video messages for social media in recent days in which he insisted he was doing well and remained in charge. At times, though, he appeared short of breath and visibly unwell.After being taken into intensive care, the premier received well wishes from colleagues including his predecessors Theresa May and David Cameron, as well as his chief opponent, Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer. International leaders including Irish premier Leo Varadkar and President Emmanuel Macron of France also sent messages of support.Johnson’s fiancee, Carrie Symonds, who is pregnant, also had symptoms of the virus and had been isolating.(Adds Downing Street statement on Johnson’s health in second paragraph)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

Coronavirus: Republican governor panned by local leaders for order to re-open beaches

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