| Trump says China lying about coronavirus numbers Posted: 15 Apr 2020 06:55 PM PDT  Chinese journalists investigating the outbreak have gone missing.
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| Can you tell a coronavirus cough from a regular cold? There could be an app for that. Posted: 15 Apr 2020 01:08 PM PDT  Everyone knows that one of the main presenting symptoms of COVID-19 is cough. But what kind of cough, exactly? The data will be secure, Karlin emphasizes, and the app will not run in the background or monitor other people nearby.
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| Photos and charts show how the natural world is thriving now that humans are staying indoors Posted: 16 Apr 2020 04:29 AM PDT  From cleaner beaches to less air pollution, here are 10 examples of how the world's condition is improving while people stay indoors.
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| Coronavirus: Japan declares nationwide state of emergency Posted: 16 Apr 2020 06:55 AM PDT  Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been facing criticism for his response to the coronavirus outbreak.
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| Going Out to Eat Will Look Different When Lockdowns Lift Posted: 16 Apr 2020 11:52 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Restaurants, battling for survival amid the coronavirus, are starting to ask the question: Even when the lockdown lifts, how do we lure back skittish diners? Their margin for error is very small."All of a sudden, it's like: 'I don't know if I want someone touching my food,'" said Bob Goldin, a partner at consulting firm Pentallect Inc. Illustrating the scope of the challenge, he added: "I think we're all learning we can live without restaurants."There's growing apprehension that restaurants have suddenly lost their appeal on a deeper level that will reverberate well after Covid-19 fades. Consumers, many of whom are cooking at home and facing dimmer economic prospects, will likely be slow to congregate again in bars and restaurants.Restaurants are among the hardest-hit businesses in the pandemic, and they're one of several industries that will face major hurdles in getting customers comfortable coming back. Retailers, sports leagues and music venues are also evaluating next steps.Their plight is now a high-profile issue: Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said in a recent New York Times Op-Ed that "restaurants may need new layouts, with diners farther apart." President Donald Trump included industry leaders on phone calls Wednesday about how to revive the U.S. economy. Post-coronavirus, states will have to balance restaurants' economic importance with the reality that things can't return to how they were before.To survive, businesses will have to make customers feel safe by spacing them out more -- like Starbucks Corp. has done in China -- and finding ways to minimize human contact, such as digital ordering and payment. Operators will also look to China, which is farther along the Covid-19 timeline than the U.S., for guidance. There, restaurants are expanding delivery and even offering grocery delivery as the preference for eating at home persists."I would suspect that there is going to be a recommendation to maintain the social distancing for quite some time," said Dr. Erin DiCaprio, an expert on food safety from the University of California, Davis. "I assume that consumers are going to have a lot of fear about going back out to crowded environments."While definitive studies on the virus are pending, social distancing has proved to be important in mitigating its spread, she said.Jack Li, chief executive officer of industry research firm Datassential, said restaurants will have to create more distance between tables. They'll also look to adopt contactless payment methods that don't require handling cash or credit cards, he said.All AspectsAlmost all aspects of restaurant operations will need to be addressed. Buffet services may disappear. Workers' may need to wear gloves and masks, while utensils may be individually wrapped. Appetizers off of shared plates may be discontinued. California Governor Gavin Newsom said this week that temperature checks at the door could become commonplace.About one-third of consumers still think it won't be safe to dine out in three months, a recent survey from Li's Datassential shows. Consumers aren't ready "for big crowds that make it impossible to keep your distance," according to the report.Companies will have to offer more carryout and delivery with a focus on safety. Pizza Hut is now providing contactless curbside pickup and next week will begin using tamper-proof safety seals to takeout containers. Restaurants may also have to keep prices accessible amid widespread unemployment.Romano's Macaroni Grill is focusing on quarantined families right now with value deals and discounts, CEO Nishant Machado said. This will continue post-lockdown, he said, noting that "coming out of this, we're going to be in a recession." Right now, the company is advertising a five-person meal with pasta, salad and bread for $25."I don't think it's going to be a quick snap back," he said. "There's going to be a level of concern from consumers about going out. Alleviating this fear -- I don't think that happens overnight."Difficult PlanningWhile restaurants want to formulate post-crisis plans, the dizzying array of variables make this hard to do. Unanswered questions include: Will isolation measures be re-enacted if the virus returns? What will unemployment be? What kind of government aid will be available? How willing will consumers be to leave home?"When you work through the crisis, learn and do the consumer research, it's hard to know when the new normal will come," said Taco Bell Chief Operating Officer Mike Grams.He said the chain, which is owned by Yum! Brands Inc., has a team working on "the vision coming out of the crisis, so whatever that date is, we are positioned." For now, he offered few details on what that could look like, instead noting Taco Bell is "dynamic" and "flexible enough" to react quickly after the health crisis.China ExperienceCompanies will be closely watching China for clues of what does and doesn't work. Yum China Holdings Inc., for example, is trying out catering and delivering raw food as diners in the Asian nations prove reluctant to eat out.The owner of Pizza Hut and KFC in China is offering customized menus for corporate clients that allow employees to order food through KFC's mobile app tailored to their budget. Pizza Hut now delivers uncooked steaks -- complete with detailed preparation instructions. Delivery is "contactless": riders drop the food off and stand two meters away to watch people pick up their items.In Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the virus first emerged, restaurants are using live-streaming channels -- featuring models eating in their outlets -- in an attempt to show consumers that it's safe to come again.About 60% of listed restaurant operators in China are at risk of running out of cash within six months, according to data compiled by Bloomberg and company reports. Many medium- and small-sized operators have already shut down. Food delivery has boomed.High DebtThis means larger companies, with their bigger pools of cash and credit, are better poised to survive. In the U.S., Michael Halen, a restaurant analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence, warns that many restaurants' high debt levels make them particularly vulnerable."We will see chains default on their debt covenants, lots of bankruptcies and lots of closed restaurants in the U.S.," he said.There's yet another factor to juggle: Consumers may permanently warm to home cooking."People are going regularly to the supermarkets, they're going regularly to fill their freezers," said Adnan Durrani, CEO of food manufacturer Saffron Road said. "People are really changing their lifestyle in a fast way. I feel like this is a change in behavior that's here to stay."For now, companies are putting on a brave face and forecasting that things will -- someday -- return to normal. But it will take a long time, likely into 2021, according to Andy Wiederhorn, chief executive officer of Fat Brands, the owner of Fatburger and Elevation Burger."It will be a gradual restart, not a sharp restart," he said. "Companies need to be thinking and planning that way. It's not like your sales are going to go from 70% or 80% off back to 100%."One silver lining could come from Americans' newfound devotion to scrubbing vegetables, according to Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician and senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security."Ironically," he said, "you might see less salmonella, E. coli and listeria."(Adds physician comment on food-borne illnesses in last two paragraphs.)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.
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| Sorry, AOC — Democrats Don’t Want Democratic Socialism Posted: 16 Apr 2020 12:43 PM PDT  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is demanding concessions from Joe Biden. It's a thought. Why haven't others hit on this strategy? Perhaps Walter Mondale should have used the results of the 1984 election to influence Ronald Reagan's agenda, and why didn't John McCain leverage his strong second-place finish in 2008 as to nudge the Obama administration? Come to think of it, maybe Thanos should get the Avengers to concede that half the people he killed must stay dead.Ocasio-Cortez is still new to this game, so she may not understand the basics of politics yet, but: You don't get to change stuff when you lose. Especially when you get trounced. The Social Democrat/Democratic Socialist agenda will have to wait for another election cycle. AOC's pick for the presidency not only lost, he got creamed. Bernie Sanders had every possible advantage going into March -- a string of primary victories, energetic supporters, excellent fund-raising, a perception that he was the favorite, and a lackluster opponent who picked through his sentences like a blind cripple trying to find his way across a minefield -- and then he disintegrated. Far from being the heroic standard-bearer for a bold new era in progressivism, Sanders was such a disastrous candidate he got nuked by a guy who barely has enough energy left to comb his fake hair.Undeterred by total humiliation, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez turned to Politico the other day to lay down the law for Joe Biden. Lowering Medicare's eligibility age to 60 is not "going to be enough for us," she said, warning that Biden's Democratic party is "going to have to pursue a much more ambitious health care policy." Or else what? Like Elizabeth Warren, like Bernie Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez has already said she's going to support Biden in November. Not that the votes of Ocasio-Cortez types figure to be dispositive in an election in which the swing votes everyone is looking to harvest are the ones in the white working class in the upper Midwest. Ocasio-Cortez also declared she wants concessions on climate-change policy, immigration, and Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico? She might as well state that Biden has to come through for Queens and Bronx voters if he knows what's good for him.Ocasio-Cortez's patent lack of enthusiasm for Biden is illustrative of a real problem, though. During the primary season, Biden's fundraising was atrocious and the enthusiasm level of his crowds ranged from tepid to somnolent. But charisma is non-transferable, as the last Democratic presidential candidate learned to her chagrin. Proximity to Bill Clinton for 45 years didn't make Hillary Clinton more appealing. Even if Biden does everything Ocasio-Cortez wants, she won't be able to transfer her youthful socialist zing to him. With or without AOC beating a drum for him, Biden is not going to excite marginal supporters and young folk the way Barack Obama did. As Biden gets confused about what office he's running for and puts out campaign videos that have the kind of audience draw of the average middle-school talent show, his campaign certainly needs all the defibrillation it can get. But the candidate has been around long enough to know that when you're in a general election, you pivot to the center. Maybe voters in Pennsylvania will forget Biden called for no new fracking, maybe he'll abandon that position as untenable in a COVID-wracked economy. What he seems unlikely to do is announce a major swing left on climate change. Biden's memory may not be as strong as it used to be, but he probably remembers as far back as last month, when extremist positions were proven unpopular even among Democratic primary voters. Biden is not about to turn into Bernie Sanders, not that he is even capable of turning himself into a mad prophet of socialism.As is typical of a generation that would rather file a formal HR complaint than inform a colleague she has a concern to discuss, Ocasio-Cortez hasn't even talked to Biden, fancying herself going over his head. "Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Has Never Spoken to Joe Biden. Here's What She Would Say," ran a New York Times headline. And what is she saying? In essence, it's: "Embrace my defeated ideology and my personal unpopularity." Actual AOC remark: Biden "didn't win because of policy — I don't think he won because of his agenda, he won because of different factors. In state after state after state, Democratic voters support a progressive agenda."So the people want an agenda far to the left of what they actually voted for, in state after state? It's a shame that Democratic primary voters are holding the country back, but until AOC figures out a way to cut voters out of the equation, she'll just have to live with their choices. As for Biden, he's probably too dumb and too afraid of appearing out of touch with young folks to grasp that Ocasio-Cortez is teeing up a Sister Souljah moment for him. But simply ignoring one annoying and unpopular congresswoman is a perfectly valid option.
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| Kim Jong Un tribute absence sparks speculation Posted: 15 Apr 2020 08:02 PM PDT  The April 15 birthday of the North's founder is the most important celebration of the nuclear-armed country's annual political calendar, known as the Day of the Sun. The state KCNA news agency did not mention him in a Thursday report on senior officials visiting the Kumsusan Palace to pay the "highest tribute" to the two late leaders.
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| 'Commander' of New Mexico group that detained migrants near border is sentenced Posted: 16 Apr 2020 02:16 PM PDT  Larry Mitchell Hopkins, 70, was arrested in 2019. He was a "commander" of a group accused of detaining migrants at the New Mexico-Mexico border.
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| Hundreds of USPS workers have tested positive for the coronavirus, but it still may be safer to get postal mail than other types of packages Posted: 16 Apr 2020 10:27 AM PDT  The risk of contracting COVID-19 from a piece of mail is extremely low, according to experts. But plastic packaging may be riskier than paper mail.
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| Citing coronavirus, Trump threatens to adjourn Congress to make recess appointments Posted: 15 Apr 2020 04:29 PM PDT  President Trump said Wednesday that he was considering taking the unprecedented step of adjourning both houses of Congress in order to make recess appointments to fill government posts, citing the emergency created by the coronavirus outbreak.
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| U.S. coronavirus deaths increase by record amount for second straight day: Reuters tally Posted: 15 Apr 2020 11:14 AM PDT  The United States recorded its first coronavirus fatality on Feb. 29. U.S. confirmed cases topped 635,000 in the United States and 2 million globally. Governors of about 20 states with few coronavirus cases believe they may be ready to start the process of reopening their economies by President Donald Trump's May 1 target date, a top U.S. health official said on Wednesday.
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| My cruise was canceled due to coronavirus. Here's how experts say you should navigate refunds, credits Posted: 15 Apr 2020 07:22 AM PDT  I was scheduled to depart on my first cruise on May 10 on Royal Caribbean's Oasis Of The Seas. Until the coronavirus pandemic struck.
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| China tries to revive economy but consumer engine sputters Posted: 15 Apr 2020 06:42 PM PDT  China, where the coronavirus pandemic started in December, is cautiously trying to get back to business, but it's not easy when many millions of workers are wary of spending much or even going out. Millions of families were told to stay home under unprecedented controls that have been copied by the United States, Europe and India. The ruling Communist Party says the outbreak, which had killed more than 3,340 people among more than 82,341 confirmed cases as of Thursday, is under control.
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| Immigrants living illegally in California to receive cash amid coronavirus Posted: 16 Apr 2020 04:23 AM PDT  California is giving cash payments to immigrants living in the country illegally who are being affected by the coronavirus.
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| Coronavirus’s Relentless March in Europe Clouds Reopening Plans Posted: 16 Apr 2020 11:57 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- New coronavirus infections climbed in Spain, Italy, France and Germany, while the U.K. said it's extending its lockdown by a further three weeks to fight the spreading pandemic.For European leaders, the increasing numbers on Thursday signaled no letup in the need to balance the severe economic damage caused by the tight restrictions to fight the pandemic with the increasing death toll and the danger that prematurely easing lockdowns could spark a second wave of infections."Relaxing any of the measures in place would damage both public health and the economy," said U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is standing in for Boris Johnson while the prime minister recovers from an infection with the virus. "The worst thing we could do right now is ease up too soon and allow a second peak of the virus."Spain, which has the second-most cases behind the U.S. and Europe's second-highest death toll behind Italy, reported the biggest daily increase in infections in a week. New fatalities rose compared with the previous day.Italy, where Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is considering plans to ease restrictions, reported the most new cases in four days as tests rose to a daily record of 60,999. The number of deaths, hospitalized patients and intensive care patients all declined from the day before.President Emmanuel Macron in France, which reported the most new cases in a single day on Thursday, has extended his lockdown and said the country was underprepared.In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel has started the slow process of easing restrictions, though some limits are set to remain for months.WHO ClashOn a conference call of Group of Seven leaders, Merkel defended the work of the World Health Organization after U.S. President Donald Trump said it took China's claims about the coronavirus "at face value" and failed to share information about the pandemic as it spread. Washington has said it's cutting funding to the UN agency."The chancellor made it clear that the pandemic can only be defeated with a strong and coordinated international response," her spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said in a statement. "In this context, she expressed full support for the WHO as well as a number of other partners."In contrast, the White House said in a statement that the G-7 leaders agreed the WHO needs "a thorough review and reform process.""Much of the conversation centered on the lack of transparency and chronic mismanagement of the pandemic by the WHO," according to the statement.To deal with pandemic's battering of their economies, the heads of the European Union's main institutions said the bloc must increase its budget resources as they seek a way around the gridlock over joint bond issuance.EU leaders will have a "strategic discussion" about the spending plan during a conference call next week, European Council President Charles Michel said. An expanded budget should be "the mothership" of efforts to revive growth, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers in Brussels on Thursday.Macron, in an interview with the Financial Times, said the EU needs "financial transfers and solidarity" to "hold on" through the coronavirus crisis. Failure to support hardest-hit EU member states will help populists to victory in Italy, Spain and perhaps France and elsewhere, he said.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.
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| AOC Calls Out Hypocritical Response to Biden Sexual Assault Allegation: ‘Believe Women…Until It Inconveniences Us’ Posted: 15 Apr 2020 10:07 AM PDT  Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) criticized the lack of mainstream discussion surrounding the recent sexual assault allegation against Joe Biden made by former Senate staffer Tara Reade, calling the situation a "silencing of all dissent" that amounted to "a form of gaslighting.""I think it's legitimate to talk about these things. And if we want, if we again want to have integrity, you can't say both believe women, support all of this, until it inconveniences you, until it inconveniences us," Ocasio-Cortez said in response to a question during an online conversation Tuesday night with The Wing, a networking and community space for women.She added that the dismissing of allegations was the "exact opposite of integrity," after the Biden campaign categorically denied the allegation and caused the New York Times to retroactively edit its coverage of the allegation after complaining "that the phrasing was awkward." The Times's coverage came nearly three weeks after the story was first reported, while CNN has yet to detail the allegations."It almost felt like we started this cycle where we had kind of moved on from, you know, from all of this. And now it feels like we're kind of back in it," Ocasio-Cortez said. "And, you know, the most diverse field that we've ever seen — that we're kind of back kind of replaying old movies in a way."Ocasio-Cortez revealed on Wednesday that the Biden campaign had reached out to her after she told the Times in an interview that she had never spoken with the former vice president, but would not say if she would endorse Biden's campaign.> .@AOC speaking on Playbook event says that since NYT article Monday, her and Biden's teams have been in touch. She says "we'll see" on if she's going to endorse him or be a surrogate. But she said it is important to support Biden in November.> > -- Eliza Collins (@elizacollins1) April 15, 2020The freshman congresswoman, who is up for reelection in November, has clashed with Biden in the past. She said the former vice president would not be a "pragmatic" choice as the Democratic 2020 presidential nominee in June before endorsing Senator Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.). After Biden implied in December that Ocasio-Cortez did not represent the mainstream position of the Democratic Party, the New York progressive fired back by saying the party was. "too big of a tent.""In any other country, Joe Biden and I would not be in the same party, but in America, we are," Ocasio-Cortez told New York Magazine.
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| 22,000 surgical masks shipped from the national stockpile to the University of Michigan were not usable Posted: 16 Apr 2020 02:23 PM PDT  A shipment of "less than durable" ear-loop surgical masks arrived at the school last week, the Detroit Free Press reported.
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| Nurses suspended for refusing to treat coronavirus patients unless they have N95 masks Posted: 16 Apr 2020 03:54 AM PDT  Nurses at a California hospital were suspended after they refused to enter the rooms of coronavirus patients unless they had N95 respirator masks.
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| Japan urges citizens to isolate as reports warn of 400,000 deaths Posted: 15 Apr 2020 02:14 AM PDT  Japan urged its citizens on Wednesday to stay home, as media reports warned that as many as 400,000 of them could die of the coronavirus without urgent action, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came under pressure to hand out more cash. Japan, which tests only people with symptoms of the coronavirus, has so far recorded more than 9,000 infections, including passenger who caught the virus on a cruise ship, with nearly 200 deaths. Japan has seen an accelerating infection rate in recent weeks, particularly in Tokyo.
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| China has been told by the UK that it cannot return to 'business as usual' after the coronavirus pandemic Posted: 16 Apr 2020 10:26 AM PDT  The UK is calling for an investigation into how the coronavirus pandemic started in China.
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| IMF approves $1.4 billion in coronavirus aid to Pakistan Posted: 16 Apr 2020 04:18 PM PDT  The IMF on Thursday approved nearly $1.4 billion in emergency aid to Pakistan to help it weather the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. "While uncertainty remains high, the near-term economic impact of COVID-19 is expected to be significant, giving rise to large fiscal and external financing needs," the international lender said in a statement. Pakistan has recorded just over 100 deaths but experts have voiced fear that the country of 215 million people could see a rapid and devastating increase due to its shortage of medical infrastructure and crowded cities.
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| Brazil Negotiating With Maduro to Repatriate Staff in Venezuela Posted: 15 Apr 2020 09:31 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Brazil is negotiating with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to airlift diplomatic and military staff who are stranded after his government denied permission for a Brazilian Air Force cargo jet to land in Caracas, two people familiar with the matter said.The plane was scheduled to land in the Venezuelan capital on Friday to pick up diplomatic officials and their family members as part of Brazil's repatriation efforts during the coronavirus pandemic, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to discuss the subject publicly.But Venezuelan military officials on Wednesday told the Brazilian embassy a permit to land would no longer be provided, without providing a reason. More than 50 embassy and consular employees and their relatives now don't know if and how they will be able to leave the country, the people said.Brazil's foreign ministry said late Wednesday night it was following the case and insisted no citizen would be left behind, citing the more than 10,000 Brazilians who have so far been brought home in the wake of the pandemic. The international department of Brazil's justice ministry said it's aware of the situation.Calls requesting comment to Venezuela's Ministry of Communication and Information outside of regular business hours went unanswered.Brazil was on track to withdraw its personnel in Venezuela even before the pandemic. In February, Brazil decided to withdraw its diplomatic personnel from the country in another attempt to increase Maduro's isolation. But the move was set up as a gradual process in which diplomats and other employees used then-available commercial flights.Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a U.S. ally, recognizes opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate leader of Venezuela and has provided Guaido's envoy in Brasilia full ambassador status. The U.S. campaign to try to oust Maduro with economic sanctions, diplomatic isolation and backing for Guaido has so far failed to dislodge the Venezuelan leader, who has remained solidly entrenched with the apparent support of his military.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.
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| Michigan Gov. Claims Protesters are Spreading Virus, Making It ‘More Likely’ State Will Continue Strict Lockdown Measures Posted: 16 Apr 2020 12:53 PM PDT  Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer suggested the "sad part" of state residents protesting her strict quarantine measures was that they would likely be exposed to and spread Wuhan coronavirus, resulting in further lockdowns.Thousands of protestors, organized by the Michigan Conservative Coalition under the hashtag OperationGridlock, took to the capitol in Lansing on Wednesday to voice their disapproval of Whitmer's rules, which include the closing of businesses selling hardware supplies and gardening seeds, and the banning of travel "between residences." While Whitmer said she respected the "right" of the "small segment of the state" to protest, she warned they could be furthering the lockdowns by refusing to social distance."We have to take serious measures, and people are getting a little stir-crazy from being at home, being worried about work, worried about paying the bills, worried about their businesses, and a small segment of the state is protesting, and that's their right," she stated. "The sad part is, though, that the more likely they're out and about, the more likely they are to spread COVID-19 and the more likely we're going to have to spread this posture for a longer period of time."> Gov. Gretchen Whitmer: "A small segment of the state is protesting, and that's their right. The sad part is, though, that the more likely they're out and about, the more likely they are to spread COVID-19 and the more likely we're going to have to spread this posture." pic.twitter.com/eMo4aNxfpB> > -- The Hill (@thehill) April 16, 2020In a Wednesday interview with MSNBC's Joy Reid, Whitmer went further, saying the protest was "essentially a political rally.""This small group that came together without masks on, passing out candy with bare hands to children, who were congregating together, brandishing their weapons, having posters of being anti-choice — this was a political rally. It was a political rally that is going to endanger people's lives because this is precisely how COVID-19 spreads," she stated.As of April 16, Michigan has the fourth-most coronavirus cases in the country with 28,059 and 1,921 deaths.
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| Defense chief says Navy captain who raised coronavirus concerns could return Posted: 16 Apr 2020 06:15 AM PDT  Capt. Brett Crozier was removed after a strongly worded letter to Navy leadership detailed his concerns about the spread of the coronavirus on the USS Roosevelt.
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| These Engineers Just Solved the Biggest Problem with N95 Masks Posted: 15 Apr 2020 11:55 AM PDT  Not bad for a couple of guys who usually create fuel cells for next-gen cars.
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| Sen. Mitt Romney was the only GOP senator not invited on Trump's new coronavirus advisory group Posted: 16 Apr 2020 02:55 PM PDT  Sen. Mitt Romney was the only Republican senator not invited to serve on the president's new panel addressing ways to reopen the country.
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| Coronavirus: Why is NYC reporting surge in virus deaths? Posted: 15 Apr 2020 06:31 PM PDT  New York is now reporting an additional 3,778 deaths presumed to be coronavirus-linked.
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| Coronavirus clue? Most cases aboard U.S. aircraft carrier are symptom-free Posted: 16 Apr 2020 08:24 AM PDT  Sweeping testing of the entire crew of the coronavirus-stricken U.S. aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt may have revealed a clue about the pandemic: The majority of the positive cases so far are among sailors who are asymptomatic, officials say. The possibility that the coronavirus spreads in a mostly stealthy mode among a population of largely young, healthy people showing no symptoms could have major implications for U.S. policy-makers, who are considering how and when to reopen the economy. It also renews questions about the extent to which U.S. testing of just the people suspected of being infected is actually capturing the spread of the virus in the United States and around the world.
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| Mexico sees widespread noncompliance with business closures Posted: 15 Apr 2020 06:15 PM PDT  Mexico's coronavirus point-man said Wednesday there has been widespread non-compliance with orders for all non-essential businesses to close. Assistant Health Secretary Hugo López-Gatell said those firms that don't comply would be inspected, fined and possibly subject to criminal investigations for endangering the health of employees. While there have been widespread reports that border assembly plants known as maquiladoras had failed to close during the pandemic, López-Gatell cited only one border state — Baja California — as having a high level of non-compliance.
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| Gates Foundation calls for global cooperation on vaccine for 7 billion people Posted: 15 Apr 2020 03:34 PM PDT  The wealthy Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation called Wednesday for global cooperation to ready COVID-19 vaccines for seven billion people, while offering $150 million toward developing therapeutics and treatments for the virus. While it is likely to take as many as 18 months to develop and fully test a safe coronavirus vaccine, global authorities and businesses need to start now on plans to manufacture it, said foundation chief executive Mark Suzman. "When you are dealing with a novel pathogen like COVID-19, as and when we get to identifying a successful vaccine, we are going to need billions of doses."
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| Receiving Government Benefits? Here’s What to Know About Your Stimulus Payment Posted: 16 Apr 2020 02:12 PM PDT  Most people receiving Social Security or disability will get their payments automatically
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| Michigan governor says protesters against stay-at-home order 'might have just created a need to lengthen it' Posted: 15 Apr 2020 06:34 PM PDT  Demonstrators gathered in front of the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing on Wednesday — some staying in their cars, others getting out and standing shoulder-to-shoulder — to protest against the stay-at-home policy enacted by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) as a way to fight the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.The protest, called "Operation Gridlock," was organized by conservative groups arguing that Whitmer's order, which bans travel between homes and closes down non-essential businesses, is too strict. As of Wednesday night, Michigan had more than 28,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and the death toll stands at 1,921. The stay-at-home rules were enacted to prevent the COVID-19 outbreak from overwhelming the state's hospitalsSome demonstrators wore masks to cover their faces, but those who didn't posed a major health risk to those around them, Whitmer told reporters. "We know that this demonstration is going to come at a cost to people's health," she said. "The sad irony of the protest is that they don't like to be in this stay-at-home order, but they might have just created a need to lengthen it."Whitmer also said that while she understands their frustrations, she was disappointed to learn that an ambulance was stuck in the gridlock caused by the protest. "I know that people are angry, and that's okay, and if you want to, take it out and send it my way," she told the protesters. "I urge you, don't put yourself at risk and don't put others at risk, either."More stories from theweek.com Why can't you go fishing during the pandemic? Airline conducts COVID-19 blood tests on passengers Lindsey Graham keeps breaking fundraising records. His Democratic challenger still outraised him.
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| Ivanka Trump skirted coronavirus guidelines to travel to N.J. for Passover Posted: 16 Apr 2020 08:34 AM PDT  The president's daughter has promoted staying at home during the pandemic.
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| Beijing Privately Warned Health Officials of A ‘Pandemic’ Six Days Before Xi Jinping’s Public Coronavirus Comments Posted: 15 Apr 2020 06:05 AM PDT  Documents reveal that Chinese President Xi Jinping waited six days to publicly warn about the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, after his top officials determined that the situation was "likely to develop into a major public health event."On January 20, Xi broke silence on the outbreak to warn it "must be taken seriously," with leading Chinese epidemiologist, Zhong Nanshan saying for the first time publicly that the virus was transmissible from person-to-person.That public warning came six days after a January 14 teleconference in which the head of China's National Health Commission, Ma Xiaowei, warned Xi and local health officials that a global pandemic was likely underway, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. Some 3,000 Chinese people are believed to have been infected during the six-day delay."The epidemic situation is still severe and complex, the most severe challenge since SARS in 2003, and is likely to develop into a major public health event," Ma said, according to the memo.The call came a day after authorities in Thailand discovered the first case reported outside of China, which the memo cited as an indication that the situation had "changed significantly." It added that "clustered cases suggest that human-to-human transmission is possible.""With the coming of the Spring Festival, many people will be traveling, and the risk of transmission and spread is high," the memo reads. "All localities must prepare for and respond to a pandemic."Ma also urged officials to prioritize political considerations and social stability ahead of the long China's two biggest political meetings of the year in March.The same day as the teleconference, the World Health Organization stated that "preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in Wuhan, China." One day prior, on January 19, the National Health Commission said the virus was "still preventable and controllable."A timeline of China's slow response to the coronavirus reveals the failures of Beijing to slow the spread of the pandemic. While the Chinese government has reported approximately 82,000 cases, estimates have suggested the number is closer to 2.9 million.In December, party officials issued a gag order to labs in Wuhan after scientists realized the novel virus closely resembled SARS, ordering them to halt tests, destroy samples, and conceal the news.
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| 'I had to go through it': Trump says he was a 'victim' of the COVID-19 test and referred to it as 'an operation' Posted: 16 Apr 2020 02:16 PM PDT  President Donald Trump described the test in detail, saying, "They go up your nose and hang a right at your eye."
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| After a coronavirus surge, New York City's hospitals holding their own – and hope they 'have hit a plateau' Posted: 16 Apr 2020 02:48 PM PDT  To mitigate the surge of coronavirus patients, New York City hospitals got creative. Now, federal help is being used at well below capacity.
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| India charges Muslim leader with culpable homicide for coronavirus surge Posted: 15 Apr 2020 11:07 PM PDT |
| Virus hit 'like a bomb' as toll rises in Ecuador's business capital Posted: 14 Apr 2020 07:35 PM PDT  Ecuador's economic capital Guayaquil is reeling from the most aggressive outbreak of COVID-19 in Latin America after the pandemic hit the city "like a bomb," its mayor said. Cynthia Viteri has emerged from her own bout with the virus to battle the worst crisis the port city of nearly 3 million people has known in modern times. Mortuaries, funeral homes and hospital services are overwhelmed, and Viteri said the actual death toll from the virus is likely much higher than the official national figure of 369.
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| WHO regrets Trump funding halt as global coronavirus cases top 2 million Posted: 15 Apr 2020 02:34 PM PDT 
(SOUNDBITE) (English) WHO DIRECTOR GENERAL, TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, SAYING: "We regret the decision of the president of the United States to order a halt in the funding to the WHO." The head of the World Health Organization said on Wednesday - as the number of global coronavirus infections passed 2 million - that his agency would have to review ways to continue its work and fill any financial gaps, after President Donald Trump announced he was halting U.S. funding to the agency, which he accused of "severely mismanaging and covering up the spread" of the virus. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "The WHO's attack on travel restrictions put political correctness above lifesaving measures." A day after those remarks, the WHO's Director General called for world unity to fight the pandemic. (SOUNDBITE) (English) WHO DIRECTOR GENERAL, TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, SAYING: "COVID-19 does not discriminate between rich nations and poor, large nations and small. It does not discriminate between nationalities, ethnicities or ideologies. Neither do we. This is a time for all of us to be united in our common struggle against a common threat - a dangerous enemy. When we are divided, the virus exploits the cracks between us." The United States is the largest donor to the World Health Organization, which is part of the United Nations. The U.S. provided more than $400 million to the WHO last year, roughly 15% of its budget -- money that goes toward fighting the world's deadliest diseases. (SOUNDBITE) (English) WHO DIRECTOR GENERAL, TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, SAYING: "WHO is not only fighting COVID-19. We are also working to address polio, measles, malaria, Ebola, HIV, tuberculosis, malnutrition, cancer, diabetes, mental health and many other diseases and conditions." Trump's decision to pull funding for the agency has prompted global condemnation from leaders in the political and business world. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the move "senseless," saying in a statement: "'a weak person, a poor leader, takes no responsibility. A weak person blames others.' "This decision is dangerous, illegal and will be swiftly challenged." Bill Gates said on Twitter: "Halting funding for the World Health Organization during a world health crisis is as dangerous as it sounds. Their work is slowing the spread of COVID-19 and if that work is stopped no other organization can replace them." (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR OF THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION DR. ROBERT REDFIELD, SAYING: "WHO has been a longterm and still is a great partner for us." On Wednesday, the director of the CDC, who is on Trump's own coronavirus task force, said now was not the time to address what went wrong with efforts to control the spread. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR OF THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION DR. ROBERT REDFIELD, SAYING: "I think it's important at this point that we leave the analysis of what could have been done better and what maybe we did well to once we get through this." Meanwhile, the former head of Britain's MI6 foreign intelligence service, said China concealed crucial information about the outbreak from the rest of the world and that it would be better to hold China responsible rather than the WHO.
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| France urging top powers to endorse UN virus cease-fire call Posted: 15 Apr 2020 02:33 PM PDT  French President Emmanuel Macron says he hopes that "in the coming days" the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council can discuss and endorse U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' call for a cease-fire to all conflicts in the world in order to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. Macron, who has been pushing for more international cooperation in fighting the virus, said in an interview with French radio RFI broadcast on Wednesday that he is only waiting for agreement from Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold the 5-country video conference.
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| Dr. Oz tells Sean Hannity reopening schools may be worth the cost in mortality Posted: 16 Apr 2020 10:14 AM PDT  Dr. Oz thinks it's about time we reconsider how much good social distancing is actually doing.Mehmet Oz, the talk show host known for his sometimes sub-par medical advice, made a Fox News appearance on Wednesday night to tell host Sean Hannity "we might be able to open" schools again "without getting into a lot of trouble." He then cited a study from medical journal The Lancet, saying "the opening of schools may only cost us 2 to 3 percent in terms of total mortality." "Any life is a life lost," Oz continued, but getting kids back in schools where they're "safe" and "fed ... might be a tradeoff some folks would consider."> DR OZ: "Schools are a very appetizing opportunity. I just saw a nice piece in The Lancet arguing the opening of schools may only cost us 2 to 3%, in terms of total mortality. Any, you know, any life is a life lost, but ... that might be a tradeoff some folks would consider." pic.twitter.com/aifMeKTsIv> > — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 16, 2020Oz made a similar argument on Thursday to Fox & Friends, saying it "really bothered" him that Boston University had already canceled its fall semester.The study in The Lancet maintains that "Recent modeling studies of COVID-19 predict that school closures alone would prevent only two to four percent of deaths, much less than other social distancing interventions." It does not explicitly argue for reopening schools immediately, though, and instead maintains "combinations of social distancing measures should be considered."More stories from theweek.com Why can't you go fishing during the pandemic? Airline conducts COVID-19 blood tests on passengers Lindsey Graham keeps breaking fundraising records. His Democratic challenger still outraised him.
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| Midwest Governors Join Forces; Gilead Drug Trial: Virus Update Posted: 16 Apr 2020 02:02 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Seven Midwest governors began work on steps to reopen the regional economy, as state leaders in the mid-Atlantic and West Coast planned similar actions. The governor of New York extended a lockdown to May 15, while his New Jersey counterpart said schools will be closed at least until the same date.U.S. President Donald Trump will hold a news conference at 6 p.m. to unveil guidelines to relax stay-at-home rules. Massive numbers of Americans sought unemployment benefits again.The U.K. added three weeks to its restrictions as total infections exceeded 100,000. New cases also climbed in Italy, Spain and Germany, where the government plans to keep most of the restrictive measures in place. Singapore reported its highest daily increase for a second day.Key DevelopmentsVirus Tracker: Cases top 2.1 million; deaths exceed 140,000Japan's Abe expands state of emergencyRisk of getting sick may lie in your genesConsumer habits in virus-ravaged Wuhan may forever be changedFDA shifts its stance on Covid-19 vaping, smoking impactCarnival knew it had a virus problem but kept the party goingSubscribe to a daily update on the virus from Bloomberg's Prognosis team here. Click VRUS on the terminal for news and data on the coronavirus.Gilead Gains on Report on Covid-19 Drug Test (5 p.m. NY)Gilead Sciences Inc. climbed 4.4% post-market Thursday as STAT reported severe Covid-19 patients being treated in Chicago with the company's experimental drug remdesivir are "seeing rapid recoveries in fever and respiratory symptoms."Almost all patients were discharged in under than a week, and only two patients died, STAT said, citing comments made this week during a video discussion about trial results with University of Chicago faculty members.STAT cautions that trials are running at other institutions and full study results can't yet be determined; Gilead told the news outlet that it's looking forward to data becoming available.U.S. Confirmed Cases Rise 4.7% (4 p.m. NY)U.S. cases rose 4.7% from the day before to 648,788 by Thursday afternoon, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg News. That was higher than Wednesday's growth rate of 3.5% but lower than average daily increase of 5.7% over the past week. Deaths increased 14% to 31,590.New York cases rose 9.8%, spiking higher after the hardest-hit state showed signs of stabilizing in the past week. New York's cases had risen just 0.5% during the same time period on Wednesday.South Dakota had the biggest daily increase, with cases rising 12% to 1,311. On Sunday, Smithfield Foods Inc. said it would idle a South Dakota pork-processing facility amid a spike in infections.Midwest Governors Form Partnership (3:25 p.m. NY)Seven U.S. governors are forming a Midwest regional partnership to closely coordinate plans to reopen their economies based on data and advice from experts in a way that "prioritizes our workers' health," the leaders announced Thursday.Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana and Kentucky will cooperate, their governors said in a statement Thursday. The move follows similar coalitions of governors on the West Coast and Northeast who are working together on how to reopen schools and businesses after the coronavirus outbreak eases.South Africa Reports 14 Deaths (3:25 p.m. NY)South Africa reported Thursday that 14 people who had contracted the coronavirus had died, the highest daily toll in the country to date. The number of confirmed infections rose 4% to 2,605, the most in Africa, as the number of tests conducted increased. President Cyril Ramaphosa last week extended a three-week national lockdown until the end of April in a bid to curb the further spread of the disease.French Oxygen Bottler Triples Output (1:40 p.m. NY)French industrial-gas giant Air Liquide SA will triple production of oxygen bottles to meet soaring demand due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to a surge in patients with respiratory problems.Manufacturing capacity at a site near Paris has already been increased to 300 of the up to 44-liter reservoirs a week from around 100, and production will be raised even more if necessary, the company said in a statement Thursday. The equipment is used by people needing oxygen at home or in care facilities.U.K. Adds 3 Weeks to Lockdown (12:10 p.m. NY)The U.K. will extend the country's lockdown by a further three weeks at least in an effort to stem the spread of coronavirus.Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is standing in for Prime Minister Boris Johnson while he recovers from his own infection with the virus, said the March 23 decision to close most shops and meeting places and limit all but essential travel has worked to slow the spread of the virus."Relaxing any of the measures in place would damage both public health and the economy," Raab said.N.Y. Extends Shutdown to May 15 (11:50 a.m. NY)New York Governor Andrew Cuomo extended the statewide lockdown to May 15, citing progress made in limiting the spread of the coronavirus.Cuomo also ordered masks to be worn by riders on public transit or in for-hire vehicles, such as Uber and Lyft. In addition, operators of public systems, private carriers and for-hire services must always wear masks.New York had 606 deaths in the past 24 hours, the second straight daily decline and the lowest toll in several days. The state has reported 12,192 deaths.Singapore's New Cases at Record (11:45 a.m. NY)Singapore had 728 new cases, the Ministry of Health said, the second straight day of reporting the most cases for 24 hours. About 90% of the cases were Work Permit holders living in dormitories. None of the new cases was imported from abroad. Singapore has not had any new imported cases since April 9, according to the ministry.Amsterdam Pride Week Canceled (11 a.m. NY)Amsterdam Pride week, set to run from July 25 until Aug. 2, has been canceled as organizers are running into "too many uncertainties and limitations." Organizing the event in what Prime Minister Mark Rutte has dubbed a "1.5 meter society" is also not feasible, the organizers said in a statement.Pride Amsterdam's annual highlight, an 80-boat parade along the city's famous canals, has been postponed to August 2021.PGA Golf to Resume Without Fans (10:20 a.m. NY)Golf is scheduled to resume in the U.S. on June 8 with the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, which will be played without fans, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said Thursday in a statement. The first four events of the year will be closed to the public, Monahan said. Other events will be rescheduled through the end of the tour on Sept. 7. The PGA suspended its events on March 12 after canceling the $15 million Players Championship.BP Joins Tech Giants on Virus Research (10:09 a.m. NY)BP Plc will give Covid-19 researchers access to the supercomputer it uses to process geological data. The London-based oil giant is pooling resources and expertise with companies including Microsoft Corp., Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc., aiming to "significantly advance the pace of scientific discovery in the fight to stop the virus."It will provide access to its Center for High-Performance Computing in Houston, which can process more than 16 trillion calculations per second. BP will also make dozens of scientists available to help at its San Diego Biosciences Center.Researchers who want to tap the consortium's computing power must submit proposals to through an online portal.Drivers' Speeds Climb on Emptier Streets (10:09 a.m. NY)Traffic speeds are rising and drivers may be getting more reckless in some U.S. states as stay-home orders keep cars and trucks off roads and streets, the Governors Highway Safety Association said in a statement.In New York City, automated speed cameras issued 24,765 speeding tickets on March 27, or nearly double the 12,672 of a month earlier. In Massachusetts, the fatality rate in crashes is up, and in Nevada and Rhode Island, state officials note pedestrian fatalities are rising, the group said. Police in Colorado, Indiana, Nebraska and Utah clocked highway speeds of over 100 miles per hour.FDA Allows Hospitals to Make Own Drugs (10:07 a.m. NY)U.S. regulators are allowing hospitals to make their own versions of drugs that Covid-19 patients on ventilators need but that have become scarce. The Food and Drug Administration issued temporary guidelines Thursday permitting hospitals to make medications, including painkillers, sedatives and potent muscle relaxers.Those drugs have fallen into shortage in the last few weeks as more patients need intensive care. The agency usually tries to boost supplies by increasing pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity, some of which it has done.But "in light of unprecedented disruptions to, and demands on, the global pharmaceutical supply chain as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in order to respond to evolving regional conditions, additional flexibility is temporarily needed to ensure that treatment options are available," FDA said in the guidelines.U.K. Total Cases Cross 100,000 (9:50 a.m. NY)The number of cases in the U.K. rose to 103,093 from 98,476. The country reported 861 new deaths, taking the total to 13,729.Airbus CEO Says Aviation Faces Gravest Crisis Ever (9:38 a.m. NY)The global aerospace sector is facing its greatest challenge ever, according to the chief executive officer of Airbus SE. The world's biggest planemaker has seen demand slump as its airline customers, riding high on record demand before the virus hit, ground planes and suddenly seek to slash orders and delay jet handovers.Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury, addressing investors in a virtual annual meeting, called the situation "unprecedented."Switzerland to Allow Businesses to Open Gradually (9:36 a.m. NY)Switzerland's businesses and schools will be allowed to reopen in three stages starting April 27.The first cohort will be establishments like hair dressers, tattoo studios, beauty salons, hardware stores, garden centers and flower shops, where people can keep a safe distance. Hospitals will also be once again allowed offer a full range of medical services, the government said on Thursday.Portugal Reports Biggest Case Increase in Six Days (9:10 a.m. NY)Portugal reported 750 new cases, the most in six days, taking the total to 18,841. The total number of deaths rose to 629 from 599, and hospitalized cases climbed to 1,302 from 1,200.Facebook Put Warnings on 40 Million Misleading Posts (9:04 a.m. NY)Facebook Inc. added warnings to 40 million pieces of misinformation about the coronavirus on its main social network in March, part of an effort to stem the spread of bad advice and misleading articles.Hundreds of thousands of posts deemed harmful were removed entirely, according to a blog post on Thursday by Guy Rosen, the company's vice president for integrity. In the next few weeks, users who liked, commented or reacted to misleading posts that were later taken down will be shown messages in their news feeds linking to factual information about Covid-19, the company said.U.K. Will Reject Any EU Request to Extend Transition (8:25 a.m. NY)"Extending the transition would prolong business uncertainty," government spokesman James Slack said on a conference call with reporters on Thursday. "U.K. business needs to know what its future trading arrangements will be and how to adapt to them."International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva earlier told the BBC that the U.K. and EU would be "wise not to add more" to the uncertainty from the virus by refusing to extend the Dec. 31 deadline for Brexit trade deal negotiations.Japan's Abe Declares State of Emergency (7:35 a.m. NY)Prime Minister Abe declared a nationwide state of emergency, expanding it from seven prefectures, as the infection spreads and his support rate sags. Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who is leading government efforts on the virus emergency had said earlier that the period will last to May 6 and is designed to limit people's movements during a peak travel period of several national holidays in late April and early May known as "Golden Week."Morgan Stanley Equities Trading Beats Estimates (7:30 a.m. NY)Morgan Stanley rounded out Wall Street's banner week for trading desks with a 24% first-quarter revenue surge, pushing the industry's tally to the highest in eight years. The firm, which owns the world's biggest stock-trading shop, said that business posted a 20% jump in the first quarter, while its fixed-income revenue topped $2 billion for the first time since 2012. The bank didn't fully sidestep the market volatility as firmwide revenue dropped 8%, driven by more than $1 billion of provisions and writedowns on loans and the markdown of an energy-related investment."Over the past two months, we have witnessed more market volatility, uncertainty and anxiety as a result of the devastating COVID-19 than at any time since the financial crisis," Chief Executive Officer James Gorman said in a statement Thursday.South African Mines to Resume Work at 50% Capacity (7:15 a.m. NY)Cooperative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma announced the easing of lockdown restrictions in a televised media briefing. The state will ease sanitation requirements for imported goods and Dlamini-Zuma said fuel refineries must ramp up output. The government plans to loosen curbs gradually and will retain some restrictions when the lockdown ends on April 30.VW Pulls Guidance (7 a.m. NY)Volkswagen AG abandoned its full-year outlook after the coronavirus pandemic brought vehicle production and sales to a halt at factories in key markets including China and Germany."It is currently not possible to determine when a new outlook can be made for the full year," the world's biggest carmaker said Thursday in a statement. "The impacts resulting from the pandemic on customer demand, the supply chain and production cannot currently be accurately forecasted."Men Die of Covid-19 at Twice the Rate of Women (6:40 a.m. NY)The rate of death among men due to Covid-19 was double that of women in England and Wales last month, according to an analysis from the U.K.'s Office for National Statistics. Overall, there were 3,912 deaths involving the coronavirus in March, with 86% having Covid-19 as the underlying cause. The pandemic was the third most frequent underlying reason for death during the month.About 91% of people who died from issues related to Covid-19 had at least one pre-existing health condition, the statistics agency said. The most common one was chronic ischaemic heart disease, which was involved about 14% of the time. The mortality rate increased with age, with the highest among people at least 90 years old. One person who was between 15 to 19 years old died. Males had a higher age-specific mortality rate than females overall.EU Targets Super-Charged Crisis Budget (6:31 a.m. NY)The heads of the European Union's main institutions said the bloc must increase its budget firepower to repair its devastated economy as they seek a way around the gridlock over joint bond issuance.An expanded budget should be "the mothership" of efforts to revive growth after the coronavirus pandemic, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers in Brussels on Thursday. The bloc's leaders will have a "strategic discussion" about the spending plan during a conference call next week, said European Council President, Charles Michel, who leads their meetings.Siemens Is Said to Seek New Credit Line (6:31 a.m. NY)Siemens AG is seeking about $3.3 billion from a new credit line to help the German engineering giant navigate the impact from the coronavirus pandemic, people with knowledge of the matter said. The company is discussions with banks including BNP Paribas SA. With the fresh financing, Siemens would join a growing list of major European companies seeking to bolster their liquidity as the health crisis halts economic activity across the region. Earlier, ArcelorMittal lined up a new $3 billion credit facility to tap if needed.Amazon's Bezos Wants to Test All Employees (6:30 a.m. NY)Amazon.com Inc. Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos said the online retail giant is developing Covid-19 testing capabilities as a first step toward a system of regular checks on its employees globally.In an annual letter to shareholders, the billionaire founder outlined other steps the e-commerce giant has taken to curb the coronavirus, from shutting down non-essential services like Amazon Books to overhauling processes at Whole Foods. The next step was regular testing for all staff -- including those who showed no symptoms, he said. On Thursday, Bezos said his company had assembled a team comprising scientists, managers and software engineers to build internal testing capacity, and hoped to build its first testing lab soon.Spain New Cases Rise Most in a Week (6:10 a.m. NY)Spain confirmed 5,183 new cases, the most in a week, taking the total to 182,816. There were 551 deaths in past 24 hours, for a total of 19,130 since outbreak began. The government said this week that the country has already overcome the peak of the virus, in what is the world's second-most extensive outbreak. It's starting to focus more on how to relax restrictions imposed under a national state of emergency.BlackRock Saw Long-Term Net Outflows of $19 Billion (6:05 a.m. NY)BlackRock Inc. saw net outflows from its long-term investment products for the first time in five years, as panicked investors fled the first-quarter's market turmoil. Institutional investors withdrew about $31 billion from offerings including mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, BlackRock said Thursday. Total net outflows from such long-term investment products was $19 billion in the quarter.WHO Concerned by Spread in U.K., Turkey, Ukraine (6 a.m. NY)"The storm clouds of this pandemic still hang heavily over the European region," said Hans Kluge, European regional director of the World Health Organization at a press briefing. The number of cases in Europe doubled within 10 days to 1 million. "The next few weeks will be critical for Europe."While there have been "small positive signals" in countries such as Spain, Italy, Germany, France and Switzerland, that's tempered by sustained or increased levels of incidents in the U.K., Turkey, Ukraine, Belarus and the Russian Federation. Lifting lockdowns isn't necessarily a one-way process, and Kluge urged countries to rethink their plans to ease measures if they aren't fully prepared to step up testing and boost medical capacity."We think of ourselves in a period of new normal until such a time that a vaccine may be available," WHO officer Katie Smallwood said, adding that researchers aim to do that within 18 months though it can't be predicted because it usually takes years. Healthcare workers represent 1 in 13 reported cases in Europe, though there's a bias in that statistic because healthcare workers are more likely to get tested, she said.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.
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| Director of Italy's top infectious-disease hospital said Fauci would be welcomed 'with open arms' if Trump fired him Posted: 15 Apr 2020 09:23 PM PDT  "There is no one else who has written the history of medicine and infectious diseases like Tony Fauci," the director told the Associated Press.
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| Private labs say demand for COVID-19 tests is down and they can test more people who aren't as sick Posted: 15 Apr 2020 01:43 PM PDT  The labs say they can now test more people who aren't already hospitalized or in other high-priority categories.
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| New Zealand activist flies flag of environmental revolution with election run Posted: 16 Apr 2020 04:33 AM PDT |
| India coronavirus: Tablighi Jamaat leader on manslaughter charge over Covid-19 Posted: 16 Apr 2020 07:50 AM PDT  The head of Tablighi Jamaat faces arrest after a gathering spawned Covid-19 clusters across India.
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| Alarms ring as Greenland ice loss causes 40% of 2019 sea level rise Posted: 16 Apr 2020 11:20 AM PDT  The kilometres-thick icesheet that covers Greenland saw a near-record imbalance last year between new snowfall and the discharge of meltwater and ice into the ocean, scientists have reported. A net loss of 600 billion tonnes was enough to raise the global watermark 1.5 millimetres, about 40 percent of total sea level rise in 2019. The Greenland icesheet -- which, until the end of the 20th century accumulated as much mass as it shed -- holds enough frozen water to lift the world's oceans by seven metres.
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