As the coronavirus outbreak continues to ravage the US, with more than 55,000 people now diagnosed to have contracted the virus and 802 dead, Donald Trump has approved a major disaster declaration for the state of Louisiana.
The US Senate has finally agreed a massive bipartisan $2trn (£1.7trn) stimulus package with the White House to boost the country’s economy in response to the deadly contagion, the bill providing tax rebates, four months expanded unemployment benefits and a slew of business tax-relief provisions.
President Trump is meanwhile under fire for suggesting on Tuesday that he hopes to have America open for business again by Easter, a deadline denounced by everyone from Democratic 2020 front-runner Joe Biden to state governors. Congresswoman Donna Shalala called his aim “dangerous and immoral”.
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WHO calls on countries to 'refocus the whole of government' on combatting virus
World Health Organization director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tells countries with "lock-down" measures in place that they have create a "second window of opportunity" to combat coronavirus.
"How will you use it?" he says.
WHO is calling on those countries to expand and deploy healthcare workforce, find cases on a community level, rampud up testing production, find facilities to treat and isolate patients, develop quarantine plans, and "refocus the whole of government on suppressing and controlling" Covid-19.
World Health Organization director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tells countries with "lock-down" measures in place that they have create a "second window of opportunity" to combat coronavirus.
"How will you use it?" he says.
WHO is calling on those countries to expand and deploy healthcare workforce, find cases on a community level, rampud up testing production, find facilities to treat and isolate patients, develop quarantine plans, and "refocus the whole of government on suppressing and controlling" Covid-19.
New York morgues near 'capacity' as military builds mobile hospitals
The Department of Homeland Security has received briefings that New York City’s morgues are nearing capacity, Politico reports.
Officials were told that the city's morgues are expected to reach capacity next week as the health system braces for coronavirus patients.
The report follows the US military construction of temporary hospitals and a makeshift mortuary outside the city's Bellevue Hospital.
At least 200 people in the city have died from the virus. The statewide death toll has reached at least 300. There are more than 30,000 confirmed cases in the state, 17,000 of which are in New York City.
A video created by inmates in the Etowah County Detention Center in Alabama claims that they are locked inside with others who have coronavirus
The video was apparently recorded by an inmate and shows a pair of inmates with ropes made of cloth around their necks, threatening to hang themselves because of the COVID-19 positive inmates.
“We’re not having no more people come in here with that symptom. We’re not trying to put no more lives at risk,” one of the inmates said in the video.
The Independent's Graig Graziosi reports:
Inmates make video inside jail pleading for release amid coronavirus pandemic
'We’re not having no more people come in here with that symptom. We’re not trying to put no more lives at risk'
TV networks cut away from Trump briefing as he contradicts health experts
Trump’s Monday night press briefing lost a huge share of its TV audience when almost all the major networks cut away from him mid-flow - with the inevitable exception of Fox News.
Whereas the networks have generally given full coverage to the White House’s coronavirus task force briefings, ABC, CBS and NBC all cut to their evening newscasts 20 minutes after Monday’s started and never went back, even though the president spoke until shortly after 8pm.
CNN cut away at around 7.20 pm and MSNBC followed suit within five minutes.
While MSNBC was the last network to leave the briefing, a spokesperson was clear about the basis for its decision: “We cut away because the information no longer appeared to be valuable to the important ongoing discussion around public health.”
Oof.
Andrew Naughtie has more on this.
Trump’s Monday night press briefing lost a huge share of its TV audience when almost all the major networks cut away from him mid-flow - with the inevitable exception of Fox News.
Whereas the networks have generally given full coverage to the White House’s coronavirus task force briefings, ABC, CBS and NBC all cut to their evening newscasts 20 minutes after Monday’s started and never went back, even though the president spoke until shortly after 8pm.
CNN cut away at around 7.20 pm and MSNBC followed suit within five minutes.
While MSNBC was the last network to leave the briefing, a spokesperson was clear about the basis for its decision: “We cut away because the information no longer appeared to be valuable to the important ongoing discussion around public health.”
Oof.
Andrew Naughtie has more on this.
MAGA World turns on Dr Fauci
Fringe supporters of the president (isn't that a polite way to put it?) have turned on the White House disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci, as rumours about tension between the pair were aired this week.
Pro-Trump blogs and pundits have since accused Dr Fauci of siding with the "Deep State" (sigh), with some far-right Republicans viewing the 79-year-old as an establishment figure obstructing the president.
Gino Spocchia has more on this.
Fringe supporters of the president (isn't that a polite way to put it?) have turned on the White House disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci, as rumours about tension between the pair were aired this week.
As Trump called for an end to the economic shutdown on Monday, The New York Times reported that he was tiring of Dr Fauci contradicting him in public - the latter today having cautioned that the coronavirus pandemic would not come to a sudden end by Easter, the president’s preferred date for ending emergency measures.
Pro-Trump blogs and pundits have since accused Dr Fauci of siding with the "Deep State" (sigh), with some far-right Republicans viewing the 79-year-old as an establishment figure obstructing the president.
Gino Spocchia has more on this.
'The coronavirus pandemic has made Trump's psychiatric issues clear'
For Indy Voices, forensic psychiatrist Bandy X Lee says the current disaster is exposing this president for who he really is.
New York University grants medical students early graduation to help burned-out doctors
NYU medical students have been offered the opportunity to graduate three months early so they can help the overworked doctors and hospital staff fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
The Grossman School of Medicine sent an email to its graduating class on Tuesday explaining the option for its students to graduate early and start interning in their field before 1 July, Brief19 first reported.
"With the growing spread of Covid-19, our hospitals inundated with patients, and our colleagues on the front lines working extra-long hours, we are still short-staffed in emergency and internal medicine," the email reads. "Burnout of our doctors has become a growing concern."
Danielle Zoellner reports.
NYU medical students have been offered the opportunity to graduate three months early so they can help the overworked doctors and hospital staff fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
The Grossman School of Medicine sent an email to its graduating class on Tuesday explaining the option for its students to graduate early and start interning in their field before 1 July, Brief19 first reported.
"With the growing spread of Covid-19, our hospitals inundated with patients, and our colleagues on the front lines working extra-long hours, we are still short-staffed in emergency and internal medicine," the email reads. "Burnout of our doctors has become a growing concern."
Danielle Zoellner reports.
New York hospital admission rates for Covid-19 decreasing
New York state's hospitalisation admission rates for Covid-19 infections has declined over the last three days, hinting the density control plan could be working.
Andrew Cuomo updated hospitalisation numbers on Wednesday during his daily press briefing.
He offered a glimmer of hopeful news to constituents, saying the hospitalisation rate is now doubling every 4.7 days compared to the rate doubling every two days from data on Sunday.
Here's the latest.
New York state's hospitalisation admission rates for Covid-19 infections has declined over the last three days, hinting the density control plan could be working.
Andrew Cuomo updated hospitalisation numbers on Wednesday during his daily press briefing.
He offered a glimmer of hopeful news to constituents, saying the hospitalisation rate is now doubling every 4.7 days compared to the rate doubling every two days from data on Sunday.
Here's the latest.
Coronavirus stimulus package unlikely to reach Trump by Wednesday
Here's John T Bennett with the latest on the rescue bill from Capitol Hill.
Here's John T Bennett with the latest on the rescue bill from Capitol Hill.
Matt Gaetz attacks fellow Republican Richard Burr over 'insider trading' on coronavirus alert
We learned last week that the Senate Intelligence Committee chairman and other members of the upper chamber including Kelly Loeffler and Dianne Fienstein had dumped thousands of dollars in stocks after being tipped off about the severity of the coming coronavirus crisis back in late January.
Burr has since referred himself to the Senate Ethics Committee but many remained outraged.
You know you've done something wrong when even overgrown frat boy and Florida congressman Matt Gaetz is one of them.
We learned last week that the Senate Intelligence Committee chairman and other members of the upper chamber including Kelly Loeffler and Dianne Fienstein had dumped thousands of dollars in stocks after being tipped off about the severity of the coming coronavirus crisis back in late January.
Burr has since referred himself to the Senate Ethics Committee but many remained outraged.
You know you've done something wrong when even overgrown frat boy and Florida congressman Matt Gaetz is one of them.
Fox Business hosts self-isolating amid contact fears - despite network playing down risks for weeks
Liz Claman is the latest prominent conservative forced to eat the words of her employeer.
Jean Lee has this report.
Trump claims US now doing more coronavirus testing than South Korea
Here's the latest from the president on US testing, pop-up hospitals in New York and the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics.
Here's the latest from the president on US testing, pop-up hospitals in New York and the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics.
That first claim is not going down at all well and has already been called out as "fake news" by The New York Times, among others.
Glenn Beck: 'I'd rather die than kill the country'
The hysterical former Fox pundit has joined Dan Patrick in painting the coronavirus question as a matter of life and death for the US economy, saying he would rather die than "kill the country".
"I want to have a frank conversation with you," the 56-year-old said on his show on BlazeTV. "I would rather have my children stay home and all of us who are over 50 go in and keep this economy going and working, even if we all get sick. I would rather die than kill the country, because it's not the economy that's dying, it's the country."
With the hashtag #NotDying4WallStreet doing the rounds on Twitter, Skylar Baker-Jordan has this response to the disturbing new tone taken by conservatives like Beck and Dan Patrick for Indy Voices.
The hysterical former Fox pundit has joined Dan Patrick in painting the coronavirus question as a matter of life and death for the US economy, saying he would rather die than "kill the country".
"I want to have a frank conversation with you," the 56-year-old said on his show on BlazeTV. "I would rather have my children stay home and all of us who are over 50 go in and keep this economy going and working, even if we all get sick. I would rather die than kill the country, because it's not the economy that's dying, it's the country."
With the hashtag #NotDying4WallStreet doing the rounds on Twitter, Skylar Baker-Jordan has this response to the disturbing new tone taken by conservatives like Beck and Dan Patrick for Indy Voices.
Trump posts heavily-edited video of Biden coughing and spluttering
The president has been hitting back at the Democratic front-runner for his damning assessment of his coronavirus response on Twitter via a heavily-edited selection of clips of Biden hacking away in interviews (CNN's Jake Tapper did have to advise him to cough into his elbow last night).
Otherwise, Trump's been pushing approval rating propaganda from Lou Dobbs and this travesty of an Uncle Sam poster, which at least offers good advice on hygiene.
The president has been hitting back at the Democratic front-runner for his damning assessment of his coronavirus response on Twitter via a heavily-edited selection of clips of Biden hacking away in interviews (CNN's Jake Tapper did have to advise him to cough into his elbow last night).
Otherwise, Trump's been pushing approval rating propaganda from Lou Dobbs and this travesty of an Uncle Sam poster, which at least offers good advice on hygiene.
US coronavirus death toll climbs as disaster declared in Louisiana
As the coronavirus outbreak continues to ravage the US, with more than 55,000 people now diagnosed to have contracted the virus and 802 dead, Trump has approved a major disaster declaration for the state of Louisiana.
Democratic governor John Bel Edwards had requested the declaration in an attempt to secure federal aid for the state after warning that New Orleans is due to run out of hospital beds by early April.
Democratic governor John Bel Edwards had requested the declaration in an attempt to secure federal aid for the state after warning that New Orleans is due to run out of hospital beds by early April.
Trump's health team was not 'well informed' about his Easter goal to 'open' US
The president appears to have announced he wants all or large swaths of the United States reopened by Easter without first informing his top public health officials.
The president appears in public with Anthony Fauci, his infectious disease official, and Deborah Birx, a State Department infectious disease expert, daily. Dr Fauci told reporters he had a candid conversation with Trump in the Oval Office just before the two, along with Dr Birx and other officials, appeared in the briefing room for a coronavirus update.
But it appears the president did not inform the duo and other members of his coronavirus task force that he was going to tell Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer during an afternoon town hall program that he wants all or most of the country "open for business" by 12 April.
Stephanie Grisham stopped by Fox News studios in Washington, DC, before her first day back at the White House after 14 days of self-quarantining at home after coming in contact with a Brazilian official at Mr Trump's South Florida resort who later tested positive.
The White House press secretary was asked whether the president huddled with his experts before making the declaration, which has been panned by Democrats and health experts.
"I don't know how well informed they were," she admitted.
John T Bennett has more on this.
Six out of seven Trump resorts closed amid crisis as first family refuse to rule out accepting government bailout
Here's how the president's resort businesses are faring through all this, as his critics suggest they are a key reason behind with his frustration with the current state of shutdown and eagerness to get the country "raring to go" come Easter.
Chinese students paying £20,000 for seats on private jets to escape US as coronavirus death toll rises
Yikes. Here's Samuel Lovett with news of an exodus from the US back to China, indicating just how drastically the fortunes of the two superpowers have been reversed in recent days as the outbreak worsens in the west.
Denver mayor forced to reverse coronavirus lockdown of alcohol and marijuana shops after crowds panic-buy supplies
Michael Hancock was forced to overturn the closure of the stores as part of a citywide lockdown to slow the spread of coronavirus after determined crowds gathered to stockpile supplies of the stimulants, dangerously violating social distancing orders in the process.
Louise Hall has the full story.
Kentucky governor condemns ‘coronavirus parties’ after attendee tests positive
Andy Beshear has ordered a halt to any and all “coronavirus parties” in his state after someone who attended one tested positive for the disease.
“We have a positive case today from someone who attended a coronavirus party,” Beshear said at a press briefing in the state capital. “And this is the part where I, the person that tells everybody to be calm, have to remain calm myself.
“Because anyone who goes to something like this may think they’re indestructible, but it’s someone else’s loved one that they are going to hurt.”
Andrew Naughtie has this report.
Andy Beshear has ordered a halt to any and all “coronavirus parties” in his state after someone who attended one tested positive for the disease.
“We have a positive case today from someone who attended a coronavirus party,” Beshear said at a press briefing in the state capital. “And this is the part where I, the person that tells everybody to be calm, have to remain calm myself.
“Because anyone who goes to something like this may think they’re indestructible, but it’s someone else’s loved one that they are going to hurt.”
Andrew Naughtie has this report.
