COVID-19 Issues Tracker & Top-Tier Coverage

NEWS UPDATES Sunday April 19, 2020 Notable Updates U.S. News • According to national COVID-19 trackers, there are currently over 728,000 cases of coronavirus confirmed by lab tests in all 50 states with over 34,000 deaths reported. Notable new cases include: o As beaches in Jacksonville reopened this weekend, Florida reports its highest single day coronavirus cases at 1,400 o The coronavirus has claimed nearly 13,000 lives in , but the daily death toll is declining • According to the White House task force Saturday briefing evening: o Trump says that there are a number of signs that the coronavirus has passed its peak in the U.S o He says that the U.S has a far lower mortality rate than Western Europe, except for Germany o Trump still touts that China’s coronavirus numbers are highly inaccurate, and that they have far more cases and deaths than they are reporting o Trump says that Texas and Vermont will allow certain businesses to open starting tomorrow while still requiring . Montana will begin lifting restrictions on Friday. Ohio, North Dakota and Idaho have announced that non-essential businesses will begin to reopen May 1 o So far, $350 billion has been processed through the small business protection program to aid 1.6 billion businesses, helping to preserve 30 million jobs across the U.S o Trump says that there has been more testing per capita in hotspots like New York, Massachusetts and Louisiana than in Italy, Spain, Germany, France, The U.K., and Singapore o Trump says he will donate 1,000 ventilators to Mexico and other countries who are in scarce supply • The U.S is struggling to determine when to reopen their economy on a state by state basis • A Seattle model shows that the first four states that could reopen are Hawaii, Montana, Vermont and West Virginia • Illinois Governor Pritzker secretly spent $1.7 million on medical supplies from China, because he thought Trump would seize the cargo for the federal stockpile • Many Governors like of New York fire back at Trump saying they lack enough coronavirus testing in order to reopen their state • With most of America still under stay-at-home orders and the extension of retail store closures, Amazon is capitalizing on online shopping • is launching a ‘plasmabot’ to try to encourage people who have recovered from the coronavirus to donate their plasma • The WHO and Global Citizen kicked off ‘One World: Together at Home’ last night where many musical artists performed during the six-hour televised event

International News • According to global COVID-19 trackers and official counts, there are at least 2.3 million cases confirmed globally in over 177 countries with at least 156,000 deaths. Notable new cases include: o Spain reported its lowest coronavirus deaths in nearly a month, with a four-day consecutive decline o The Netherlands reported 83 coronavirus deaths, the lowest death toll since March 26 o Turkey now has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the Middle East with 82,300, surpassing Iran • Italy sees a sharp decline in coronavirus hospitalizations, giving them hope that the lockdown starting March10 has flattened the curve • Canada and the U.S will continue to keep their border closed to non-essential travel for another 30 days • Germany is broadening its antibody testing, attempting to test their entire population in the coming months • South Korea, who had the largest number of coronavirus cases outside of China earlier this year, now reports single digit cases in their country • New coronavirus hotspot emerges in the city of Suifenhe on the China Russian border, creating tension between two allies

Business • The Hill, USDA under pressure as food safety concerns grow • The Washington Post, See how covid-19 is reshaping the electric rhythms of New York City • NBC News, Some small-business owners got $0, while lenders got billions in fees • ABC News, When to ease lockdowns? Nations offer wide mix of solutions • CNN, Boeing won't be returning to 'normal' anytime soon • The Washington Post, Record government and corporate debt risks ‘tipping point’ after pandemic passes • Market Watch, Seattle model projects that first four U.S. states could reopen on May 4 • CNN, Trump wants movie theaters to open soon. That's more complicated than you'd think • Forbes, Trump’s Mar-A-Lago Club Furloughs 153 Workers Amid Coronavirus Shutdown • The Washington Post, Mnuchin, congressional leaders near deal on virus aid that includes major small businesses boost • CNBC, As coronavirus restrictions drag on, Americans shift online spending from stockpiling to entertainment • CNN, Walmart employees will be required to wear face coverings from next week • Forbes, Less Than Half Of Los Angeles County Residents Report Having Jobs, Survey Finds • The Washington Post, #FloridaMorons trends after people flock to reopened Florida beaches • CNBC, How the coronavirus and retail closures are accelerating the rise of Amazon • CNN, Rite Aid expands Covid-19 self-swab, drive-thru testing with seven new locations • Forbes, The Big Stock Market Problem: The Small Caps Aren’t Keeping Up • CNBC, Microsoft is launching a ‘plasmabot’ to encourage people who recovered from the virus to donate their plasma as a possible treatment • USA Today, Five ways Amazon and Google smart speakers can keep you company during coronavirus crisis • The Los Angeles Times, Big banks botched coronavirus stimulus small business loans • CNN, Stocks are soaring on a potential coronavirus treatment. But it's not a silver bullet • Fox News, Stimulus intended to help coronavirus-ravaged small businesses instead rewarding hedge funds, brokerages • CNN, Walmart just hired 150,000 workers. It's hiring 50,000 more as coronavirus continues • Forbes, Illinois Gov. Pritzker Secretly Bought Medical Supplies From China. And The White House Is Not Happy. • CNBC, Coronavirus has dealerships moving to online sales — and car buying may never be the same • Buzzfeed News, The NLRB Is Looking Into Claims That Amazon Violated Employees' Rights During The Coronavirus Pandemic • MSN, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos says more coronavirus testing needed to 'help get economy back up and running' • Business Insider, 7 tactics experts say retailers will use to manage excess inventory and attempt to stay afloat during the coronavirus • CNN, Tiger King + coronavirus = Huge win for Netflix's stock • Forbes, ‘One World: Together At Home’ Concert: Stars Support COVID-19 Coronavirus Efforts • CNBC, Big Tech’s goodwill tour won’t carry weight in antitrust probes, experts say • Market Watch, When are stimulus checks being sent out? How to track your $1,200 payment with a new IRS tool • Business Insider, Private equity firms are scrambling to save portfolio companies by calling in money from investors and re-writing 'worst case scenarios'

Health • The Washington Post, Dozens of coronavirus antibody tests on the market were never vetted by the FDA, leading to accuracy concerns • The New York Times, Is the Virus on My Clothes? My Shoes? My Hair? My Newspaper? • CNN, 3D printing enthusiasts are working from home to help hospitals fight coronavirus • The Hill,French researchers: High temperatures ineffective against coronavirus • CNN, Delays in vaccinations, delays in care: How fear of Covid-19 is affecting children's health • Forbes, Coronavirus: How CDC Lab Contamination, And A Failure To Cooperate Globally, Led To Catastrophe • The Washington Post, First, the coronavirus pandemic took their jobs. Then, it wiped out their health insurance. • CNN, Recovered coronavirus patients are testing positive again. Can you get reinfected? • NBC News, Dr. Oz's hydroxychloroquine advocacy seduces Trump as coronavirus wellness woo surges • The Washington Post, He left his family to save strangers. He’s unsure if he’ll make it back. • Forbes, What Does Coronavirus Look Like? CDC Releases Images From First American COVID- 19 Patient • Market Watch, These experimental drugs may help keep COVID-19 patients off ventilators • CNN, Unemployed Americans have a new full-time job: Filing for jobless benefits

Food • Buzzfeed: Gorgeous Photos Show How Farms Are Helping People During The Covid-19 Crisis • Quartz: Food delivery during Covid-19 is reawakening the US to local food • The Hill: USDA under pressure as food safety concerns grow • The New York Times: The Food Chain’s Weakest Link: Slaughterhouses

International • CNN, Johnson missed 5 key coronavirus meetings, but UK government defends his leadership • Bloomberg, U.K. Deaths Drop; Sweden Says Its Strategy Working: Virus Update • The Hill, Italy sees sharp decline in ICU patients amid coronavirus lockdown • The Washington Post, Coronavirus outbreaks at Mexico’s hospitals raise alarm, protests • ABC News, Italy’s daily coronavirus death toll lowest in nearly a month • Bloomberg, Virus Easing Allows Germany to Re-Open as Spain Deaths Slow • The New York Times, Germany Starts Broad Antibody Testing to Assess Spread of Coronavirus; Israel Relaxes Restrictions • MSN, Spain's coronavirus death toll slows, with lowest increase in about a month • BBC, Coronavirus: Japan doctors warn of health system 'break down' as cases surge • The New York Post, 179 recovered coronavirus patients in South Korea tested positive again • Aljazeera, South Korea's new coronavirus cases fall to single digits • The New York Times, How Can It Happen Here? The Shocking Deaths in Canada’s Long-Term Care Homes • Aljazeera, Turkey's coronavirus cases highest in Middle East: Live updates • The New York Times, 10 African Countries Have No Ventilators. That’s Only Part of the Problem. • Newsweek, CHINA'S NEW COVID-19 HOTSPOT ON RUSSIAN BORDER RAISES TENSIONS BETWEEN TWO ALLIES • ABC News, Ventilator from old car parts? Afghan girls pursue prototype • CNN, The Mafia is poised to exploit coronavirus, and not just in Italy • CNN, Costa Deliziosa cruise heads to Spain, Italy to disembark after trip that began pre- pandemic

Travel • USA Today, Coronavirus travel upside: More airlines banish the dreaded middle seat • Forbes, Six Numbers That Show How Hard The Travel Industry Is Being Hit By The Coronavirus Shutdown • Time, Canada and U.S. to Continue Border Restrictions for Another 30 Days

Sports • CNN, A sports junkie adjusts to life without any sport • The New York Post, Retired players being hurt by baseball’s coronavirus hiatus • NPR, Popular Blog SB Nation Furloughs Writers With Few Sports to Cover During Pandemic • The New York Times, Competitive Marble Racing Finds Fans in a World Missing Sports • ESPN, Coronavirus: Danish club plans drive-in football after lockdown • CBS, Coronavirus: Japan's plans to start baseball season put on hold until at least June • The New York Post, How a perilous 2020 MLB season might change by the day • CBS, NBA, WNBA launch team logo facemasks, donate proceeds to coronavirus hunger relief • Yahoo!, Don't worry, NFL. The WNBA just showed you how a virtual draft is done. • The New York Post, Six ways coronavirus shutdown will alter 2020 NFL Draft • Fox News, NFL games likely despite coronavirus, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank says

Politics • ABC News, More testing needed before states implement Trump's reopening guidance, experts say • CNN, Trump and governors are on a collision course over coronavirus testing • The New York Times, Trump Has Begun His Corona Campaign. We Don’t Have to Play Along. • The Hill, Pence dodges when pressed by Fox's Chris Wallace on Trump 'liberate' tweets • ABC News, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warns Trump may put US in 'further danger' during coronavirus crisis • The Hill, Trump defends testing capabilities, blasts critics during WH briefing • Reuters, Trump warns China could face consequences for virus outbreak • Fox News, Speaker Pelosi rips Trump as ‘weak leader,’ tells ‘Fox News Sunday’ he’s failed on coronavirus response • Yahoo!, How Trump let the U.S. fall behind the curve on coronavirus threat • Business Insider, is leaving states high and dry, and it's a sign his coronavirus response is getting worse • NPR, In COVID Briefings, Trump Again Relies On Both Shock And Strategic Retreat • The Washington Post, Reminder: Don’t get on Andrew Cuomo’s bad side • Politico, 'I have never been so mad about a phone call in my life' • The New York Post, Trump blasts governors for ‘unreasonable’ coronavirus lockdowns • The New York Times, A Key G.O.P. Strategy: Blame China. But Trump Goes Off Message. • The Washington Post, Trump and Fox went all-in on a coronavirus silver bullet. But maybe the wrong one. • USA News & World Report, Trump Challenges China, Iran Reporting on the Coronavirus • Fox News, Lady calls WHO chief 'superstar,' praises media -- as Trump looks to defund agency • CNN, Fact check: Trump's Saturday coronavirus briefing was littered with false claims, old and new • Vox, Nearly two-thirds of Americans think Trump acted too slowly to fight coronavirus • The New York Times, Trump Is Asking Us to Play Russian Roulette With Our Lives • NBC News, Trump and Gov. Cuomo clash over coronavirus response after president tells him to stop 'complaining' • Business Insider, Trump said China may have started the coronavirus deliberately, as top advisers claim attacking Beijing may be the best way for the president to save his job • The New York Post, Why coronavirus will not cost Trump reelection: Goodwin • The Los Angeles Times, Coronavirus Restrictions: Trump defends protestors • Market Watch, New York Gov. Cuomo hits back at Trump after president posts critical tweets during Cuomo’s coronavirus briefing • The Washington Post, Small protests erupt Saturday over some state actions to combat coronavirus • Forbes, Trump On Adviser Comparing Lockdown Protesters To Rosa Parks: 'Strong Statement' • Politico, How one Dem governor stays off Trump’s enemies list

GENERAL INFORMATION • 4/1/20: Reports emerge that China may have underreported the COVID-19 death toll and the severity of the outbreak • 4/2/20: Unemployment filing hits a record-breaking number in the U.S. • 4/3/20: New York sees biggest single-day death toll • 4/6/20: Japan announces a State of Emergency • 4/7/20: China reported its first day without COVID-19-related deaths • 4/14/20: The U.S. halts funding to the WHO • 4/14/20: The U.S. recorded its highest single day death toll 2,405 after several days of a downward trend • 4/16/20: The U.S. rolls out a 3-phase plan to reopen the country

Relevant Links: • WHO press briefings Monday/Wednesday/Friday (LINK) • White House Task Force briefing (11:30 AM ET, ) • CDC COVID-19 travel advisories (LINK) • CDC report on situation in the U.S. (LINK) and Cases in the U.S. (LINK) • FDA updates related to COVID-19 (LINK) • Tips to prevent spread (CDC, WHO) • News outlets with LIVE running updates on COVID-19 (NYT, WSJ, CNN, BBC, The Guardian) • Outbreak Trackers: (NYT U.S., NYT World, Foreign Policy, Information is Beautiful) • Event Cancellation Tracker (AdAge, NYT) • Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) COVID-19 resource center (LINK) • A Guide to State Coronavirus Lockdowns (WSJ)

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