Updated Apr. 20, 2020 7:06 PM
The coronavirus pandemic brought the world to a halt in the early part of 2020. After emerging in China's Hubei province in late 2019, the number of cases skyrocketed and infected more than 2 million worldwide over a four-month span with the epicenter shifting from Asia to Europe and, as of late March, the United States.
The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the outbreak a pandemic on March 11. The virus, called SARS-CoV-2, causes a disease known as COVID-19, and as the number of cases escalated, government officials took drastic measures to slow the spread, ordering various forms of travel restrictions including total lockdowns in some places.
As residents stayed shuttered indoors, major metropolitan areas from Los Angeles to New York City to Paris and Rome have transformed into ghost towns. Infectious disease experts have stressed there is much to be learned about the virus, including whether there will be a seasonal correlation to a rise or decline in confirmed infections or how weather and UV radiation can impact the spread.
Here are the latest updates, listed in eastern time, and the most important things you need to know about coronavirus.
April 20, 6:45 p.m.
Toilet paper shortages may get even worse as 25% of sawmill capacity in Canada is shut down. As the coronavirus continues to spread, several markets are faced with turbulent times, and the lumber market is no exception. Producers from West Fraser Timer Co. and Canfor Corp., the two largest companies in the market, halted operations for the spring due to the pandemic. This has caused a reduction of production of wood chips that pulp mills use to make toilet paper. Derek Nighbor, president and chief executive officer of Forest products Association of Canada, said that this could lead to a big shortage of toilet papers. “The demand from pulp mills has gone up at a time when we’re starting to see the chip supply become more scarce from the sawmills,” Nighbor told Bloomberg. “It could drive the cost up or there could be product constraints for sure in the months ahead.”
April 20, 5:35 p.m.
First Michigan child dies from COVID-19. After being on a ventilator for two weeks, 5-year-old Skylar Herbert died on Sunday. The Detroit girl had developed a rare form of meningitis and brain swelling, said to be a rare complication of the coronavirus, while battling the disease. “We decided to take her off the ventilator today because her improvement had stopped, the doctors told us that it was possible she was brain dead, and we basically just knew she wasn’t coming back to us,” Skylar's mother, LaVondria Herbert, told The Detroit News.
April 20, 4:55 p.m.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the latest initiative to curb the spread of COVID-19. New York state will deliver 500,000 cloth masks and 10,000 gallons of hand sanitizer to public housing communities. Every resident in the community will have at least one mask . On Sunday, the state saw its smallest increase of deaths since April 2, with 478 fatalities related to the virus. It was also the smallest single-day increase for new cases since mid-March with 4,726 new cases, according to Bloomberg.
April 20, 3:44 p.m.
JBS USA closed down its pork processing plant in Worthington, Minnesota, after several workers tested positive for COVID-19. In a statement released by the company, President of JBS USA Bob Krebs said, “We recognize JBS Worthington is critical to local hog producers, the U.S. food supply and the many businesses that support the facility each and every day.” The company will start to slow down operations the next two days with a reduced staff, so that all of the products that currently exist in the facility can be used to provide food supply. The statement also announced that the company's main goal is to help reduce the spread of the illness. “We have taken aggressive actions to keep the coronavirus out of our plant and keep this critical infrastructure facility operational,” Krebs said. “We must work together to defeat this common enemy.”
April 20, 2:35 p.m.
World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday that easing restrictions is not the end of the epidemic in any country. "Ending the epidemic will require a sustained effort on the part of individuals, communities and governments to continue suppressing and controlling this deadly virus," Tedros said. "So-called lockdowns can help to take the heat out of a country’s epidemic, but they cannot end it alone."
According to The Associated Press, the director-general also said the worst of the outbreak is still to come and mentioned the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-19 as one example. “It has a very dangerous combination and this is happening ... like the 1918 flu that killed up to 100 million people.” “Trust us. The worst is yet ahead of us,” he said. “Let’s prevent this tragedy. It’s a virus that many people still don’t understand.”
April 20, 1:30 p.m.
New Zealand eases lockdown restrictions. Starting next week, the New Zealand government will shift from a "Level 4 Lockdown" alert, the highest level on the country's coronavirus alert system, to a "Level 3 Restrict" alert starting next Tuesday, April 28. The government's decision allows businesses to resume operations and many people to return to work. Schools will be allowed to reopen soon after the transition. "We will hold at Alert Level 3 for two weeks, before Cabinet reviews how we are tracking and makes further decisions on May 11," a government statement said.
According to the BBC, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern thanked the country for "stopping an uncontrolled explosion of COVID-19." "We have done what very few countries have been able to do," Ardern said.
According to the BBC, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern thanked the country for "stopping an uncontrolled explosion of COVID-19." "We have done what very few countries have been able to do," Ardern said.
April 20, 1:10 p.m.
Due to a lack of widespread testing, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday that the city could remain locked down for weeks, or even months, while states and cities across the U.S. begin to reopen. De Blasio said the city needs to be doing hundreds of thousands of tests daily and see a decline in hospitalization rates in order to reopen, Reuters reported. New York state currently has 238,831 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 12,654 deaths related to the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University.
FILE PHOTO: New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio speaks to the media during a press conference in temporary hospital located at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center as the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in the Queens borough of New York City, New York, U.S., April 10, 2020. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo
April 20, 12:38 p.m.
As people wash their hands more frequently, a question about how to properly wash fruits and vegetables during the COVID-19 pandemic has emerged. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests people wash produce the same way they would normally. Before touching the fruits or vegetables, wash your hands with soap and water. Then, thoroughly wash the produce with clean water. According to the WHO, there are currently no confirmed cases of anyone contracting COVID-19 through food or food packaging.
April 20, 12:10 p.m.
Some COVID-19 testing sites are being closed in Florida due to the risk of severe weather. The testing site in Lot J of TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville is one of those closed due to the risk of high winds. Jacksonville is currently under a wind advisory until 4 p.m. EDT with the potential for wind gusts up to 40 mph. Earlier Monday morning, a wind gust blew a tent used by staff for testing in Lot J into a tree. A tornado was also reported near Sanford, Florida, earlier Monday. Sanford is about 28 miles north of Orlando. The risk for severe weather in northeastern Florida will diminish Tuesday and Wednesday but another round of severe weather will be possible on Thursday.
April 20, 11:43 a.m.
COVID-19 outbreak shuts down North Dakota wind power plant. According to the North Dakota Department of Health, the LM Wind Power manufacturing plant in Grand Forks confirmed 88 additional cases of COVID-19 on Saturday. Earlier in the week, the plant was forced to close after eight employees tested positive. North Dakota health officials have tested 426 people at the plant in total. When including employees and their close contacts, there have been 110 total confirmed cases strictly related to the plant, the department of health said. Only one person out of the 110 has been hospitalized. Throughout North Dakota, there have been nearly 600 positive cases and 15 people are currently hospitalized.
GE, the parent company of LM Wind Power, said it has temporarily closed the Grand Forks facility for at least two weeks so it can "conduct an extensive disinfection process while also continuing to pay employees as usual during this period." Local medical officials say they have maintained a plan for a potential surge in patients to the region's hospital system. “The results of this event have greatly increased the total cases in Grand Forks in a short period of time,” said Dr. Steven Weiser, president of Altru Health System. “While Altru has a very strong plan in place to accommodate a surge in our hospital, it is more imperative than ever for the citizens of our community to adhere to the expectations put forth by our public health officials. Now is the time to slow the spread of this virus.”
April 20, 11:14 a.m.
Summer vacation in Europe may still be a possibility. Europeans hoping to go on holiday across the continent this summer may still be able to do it, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, but with some key modifications to the sorts of vacation lifestyles most are accustomed to. "I think we are going to find smart solutions to have a summer vacation. Maybe a little different, with other hygiene measures, with a little more social distance," von der Leyen said in an interview with the Portuguese newspaper Expresso, adding that she is "optimistic about summer holidays." She cautioned that predicting what the next few months will look like is "difficult," but that the modifications -- like social distancing and better hygiene practices -- so many have adopted is fueling her optimism.
April 20, 10:42 a.m.
Florida beaches back open. Following an order from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday, several beaches allowed residents to return in a limited capacity over the weekend. According to USA Today, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said beaches in Duval County would have restricted hours, but could be used for walking, biking, hiking, fishing and several other activities. DeSantis said at his Friday news conference that it was important for people to get exercise, sunshine and fresh air. “Do it in a good way. Do it in a safe way,” DeSantis said.
April 20, 9:57 a.m.
Hundreds of protesters arrived in the Colorado capital of Denver on a sunny Sunday to oppose the state's social distancing and stay-at-home orders, a trend that has unfolded elsewhere in states such as Michigan, Virginia and North Carolina.
Two health care workers, who declined to be identified, were seen staging a counter-protest of their own in the city when they stood at a crosswalk in full medical attire during red lights.Their decision was a signal to many of why the shutdowns are in place, according to Chase Woodruff a reporter for the Denver Westword who snapped the dramatic photo. “Pot shops are open, abortion clinics are open and my church is closed,” Mary Conley, one of the protesters, of Jefferson County, Colorado, told The Denver Post. Conley was seen holding a sign that read, “Trust the people.” She believes the shutdown in Colorado has stretched on for too long, the Post reported.
A video circulating on Twitter captured the heated scene. Amid the persistent honking of car horns, a woman was seen berating the nurses from her truck, while holding a sign that read "land free." At one point, the woman appeared to shout, "you go to work, why can't I go to work?"
Health care workers stand in the street in counter-protest to hundreds of people who gathered at the State Capitol to demand the stay-at-home order be lifted in Denver, Colorado, U.S. April 19, 2020. REUTERS/Alyson McClaran
April 20, 9:41 a.m.
Great weather for Patriots' Day, but no Boston Marathon because of the pandemic. For the first time in more than 100 years, the iconic race, which brings out about 30,000 harriers each year, was rescheduled due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Boston Marathon in recent years has been run in some very unforgiving weather conditions, and it's even more of a shame the 124th running of the race won't go off as scheduled this year, because the weather is providing nearly perfect conditions: partly sunny skies with an AccuWeather Realfeel temperature of 53 degrees. Race organizers urged people to stay off the course and posted a message of support on social media dedicated to all of the people working on the frontlines in the battle against COVID-19. As MassLive reported, though, at least one runner hit the marathon course this morning, despite the warnings not to do so. As of now, the 124th Boston Marathon is scheduled to take place on Sept. 14.
April 20, 8:32 a.m.
Singapore's health ministry reported 1,426 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, a new daily record for the country, according to Reuters. The ministry said the majority of the new cases were the result of foreign workers living in dormitories while only 16 of the cases were from permanent residents. Singapore has more than 8,000 total cases of COVID-19 and 11 fatalities.
April 20, 7:30 a.m.
Death toll in Iran eclipsed 5,000 over the weekend. The country was one of the hardest-hit in the world in the early days of the outbreak, but recently the number of deaths reported has been much lower, Reuters reports. However, there is some question about a discrepancy between the number of COVID-19 fatalities reported and the actual number of deaths, which a government report there suggests could be double the official tally, according to Reuters. As of Monday, Iran had the ninth-most total cases in the world with more than 83,000.
April 20, 6:33 a.m.
Here are the latest totals from around the globe, compiled by researchers from Johns Hopkins University:
- Total confirmed cases: 2,415,370
- Total deaths: 165,903
- Total recoveries: 632,484
April 19, 10 p.m.
Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Seema Verma announced on Sunday that new measures will require all nursing homes to report any cases of COVID-19 in their facilities to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, residents and families of residents. “Nursing homes are already required to report cases of infectious disease to their state or local health department, as those entities are best suited to address localized outbreaks, but since the #COVID19 pandemic is unique, we need to increase our nationwide surveillance,” Verma said.
April 19, 8:58 p.m.
Public lands face vandalism, illegal activity despite being closed. Cape Cod National Seashore, one of more than 200 sites managed by the National Park Service that have been partially or fully closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, has recently seen an uptick in violations.. In the past week, officials at Cape Cod have discovered vandalism and illegal dumping across the seashore. “We do not have the resources to address these careless acts,” Superintendent Brian Carlstrom said. “We will issue citations to those who do not follow regulations, and we may be forced to close areas of the seashore if violations continue.” People that do not adhere to regulations face fines up to $5,000.
All facilities at Cape Cod National Seashore have been closed since April 16, including restrooms. All trash cans have also been removed to reduce staff exposure to the virus. “We understand how important it is for people to have the opportunity to get outdoors to relieve some of the stress that COVID-19 is causing,” said Carlstrom. “We urge the public to respect their seashore, follow all guidance and regulations, and act responsibly."
All facilities at Cape Cod National Seashore have been closed since April 16, including restrooms. All trash cans have also been removed to reduce staff exposure to the virus. “We understand how important it is for people to have the opportunity to get outdoors to relieve some of the stress that COVID-19 is causing,” said Carlstrom. “We urge the public to respect their seashore, follow all guidance and regulations, and act responsibly."
April 19, 7:22 p.m.
Severe thunderstorms have been keeping insurance agents busy this spring. But with current stay-at-home mandates and social distancing guidelines in place due to COVID-19, agents have had to turn to technology to assist customers with insurance claims as AccuWeather's Bill Wadell reports. Watch Wadell's full report to see how agents are aiding storm victims without meeting them in person.
A masked drive-up patient awaits a member of the Delta Health Center staff administering a free COVID-19 test in Mound Bayou, Miss., Thursday, April 16, 2020. The city is predominately African American and recent reports are that black Americans are dying of COVID-19 at disproportionately high rates in some areas. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
April 19, 6:10 p.m.
Protesting took a new form in Israel on Sunday, after photos spread on social media of protesters standing six feet apart from each other in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square. Over 2,000 Israelis protested the government's stringent coronavirus guidelines, which includes tracking the phones of citizens. Axios reported the police marked on the ground where protesters were allowed to stand to ensure social distancing protocol was followed, and organizers of the protests were required to provide masks for participants.
April 19, 5:18 p.m.
The coronavirus pandemic is changing the way that billions of people around the globe are interacting with each other, including a simple greeting between a mother and daughter. Earlier this week, a video surfaced of a nurse in the Philippines reuniting with her daughter for the first time in a month. However, the reunion was out of the ordinary. The little girl was wearing a mask and was covered head-to-toe in a plastic bag to limit any chances of the mother transmitting COVID-19 to her daughter. Watch the reunion as the two hug each other through a veil of plastic.
April 19, 4:21 p.m.
Tornado-battered communities in the South are once again facing the risk of severe weather this weekend. The threatening storms could make recovery from the Easter Sunday tornado outbreak even more complicated for many families who lost their homes, especially with the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. This week, AccuWeather spoke to insurance agents from State Farm, as well an official with the American Red Cross, to get a sense of how they're able to help storm victims, but also follow social distancing guidelines.
April 19, 3:30 p.m.
Is six feet enough space for social distancing? This number has become the standard for social distancing guidelines across the U.S., but that number could change depending on the type of activity you are doing. “As the droplets come out of a person’s mouth that are in the air, if you’re moving quickly toward where those droplets are, you need to create a much greater distance,” said AccuWeather Founder and CEO Dr. Joel N. Myers. “And if you’re both moving in the same direction at those speeds, you probably should be at least 20 or 25 feet apart. And if you’re biking, you probably need to be more like 30 to 40 feet apart.” AccuWeather’s John Roach breaks down what is considered a ‘safe distance’ for various activities.
April 19, 2:00 p.m.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a news conference that even though the number of coronavirus cases is still growing, the state has fewer people in the hospital and fewer people using ventilators. “We’re in a much, much better place today than we thought we were going to be,” Edwards said.
April 19, 12:55 p.m.
Got questions about wearing a face mask? We've got answers. From who's required to make a mask, to the do's and don'ts of face coverings, and how to make your own, our all-in-one guide will help emphasize the essential information you need to know about one of the biggest changes to daily life amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's the intel you need to be ready.
April 19, 11:40 a.m.
In New York City’s plea for health care workers to volunteer, more than 1,400 medical workers have signed up to help the city’s hospitals and nursing homes, Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference. The volunteers will be divided throughout 40 hospitals and 40 nursing homes, the mayor said.
April 19, 10:15 a.m.
The Navajo Department of Health issued an emergency health order stating all people on the tribe's reservation must wear protective masks when out in public, which includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The tribe and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service said the number of positive coronavirus tests reached 1,197 as of Saturday.
April 19, 9 a.m.
Los Angeles turned Venice Skate Park into a giant sandbox to deter people from visiting or skating during the state's coronavirus quarantine. All parks, beaches, bike paths and trails in Los Angeles County are closed until at least May 15.
April 19, 7:45 a.m.
A professional cyclist has been using his bike to help deliver medicine to elderly residents and others in need throughout the pandemic. With no race to win, cyclist Davide Martinelli is helping the hard-hit Lombardy region of northern Italy. The village has neither a pharmacy nor a supermarket, so Martinelli makes a daily trip to the next town over, to pick up supplies. “I’ve got a bike and two legs in pretty good form, so riding 10 kilometers (6 miles) a day is no big deal,” Martinelli said in an interview this week, The New Brunswick reported. “I wanted to help the people who always support me during the season. It’s time to give back to them.”
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Reporting by Lauren Fox, John Murphy, Brian Lada, Mark Puleo, Maria Antonieta Valery Gil, Kevin Byrne, Chaffin Mitchell, Adriana Navarro, Dexter Henry, Bill Wadell, Jonathan Petramala, and Monica Danielle
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