U.S. Has Most Deaths Worldwide; French Cases Slow: Virus Update
A Gilead drug showed promise for treating patients with severe infections.
(Bloomberg) --
The U.S. death toll topped 20,000 on Saturday, the most worldwide, as the government develops the tests needed to determine when normal activities can resume.
The pace of deaths slowed in Spain, France and Germany, though Italy reported the most new cases in a week.
U.S. governors sought $500 billion in federal aid to offset the economic hit from social-distancing measures.
Key Developments
- Coronavirus Tracker: Global cases exceed 1.7 million; deaths top 107,000
- U.K. reports 917 new deaths, total rises to 9,875
- U.S. states launch containment efforts
- EU backs Sweden, Belgium on aviation aid
- U.S. testing capacity in “ballpark” for May reopening
- Article indicates progress toward vaccine
- Apple, Google plan contact-tracing phone app
U.S. Cases Rise, Led by South Dakota (4:10 p.m.)
U.S. cases increased 5.6% in the past 24 hours to 514,415, according to data collected Saturday by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg News. The increase was below the average daily pace of 8.8% over the past week. Deaths nationwide rose by 10% as of midday Saturday, according to the data.
New York had the most cases at 181,023, a 6% increase from the previous day. The state also saw the largest number of deaths in the past 24 hours, with 783.
Cases in South Dakota rose 17%, the most nationally, bringing the total to 626. The state had no increase in deaths. Alaska, Montana and West Virginia also reported no new deaths.
Fatalities rose by more than 10% in New York, New Jersey and Michigan, and increased 20% in Pennsylvania, the data showed.
Illinois reported 1,293 new cases, raising the total to 19,180, and 81 deaths in the past 24 hours, for a total of 677. Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike asked churches to forgo Easter Sunday services.
“If there are churches that were planning to convene tomorrow, please cancel now. We can’t risk spreading through this mechanism,” Ezike said in a tweet.
Elsewhere:
- Florida reported 526 new cases on Saturday, raising the total to 18,494. An additional 19 people died, raising total fatalities to 438.
- Louisiana reported 761 new cases, bringing the total to 20,014. The Department of Health reported 51 deaths, raising the total to 806.
U.S. Diagnostic Testing Ready by May (3:44 p.m. NY)
A top White House adviser on testing said that by May, the U.S. will be in the “ballpark” of the diagnostic capacity it needs, should the president decide to recommend parts of the country relax economy-crushing social-distancing practices.
Admiral Brett Giroir, an assistant secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services, said four forms of diagnostics are being developed: widespread surveillance to catch new flare-ups; testing of people who have specific symptoms; contact-tracing for confirmed cases; and antibody testing to know who’s recovered, which he said in an interview is weeks away.
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U.S. States Prepare Test-and-Trace Programs (3 p.m. NY)
Several states have started efforts to contain Covid-19, laying plans to test aggressively and track the potentially infected with help from nonprofits, universities and the private sector.
Massachusetts, Utah and North Dakota are among those working on the kinds of comprehensive strategies that public-health experts agree are needed to arrest the spread and lift the social-distancing measures that have shuttered much of the U.S. economy.
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Irish Toll Climbs to 320 (2:30 p.m. NY)
Ireland’s death toll rose by 33, taking the total to 320, health authorities said. The Health Ministry said Irish laboratories confirmed 553 new cases, the biggest number reported in a single day since the start of the outbreak. Another 286 Irish cases were reported by a German laboratory, taking the total to 8,928.
French Deaths, New Cases Slow (2:25 p.m. NY)
The number of new French deaths fell for a second day and new infections rose the least in three days, Director General for Health Jerome Salomon said in Paris. Cases rose by 4,785 to 129,654. Deaths reached 13,832, an increase of 635 from the toll reported Friday.
“Now is not the time to end confinement,” Salomon said. “The pressure on hospitals remains very high.”
President Emmanuel Macron will address the nation on Monday about extending confinement measures in place for more than three weeks.
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Cuomo, de Blasio at Odds Over Schools (1:15 p.m. NY)
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said there hasn’t been a decision on whether to close New York City schools for the rest of the academic year, contradicting comments by Mayor Bill de Blasio, who said the city’s schools would remain shut through June.
“He didn’t close them, and he can’t open them,” Cuomo said. “That’s the mayor’s opinion. There has been no decision on the schools.”
De Blasio called the decision to close schools, affecting more than 1.1 million students, difficult and “painful,” and said “it’s the right thing to do.”
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French Carrier Cuts Short Operations (1:10 p.m. NY)
The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its escort are heading to its base port of Toulon in Southern France, ending operations earlier than planned due to several dozen coronavirus infections among the crew, the French Defense Ministry said in a statement on Saturday. The vessels are expected to dock on Sunday.
EU Backs Belgium, Sweden Aviation Steps (12:45 p.m. NY)
The European Commission gave antitrust clearance to Sweden’s 455 million euro ($497 million) loan-guarantee plan to aid airlines. It also welcomed a Belgian plan to defer payment of concession fees by airports in the southern Walloon region. The loan guarantee “aims at providing airlines operating in Sweden with liquidity in these difficult times,” EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.
Italy’s New Cases Highest in Week (12:05 p.m. NY)
Italy reported its highest number of new cases in a week. There were 4,694 new cases, an increase from 3,951 a day earlier, civil protection officials said. Testing for the virus is ramping up, with a record number conducted at the end of the week and about 110,000 performed in recent days. Confirmed cases in the country now total 152,271.
Italy registered 619 deaths in the past 24 hours, compared with 570 the day before. That brings the total number of fatalities to 19,468.
Global Epicenter Shifts to U.S. (11:55 a.m. NY)
The U.S. is now the epicenter of the global pandemic. Deaths from the virus reached at least 19,563 after New York reported 783 new fatalities, according to data compiled by Bloomberg News and Johns Hopkins University.
That the U.S. has more deaths than Italy, which has the most deaths in Europe, isn’t that surprising given that its population of 330 million is five times greater.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the state’s toll over the latest 24-hour period. “It is stabilizing, but it’s stabilizing at a horrific rate,” Cuomo said at an Albany news conference.
Senator Backs Immunity Database (10:30 a.m. NY)
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, told CNN he supports setting up a national registry to track people who are immune to the coronavirus, similar to databases for vaccinations for diseases such as the measles. Registry data would remain protected by existing privacy laws for health-care records, Cassidy said.
Cassidy also said he also supports letting tech companies install systems that would alert users if they have come into contact with a person with Covid-19 because users have to opt in. Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google are adding that technical capability to their smartphones.
U.K. Chancellor Seeks to Hire Adviser (10:20 a.m. NY)
U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak wants to hire his former boss from Goldman Sachs as an unpaid strategic adviser, according a report from Sky News’ Mark Kleinman. Richard Sharp spent more than two decades at the bank, according to Sky. The Cabinet Office needs to approve the appointment.
Governors Seek $500 Billion from U.S. (10:15 a.m. NY)
U.S. governors are seeking $500 billion in federal assistance to offset “catastrophic damage” to state economies from social distancing measures that have shut almost all businesses.
National Governors Association Chairman Larry Hogan of Maryland, a Republican, and New York’s Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat and the vice chairman, said the $2 trillion federal stimulus plan passed last month lacked help for states as tax collections slump.
U.K. Reports 917 New Deaths (9:33 a.m. NY)
Britain suffered another 917 deaths from the coronavirus, bringing fatalities to 9,875, the Health Ministry said Saturday.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson made “good progress” in his recovery from the virus, the government said. Johnson was released from intensive care Thursday evening and remains in a London hospital.
Switzerland, Portugal See Progress (9:15 a.m. NY)
Switzerland has turned a corner in its fight against the pandemic, provided there isn’t a second wave of infections, coronavirus czar Daniel Koch said. The country of 8.5 million has 24,900 cases and 831 deaths, according to the Federal Office of Public Health.
Portugal reported the smallest daily increase in confirmed cases since Monday. There were 515 new cases in a day, taking the total to 15,987, the government said Saturday. Health Minister Marta Temido said the nation has reached a “plateau.”
Turks Swarm Streets Before Lockdown (6:39 a.m. NY)
Thousands of Turks rushed to grocery stores before a hastily announced weekend lockdown in major cities came into effect, raising the risk of a new wave of infections.
The government gave people a two-hour warning late Friday that a two-day lockdown would be enforced in 31 cities including Istanbul and the capital, Ankara. The shopping rush led to fights in some places, videos posted on social media showed. Turkey reported 98 new fatalities, bringing the death toll to 1,006.
India Extends Lockdown Until April 30 (6:25 a.m. NY)
India will extend its nationwide lockdown until April 30, from an original date of April 14, to allow authorities time to control the growing spread of infections.
Coronavirus Vaccine Could Be Ready in Six Months: Times (5:46 p.m. HK)
A vaccine against the coronavirus could be ready by September, according to a scientist leading one of Britain’s most advanced teams. Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at Oxford University, told The Times on Saturday that she’s “80% confident” the vaccine would work, and could be ready by September. Experts have warned the public that vaccines typically take years to develop, and one for the coronavirus could take between 12 and 18 months at best.
In the case of the Oxford team, however, “it’s not just a hunch, and as every week goes by we have more data to look at,” Gilbert told the London newspaper.
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