Coronavirus US: summary of the news for 12 and 13 May
Coronavirus live US updates: cases, deaths and news - 13 May
US coronavirus latest: 12:30 PST / 15:30 EST - 21:30 CEST on Wednesday 13 May.
According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University, 4,315,679 cases have been detected worldwide, with 294,879 deaths and 1,523,214 people now recovered.
In the USA, there have been 1,380,465 confirmed cases and 83,249 deaths. 230,287 people have recovered from the virus.
Live coverage ended
Our live coverage here has now ended, but you can stay up to date with our latest news feed here.
NFL stuck on Zoom for now
Even if a city where a franchise is located terminates its local stay-at-home orders, players, coaches and staff are forbidden from attending their team's facility.
Coronavirus may become endemic, says WHO
The World Health Organisation has warned that the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, SARS-CoV-2, could be come endemic, like HIV.
"It is important to put this on the table: This virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities, and this virus may never go away," said Mike Ryan, the WHO's emergencies expert.
"I think it is important we are realistic and I don’t think anyone can predict when this disease will disappear. I think there are no promises in this and there are no dates. This disease may settle into a long problem, or it may not be," continued Ryan.
He noted that while there were great hopes for a vaccine, there are many other illness, such as measles, where vaccines exist but the disease has not been eliminated.
Second stimulus check: Proposals from Democrats and Republicans
Second stimulus check proposals
For a lot of Americans there is a dire need for some form of second stimulus payment - here are five of the most likely proposals to make it onto the statute books.
Concerns over Covid-19 inflammatory syndrom in children
US health officials are to issue an alert requiring doctors to report cases of a rare life-threatening inflammatory syndrome associated with Covid-19 in children to their state and local health departments.
In New York more than 100 children are reported to have developed the syndrome, which can occur days or even weeks after having the coronavirus. At least three children have died.
The syndrome shares symptoms with toxic shock and Kawasaki disease, with symptoms such as fever, skin rashes, swelling of the glands and, in severe cases, inflammation of arteries of the heart.
New York Nurse's Association marks end of Nurse's Week
A nurse from Saint Joseph's Medical Center stands with a group of performers in superhero costumes during an event organized by the New York State Nurses Association to mark the end of Nurse's Week and to remember the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic in Yonkers, New York, USA.
(photo:EFE/EPA/JUSTIN LANE)
Stimulus check US: Direct-deposit deadline passes today, 13 May
Stimulus check: direct-deposit deadline about to pass...
If you need to provide your bank details via the IRS' Get My Payment portal to receive your stimulus check by direct deposit, you have until noon ET today to do so.
Full details here:
Tesla can prepare to reopen U.S. plant in California as early as next week
Tesla Inc can take additional steps ahead of a potential reopening of its California assembly plant as soon as Monday after Chief Executive Elon Musk had vowed to defy authorities and won the backing of President Donald Trump, officials said.
In a tweet posted around midnight, Alameda County said that following talks with Tesla it agreed that the electric carmaker can take steps "in preparation for possible reopening as soon as next week."
Tesla did not immediately comment Wednesday but around the same time the county issued its statement, Musk tweeted: "Life should be lived."
Fear of coronavirus second wave stalks stock markets
Global stocks and oil prices fell on Wednesday as fears about a second wave of coronavirus infections gripped financial markets.
Investors, many facing steep losses due to the pandemic-driven shakeout in assets over the past few months, have also had to contend with renewed U.S.-China trade tensions.
MSCI's index of global shares was down 0.3%. The pan-European STOXX 600 index slipped 1.6%. Banks acted as the drag after a number of negative updates.
Shares in Deutsche Bank fell 4.4% after it was reported that top managers will waive one month of fixed pay in an effort to cut costs, while fellow German lender Commerzbank and the Netherland's ABN Amro slumped following first quarter losses.
Stimulus check: what to do if I have not received a direct deposit?
For those still waiting for the stimulus check to arrive
Some reasons that may be instrumental in the payment yet to arrive.
No opening date for major parks
Some US national parks are starting to reopen, but Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Yosemite remain closed, with no reopening dates set
Coronavirus news dominates Wall Street Journal on Wednesday
Biden to hammer Trump's 'tough talk, weak action' on China, top adviser says
President Donald Trump has seized on Americans' growing animosity toward China over the coronavirus outbreak to underpin his re-election pitch, arguing he will hit Beijing harder than anyone.
That is just tough talk hardly substantiated by action, says Jake Sullivan, a senior adviser to presumed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
Biden's campaign is preparing to roll out policies on how his future administration would better deal with China and will continue to show how Trump is weak on America's top geopolitical and economic competitor, Sullivan told Reuters in an interview.
"The vice president intends to do two things: hold Trump accountable for a catastrophic set of failures in his approach to China, and a colossal gap between tough talk and weak action," said Sullivan, one of several former Obama administration officials who comprise Biden's foreign policy team. Biden served as President Barack Obama's No. 2 for eight years.
US senators threaten China sanctions over Covid-19
US Republican senators have proposed legislation that would enable president Donald Trump to hit China with sanctions if the country does not give a "full accounting" for the outbreak of the coronavirus.
"The Chinese Communist Party must be held accountable for the detrimental role they played in this pandemic," said Senator Jim Inhofe, one of the backers of the ‘COVID-19 Accountability Act’.
"Their outright deception of the origin and spread of the virus cost the world valuable time and lives as it began to spread," Inhofe added.
Coronavirus: the complete guide to the Covid-19 pandemic
Coronavirus: the complete guide to the Covid-19 pandemic
All the information you need to understand the coronavirus and ways to stay safe during the Covid-19 pandemic:
Second stimulus check: Democrats announce $3 trillion coronavirus aid package
Dems propose $3 trillion Covid-19 relief bill
The bill would provide for almost $875 billion for state and local governments, $200 billion in hazard pay for certain essential workers, $75 billion to expand Covid-19 testing and contact tracing and $100 billion for rental assistance, among a long list of other help.
It would also provide for another round of $1,200 stimulus checks.
Some interesting insight based on data obtained during coronavirus on some of the trends we are seeing.
Trump approval dips amid mounting coronavirus death toll, trails Biden by 8 points
More Americans have grown critical of President Donald Trump over the past month as the death toll mounts from the coronavirus pandemic and he now trails Democratic challenger Joe Biden by 8 percentage points among registered voters, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Tuesday.
The poll conducted on Monday and Tuesday showed that 41% of U.S. adults approved of Trump's performance in office, which is down 4 points from a similar poll that ran in mid-April.
Fifty-six percent disapprove of Trump, up by 5 points in the same span.
It also found that 46% of registered voters said they would back Biden in the Nov. 3 presidential election, while 38% would vote for Trump. That compared with a 2-point Biden lead in Reuters/Ipsos polling last week.
What is the Cares 2 Act and when will it go to the Congress and Senate?
Democrats are trying push through another bill as soon as Monday or Tuesday but Republicans are wary of further public spending while the economy is shut down.
Dr. Fauci has been one of the most visible people during the coronavirus as he has routinely spoken at Trump's press conference. He has rebuked Trump's claim that the virus would just disappear. That is just not going to happen, he said. It remains to be seen what happens with Fauci as standing up to Trump and going against what he says has rarely worked well for members of his White House staff in the past.
You can always catch up on everything coronavirus-related that happened in the US on Tuesday 12 May right here.
Coronavirus live US: welcome
Hello and welcome to our live, United States-focused coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Globally we have now seen over four million cases officially registered.
We'll endeavour to bring you the latest news and statistics as they emerge throughout the day...