Coronavirus US live updates: summary 23 May
Coronavirus live USA: latest Covid-19 news - Saturday 23 May
US coronavirus latest: 14:45 PST / 17:45 EST on Saturday 23 May (23:45 CEST)
According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University, 5,280,743 cases have been detected worldwide, with 340,477 deaths and 2,090,465 people now recovered.
In the USA, there have been 1,618,471 confirmed cases and 96,875 deaths with 350,135 people recovering from the virus.
Fresh feed
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Coronavirus USA: when do bars and restaurants reopen?
State-by-state
As America looks to kick start the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic, people want to know when various services and amenities are going to open for business.
What have you been buying?
Stay-at-home adults are wearing the comfy shoes. So are young shoppers who want to be seen. ‘They are the Nickelback of footwear.’
Michigan Governor extends stay-at-home order until 12 June
Standing strong
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended Michigan’s stay-at-home order and also the state of emergency until 19 June to avoid a second wave of Covid-19.
Golfing Trump
Memorial Day weekend, which culminates in gatherings to honour U.S. military dead, got off to a cautious start on Saturday, especially in rain-soaked New York, epicentre of the coronavirus crisis that has now killed more Americans than the Vietnam and Korean wars combined.
A day after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo allowed up to 10 people to attend ceremonies honouring America's military veterans, he took time at his news briefing on Saturday to warn that social distancing and face masks should be part of any plans to get together. 'It depends on how people act.
Among those soaking in the sun and enjoying a bit of travel on Saturday was President Donald Trump, who was seen golfing at his Trump National club in northern Virginia, his first golf outing since the White House declared a national emergency over the coronavirus outbreak in March.
Unemployment benefit US: can college students apply for it?
Students and their benefits
Many college students are getting bad news after applying for unemployment amid the coronavirus pandemic because their claims are being denied.
Find out more...
Breaking: US latest Covid-19 figures
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 1,595,885 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 24,268 cases from its previous count, and said the number of deaths had risen by 1,852 to 96,002.
The CDC figures do not necessarily reflect cases reported by individual states hence why there will be some discrepancies.
Mickey Mouse NBA
The NBA is in talks with The Walt Disney Company about restarting its suspended season at Disney World in Florida in late July after it was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the league said on Saturday.
The potential plan would see the league hold games at a single site, the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, a sprawling athletic complex inside the Orlando resort that has three arenas, hotels and would allow the league to limit outside exposure.
'Our priority continues to be the health and safety of all involved, and we are working with public health experts and government officials on a comprehensive set of guidelines to ensure that appropriate medical protocols and protections are in place,' NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement outlining the plan.
New York State deaths under 100 for first time since March
New York governor Andrew Cuomo has said the state is "making real progress" in its battle against Covid-19, revealing that its daily death toll has fallen from 109 to 84. This is the first time that there have been fewer than 100 coronavirus-related fatalities on a single day in the state since 24 March.
A woman in Washington walks on the steps of the National Gallery of Art, closed to tourists during the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)
"Is America inviting a disastrous second wave?"
"People on the front line are worried" as states relax lockdown measures in the US, write Amanda Holpuch, Nina Lakhani and Khushbu Shah in the Guardian today.
They add: “Experts warn the outbreak has proved a ‘trust-destroying disaster’ that could have devastating consequences.”
Love in the time of Covid-19
A couple of nurses wearing masks kiss in Times Square, New York. (Photo by: Brazil Photo Press / SplashNews / GTRES)
Drive-in move makes comeback amid pandemic
The drive-in movie, dismissed by many as a relic of an earlier time in America, is making a comeback as entertainment seemingly designed for the coronavirus era.
Beth Wilson, who owns the Warwick Drive-in about an hour's drive from Manhattan, says it has been sold out since 15 May, the first day drive-ins were allowed to operate under New York's reopening plan.
The drive-in has struck a chord with Americans who have been largely confined to their homes since March, watching the death toll from Covid-19 accumulate on their TV screens.
Customers come "just to be out and for some form of entertainment that is not streaming on their TV," said Wilson, adding she hopes the Warwick Drive-In can help people reconnect. "I just want to see their happiness, their well-being."
The drive-in experience is virtually tailor-made for the pandemic. Patrons control their close social interactions and any contact with other people happens outdoors, which is seen as lower risk for infection than indoors.
(Text: Reuters)
Stimulus check US: How to return Economic Impact Payment to IRS
How to return a stimulus check to the IRS
According to figures released by the US Treasury Department and the IRS on Friday, just under $260 billion has been paid out in stimulus checks since the Economic Impact Payment scheme began in April.
However, some of these payments appear to have accidentally gone to individuals who should not have received a check, such as non-resident aliens, prisoners and deceased people.
Here's how to return a check sent out in error:
Trump orders opening of places of worship
United States president Donald Trump on Friday ordered states to allow places of worship to open, telling reporters he was "correcting an injustice".
"Some governors have deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics essential," Trump said in a White House briefing, "but have left out churches... it's not right."
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:
On the fast track to success
Faith Lutheran High School chairman Jon Linker (above) waves a checkered flag as Faith Lutheran CEO Steve Buuck (right) presents graduate Kylie Pike (centre) with her diploma during a commencement ceremony for Faith Lutheran held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway due to the spread of the coronavirus.
The graduation comes after the Covid-19 pandemic forced the closure of schools in Nevada for the remainder of the year. Instead of a traditional graduation, students received their diplomas as they drove across the start-finish line of the racetrack and then took about a one-mile victory lap before exiting the speedway.
The students and their families could listen to the commencement address and other remarks from the valedictorian on their vehicle radios via the speedway's FM transmitter. (Photo by: Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP)
Knicks great Patrick Ewing says he has COVID-19
New York Knicks great Patrick Ewing on Friday said he has tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
The 57-year-old, who played 17 seasons in the NBA and who is currently the head coach of the Georgetown University men's basketball team, said he wanted to share his diagnosis publicly to emphasize that the virus can affect anyone.
"I want to share that I have tested positive for COVID-19," he said on Twitter.
"This virus is serious and should not be taken lightly. I want to encourage everyone to stay safe and take care of yourselves and your loved ones."
Coronavirus USA: which states are reopening and which remain under lockdown
It's Memorial Day weekend. Which states are open, re-opening or never closed?
Trump pays tribute to veterans
The President's social media team created a tribute video over an AC/DC soundtrack on the eve of Memorial Day weekend.
Chicago dining
The city plans to release guidelines next week for Chicago restaurants and coffee shops to reopen outdoor dining. Bars and lounges, however, will remain closed for now.
U.S. plans massive coronavirus vaccine testing effort to meet year-end deadline
The United States plans a massive testing effort involving more than 100,000 volunteers and a half dozen or so of the most promising vaccine candidates in an effort to deliver a safe and effective one by the end of 2020, scientists leading the program told Reuters.
The project will compress what is typically 10 years of vaccine development and testing into a matter of months, testimony to the urgency to halt a pandemic that has infected more than 5 million people, killed over 335,000 and battered economies worldwide.
To get there, leading vaccine makers have agreed to share data and lend the use of their clinical trial networks to competitors should their own candidate fail, the scientists said.
Candidates that demonstrate safety in small early studies will be tested in huge trials of 20,000 to 30,000 subjects for each vaccine, slated to start in July.
How to celebrate Memorial Day 2020 during Covid?
How to celebrate Memorial Day 2020 during the Covid-19 crisis?
Experts worry that Memorial Day weekend could cause a spike in coronavirus cases but there are ways to protect yourself while celebrating with family.
MLS presents the Orlando Plan in bid to resume 2020 season
MLS presents the Orlando Plan in bid to resume 2020 season
Major League Soccer is running out of time to come with a plan to resume the 2020 season during the coronavirus pandemic in the United States.
Lockdown-weary Americans hit the road to U.S. holiday weekend
Americans are back on the road after more than two months of coronavirus lockdowns that kept them homebound, with beach-area traffic tripling since the low point in mid-April, reports released on Friday showed.
As the country heads into the long Memorial Day holiday weekend that traditionally kicks off the summer vacation season, traffic in some areas is even expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels.
Passenger car travel in U.S. beach counties has more than doubled since Easter, according to data by transportation analytics company StreetLight Data. At Maryland's Ocean City beach resort, car activity was four times higher, compared to only a 5% increase during the same period in 2019.
US coronavirus latest: 15:30 PST / 18:30 EST on Friday 22 May (00:30 CEST on Saturday 23 May)
According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University, 5,180,192 cases have been detected worldwide, with 336,432 deaths and 1,992,498 people now recovered.
In the USA, there have been 1,598,651 confirmed cases and 95,847 deaths with 298,418 people recovering from the virus.
Coronavirus live US: welcome
Hello and welcome to our live, United States-focused coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, which has now led to over five million cases worldwide with well over 1.59 million reported cases in the US.
We'll endeavour to keep you abreast of the latest news and statistics as they emerge throughout the day.