Coronavirus US summary: cases, deaths and news - 18 June
Coronavirus live US: latest Covid-19 news - 18 June
US coronavirus latest: 14:30 PT / 17:30 ET on Thursday 18 June (23:30 CEST)
According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University,8,421,357 cases have been detected worldwide, with 451,118 deaths and 4,117,101 people have recovered.
In the USA, there have been 2,182,285 confirmed cases and 118,296 deaths with 592,191 people recovering from the virus.
Who cut their spending?
A great summary from Bloomberg showing the spending pattern during the pandemic. Should recovery policy be driven by this?
California orders residents to wear masks in 'most settings outside the home'
California on Thursday ordered residents to wear masks in 'most settings outside the home,' saying the new rule was necessary because too many Californians were neglecting to cover their faces during the coronavirus pandemic.
Residents must wear masks outdoors and 'in any indoor space,' with exceptions made for diners while they are eating or drinking and people engaging in outdoor recreation, as long as they maintain 6 feet of physical distance.
'Science shows that face coverings and masks work,' Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement. 'They are critical to keeping those who are around you safe, keeping businesses open and restarting our economy.' It was not immediately clear how the order would be enforced. California was the first U.S. state to impose statewide stay-at-home restrictions and mandatory workplace closures, on March 19.
Stimulus Check vs $4,000 Travel Tax Credit: what is the difference?
Stimulus check vs Travel Credit: a summary
Millions of Americans are hoping for some additional financial support from the government during this coronavirus crisis, but in what form will it come?
Covid-19 spikes discussed
It's a topic on many lips as the economy opens up, what risks come with it?
Arizona wildfires amid pandemic
Over 2,000 people were evacuated from three large wildfires in Arizona on Thursday as dry conditions and gusty winds whipped blazes across the U.S. Southwest.
Over 1,500 residents fled small communities in mountains about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Phoenix, Arizona, as a wildfire grew to an area larger than the city of Detroit overnight, fire officials reported.
Firefighters battling the Bush Fire faced gusting winds, low relative humidity and triple-digit temperatures as flames leaped through ponderosa pine, piñon and juniper in the Tonto National Forest.
No mask, no travel
"After he refused to comply with the instructions provided by the flight crew, our team members asked him to deplane. He deplaned and the flight departed the gate four minutes late at 12:34 p.m. ET."
American Airlines spokesman Ross Feinstein's version disputes that of the passenger.
The ABC of mask wearing
In countries around the world, face coverings are becoming the new norm. Follow these guidelines to help protect you and those around you.
Scarlet Lady finally has date for her maiden voyage
It may have been delayed but now plans are in motion for Virgin Voyages.
New York to enter Phase 2 of reopening on 22 June
New York City will begin phase two of reopening on Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Thursday, citing continued improvements in coronavirus data. Offices, in-store retail, outdoor dining, hair salons and barbershops are among the businesses allowed to reopen their doors during phase two.
"We've seen consistent progress and it is time to say to everyone get ready for phase two," de Blasio told a daily news conference.
22 US states report Covid-19 case rise after reopening
According to a report from USA Today, 22 states including Florida, Texas and Arizona reported a higher number of new coronavirus cases after a partial easing of lockdown restrictions.
US jobless claims top 45 million
The number of people who have filed for unemployment in the US since the coronavirus pandemic hit in mid-March has now risen to more than 45 million, according to the latest figures.
Stimulus check: what is the "dramatic" phase 4 package Trump is talking about?
The US President has said the White House is working on a "dramatic" new stimulus package, but what is actually known about what it will mean for US citizens?
People take pictures in front of the Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago, Illinois. The park, which would normally be crowded with visitors, has opened again with restrictions as the US eases lockdown protocols during the coronavirus pandemic. EFE/EPA/TANNEN MAURY
Stocks fall on second wave fears
(Reuters) Asian stocks and Wall Street futures fell on Thursday as spiking coronavirus cases in some U.S. states and in China dented hopes of a quick global economic comeback from the pandemic.
On Wall Street, the S&P 500 lost 0.36% on Wednesday but tech-heavy Nasdaq added 0.15% due to hopes of increased demand for various online services due to the epidemic.
The daily count of infections hit a new high in California and Texas, the two most populous states in the country, while Florida, the third largest, also recorded its second-highest daily increase.
California (3,455), Texas (3,129) and Florida (2,610) reported the biggest one-day increases, and were close to their recent record highs.
Arizona (1,827) and North Carolina (1,002) were the only other US states to report more than 1,000 new cases.
Trump's rally could lead to a massive spread of the virus as experts are now warning. Over a dozen states are seeing big increases in the number of daily cases.
CDC director predicts tough winter
Robert Refield warned against a winter with both the seasonal flu and coronavirus for members of the public and the health system to contend with.
Stimulus check US: how would $4,000 coronavirus credit work?
Stimulus check US: how would $4,000 coronavirus credit work?
As part of the next Covid-19 relief bill in the United States, Americans could get up to $4,000 under a vacation tax-credit scheme supported by President Trump.
Wall Street advances on prospect of economic rebound
Wall Street gained ground on Wednesday as signs of economic recovery helped investors look past spiking pandemic data and the potential of a new round of economic lockdowns.
With all three major U.S. stock indexes on course to post their fourth consecutive day of gains, the S&P 500 and the Dow are now within about 7% and 11% of their respective record closing highs reached in February.
Tech shares led the Nasdaq's more robust gain, and the index was hovering within half a percentage point within its all-time closing high reached on June 10.
An inexpensive, common steroid called dexamethasone can help save critically ill COVID-19 patients, according to a clinical trial in Britain, a development that prompted the World Health Organization to update its treatment guidelines.
WHO halts trial of hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 patients
The World Health Organization said on Wednesday that testing of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine in its large multi-country trial of treatments for COVID-19 patients had been halted after new data and studies showed no benefit.
WHO expert Ana Maria Henao-Restrepo said investigators leading the so-called Solidarity Trial testing the drug - which had been promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump - had reviewed recent evidence and decided to stop recruiting new patients.
"After deliberation, they have concluded that the hydroxychloroquine arm will be stopped from the Solidarity Trial," Henao-Restrepo told a media briefing.
New York has lowest U.S. coronavirus infection rate, Cuomo says
New York, once the U.S. epicenter of coronavirus infections, now has the country's lowest rate of virus spread as the state's death toll and number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 continue to decline, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday.
"We once again have demonstrated that we’ve gone from the worst infection rate in the country to the best infection rate in the county," Cuomo said at his daily briefing.
Fewer than 1% of some 60,000 New York residents tested on Tuesday were positive for the virus, he said. The number of people entering hospitals in the state with COVID-19 dropped to 1,479 on Tuesday, the lowest level since March 20, while the number of deaths fell to 17, the lowest number since the outbreak began, he said.
Black patients with COVID-19 in Atlanta more likely to be hospitalized (CDC)
A study of coronovirus patients in Atlanta has found that black patients are more likely to be hospitalized than white patients, highlighting racial disparities in the U.S. healthcare system, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Wednesday.
About 79% of black patients were hospitalized for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, against 13% of white patients, according to the study across six metropolitan hospitals and outpatient clinics in Atlanta, Georgia, between March and April 2020.
The researchers found there was an association between being black and the rate of hospitalization in Atlanta, even when they controlled for underlying conditions such as diabetes.
This suggested that other factors like healthcare access or the possibility of bias might explain higher rates of hospitalization for black Americans.
Hospitalized patients tended to be older, male, black, and have underlying conditions, said the researchers. They added that black Americans were more likely to be frontline industry or essential workers, raising their risks for coronavirus infection.
Coronavirus: the complete guide to the Covid-19 pandemic
Coronavirus: the complete guide to the Covid-19 pandemic
US Coronavirus news: 17 & 18 June
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic as it affects the United States.
The number of cases and deaths continues to rise across the US with more than 2.1 million people having contracted the virus since the March outbreak