USA election & coronavirus: Trump - Biden, stimulus checks | Summary of 27 October
USA live: coronavirus and election updates today
US coronavirus and elections latest: headlines
- US adds nearly 500,000 cases in a week
- Trump heads to Arizona on Wednesday, Biden to deliver Delaware speech
US covid-19 latest: 00:20 PT / 03:20 ET (08:20 CET) on Wednesday 28 October
Latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University.
Worldwide
Cases: 43,967,634
Deaths: 1,166,923
Recoveries: 29,793,800
US
Cases: 8,779,653
Deaths: 226,723
Recoveries: 3,487,666
Related coronavirus articles that may be of interest:
Who are the candidates for 2020 US Elections besides Trump and Biden?
The races to watch beyond the presidential race
In the 2020 general election the main focus has been on Biden versus Trump but the down ballot races, primarily the Senate, will shape the country too.
Full story:
Trump set for rallies in Arizona, Biden to give speech in home state
President Donald Trump will hold two campaign rallies on Wednesday in the battleground state of Arizona, where polls show him narrowly trailing Democratic rival Joe Biden, as the White House race heads into its final six-day stretch.
Biden, who has repeatedly criticized Trump for failing to contain the coronavirus pandemic, will receive a briefing from public health experts and deliver a speech near his home in Delaware on his plans to combat covid-19 and protect Americans with pre-existing health conditions, his campaign said.
Biden still leads Trump comfortably in national opinion polls in a race dominated by the pandemic. The race is tighter in several battleground states where the election might be decided.
More than 70 million people have cast early in-person and mail ballots, according to data compiled by the US Elections Project at the University of Florida. That is a record-setting pace and more than half of the total 2016 turnout.
(Text: Reuters; photos: Brendan Smialowski and JIM WATSON / AFP)
Lincon Project Posts Billboards of Ivanka and Jared in Times Square
The mostly Republican anti-Trump group Lincoln project put billboards up in Times Square of the couple to use their own words against them.
The billboard of Ivanka is a spoof of a questionable marketing stunt she did for Goya beans used now to project coronavirus statistics. Jared's billboard is in reference to an article in Vanity Fair where he is quoted as having said if New Yorkers suffer "It's their problem."
Indoor service suspended at bars and restaurants in Chicago
As cases of covid-19 increase in the city of Chicago with per-day hospital admissions double what they were last month the governor of Illinois decided to take action to try to stem the surging tide of infections. Gatherings will also be limited to 25 people.
One ballot box per county order in Texas stands
An order by Governor Abbot to limit ballot drop boxes to one per county and was seen as voter disenfranchisement was upheld by the Texas Supreme Court. It was seen as undue burden on voters in large and populous counties.
The court sided with the governor saying that Texas "provides more ways to vote on 3 November than does the Election Code."
Russia applies for WHO emergency use tag for its covid-19 vaccine
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has submitted applications to the World Health Organization for an Emergency Use Listing and prequalification of its coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, Russia's sovereign wealth fund said on Tuesday.
Russia was the first country to grant regulatory approval for a novel coronavirus vaccine, and did so before large-scale trials were complete, stirring concerns among scientists and doctors about the safety and efficacy of the shot.
An Emergency Use Listing (EUL) is meant to make a vaccine available globally faster, while a WHO prequalification is a global quality tag that ensures vaccines are safe and effective.
The procedures would allow Sputnik V to be included in the list of medical products that meet leading quality, safety and efficacy standards, RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev said in a statement.
Canada’s Justin Trudeau predicts ‘tough winter’ ahead
As a second wave of covid-19 infections engulfs much of the country, Trudeau called the pandemic a horrific national tragedy in a rare show of emotion and frustration from the prime minister.
Wisconsin breaks one-day state records in covid-19 deaths and cases
Wisconsin on Tuesday broke one-day state records in covid-19 deaths and cases as state officials told residents to stay home, wear a mask, and implored them to cancel travel and social gatherings.
The U.S. state had 64 deaths due to the virus and 5,262 new cases over the last 24 hours, state officials said during an afternoon news conference.
Will be there Black Friday in 2020 and when could it be?
Will be there Black Friday in 2020 and when could it be?
The coronavirus pandemic has hit retail sales hard with high street closures hitting record levels. But this year’s Black Friday will go ahead next month.
Survey suggests the Trump-Modi friendship not enough to sway Indian voters
Researchers from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and the University of Pennsylvania say there's "little indication of a shift toward the Republican Party" among Indian Americans, who view US-India ties as a low-priority issue.
Biden says he would expand sanctions on Belarus president's 'henchmen'
Democratic US presidential candidate Joe Biden said on Tuesday that he would turn up the heat on associates of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, who recently won an election that the opposition says was rigged.
'The international community should significantly expand its sanctions on Lukashenko's henchmen and freeze the offshore accounts where they keep their stolen wealth,' the former vice president said in a statement.
'As president, I will also work with our European partners and allies to lay out a plan of economic support for a truly sovereign, democratic Belarus.'
Lukashenko has been in power since 1994 and draws on support from his key ally, Russia.
"It would be very, very proper and very nice if a winner were declared on November 3rd, instead of counting ballots for two weeks, which is totally inappropriate and I don't believe that that's by our laws.
"I don't believe that. So we'll see what happens”
Movies will be written
Filmmaker Rob Reiner has his own view on how the Donald Trump ending may go. And it's utterly tragic.
Electoral College map: which states have the most electors?
A very important 'college'
From George Washington to Donald Trump, and everyone in between, the electoral college has put the President of the United States into their position.
But which states have the most and least electors? We had a look at what it all means and the importance of it.
GOP's struggle for the popular vote
The Post looks at the significant contradiction between the Supreme Court creation and the popular vote that comes in from Americans.
Is it the flu, a common cold, or coronavirus?
As we edge into winter, with no signs of the covid-19 pandemic slowing down, concerns about getting ill have increased tenfold.
The first indication of sickness, spurred on by a widespread increase in health anxiety, often leaves people instantly paranoid that they've caught coronavirus. And while it's very important that people are sensible and take steps to isolate if they do reasonably fear that they've contracted covid, it's also worth remembering that it could easily be something else.
Cosmo provides a handy guide...
US CDC reports 225,084 covid-19 deaths
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 8,680,611 cases of new coronavirus, an increase of 63,589 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 483 to 225,084.
The CDC reported its tally as of 4 p.m. ET on 26 October compared with its previous report a day earlier.
The CDC figures do not necessarily reflect cases reported by individual states.
USA election 2020: where do I vote?
Have you voted already? If not, do you know how?
With not much time left to vote in the US Presidential elections, many people are still asking for information on what they need to do.
If that's you, read on...
UN in New York cancels in-person meetings due to Covid-19 infections
The United Nations cancelled all in-person meetings at its New York headquarters on Tuesday after five people in Niger's U.N. mission were infected with the coronavirus, diplomats said. After largely operating virtually since New York became a global Covid-19 hotspot in March, the 193-member world body had been holding some in-person gatherings again, with Covid-19 precautions such as requiring diplomats to wear masks, social distance and restricting the number of people at meetings.
In a letter to member states late on Monday, U.N. General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir said the U.N. medical unit had recommended cancelling in-person meetings on Tuesday, pending contact tracing with those infected. Niger is a member of the 15-member Security Council, which last met in person on Thursday. Diplomats said people who attended Thursday's meeting were being tested for Covid-19, and an in-person meeting on Syria planned for Tuesday was instead held virtually.
Merck says early data from Covid-19 vaccines expected this year
Merck & Co Inc on Tuesday said it expects to report results from early-stage studies of two potential Covid-19 vaccines before the end of the year and has advanced an experimental antiviral drug into late-stage testing.
Merck was late to join the race to develop a vaccine to protect against the virus, which is again surging in many parts of the world including the United States. Rivals Pfizer Inc , AstraZeneca Plc and Moderna Inc are already deep into late-stage testing. The company began recruiting trial participants in September for an early-stage study of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate V591, which it acquired with the purchase of Austrian vaccine maker Themis Bioscience.
Initial data showing whether V591 triggers an immune response in trial participants is expected by the end of the year, Merck research chief Roger Perlmutter said on a conference call. The drugmaker is also collaborating with research non-profit IAVI on a second candidate that uses the same technology as Merck's Ebola vaccine. It is several weeks behind the V591 program but on a similar development track, Perlmutter said. Merck said it was building facilities to be able to manufacture many millions of doses of the two vaccines.
White House spokeswoman says chances 'slim' for Covid-19 relief bill before election
The White House press secretary on Tuesday tamped down prospects for a major coronavirus relief package to be agreed upon by the Nov. 3 U.S. presidential election, blaming Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as seeking too much.
"The chances are slim when you have someone like Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House, when you look at the proposal they put forward and it still stands today," White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said on Fox Business Network.
Pfizer CEO: May be a week between conclusive vaccine data, public notification
Pfizer Inc's Chief Executive Albert Bourla said on Tuesday that once it knows whether the vaccine candidate it is developing with Germany's BioNTech SE works, it could be a week before it lets the public know, making it unlikely it will release data before the Nov. 3 presidential election. 'In case of a conclusive readout, positive or negative, we will inform the public as soon as we complete the necessary administrative work, which we estimate to be completed within one week from the time we know,' Bourla said, speaking on a company conference call. Pfizer said earlier on Tuesday it was not yet ready to release data from the late-stage trial of the Covid-19 vaccine.
US adds almost 500,000 cases in a week
As the US breaks records for daily coronavirus totals, the country has registered almost 500,000 new cases over the past week, per CNN.
Citing data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, CNN reports that the US has added 489,769 new cases to its overall total over the last seven days.
The US registered a record daily count of 83,851 new covid-19 cases on Saturday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Second stimulus check: US coronavirus relief bill update
US coronavirus relief bill update
The US Senate has now left Capitol Hill after confirming Amy Coney Barrett, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi remains "optimistic" of a bipartisan coronavirus stimulus package before the election.
Full story:
Safe voting
An attendant sanitizes a US election voting station in the Jurassic Parking structure at Universal Studios Hollywood, in Universal City, California, on Monday.
(REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni)
Biden heads to Georgia with "fighting chance" of taking Republican stronghold
President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden will criss-cross the country on Tuesday in an intense day of campaigning that will also see former President Barack Obama back on the stump.
Trailing Biden in national opinion polls, Trump will hold rallies in three states key to his reelection hopes - Michigan, Wisconsin and Nebraska - while Biden journeys to Georgia and Obama campaigns on Biden's behalf in critical Florida.
Biden's foray into Georgia, long a Republican stronghold, is a sign of the campaign’s optimism heading into the final week.
Polls show the race there to be tight, and win by Biden in Georgia would likely be a severe blow to Trump's chances. The state hasn't supported a Democrat in a presidential election since 1992.
Biden told reporters on Monday he believes he has a "fighting chance" to take Georgia. He will hold an afternoon event in Warm Springs, Georgia, before capping the day with an evening rally in the state capital, Atlanta.
Obama, who has emerged as a top stand-in for Biden down the stretch, will campaign in Orlando after heading up a rally in Miami over the weekend. Biden served as Obama’s vice president for eight years.
(Text: Reuters: photo: Elijah Nouvelage / AFP)
US elections 2020: can people from Puerto Rico vote?
No vote for the US citizens of Puerto Rico
Americans are preparing to cast their ballots in the United States’ presidential and congressional elections on 3 November - in fact, around 60 million already have.
However, the nearly 3.2 million US citizens who live on the island of Puerto Rico won’t be able to take part in the vote.
Full story:
Cases among children on the rise in the US
A report by the American Academy of Pediatrics has found that there has been an increase in confirmed coronavirus cases among US children.
According to data gathered by the AAP, the period of 8-22 October saw 94,555 new infections among children reported in the States - a 14% increase on the previous two weeks.
Children account for 11% of all cases across the US, the body said.
US Election 2020: how many people have voted so far vs 2016
Number of US early voters surpasses 2016
US voters continue to flood polls and return mail-in ballots in record numbers across the United States, blowing away 2016 early voting with days to go.
Full story:
Giving up on controlling pandemic "dangerous" - WHO chief
The head of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has warned that giving up on controlling the coronavirus pandemic is “dangerous”, in the wake of remarks by White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows this weekend.
Meadows told CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday: “We’re not going to control the pandemic, we are going to control the fact that we get vaccines, therapeutics and other mitigations.”
In response, Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday: “The government can do its share - the contact tracing, testing and the rest - and the rest of the transmission control is actually up to the community. Wearing a mask, keeping physical distance, hand hygiene and the rest.
“So, controlling transmission is not only the government’s responsibility, but it’s also the business of each and every individual. So nobody should give up on this. A government should do its share, and our citizens should do their share and do everything to minimize transmission.
“So we should not give up and that’s why we’re saying that although we agree with the chief of staff that protecting the vulnerable is important, giving up on control is dangerous, and control should also be part of the strategy.”
Coney Barrett sworn in as Supreme Court judge
President Donald Trump looks on as Justice Amy Coney Barrett is sworn in on the US Supreme Court in a ceremony at the White House on Monday.
The conservative Coney Barrett was confirmed as the replacement for liberal judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg in a Senate ballot earlier in the day, in 52-48 vote that went almost entirely along party lines.
Senator Susan Collins from Maine was the sole Republican to vote against Coney Barrett's confirmation.
The Supreme Court will now have a 6-3 conservative majority.
(Photo: CNP/ABACA/GTRES)
US coronavirus and elections updates: welcome
Hello and welcome to our live, US-focused coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, which as of 06:00 ET had registered over 43.5 million cases and 1.16 million deaths worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University.
In the US, the world's worst-affected country, there have been 8.7 million cases leading to nearly 226,000 fatalities, data compiled by Johns Hopkins said.
With a week to go until President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden go head to head in the US presidential election, we'll also bring you updates on the run-up to the nationwide vote.