The latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic for April 6, 2020
NEW YORK - LIVE BLOG - FOX 5 NY is updating this blog with the latest developments on the coronavirus outbreak so you can get the information in one spot.
9:30 PM: Ireland Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who left the practice of medicine to go into politics, re-registers as a doctor to help fight the coronavirus.
9:14 PM: Colorado Gov. Jared Polis extends statewide stay-at-home order until April 26; "If there's any way to safely end it sooner, I will. And likewise, if Coloradans aren't staying at home, and the numbers of dead and dying continue to pile up, it could go longer."
9:00 PM: "Dr. Drew" Pinsky apologizes for downplaying the coronavirus pandemic and saying it was a "press-induced panic"; "I wish I had gotten it right, but I got it wrong."
8:45 PM: 3M reaches deal with White House to import millions of N95 respirator masks from China for use in the United States; deal allows 3M to also continue to send N95 respirators to Canada.
8:38 PM: California lends 500 ventilators to Nevada, Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia, Northern Mariana Islands and Guam.
8:12 PM: Major League Baseball has discussed possibility of playing all games in empty ballparks in Arizona.
7:28 PM: ACLU sues federal government to release prisoners from a Louisiana prison where 5 inmates have died of COVID-19.
6:52 PM: President Donald Trump says he had a "really wonderful, warm conversation" with Democratic presidential frontrunner Joe Biden about the coronavirus outbreak.
5:30 PM: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says President Trump approves using the USNS Comfort hospital ship to treat COVID patients; "This will provide much-needed relief to our over stressed hospital systems."
4:10 PM: Stocks rallied worldwide, propelling major indexes up more than 7%.
3:47 PM: Commissioner Persichilli: 6,390 people (confirmed positive and under investigation) are hospitalized as of this morning; 1,505 are in ICU.
3:33 PM: Gov. Murphy: "To all jackasses and knuckleheads: get with the program."
3:26: Col. Patrick Callahan, NJSP superintendent: Over the weekend, police filed charges and broke up a concert in Rumson in which the musicians and attendees didn't want to disperse; police cited a woman in Hillside for having about 20 people over her home; police issued summonses to 66 people and closed a dozen businesses in Newark; burglary suspect in Kearney coughed on cops and said he had "corona"; 8 people were shot in Trenton, 5 survived, 3 died.
3:15 PM: U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has COVID-19, was moved into intensive care after his condition worsened.
3:05 PM: Commissioner Persichilli: In keeping with CDC guidelines, wear a face covering in community settings; avoid touching your face or eyes when putting on, adjusting or taking off the covering; wash your hands before doing so or use hand sanitizer; do not wear a face covering if you have trouble breathing; do not put a face covering on children under 2.
3:01 PM: Commissioner Persichilli: The 5 counties with the most positive tests are Bergen (6,862), Essex (4,493), Hudson (4,395), Passaic (3,756), Union (3,685); the 5 counties with the most deaths are Bergen (200), Essex (186), Hudson (92), Middlesex (87), Union (78).
2:58 PM: New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli: One model predicts that New Jersey will see "significant" COVID activity in the next week; we are standing up 26,000 care spaces in addition to what hospitals are standing up, the USNS Comfort, and hotels.
2:50 PM: Sen. Booker: 80% of New Jersey families qualify for the federal stimulus payments.
2:43 PM: U.S. Sen. Cory Booker: We are in the depths of a crisis that will last a long time; I thank so many people for everything they are doing; we also cannot trample on the grief of so many people who are losing their loved ones, their jobs, their businesses; let us be present with each other.
2:39 PM: Gov. Murphy: President Trump approves allowing patients from New Jersey to be transferred to the USNS Comfort hospital ship, which is dockin in Manhattan.
2:37 PM: Gov. Murphy: An executive order will allow retired public employees to return to work during the emergency without impacting their pension status; "We need all the experienced help we can get."
2:31 PM: Gov. Murphy: This is an incentive to continue doing what we're doing; we cannot relax the rules now: "Keep social distancing, keep washing your hands, keep staying indoors, keep being smart."
2:28 PM: Gov. Murphy: Latest data show we are making progress flattening the curve; the state is seeinfg a decline in the growth rate of new cases (24% day-over-day on March 30 to about 12% today); this suggests that our efforts at social distancing are beginning to pay off.
2:24 PM: Gov. Murphy: I know these numbers can be scary; we cannot give in to fear or sadness; we must resolve to continue our fight together.
2:20 PM: Gov. Murphy: 3,663 new cases brings state total to 41,090; 86 new deaths reported brings state total to 1,003. Among those who have died is Jersey City Coucilman Michael Yun.
2:18 PM: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy holds an update on the state's response to the coronavirus crisis | WATCH LIVE: https://fox5ny.com/live
1:48 PM: U.S. death toll tops 10,000.
1:34 PM: The Japanese government will consider making bar hostesses and sex workers also eligible to receive compensation for parents unable to work due to school closures in the wake of the spread of the new coronavirus, a senior official said Monday.
1:02 PM: Eighteen trainee doctors at a Tokyo hospital have tested positive for the new coronavirus after dining in a group of some 40 people, ignoring repeated calls not to join such gatherings, the hospital said Monday.
12:44 PM: Gov. Phil Murphy will give a New Jersey coronavirus update at 2 p.m. Watch live at this link: https://fox5ny.com/live
12:42 PM: Another NYPD auxiliary police officer has died from the coronavirus. Commissioner Dermot Shea announced that Officer Ramon Roman succumbed to COVID-19 on Sunday evening.
12:39 PM: The British Open will not be played this year for the first time since 1945, golf officials announced Monday as they tried to reconfigure a major championship schedule that would end with the Masters being played two weeks before Thanksgiving.
12:27 PM: Cuomo: I am going to increase the fine for violating social distancing from $500 to $1,000.
12:22 PM: Cuomo: In New York City, the level of activity is up. Law enforcement needs to enforce social distancing rule.
12:20 PM: Cuomo: Essential businesses are to remain closed until April 29.
12:18 PM: Cuomo: I'm going to ask the President to make the USNS Comfort a COVID hospital.
12:15 PM: Cuomo says we may be nearing the apex earlier than anticipated. He urges New Yorkers to continue to follow social distancing protocol.
12:12 PM: Cuomo: The number of deaths is 4,758 up from 4,159 yesterday.
12:10 PM: Watch NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo live at this link: https://fox5ny.com/live
10:47 AM: De Blasio: The media wants to ask me about this but I am putting a hard line on this. The focus right now is to get through this crisis and saving those we can save. We will have the capacity for temporary burials.
10:45 AM: Dr. Oxiris Barbot: There are no special precautions that need to be taken for people who have died from COVID-19. Someone who dies from COVID-19 is treated the same way as someone who has died from a heart attack.
10:42 AM: De Blasio asked what he means by temporary burials. If we need to do temporary burials to pass this crisis, we have the ability to do this. I'm not going into detail.
10:40 AM: De Blasio: Van Cortlandt Park is going to be the site of a field hospital set up by FEMA. We are looking for any large spaces we can put beds. The city has at least one hotel for medical use and a number for health care workers. We can keep growing that. We will be in 100 + hotels taking the whole hotel on a lease. It's still going to be a few days before you see the hotels in medical use.
MORE: https://www.fox5ny.com/news/field-hospital-going-up-at-van-cortlandt-park
10:39 AM: De Blasio: Demot Shea says we do not see a major compliance problem. We see hot spots, but overall, our law enforcement is doing a great job with our current personnel.
10:38 AM: De Blasio: On April 23 we are going to unveil the executive budget. It's going to be a very sober day.
10:37 AM: De Blasio: The vast majority of patrol officers are younger and very healthy people. They're coming back rapidly.
10:37 AM: De Blasio: There have been few summonses for violating social distancing rule.
10:34 AM: De Blasio asked why he is ended the Open Streets pilot program. Consistent reports we're getting is that we're getting consistent support from New Yorkers. The problem with additional street closures is that you have to attach law enforcement to them or they become gathering points. Right now, keeping NYPD focused where they are is the best strategy.
10:32 AM: De Blasio asked about use of Zoom by NYC DOE amid hacking concerns. We are not going to put our students' data and privacy at risk.
10:30 AM: Dr. Eric Weii: In terms of treatments, we are still learning every day about this terrible disease. We have studies underway. Many of our patients are receiving hydrochloroquine. It's done by institutional review board approval. We are still looking at the data. Right now, we'll try just about anything to save patients. We are shifting from broadly testing in NYC to making testing move available to our heroes. The people on the frontlines.
10:29 AM: De Blasio: We just cannot tolerate any gatherings. Unfortunately, we have no choice, the NYPD has no choice, but to break them up. It's just too dangerous. If you know something like this is going to happen, call 311. The NYPD will intervene to stop it.
10:27 AM: CEO Lafayette 148 Deidra Quinn: It's an honor to make a difference in New York City. When David called me and asked how we could get the pattern quickly, we made them over the weekend, digitized them and sent them to Greg.
10:25 AM: Thompson: About 10 other companies have come together to make this happen. This effort started only a few days ago. Not just from the domestic supply chain but from supplies here in the city. It is an absolute honor to work for you.
10:24 AM: De Blasio introduces Greg Thompson of Cry Precision.
10:23 AM: De Blasio: If you have a company that can help us we need you. Anything you can donate that can help us continue this fight, we need you. Go to NYC.gov/helpnow or call 833-NYC-0040.
10:21 AM De Blasio: "This was a crucial place in the war (WWII) effort. We are seeing the BNY has a symbol to this nation leading the fight against the coronavirus. History has come around in a very powerful way."
10:19 AM: De Blasio: We need 45,000 clinical personnel over this month. We need 1,450 for our public hospitals. Yesterday, 291 medical personnel arrived in NYC.
10:18 AM: De Blasio: 600,000 N95 masks are coming today for all hospitals on top of 200,000 masks that arrived for public hospitals last week. That has changed the dynamic for us this week and that is a good thing.
10:17 AM: De Blasio says there is an urgent need for surgical gowns. 1.8 million surgical gowns were used last week by all NYC hospitals, more than 2 million needed this week
10:16 AM: De Blasio: By end of the day, 9200 surgical gowns will have been created. 19,000 by the end of the week and 320,000 by the end of the month.
10:15 AM: De Blasio: Many of the workers here are Asian American, despite the discrimination they have faced, I want to thank all these people for the work they are doing.
10:14 AM: De Blasio: There has been hatred at our Asian American community especially the Chinese American community. If you see anything about bias, call 311. If it's urgent, call 911. We want to throw the full weight of the law at them.
10:13 AM: De Blasio thanks CEO of Brooklyn Navy Yard for putting together organizations to create equipment.
10:11 AM: De Blasio highlights two organizations: Lafayette 148 and Cry Precision for working together to create ppe for frontline workers.
10:10 AM: De Blasio: It is clearer than ever that New York City is fighting back. We have a ferocious enemy but we are fighting back. We can see that at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
10:09 AM: De Blasio says that 11 days after he first noticied people creating face masks for frontline workers, he's back at the Brooklyn Navy Yard where people are still responding to the need.
10:08 AM: NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio takes questions from reporters on the coronavirus at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Watch LIVE at this LINK: https://fox5ny.com/live
9:08 AM: Fashion designer Naeem Khan, known for dressing some of the world's biggest celebrities, and lavish wedding dresses, put his team to work to craft protective masks for frontline workers.
8:16 AM: Top Ten States with the Most Cases:
1. New York: 123,160 cases 2. New Jersey: 37,505 cases 3. Michigan: 15,718 cases 4. California: 15,158 cases 5. Louisiana: 13,010 cases 6. Massachusetts: 12,500 cases 7. Florida: 12,350 cases 8. Pennsylvania: 11,589 cases 9. Illinois: 11,260 cases 10. Washington 7,984 cases
Top Ten States with the Most Deaths:
1. New York State: 4,159 deaths 2. New Jersey: 917 deaths 3. Michigan: 617 deaths 4. Louisiana: 477 deaths 5. California: 350 deaths 6. Washington: 343 deaths 7. Illinois: 276 deaths 8. Massachusetts: 231 deaths 9. Florida: 221 deaths 10. Georgia: 219 deaths
Top Ten Countries with the Most Cases:
1. United States: 337,933 cases 2. Spain: 135,032 cases 3. Italy: 128,948 cases 4. Germany: 100,132 cases 5. France: 93,780 cases 6. China: 82,665 cases 7. Iran: 60,500 cases 8. United Kingdom: 48,451 cases 9. Turkey: 27,069 cases 10. Switzerland: 21,282 cases
Top Ten Countries with the Most Deaths:
1. Italy: 15,887 deaths 2. Spain: 13,055 deaths 3. United States: 9,648 deaths 4. France: 8,078 deaths 5. United Kingdom: 4,934 deaths 6. Iran: 3,739 deaths 7. China: 3,335 deaths 8. Netherlands: 1,766 deaths 9. Belgium: 1,632 deaths 10. Germany: 1,584 deaths
7:15 AM: U.S. stock futures are posting gains, recovering from last week's losses and brushing off a drop in oil. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is rising by 3.6 percent, or over 700 points.
MORE: https://www.fox5ny.com/news/stock-futures-rise-as-coronavirus-cases-stabilize-in-some-areas
7:02 AM: As Americans look for guideposts in disorienting times, New York's Andrew Cuomo, California's Gavin Newsom and leaders of smaller states like Kentucky and Rhode Island, have become chief sources of factual information and leading decision-makers, not to mention public counselors and pop culture touchstones.
MORE: https://www.fox5ny.com/news/cuomo-other-governors-take-spotlight-in-coronavirus-fight
7:00 AM: Watch 'Good Day New York' for the latest on the pandemic at this link: https://fox5ny.com/live
6:00 AM: Police in Carrollton, Texas are seeking help from the public to find an 18-year-old who is posting on social media that she tested positive for COVID-19 and is “willfully spreading it.”
5:42 AM: Japan's prime minister says he will announce a state of emergency for Tokyo and 6 other prefectures as early as Tuesday.