E3: Coronavirus US live: Andrew Cuomo says New York may be hitting apex of crisis

Trump’s briefing has begun. Dr Anthony Fauci is present. Follow along for updates.

Michael Che of SNL has lost his grandmother to coronavirus, according to an Instagram post

Michael Che took to Instagram to reveal that his grandmother died due to complications from the novel coronavirus: "I'm obviously very hurt and angry that she had to go through all that pain alone" https://t.co/r7gGZVpQaa

On Instagram, SNL’s Michael Che writes about losing his grandmother to coronavirus: pic.twitter.com/Ve3LLgmJd4

From the Guardian’s global coronavirus blog, the British pound has dropped against the US dollar following news that the UK’s prime minister had been moved into intensive care:

The pound had been trading higher against the dollar and the euro, but fell sharply on the announcement. Sterling was down 0.3% against the dollar to $1.2229 and down 0.1% against the euro to €1.1326 shortly afterwards.

Trump says the briefing will begin in 15 minutes:

White House news conference at 5:45 P.M. Eastern. Thank you!

While we wait for Trump’s briefing to begin, my colleague Abené Clayton in Oakland has this report on the push for California’s prisons to release older people and others at risk of death behind bars due to Covid-19:

Last week the CDCR fast-tracked the release of 3496 people, but many worry that that step won't be enough to keep thousands of aging and medically vulnerable incarcerated folks safe from Covid-19.

My latest for @GuardianUS https://t.co/6MkNIgmh01

Alicia Rhoden’s husband, Bruce Wayne Rhoden, has been in Wasco state prison for about a month. In addition to his age, Bruce has a bevy of pre-existing conditions, including diabetes and HIV, that make him vulnerable to severe illness and death if infected with the coronavirus. Alicia, who’s 60 and has epilepsy, says she’s frightened that her husband will become ill while in prison and she won’t know until it’s too late.

“My husband is 61 and his health isn’t good at all,” Alicia Rhoden, a Los Angeles resident, said. “My fear is that he can die in prison because of his medical conditions.”

Related: 'He could die': California urged to release older prisoners amid coronavirus

More here on the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 in black communities in the US:

More than half of Chicago's confirmed coronavirus patients are African American, despite Black residents making up just 30% of the city's population, Mayor Lori Lightfoot says https://t.co/kST8dnvGFN

Chicago is launching a health campaign focused on the city’s black and brown communities, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Monday following a media report highlighting the disproportionate number of black residents among those who have died of COVID-19 complications in the city.

Lightfoot called WBEZ’s finding that 70% of recorded deaths due to the coronavirus in the city were black residents “devastating”, adding, “And knowing they’re not just numbers, they’ve lives. There’s families and communities that have been shattered.”

Joe Biden has reportedly talked to Trump about Covid-19, according to an NBC News reporter:

NEWS: @JoeBiden spoke today with @realDonaldTrump about the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a source with knowledge of the call tells NBC News.

Hi all - Sam Levin in Los Angeles taking over blog coverage for the rest of the day. Trump’s daily briefing is scheduled to start in half an hour, we’ll be covering it live with fact checks.

The Pentagon has just announced that it is sending a total of 1,500 medical personnel to New York City this week.

Pentagon: 1,500 medical personnel will be on the ground in NYC “this week,” spokesman says

That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Sam Levin, will take over the blog for the next few hours.

Here’s where the day stands so far:

The Dow closed up about 1,600 points, even as health exerpts warned this could be the country’s worst week yet since the coronavirus crisis started.

The Dow Jones, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq all closed up more than 7% as some coronavirus projections showed improvement.

The Guardian’s Vivian Ho reports on the latest from California:

With the number of hospitalizations for coronavirus in California rising 5.6% over the weekend, the state is loaning 500 state-owned ventilators to the strategic national stockpile inventory, the governor announced Monday.

Early evidence suggests African Americans are disproportionately dying from coronavirus.

Michigan has confirmed 617 coronavirus deaths, and 41% of patients who died were black, even though African Americans make up only 14% of the state’s population.

110 new deaths from #COVID19 in Michigan.

The death rate among confirmed cases is now 4.2%.

41% of deaths are African Americans. They make up 14% of Michigan's population

193 deaths in Detroit (29% of total cases; 26.5% of deaths)

185 in Oakland

153 in suburban Wayne County pic.twitter.com/jZ0U731Vj4

1/ The District’s reported data for Sunday, April 5, 2020 includes 99 new positive coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, bringing DC's overall positive case total to 1097. pic.twitter.com/cBoscmuK6l

The Guardian’s global coronavirus blog has more details on British prime minister Boris Johnson’s move to intensive care:

It is understood Johnson was moved to the intensive care unit just short of an hour and a half ago.

The decision was made by his medical team after his condition worsened over the course of Monday. The prime minister is understood to be conscious and to have been moved as a precaution in case he needs ventilation.

Related: Coronavirus: Boris Johnson taken into intensive care – live updates

British prime minister Boris Johnson has been taken into intensive care as he battles coronavirus.

BREAK: @BorisJohnson in intensive care. pic.twitter.com/lH3yuV4KMI

Related: Boris Johnson remains in hospital after 'comfortable night'

The global coronavirus death toll has now surpassed 70,000, with Italy and Spain accounting for about 30,000 of the deaths.

In comparison, the US death toll surpassed 10,000 earlier today, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins.

Related: Coronavirus live news: Italy reports lowest day-to-day rise in infections in a week

Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said lawmakers will need to return to the Capitol “relatively soon” to begin working on another coronavirus bill.

“We are definitely going to need to do a COVID-4,” the New York Democrat said. “The problem may be of even greater magnitude than people thought a few weeks ago.”

A New York councilman said temporary burials in parks was only being considered as a contingency plan, as the city’s morgues near full capacity because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Councilman Mark Levine previously tweeted the city was considering “temporary internment,” but he later added the plan will not be necessary if the death rate drops.

This tweet has gotten a lot of attention. So I want to clarify: the is a contingency NYC is preparing for BUT if the death rate drops enough it will not be necessary. https://t.co/6wLO8qWtML

Wisconsin’s Republican leaders in the state legislature said they would file a lawsuit over governor Tony Evers’ executive order to cancel in-person voting for the presidential primary tomorrow.

Joint Statement with @SenFitzgerald: We are immediately challenging this executive order in the Wisconsin State Supreme Court. pic.twitter.com/76QItl3qxE

Wisconsin governor Tony Evers said that he considered it a moral responsibility to cancel in-person voting for the state’s presidential primary tomorrow.

“Frankly, there’s no good answer to this problem—I wish it were easy,” Evers said in a statement. “I have been asking everyone to do their part to help keep our families, our neighbors, and our communities safe, and I had hoped that the Legislature would do its part—just as the rest of us are—to help keep people healthy and safe.”

The Guardian’s Sam Levine reports:

Wisconsin governor Tony Evers called off in-person voting less than 24 hours before polls were set to open for the state’s presidential primary.

.@GovEvers makes the move, suspending in-person voting for #Wisconsin on Tuesday. We’re following today’s #BreakingNews all day long on @SpectrumNews1WI pic.twitter.com/SLaSxzsXn9

The coronavirus death toll in the United States has now surpassed 10,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins.

According to the university’s data, the US has recorded 10,335 deaths in connection to the pandemic. That is up from 846 just 12 days ago.

Reported US coronavirus deaths via @CNN:

12 days ago: 846 deaths
10 days ago: 1,451 deaths
8 days ago: 2,314 deaths
6 days ago: 3,538 deaths
4 days ago: 5,316 deaths
2 days ago: 7,826 deaths
Right now: 10,335 deaths

Related: US surgeon general warns of 'Pearl Harbor moment' as Americans face 'hardest week'

Acting navy secretary Thomas Modly defended his attack on Captain Brett Crozier, the former commander of the USS Theodore Roosevelt who was removed from his post after his letter warning about coronavirus was made public.

NEW: Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly says, “I stand by every word,” after reportedly calling Captain Crozier "too naive or too stupid” to be in command. pic.twitter.com/Qcbf3JQKqb

A Democratic senator criticized the acting Navy secretary for lashing out against Captain Brett Crozier in a speech to the captain’s former crew.

Secretary Modly delivering a speech on board a U.S. aircraft carrier suggesting Captain Crozier might be “stupid” and bashing the media for trying to report the truth is completely inappropriate. Our dedicated sailors deserve better from their leadership. https://t.co/EKYUI6onZu

Here’s where the day stands so far:

House speaker Nancy Pelosi announced new guidelines to “reduce the physical presence of Members and staff in the Capitol.”

“Beginning Tuesday, staff must electronically submit all Floor documents – including bills, resolutions, co-sponsors and extensions of remarks – to a dedicated and secure email system, rather than deliver these materials by hand to staff in the Speaker’s Lobby or Cloakrooms,” Pelosi said in a “Dear Colleague” letter.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo just wrapped up his daily briefing on the state’s response to the coronavirus crisis.

Here’s some of what he said:

Melissa DeRosa, secretary to New York governor Andrew Cuomo, said the state is working with Google to help break the logjam causing issues with filing unemployment claims.

DeRosa ackowledged residents’ frustration with the website glitches but asked for patient because of the number of claims trying to be filed.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo said the “stay at home” order needs to be enforced more strictly, after being asked about reports of Orthdox Jewish communities ignoring the social distancing restrictions to hold funerals.

“I don’t care if you’re Orthdox Jewish, Catholic, Christian Muslim,” Cuomo said. “It’s the job of local government to enforce.”

Today I am increasing the maximum fine for violations of state-mandated social distancing rules from $500 to $1000.

This is an enemy we have underestimated since day one.

This is not the time to be lax. We need to #StayHome and stay properly distanced.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo expressed surprise at New York City officials saying some bodies of coronavirus patients may need to be buried in parks because morgues are overwhelmed.

“I haven’t heard anything about the city burying people in parks,” Cuomo said. “I haven’t heard that there’s an issue.”

Governor Andrew Cuomo mourned the nearly 5,000 New Yorkers who have already died as a result of coronavirus.

But Cuomo celebrated the work of the state’s healthcare system, saying no one has died as a result of lack of access to medical equipment or staff.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced he was extending the state’s stay at home order until at least April 29.

The state’s schools and non-essential businesses will remain closed for at least another three weeks.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo said he is going to call Trump and ask him to start allowing the Navy hospital ship Comfort to begin receiving coronavirus patients.

The Comfort arrived in New York Harbor last week, and the original plan was to have the hospital ship receive non-coronavirus patients.

New York officials said the state may be at the apex, or the beginning of the apex, of its coronavirus crisis.

But governor Andrew Cuomo warned that this potential development is not all good news because the state’s healthcare system is stretched to a breaking point.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo is holding his daily briefing on the state’s response to coronavirus as hospitals there deal with a surge in cases.

Cuomo said New York has now confirmed 130,869 cases of coronavirus and recorded 4,758 deaths linked to the virus.

The Federal Communications Commission will not act on a request to investigate networks that air the White House coronavirus briefings, the agency’s chief of staff said in a tweet.

BREAKING: The FCC's answer to an "emergency petition" asking us to investigate broadcasters airing White House Coronavirus Task Force briefings? No. We believe in the First Amendment.

Trump mocked Joe Biden for saying the Democratic convention may have to be “virtual” to avoid spreading coronavirus during the event.

Joe Biden tells @GStephanopoulos that holding the Democratic convention is “necessary,” but Democrats “may have to do a “virtual” convention amid the COVID-19 threat.

“We may not be able to put 10, 20, 30,000 people in one place and that’s very possible.” https://t.co/IWEd5ppDTB pic.twitter.com/fZUTavPNZN

California is donating 500 ventilators to the Strategic National Stockpile to help states like New York confront a surge in coronavirus cases.

“California is stepping up to help our fellow Americans in New York and across the country who are being impacted the hardest right now by the COVID-19 pandemic,” California governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement.

The acting Navy secretary lambasted Captain Brett Crozier, whose concerns about coronavirus were made public last week, in a speech to Crozier’s former crew.

According to a trasncript obtained by CNN, acting Navy secetary Thomas Modly said Crozier was either “too naive or too stupid” if he didn’t think the letter warning about a coronavirus outbreak would be made public.

The small business loan program created by the stimulus package has processed $38 billion in loans since launching Friday, Larry Kudlow told CNBC this morning.

“So far, it’s a good start for a monumental task,” NEC Director Larry Kudlow says about the government’s response to the coronavirus crisis and the rollout of the $350 billion small business relief program. https://t.co/Nzo8qqEdxH pic.twitter.com/GzkvkStJW8

New York will start temporarily burying bodies in parks as the city grapples with overrun morgues because of the coroanvirus crisis, city councilman Mark Levine said.

Soon we'll start “temporary interment”. This likely will be done by using a NYC park for burials (yes you read that right). Trenches will be dug for 10 caskets in a line.

It will be done in a dignified, orderly--and temporary--manner. But it will be tough for NYers to take. 9/

Early on in this crisis we were able to swab people who died at home, and thus got a coronavirus reading. But those days are long gone. We simply don't have the testing capacity for the large numbers dying at home. 6/

A Washington Post investigation showed the Trump administration missed key opportunities to prepare for the coronavirus crisis.

The Post reports:

The failure has echoes of the period leading up to 9/11: Warnings were sounded, including at the highest levels of government, but the president was deaf to them until the enemy had already struck.

The Trump administration received its first formal notification of the outbreak of the coronavirus in China on Jan. 3. Within days, U.S. spy agencies were signaling the seriousness of the threat to Trump by including a warning about the coronavirus — the first of many — in the President’s Daily Brief.

As America braces for the worst week of the coronavirus crisis yet, experts say there is one bit of good news.

A projection on the pandemic shows the estmated number of overall deaths in the US has declined since last week.

The University of Washington model, one of several cited by U.S. and some state officials, now projects U.S. deaths at 81,766 by Aug. 4, down about 12,000 from a projection over the weekend.

The model, which is frequently updated with new data, projects the peak need for hospital beds on April 15 and for daily deaths at 3,130 on April 16.

Peter Navarro, Trump’s top trade adviser who has been tapped to oversee the administration’s implementation of the Defense Production Act amid the coronavirus crisis, got into a heated exchange over using an anti-malaria drug to fight the virus.

.@JohnBerman: “Do you have reason to doubt the analysis of Dr. Anthony Fauci?”
Top trade adviser Peter Navarro: “I agree with the analysis of Dr. Fauci in this sense, we don’t have definitive 100% science to say that [hydroxychloroquine] absolutely works”https://t.co/4DJ7zfTV6y pic.twitter.com/yrvYjAL5R2

Trump defended the decision to allow cruise ships carrying passengers who have coronavirus to dock in Florida.

“For humanitarian reasons, the passengers from the two CoronaVirus stricken cruise ships have been given medical treatment and, when appropriate, allowed to disembark, under strict supervision,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “Very carefully done. People we’re dying & no other countries would allow them to dock!”

Related: Cruise ship docks in Florida with two dead and 12 testing positive for coronavirus

Good morning, live blog readers!

Donald Trump was expressing optimism over Twitter this morning, telling his followers that there is a “light at the end of the tunnel” as the country stares down the worst week yet in the coronavirus crisis.

Related: Coronavirus map of the US: latest cases state by state

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