(NEW YORK) — Here’s the latest information on the COVID-19 coronavirus as of 9:45 a.m. ET.
Latest reported numbers globally per Johns Hopkins University
Global diagnosed cases: 2,495,994
Global deaths: 171,255. The United States has now surpassed Italy as the country with the most deaths, with 42,897.
Number of countries/regions: at least 185
Total patients recovered globally: 658,245
Latest reported numbers in the United States per Johns Hopkins University
There are at least 787,960 diagnosed cases in 50 states + the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. This is more than in any other country.
U.S. deaths: at least 42,897. New York City has the greatest number of reported deaths in the U.S., with 14,604
U.S. total patients recovered: 73,527
U.S. total people tested: 4,026,572
U.S. total people hospitalized: 117,962
The greatest number of reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S. is in New York, with 253,311 confirmed cases out of a total state population of 19.5 million. That is the most reported cases than in any other single region in the world. New Jersey is next, with 88.806 reported cases out of a total population of 8.88 million.
Latest reported deaths per state
Visit https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html for the latest numbers.
School closures
For a state-by-state interactive map of current school closures, please visit the Education Week website, where numbers are updated once daily.
There are 98,277 public schools and 34,576 private schools in the U.S., according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Those schools educate almost 50.8 million public school students and 5.8 million private school students.
The latest headlines
President Trump says US immigration will be suspended due to COVID-19
President Donald Trump announced that he will suspend immigration to the United States due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. President Trump tweeted late Monday, “In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!” Two White House officials said an executive order is being drafted and that Trump could sign it as soon as Tuesday. The order, which was discussed among senior staff members Monday, would suspend nearly all immigration under the rationale of preventing the spread of infection by foreigners arriving from abroad. A formal order temporarily barring the provision of new green cards and work visas could come as early as the next few days, according to several people familiar with the plan. Such a move appears to have no modern precedent and would potentially leave the partners, children and other close relatives of U.S. citizens in limbo.
Germany cancels Oktoberfest
The world’s largest beer festival has been canceled. German officials announced today that Oktoberfest, which takes place every year in Munich, the capital of southern Germany’s Bavaria state, won’t take place due to the COVID-19 coronavirus. Bavaria’s minister-president, Markus Soder, and Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter said they agreed the risk is “too high” to allow the festival to proceed, noting that given the festival’s nature, it would be impossible to practice social distancing or wear face masks. Some six million people typically attend the two-week event, which this year was scheduled to run from September 19 through October 4. Germany as of Tuesday had 147,065 confirmed COVID-19 infections, the fifth-highest number of any single country.
WHO warns of COVID-19 resurgence if lockdowns are lifted early
As nations and many U.S. states contemplate lifting lockdown orders, and many are already easing restrictions, the World Health Organization is warning such measures are not only premature, but will likely lead to a resurgence of COVID-19 infections. “This is not the time to be lax,” Dr. Takeshi Kasai, the WHO regional director for the Western Pacific, said during an online press conference. “Instead, we need to ready ourselves for a new way of living for the foreseeable future.” Health experts say social distancing remains the most effective way to limit the coronavirus’ spread and point to data that proves its working, even as many economists, business leaders and politicians declare that a lockdown compromise must be found to prevent further economic decline and unemployment. Dr. Kasai said restrictions must be lifted gradually while the results are constantly monitored and adaptations made as needed. “As we move forward in this difficult time, our lives, our health system and approach to stopping transmission must continue to adapt and evolve along with the epidemic, at least until a vaccine or very effective treatment is found,” Kasai said. “This process will need to become our new normal.”
Good news!
Heather Combs is a nurse practitioner who lives in the small community of Xenia, Ohio, a town that was nearly wiped off the map 46 years ago when an F5 tornado struck. Today, Combs is headed to New York, along with some 400 other nurses, for a 21-day work stay – and she’s not going empty handed. As reported by the Dayton Daily News, the Xenia community school system – Heather has a fifth-grader who attends school there — asked for donations of supplies that healthcare workers in New York could use. The result: 300 pounds of donated toiletries, nurse caps and hand sanitizers, along with 286 homemade masks and more than 100 cards and notes of encouragement, many written by third graders and younger. One seventh-grader even made 32 3D-printed ear savers for Combs to take with her – the clips are used to help prevent behind-the-ear damage caused by the constant chafing of elastic straps that hold medical face masks in place. American Airlines waived the baggage fees. Meanwhile, the donation efforts in Xenia will continue.
Closed Brooklyn dry cleaners making and giving away face masks
La Dry Cleaners in Brooklyn, New York closed about a month ago, one of countless businesses waiting out the COVID-19 pandemic. But as WABC New York reports, owners Lily La and Tony Trinh are still working. Now they’re making face masks, which they’re giving away for free to anyone who needs one. This, despite the fact their business closure means they’re only eating one meal a day and they have no idea how they’re going to pay their rent. Which begs the question: why don’t they sell the masks they’re making? Says Lily La, “That’s one way for us to say thanks America. We came here with bare hands, we raised our three kids, go to college. This is one way for us to say thanks.” So far, La and Trinh have made over 2,000 masks.
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