April 6 coronavirus news

By Helen Regan, Jessie Yeung, Adam Renton, Amy Woodyatt and Meg Wagner, CNN

Updated 9:18 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020
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3:37 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is in intensive care

From CNN's Hilary McGann

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a press conference at 10 Downing Street in London on March 20.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a press conference at 10 Downing Street in London on March 20. Julian Simmonds/WPA Pool/Getty Images

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is in intensive care at St Thomas’ Hospital, in London, 10 Downing Street said.

"Over the course of this afternoon, the condition of the Prime Minister has worsened and, on the advice of his medical team, he has been moved to the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital," a spokesperson said in a statement.

Johnson was admitted to the London hospital last night with persistent symptoms of coronavirus, 10 days after first being diagnosed.

Watch more:

3:08 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

Milwaukee mayor says he supports delaying Wisconsin primary

From CNN's Elise Hammond

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers just ordered a suspension of his state's primary election just one day before it was scheduled to take place.

Evers issued an executive order delaying tomorrow's primary until June 9, unless he and the legislature approve of a different date. He said in the order that "no Wisconsinite should ever have to choose between exercising their constitutional right to vote and being safe, secure, and healthy."

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said he was proud of the governor and agrees that going forward with the election would put many people at risk.

"I can't ask people to go in-person vote if I think they're putting their lives on the line. I can't do that," Barrett told CNN's Anderson Cooper.

The delay will be challenged: Some Republican state legislative leaders say they will ask the state Supreme Court to block the order. In a joint statement, state Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, both Republicans, said they were challenging Evers' executive order in the Wisconsin Supreme Court and that local clerks should "stand ready to proceed with the election."

If courts allow Evers to delay the primary, his move could avert the need for the Wisconsin National Guard to man polling places Tuesday as poll workers quit due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Wisconsin had been the only one of 11 states with April primaries that was moving forward with in-person voting, after the other 10 either delayed their primaries or shifted to by-mail only voting.

2:52 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

Kroger will limit the number of shoppers allowed in a store at one time

From CNN's Konstantin Toropin

 A ine forms in a Kroger store tin Bloomington, Indiana on March 16.
A ine forms in a Kroger store tin Bloomington, Indiana on March 16. Jeremy Hogan/Echoes Wire/Barcroft Media/Getty Images/FILE

National grocery store chain Kroger says it will only allow 50% of each store's capacity in to shop at one time, according to a statement released by the company today.

Starting tomorrow, stores will "limit the number of customers to 50% of the international building code's calculated capacity."

"During this national pandemic, we are committed to adopting preventive measures to help protect the safety and health of our associates, customers and communities," said Mary Ellen Adcock, Kroger's senior vice president of operations, in the statement. 

The statement said the chain has also started to test one-way aisles in some stores to see if it is an effective way to further help with physical distancing.

The company operates 2,758 grocery retail stores across the country under a variety of brand names, according to its website.

2:45 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

New Jersey is now reporting more than 1,000 deaths from Covid-19

From CNN's Laura Ly

Pool/News 12 New Jersey
Pool/News 12 New Jersey

New Jersey has had 3,663 positive test results and 86 deaths in the last 24 hours, Gov. Phil Murphy said at a press conference today.

Monday’s numbers bring the statewide total to 41,090 cases and 1,003 deaths. 

2:33 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

Peloton cancels all live classes after employee tests positive for coronavirus

From CNN's Brian Vitagliano

Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg/Getty Images/FILE
Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg/Getty Images/FILE

Peloton is canceling all live classes days after confirming an employee tested positive for Covid-19. 

Peloton informed members in an email Monday that it would pause production at both its London and New York studio locations through April 30. The fitness company previously had continued to offer virtual live classes despite New York closing all essential businesses.

This decision was made following news last week that the company confirmed a studio employee in New York had tested positive for Covid-19.

In lieu of live classes, Peloton will offer new, pre-recorded sessions as well as on-demand content.

Peloton sells $2,000-plus indoor fitness bikes. Customers pay $39 a month in subscription fees to participate in live classes.

2:26 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

US Army has paused arrival of new recruits to basic training 

From CNN's Ryan Browne and Michael Conte

The US Army has paused the arrival of new trainees to basic training, the Army’s top general who oversees training announced Monday.

The Army has paused “shipment of trainees to basic combat training,” Gen. Paul Funk, the Commander of the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command said at a Pentagon news conference Monday.

Funk said the pause would be conditions-based but that it will be re-evaluated after two weeks.

He said this is not a pause for the soldiers currently in basic training.

2:53 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

New York official whose mother died from coronavirus: "Trump has blood on his hands"

From CNN's Elise Hammond

Scott Stringer
Scott Stringer CNN

Scott Stringer, the New York City comptroller whose mother died from coronavirus, said he is angry at the federal government's response to the pandemic.

"Donald Trump has blood on his hands and my mom's blood on his hands and he sent us that hospital that's right here in the Manhattan harbor and no one will get on that hospital," Stringer said.

About the ship: The USNS Comfort hospital ship docked in New York City last week. The original plan was for the the ship to treat non-coronavirus patients to ease the strain on area hospitals seeing an influx of infected patients. But today, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he believes the right move is for the ship to utilize its 1000-bed capacity to battle the coronavirus. Trump has said the ship could be used for coronavirus patients if needed.

Stringer said his mother was a strong woman and the only way he was able to get closure was through an outpouring of texts and support from strangers.

"The government is supposed to protect our people and we're supposed to be able to protect our parents and grandparents the way they protected us and we're not able to do that," Stringer said.

Watch his interview with Anderson Cooper here:

2:10 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

At least 81 people on an Australian cruise ship near Uruguay have coronavirus

From CNN's Hamdi Alkhshali

At least 81 passengers and crew aboard an Australian cruise ship off the coast of Uruguay, in South America, have tested positive for coronavirus, the cruise company announced on Monday.

Australian company Aurora Expeditions, said two crew members and one passenger had been taken off the ship to a hospital in the city of Montevideo as “they are considered as a higher risk," the cruise ship owners said in a statement. Those patients were considered to be a higher risk. 

More than 120 other passengers and staff were tested for Covid-19, with 81 passengers testing positive and 45 have been tested negative.

Another 90 test results are expected to be processed over the next 12 to 24 hours. 

2:07 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

Georgia governor says beaches are important for residents "physical and mental health"

From CNN's Natasha Chen 

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp speaks during a news conference in downtown Atlanta on April 1.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp speaks during a news conference in downtown Atlanta on April 1. Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/AP/FILE

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said the state's beaches are an important option for residents to "maintain their physical and mental health." He issued the statement today to reiterate his stance on opening the state's beaches. 

Kemp said state troopers and local law enforcement are working to make sure those visiting the beaches are abiding by the shelter-in-place order. Visitors are not allowed to bring chairs, umbrellas, coolers or other items that encourage group activity.

“During these difficult times, it is vitally important for Georgians to have safe options to maintain their physical and mental health while also abiding by social distancing," Kemp said. 

Kemp said most people followed the rules this weekend and patrols reminded people "to follow social distancing or disperse." 

He issued a shelter-in-place order on April 2, which supersedes all local orders placed previously. 

Following the order, Georgia Department of Natural Resources signed an administrative order Friday on the use of beaches in Georgia.

Georgia's Tybee Island Mayor, Shirley Sessions, announced in a written statement Saturday that she and the Tybee City Council will pursue legal avenues to overturn Kemp's "reckless mandate" to reopen beaches in the state.