April 3 coronavirus news

By Joshua Berlinger, Ben Westcott, Adam Renton, Rob Picheta, Meg Wagner and Mike Hayes, CNN

Updated 8:02 a.m. ET, April 4, 2020
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9:30 p.m. ET, April 3, 2020

Our live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic has moved here.

8:32 p.m. ET, April 3, 2020

New York City reports more than 6,500 new coronavirus cases

From CNN's Laura Ly

New York City is currently reporting 56,289 coronavirus cases and 1,867 deaths, according to the city’s website.

Friday’s new totals mark an increase of 6,582 cases and 305 deaths since Thursday.

8:17 p.m. ET, April 3, 2020

FEMA says it has obligated $1.1 billion in federal support to New York

From CNN’s Leyla Santiago

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said in a statement Friday that they have obligated $1.1 billion in federal support to New York state.

"Total medical supplies and equipment provided to New York include 1,096,922 N95 respirators, 1,836,891 surgical masks, 365,295 face shields, 219,811 surgical gowns, 8,059 coveralls, 1,435,129 gloves and 4,400 ventilators," FEMA said in a statement.

New York has 102,987 confirmed coronavirus cases and 2,935 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

8:06 p.m. ET, April 3, 2020

Fact check: Trump claims states without stay-at-home orders are "not in jeopardy"

From CNN's Tara Subramaniam

Alex Brandon/AP
Alex Brandon/AP

Despite recent support from members of his coronavirus task force for a nationwide stay-at-home order, President Trump said Friday he'd "leave it up to the governors."

As justification for this decision, Trump claimed the states currently without stay-at-home orders are "not in jeopardy."

Facts First: It's not true that the eight states without stay-at-home orders at the time of the President's remarks are "not in jeopardy" or at risk from the coronavirus. Though they are not current "hot spots of the virus," all of them are dealing with at least 100 reported cases and 1/4 of them have over 1,000 cases.

Missouri, South Carolina, Utah, Iowa, Arkansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota and Wyoming did not have statewide stay-at-home orders in place as of Friday evening.

Although South Dakota, North Dakota and Wyoming are among the five states with the least amount of cases in the US, South Carolina and Utah have 1,554 and 1,095 cases respectively. 

Missouri’s stay-at-home order goes into effect Monday. The state had at least 1,864 cases before Gov. Mike Parson issued the order Friday evening.

8:03 p.m. ET, April 3, 2020

Navy hospital ship will no longer require a negative Covid-19 test for patients who board

From CNN's Mark Morales       

Kena Betancur/Getty Images
Kena Betancur/Getty Images

The USNS Comfort, a hospital ship docked in New York City, will now take patients aboard that are not showing symptoms of Covid-19, according to a Federal Emergency Management Agency fact sheet on the ship.

Previously, patients had to have a negative test from their discharging hospital before being admitted on to the ship.

The change in procedure was done in an effort to bring more patients aboard the USNS Comfort. 

Patients who are brought aboard the ship without symptoms of Covid-19 will be isolated and tested upon arrival. Any patient that tests positive for coronavirus will be transferred to a hospital that is treating Covid-19 patients, according to the FEMA fact sheet.

The USNS Comfort will also begin taking patients from the Javits Federal Medical Center so the Javits location can being treating Covid-19 patients.

 

8:04 p.m. ET, April 3, 2020

Fact check: Trump, Pence stumble over clinical details while touting coronavirus treatments

From CNN's Marshall Cohen

Alex Brandon/AP
Alex Brandon/AP

President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence both stumbled over medical details, and spread inaccurate information, while touting new coronavirus tests and potential treatments.

Trump mentioned anti-malaria drugs that are being tested as potential treatments, saying that the clinical trials are “having some good results,” even though public health officials say the results are months away.

Moments later, Vice President Mike Pence said the Food and Drug Administration had “approved” a new method to test the coronavirus, even though the FDA only granted emergency authorization for the test, which requires a much lower standard.

Facts First: Both comments overstate the medical realities a bit. For Trump, he has repeatedly touted and expressed unbridled optimism about the drugs, even without conclusive scientific data to back up his claims. For Pence, he oversold the FDA’s confidence in the new Covid-19 test.   

In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly touted two pharmaceuticals, chloroquine and the chemically similar hydroxychloroquine, as potential “game-changers” that could end the pandemic and save lives.

This is the continuation of a glaring messaging gap within the administration. Trump has breathlessly promoted the drugs while the public health officials are cautiously waiting for scientific evidence, and tamping down expectations, by saying that the information out there already is only anecdotal and not proven on a large-scale.

Later in the press conference, Pence brought up the new blood test for coronavirus antibodies. “And the big news, of course, over the last few days was that the FDA, once again, in near record time, has approved an antibody test developed by Cellex,” Pence said.

This isn’t quite accurate. The FDA uses very specific terminology about medical drugs, tests and equipment, and the FDA would likely disagree with the notion that it “approved” the test. These terms are important, as medical professionals need clarity to be sure their use of these items is safe for every patient.

What really happened was that the FDA granted “emergency use authorization” for the tests. This essentially means that the FDA will let health care providers use the tests during this crisis, even though it hasn’t gone through all the steps that medicines and medical tests usually go through before receiving a full “approval."

7:18 p.m. ET, April 3, 2020

Trump won't assure that New York will have enough ventilators

From CNN's Maegan Vazquez 

President Trump said Friday that he could not assure the state of New York will have enough ventilators to deal with coronavirus patients, after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state is days away from running out of the lifesaving machines.

Asked during a White House press briefing whether he could assure that the state would have enough ventilators, Trump said, “No, they should have had more ventilators at the time.”

“They should have had more ventilators. They were totally underserviced. We are trying to do — we are doing our best for New York,” Trump continued.

Trump added that the White House thinks Cuomo is “well served with ventilators. We’re going to find out, but we have other states to take care of.”

“I wish they did the original orders (for ventilators) three years ago. They would have had all the ventilators they needed,” Trump continued, before adding, “Although, even then they wouldn’t.”

Some context: On Monday, Trump told reporters that he thinks every American who may need a ventilator in the next few weeks will have access to one.

“I do think so, yes,” Trump told a reporter in the White House Rose Garden. “I think we’re going to be in very good shape.” 

7:15 p.m. ET, April 3, 2020

Maine governor issues order mandating that all travelers entering the state must quarantine

Maine Gov. Janet Mills issued an executive order today mandating that travelers coming into Maine, regardless of their state of residency, self-quarantine for 14 days to mitigate the spread of Covid-19, according to a release from the governor’s office.

“To slow the spread of this deadly virus and prevent our health care system from being overwhelmed, we must all do our part,” Mills said in the release. “I am mandating that anyone entering Maine self-quarantine for 14 days and abide by Maine’s Stay Healthy at Home Order. These actions will protect the health and safety of everyone.”
7:19 p.m. ET, April 3, 2020

United States Tennis Association says people should not be playing tennis right now

From CNN's Jill Martin

A locked gate and sign warns residents that the tennis courts are closed due to coronavirus health and safety measures in Bluemont Park, Arlington, Virginia, on March 25.
A locked gate and sign warns residents that the tennis courts are closed due to coronavirus health and safety measures in Bluemont Park, Arlington, Virginia, on March 25. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) said it believes that when it comes to playing tennis, "it is in the best interest of society to take a collective pause from playing the sport we love."

"Medical advisors believe there is the possibility that the virus responsible for COVID-19 could be transmitted through common sharing and handling of tennis balls, gate handles, benches, net posts and even court surfaces," the USTA statement said Friday.