May 12 coronavirus news

By Jessie Yeung and Adam Renton, CNN

Updated 9:17 p.m. ET, May 12, 2020
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1:18 a.m. ET, May 12, 2020

Marriott says its business in China is rebounding

From CNN's Michelle Toh in Hong Kong

A woman walking past a Marriott property in Hangzhou, China in 2018.
A woman walking past a Marriott property in Hangzhou, China in 2018. -/AFP via Getty Images

Marriott's profits were slammed in the first quarter of this year, plunging about 92%.

The world's biggest hotel chain on Monday reported net income of just $31 million from January to March compared to $375 million in the same period last year.

Revenue per available room, an important industry metric that assesses a hotel's ability to fill its rooms, fell 22.5% throughout the quarter and as much as 90% in April "as the pandemic moved around the world," the company said.

About a quarter of Marriott's hotels worldwide are currently closed, mostly in Europe and the United States.

But there was a "glimmer of good news," said Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson.

He told investors in a call that demand appears to be picking up, especially in Greater China, where bookings are coming in mostly from domestic travelers.

Occupancy levels there have reached "just over 30%, up from the lows of under 10% in mid-February," Sorenson said.

"In terms of hotel closings/openings, April seems to have defined the bottom," the CEO added.

"Most days, we're seeing one or two or three more hotels reopen than we are seeing hotels closed.

"And if anything, as we see demand start to crawl back, as restrictions are released, I think the trend line now is towards more openings, not towards more closings."

Marriott (MAR) shares are down almost 46% this year. The company’s stock fell 5.6% on Monday after earnings.

12:57 a.m. ET, May 12, 2020

India coronavirus cases surpass 70,000

From CNN's Manveena Suri in New Delhi

A total of 70,756 coronavirus cases have now been reported in India, health officials said today -- an increase of more than 3,000 infections since yesterday.

The death toll stands at 2,293. So far, 22,454 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospital, according to the country's health ministry.

India remains under a strict nationwide lockdown that has seen state borders shut and transport halted. However, restrictions are slowly being eased in some low-risk areas with few cases.

Indian Railways has resumed some services after being shut down for more than a month, carrying thousands of stranded migrant workers back to their home states.

12:38 a.m. ET, May 12, 2020

DNC committee to vote on convention changes that could allow for virtual voting if necessary

From CNN's Adam Levy and Kate Sullivan

The Democratic National Committee's rules committee will vote on Tuesday to give the party's convention committee the authority to limit the scope of the national convention if necessary due to the coronavirus outbreak.

If approved by the Rules and Bylaws Committee and the full DNC membership, it could potentially change how the August convention is conducted and allow for virtual voting.

The Washington Post first reported the development.

Democrats originally planned to hold their Milwaukee convention in July, but pushed the date back to the week of August 17 because of the coronavirus. If the language of this resolution is accepted, DNC members will have to approve the change by a majority vote of its roughly 450 members, which will most likely be conducted by mail.

"During this critical time, when the scope and scale of the pandemic and its impact in August remain unknown, convention planners are exploring a range of contingency options to ensure all delegates will be able to cast ballots and accomplish their business, regardless of their ability to travel and participate in person," a DNC official said in a summary of the changes.

Read the full story:

12:22 a.m. ET, May 12, 2020

All but two US states will be partially reopened by the end of the week

From CNN’s Jennifer Henderson

A cyclist wears a mask as he bikes in Liberty State Park, on May 11, in Jersey City, New Jersey.
A cyclist wears a mask as he bikes in Liberty State Park, on May 11, in Jersey City, New Jersey. Mark Lennihan/AP

At least 48 US states will be partially reopened by the end of this week, according to CNN's tally.

The degree and speed of reopening varies state to state. In Idaho, for instance, 90% of businesses can reopen, with new guidelines in place for day camps and places of worship.

In New York state, the hardest-hit nationwide, most things remain closed -- but on Friday, certain low-risk businesses like landscaping and gardening will be allowed to resume.

The last two states, Massachusetts and Connecticut, have indicated they will start partial reopening plans next week, though dates are still subject to change.

Read more about where all 50 states stand on reopening:

12:01 a.m. ET, May 12, 2020

US reports more than 17,500 new cases

At least 17,597 new coronavirus cases and 1,154 deaths were recorded in the United States on Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The US has now recorded at least 1,347,388 Covid-19 infections and 80,682 related deaths, according to JHU.  

The totals includes cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases.

New York is the hardest-hit state, with at least 337,055 confirmed cases and 26,988 deaths -- or around 139 deaths per 100,000 residents.

Follow CNN's live tracker of US cases here:

11:46 p.m. ET, May 11, 2020

At least 101 coronavirus cases linked to South Korea nightclub cluster

From CNN's Jake Kwon in Seoul

A couple wearing face masks walk past a closed night club in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon in Seoul on May 10.
A couple wearing face masks walk past a closed night club in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon in Seoul on May 10. Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images

A total of 101 coronavirus cases have been linked to a nightclub cluster in South Korea, Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said today.

The cluster emerged in the capital's Itaewon entertainment district over the past few days, raising fears of a second wave of infections.

So far 7,272 people in Seoul have been tested in relation to the nightclub cluster, Park said.

"More than 36% of cases are asymptomatic and the rate of spread is very high," he said, warning that there had been multiple cases of secondary infection.

An estimated 10,905 people were in the vicinity of Itaewon clubs last week, according to phone signal tower records. The city sent a text message to all the numbers identified and asked them to be tested. The number of people getting tested doubled after officials began offering anonymous testing, Park said.

The city also secured a list of nearly 500 people who were in the affected area through credit card records, and asked them to be tested and to self-quarantine.

Seoul is now conducting random checks of clubs, and entertainment venues to enforce a closure order, Park said.

Second wave: South Korea has been heralded internationally as an example of a country that got its coronavirus response right, largely containing the outbreak through aggressive testing, quarantining, and contact tracing measures.

But the World Health Organization warned yesterday that countries lifting restrictions, including South Korea, saw an uptick in new cases over the weekend.

11:34 p.m. ET, May 11, 2020

In photos: Countries around the world are slowly reopening

Nearly five months after the novel coronavirus first emerged in China, countries around the world are slowly starting to ease restrictions and lift lockdowns, moving from containment and mitigation to recovery.

Residents in Wuhan, China, wear face masks while riding their bikes on May 11.
Residents in Wuhan, China, wear face masks while riding their bikes on May 11. Credit: Getty Images

In Wuhan, the capital of China's Hubei province at ground zero for the global pandemic, daily life has cautiously resumed. People who have been cleared with good health are now allowed to travel and work, while city and provincial borders have reopened.

But as restrictions eases, fears of a second wave remain. Five new local transmissions were reported in Wuhan yesterday, a day after the city reported its first new case in more than a month.

Customers at a bar in Benidorm, Spain, on May 11.
Customers at a bar in Benidorm, Spain, on May 11. Credit: David Ramos/Getty Images

Some parts of Spain are entering "Phase 1" of lifting restrictions, which allows many shops to reopen, and restaurants that have outdoor seating and service.

In these areas of the country, like the Costa Blanca holiday spot Benidorm, people flocked to bars and outdoor areas to celebrate the lifting of lockdown on Monday. Other harder-hit cities like Madrid and Barcelona remain in the stricter "Phase Zero" quarantine.

People share a drink on the banks of the river Seine in Paris on Monday, on the first day of France's easing of lockdown measures.
People share a drink on the banks of the river Seine in Paris on Monday, on the first day of France's easing of lockdown measures. Credit: Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images

France eased lockdown measures on Monday for the first time in more than 50 days. In Paris, traffic returned to the Champs Elysees, shops reopened, and people strolled the streets -- marking a return to some aspects of normal life.

The banks of the River Seine were full of people sharing drinks and gathering with friends on Monday, eager to be back out after weeks spent cooped up.

Tourists at Shanghai Disneyland on May 11.
Tourists at Shanghai Disneyland on May 11. Credit: Hu Chengwei/Getty Images

And in Shanghai, the city's Disneyland finally reopened this week after being closed for months -- but with new rules, like markers on the floor to show visitors how to conduct social distancing. Hand sanitizers are everywhere, and there is a cap on the number of daily visitors.

11:19 p.m. ET, May 11, 2020

Twitter says it will label misleading coronavirus tweets -- even if they're from Trump

From CNN's Donie O'Sullivan

Twitter said Monday it plans to put labels and warning messages on some tweets that contain disputed or misleading information related to Covid-19, even if it's tweeted by US President Donald Trump.

Twitter announced in March that it would remove Covid-19 tweets that could cause a "direct risk to people's health or well-being." 

Starting Monday, it will use labels and warning messages "to provide additional explanations or clarifications in situations where the risks of harm associated with a Tweet are less severe but where people may still be confused or misled by the content."

Trump, possibly Twitter's most prolific user, will also be subject to the rules, according to Yoel Roth, Twitter's head of site integrity.

"These labels will apply to anyone sharing misleading information that meets the requirements of our policy, including world leaders," Roth wrote in a tweet Monday in response to a question about how the policy would apply to Trump and other elected officials.

Read the full story:

11:00 p.m. ET, May 11, 2020

It's just past 8 p.m. in Los Angeles and 6 a.m. in Istanbul. Here's the latest on the pandemic

The novel coronavirus has infected more than 4.1 million people and killed at least 285,000 worldwide. If you're just joining us, here are the top headlines:

  • Funding boost for US testing: The US federal government is sending $11 billion to states to expand coronavirus testing capabilities, President Donald Trump and his administration announced on Monday.
  • New surge in cases: There was a spike in infections over the weekend in some countries that lifted restrictions, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday.
  • Curfew in Turkey: The country will implement a four-day curfew that combines the weekend with a public holiday from May 16-19 as a part of pandemic measures, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech on Monday. 
  • Recovery plans: The UK unveiled a three-step coronavirus recovery plan on Monday. The first step -- which allows people to leave their house for outdoor recreation and leisure as well as meeting with people from other households -- will begin on Wednesday.
  • Countries reopening: France began reopening on Monday after almost two months of strict lockdown. Shops reopened and primary school students returned to school, with classes limited to 15 students.
  • Masks required: Face masks are now compulsory on the Paris metro system and commuters will need certificates from their employers to explain why they are traveling during rush hour. If commuters do not follow these guidelines, they risk being fined.