VIEW BREAKING NEWS ON CORONAVIRUS

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY

> White House, governors at odds over who can reopen the economy  

> #FireFauci? GOP worries he could be doing more harm than good 

> Health or wealth? Washington debates when to get back to normal 

> China sees another spike in cases 

> Miami Mayor Francis Suarez worries about rise in suicides and domestic violence

Trump claims he, not governors, has authority on opening state economies. President Trump on Monday said he, not state governors, has the ultimate authority to loosen restrictions on states as the coronavirus outbreak eases, an assertion disputed by legal experts. This debate will continue in the weeks and months ahead.

 

 

 

George Stephanopoulos tests positive for coronavirus. ABC News host George Stephanopoulos on Monday said that he’s tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Stephanopoulos, who hosts “Good Morning America” and “This Week,” announced his diagnosis on ABC about two weeks after his wife, Ali Wentworth, tested positive for the virus. (The Hill)

THE INTERVIEW

Miami Mayor Francis X. Suarez, coronavirus survivor, worries about spikes in domestic violence and suicide

 

 

 

 

“I worry about suicides, first, and the second is domestic violence. You know, our domestic violence incidents are way down, and that actually worries me because I don’t think that people are being nicer. I think what’s happening is that people feel afraid in this particular predicament where they’re stuck at home from calling the police, or calling 911. And so those are the two things that as citizens, I would urge you to try to get involved either in helping someone.  Being a presence in someone’s life or making sure that if there’s any sort of domestic violence happening in your community, then call the police and urge people to come forward.”

 

Watch the full interview here.

THE HILL’S CORONAVIRUS REPORT

Welcome to The Hill’s Coronavirus Report. It’s Monday, April 13.

 

The United States now has more than three times the number of COVID-19 cases as the next leading nation, Spain. There are more than 560,000 U.S. cases in a nation where testing remains elusive and hard to access. That number doesn’t include the asymptomatic transmission of the disease that we must get under control. Mark Dybul, the AIDS czar under former President George W. Bush, said in an interview with me last week that the testing deficit in America requires us to make other statistical estimates, and his view was that there were probably 4 million to 5 million COVID-19 cases in the U.S. today. 

 

That is why there is so much frustration with the dysfunction and politics in the White House that delayed action plans to both mitigate the spread of the virus and to use the days after travel from China was suspended to stockpile personal protective equipment and ventilators and to plan for hospital bed expansion. After explosive, in-depth reporting by The New York Times, it’s worth noting there are a number of key leaders who tried hard to move the needle faster on protecting Americans. But as thousands of Americans die, we need to ask whether there were steps that could have prevented this crisis. That is how we learn from one natural disaster or storm to the next, or as in the case, from one pandemic to the next.

 

I had a quick conversation with my colleague The Hill’s Reid Wilson and he shared some sobering but guardedly optimistic notes on the country. Reid said most states are past their peaks. That’s the good news. California recorded 902 new cases on Sunday, the first time since March 29 that the number of new cases dipped below 1,000. Illinois had its worst day of the outbreak on Sunday, reporting 1,672 new cases. The state had 1,000+ cases six days in a row. Indiana had its worst day on Friday, with 556 new cases and 54 deaths. Numbers eased Saturday and Sunday, but not very much. Massachusetts had its worst day so far Sunday, reporting 2,615 new cases. The Bay State crossed 25,000 cases, and 756 have died and added more than 2,000 cases in three of the past four days. Michigan‘s numbers are down, just 641 cases Sunday, but will probably pass 25,000 today. Minnesota had its worst day, adding 194 cases on Sunday. Nebraska also had its worst day, adding 91 cases, up to 820. New Jersey has crossed 61,000 cases and added at least 2,000 cases for the past 16 days, at least 3,000 for the past dozen days. New York has had at least 700 deaths for six days in a row. It’s under 10,000 new cases a day for the past two days, happily. 

 

Your Coronavirus Report team includes Steve Clemons, editor-at-large of The Hill, and researcher Andrew Wargofchik. Follow us on Twitter at @SCClemons and @a_wargofchik. CLICK HERE to subscribe to The Hill’s Coronavirus Special Report. To stay up-to-date on all things coronavirus, visit TheHill.com and SUBSCRIBE to our Overnight Healthcare newsletter for the latest developments from the daily White House coronavirus task force briefings. 

In coming weeks, we will share with you our new 3D journalism platform, The Hill Virtually Live, to take stock of what is happening around the nation — for instance, empathy and building resilience across generations, acts of heroism, the way learning and credentialing are being reinvented, and how health delivery is going even more digital. Follow @TheHillEvents to stay up to date on our upcoming virtual programs.

WASHINGTON WATCH

 

Trump to #FireFauci? President Trump finds himself in hot water this morning after retweeting a message from a former GOP congressional candidate that closed with #FireFauci. With Anthony Fauci now saying more lives could have been saved if the president listened to earlier warnings about COVID-19, Trump and his allies now wonder if Fauci is doing more harm than good. Trump will certainly be asked about Fauci’s job security at today’s briefing. (The Hill) 

 

Trump lashes out over reports of failure to take early coronavirus actions. President Trump lashed out at The New York Times over a story it published over the weekend that reported Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar repeatedly warned the president of the possibility of a coronavirus outbreak weeks before his administration began to crack down in response to the threat. (The Hill)

 

Health or wealth? Balancing a public health emergency with a collapsing economy. Public health experts are debating the question of when to reopen portions of the U.S. economy, shuttered because of the coronavirus pandemic, with several Trump administration officials cautioning that a target date of May 1 — floated by Trump, among others — may not be realistic. Other experts are advocating for a “rolling reentry” into normal life based on conditions in different regions. (Washington Post) 

Pelosi, Schumer urge GOP to “stop posturing.” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) told their Republican colleagues to “stop posturing” and come to the negotiating table for an “interim” coronavirus relief bill. (The Hill)

LAWMAKERS TWEET

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) 

@MarcoRubio #FireFauci? For what? 3 things true 1.Govt of #China did & continues to mislead own people & world 2. Most nations & govts at various levels in U.S. including Fed Govt reacted slow because didn’t want to harm economy or be alarmists 3. Can’t change past but can avoid repeating it

 

Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) 

@RepMarciaFudge This @OHdeptofHealth video is a simple yet powerful reminder of the importance of social distancing. #InThisTogether #StayAtHome (Ohio Department of Health) 

 

Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) 

@RepAlGreen Make America great again. #KeepFauci #FireTrump

ACROSS THE NATION

Roosevelt sailor with coronavirus dies. A sailor from the USS Theodore Roosevelt was declared dead Monday after being taken to an intensive care unit last week, the Navy said in a statement. The sailor tested positive for the coronavirus March 30 and was in the middle of a 14-day isolation period on Naval Base Guam when he was found unresponsive during a daily medical check Thursday. (The Hill) 

 

Andrew Cuomo calls for a “fair” federal stimulus bill. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) criticized the federal government’s response to the pandemic at a press conference this weekend. Citing a report from The Hill, Cuomo raised concern that New York, the country’s hardest hit state, is receiving $12,000 per COVID-19 case while states like Minnesota, Nebraska and Montana are getting more than $300,000 per case.

 

 

 

 

Georgia urged to suspend Jim Crow-era mask law. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) is being urged to suspend a law against wearing masks in public that was initially passed to crack down on the Ku Klux Klan to allow Georgians to protect themselves against the coronavirus. State Sen. Nikema Williams (D) warned that racial profiling among black Georgians would be exacerbated without a suspension of the law. (The Hill)

 

Arkansas governor defends no stay-at-home statewide order as ‘successful.’ Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) defended his decision to hold off on issuing a statewide stay-at-home order, arguing that the state’s “targeted approach” has been effective but adding further measures are still an option going forward. One of the few governors who has held off on issuing a statewide stay-at-home order, Hutchinson added that a lockdown remains “on the table.” (The Hill)

 

“Universally loved” NY Post sports photographer dies of coronavirus. Award-winning New York Post photographer Anthony Causi died Sunday from the novel coronavirus at age 48, prompting an outpouring of condolences from figures across the sports media world. (The Hill)

WORLD VIEW

China records most new cases in six weeks. China on Monday reported its highest number of new coronavirus cases since early March, most of them involving people returning from other countries. The uptick heightened fears of a second wave and led to new constraints on travel. (Washington Post)  

 

With Euroscepticism on the rise, EU strikes deal to help hardest hit countries. The European Union announced a deal late Thursday that would send hundreds of millions of euros to the hardest hit countries. Much like the eurozone crisis of a decade ago, the union’s fractured response to the pandemic has given rise to Europe’s nationalist voices and cast doubt on the future stability of the organization. (Washington Post) 

Italy is flattening the curve, new numbers are “trustworthy.” With only 431 newly reported coronavirus deaths on Sunday — the lowest increase in fatalities in two weeks — Italy appears to be making ground in its battle against the virus. A member of an Italian science committee advising the government said the downward trend in new cases is “now trustworthy.” (New York Times)

SCIENCE

Small chloroquine study stopped as some patients die. A small Brazilian study on the effects of the anti-malaria drug chloroquine, which is similar to the drug that Trump has touted as a possible “game changer” in treating the coronavirus, was abruptly halted because some patients taking high doses have developed irregular heart rates generating “safety hazards.” (The Hill)

Experts see worrisome link between coronavirus, pollution. Advocates and Democratic lawmakers are raising concerns over new research that suggests air pollution, water access and other environmental conditions are exacerbating the effects of the coronavirus on low-income and minority communities. (The Hill)

BUSINESS

Up to $60 million in relief checks to be deposited by Wednesday. According to a Department of Treasury official, many Americans will see their much awaited federal stimulus checks hit their bank account this week via direct deposit. (Fox Business)

 

ISSUES, CAUSES, PASSION

The next stimulus packages should help seniors. Everyone needs the federal government’s assistance during this crisis — from the unemployed to struggling businesses. But any new relief package must include desperately needed help for older citizens who contribute so much to the economy and to our quality of life. (Max Richtman for The Hill) 

 

Could the coronavirus reelect Trump? The path of the coronavirus pandemic is incomplete and highly uncertain. We don’t know what will happen when the current restrictions are loosened. We don’t know how quickly the economy will respond. New outbreaks could occur unpredictably. New treatments could work or fail. At this time neither Trump nor former Vice President Joe Biden have much control over the election. (Keith Naughton for The Hill)

GENEROUS SPIRITS

North Carolina bride-to-be spends would-be wedding day making masks. JoAnna Lyne, whose wedding day was postponed due to the pandemic, spent her would-be wedding day turning decoration supplies into masks for health care workers in her community. (Fox News) 

 

Andrea Bocelli’s moving Easter performance reaches millions, with no audience. Andrea Bocelli’s voice rose on Easter Sunday from an empty Piazza del Duomo in Milan and carried around the world. The live-streamed solo performance drew more than 22 million viewers online. (Washington Post) 

ICYMI, STEVE’S INTERVIEWS, 15 MINUTES EACH

> Steve interviews former AIDS czar MARK DYBUL

> Steve interviews former GSK Global Vaccines President LUC DEBRUYNE

> Steve interviews former Baltimore Health Commissioner LEANA WEN

> Steve interviews former Trump homeland security adviser TOM BOSSERT

> Steve interviews International Rescue Committee CEO DAVID MILIBAND

Watch all Coronavirus Report interviews here.

YOUR WORLD, YOUR STORIES

 

SEND US YOUR OWN PICS – from your own walks or adventures – during this time of physical distancing but social connection. And SEND US YOUR STORIES of how teleworking is going, what you have learned from homeschooling, new ways to exercise, and special moments or standout heroism you want to share. What’s working for you? What’s comic in these dark days? 

 

Send to YourStories@TheHill.com. Our thoughts are with you, our readers, and we hope and trust that no matter the weight of burdens on you now — and it’s not a good story for everyone we know — that we all stand together, resilient and confident, on the other side of this. There will be another side.

CLICK HERE to subscribe to The Hill’s Coronavirus Special Report. To stay up-to-date on all things coronavirus, visit TheHill.com and SUBSCRIBE to our Overnight Healthcare newsletter for the latest developments from the daily White House coronavirus task force briefings.

 

VIEW ALL – CORONAVIRUS REPORT ARCHIVE