Welcome to The Hill’s daily roundup of coronavirus news.
There are more than 266,600 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the U.S., including nearly 7,000 deaths. New York recorded its largest single-day death toll from the coronavirus, with 562 deaths in the past 24 hours. The state continues to be the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. with nearly 103,000 confirmed cases, including 2,900 deaths.
Today, President Trump said the administration would recommend that Americans wear masks or face coverings in public, but stressed that the guidance would be voluntary.
In Congress, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said that there would be a fourth coronavirus bill. And the March jobs report showed the economy losing 701,000 jobs.
Here’s what you need to know for today.
- Trump said his administration would recommend that people wear homemade masks or face coverings, but stressed that the guidance would be “voluntary.” “You can do it. You don’t have to do it. I’m choosing not to do it,” he said. Jessie Hellmann has more here.
- The administration will also reimburse hospitals for treating uninsured patients for the coronavirus. Morgan Chalfant has more no that here.
- New York is getting more desperate for ventilators and personal protective equipment for health workers. Gov. Andrew Cuomo (R) said the state still doesn’t have enough of those supplies, and signed an executive order directing the National Guard to collect excess ventilators and personal protective equipment from areas of the state not yet hit by COVID-19 and redistribute them to other parts of the state. Read more here.
- The Trump administration quietly changed an online description of the country’s Strategic National Stockpile following a press briefing with White House adviser Jared Kushner. The new, one-paragraph description says the stockpile is meant as a “short-term stopgap.” Read more from Nathaniel Weixel here.
- The Small Business Association opened applications for its key assistance program from the last coronavirus response bill on Friday, but the launch of the $349 billion program was plagued by confusion on the first day. Sylvan Lane and Alex Gangitano report.
- Rural areas are bracing for the coronavirus, which could be made worse there by small and underfunded hospitals. Reid Wilson reports.
- Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert and member of the Trump administration’s coronavirus task force, said all states should have stay-at-home orders in place to stem the spread of the coronavirus. J. Edward Moreno has more here.
- A warning for young people: The World Health Organization said that “more and more younger individuals” are experiencing severe illness from coronavirus. Read more here.
- Any person “in close proximity” to President Trump or Vice President Pence will be tested for the novel coronavirus starting Friday, the White House said. Brett Samuels has more here.
- The U.S. lost 701,000 jobs in March as the growing coronavirus pandemic devastated the American economy and ended more than a decade of uninterrupted employment growth, according to data released Friday by the Labor Department. Sylvan has the story here.
From Congress:
- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Friday that there will be a fourth coronavirus bill and that health care should be a top priority as lawmakers draft the legislation. Jordain Carney has more on that here.
- Jordain also has a story on what members of Congress are hoping to include in the next bill. Read more no that here.
- Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) on Friday released a letter with Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) calling on President Trump to comply with the oversight requirements Congress attached to the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package signed into law last week. Alex Bolton has more here.