Polio is back: Virus detected in London sewage samples, health ...

British health officials are urging the public to ensure polio vaccines are up to date after the virus was discovered during routine London sewage testing.

The last case of polio in the United Kingdom was detected in 1984, making the current outbreak the first transmission in more than 40 years.

The UK Health and Security Agency on Wednesday reported the virus was detected in sewage from North and East London in February and April, suggesting there had been spread between individuals.

So far no cases have been found, the health agency announced in a statement.

The U.K. was declared polio-free in 2003, health officials wrote in the news release.

Officials also said the risk of infection from the disease, which causes paralysis in children in under 1% of cases, was also low because of high vaccination rates.

But the agency is recommending anyone who missed being vaccinated against the virus do so.

"Most of the UK population will be protected from vaccination in childhood, but in some communities with low vaccine coverage, individuals may remain at risk," UK Health and Security Agency Consultant Epidemiologist Vanessa Saliba said in a statement.

Jane Clegg, chief nurse for the National Health Service in London said most people in the city are fully protected against polio and won’t need to take further action but the National Health Service in the city will begin contacting parents of children under five who are not immunized.

Polio fact check: No, the CDC didn't warn of a polio-like disease outbreak coming in 2021

COVID-19 update:FDA panel recommends Moderna COVID vaccine as second option for kids 6 and older

Short for poliomyelitis, polio is a disabling and life-threatening disease spread from person to person mainly through contamination by feces, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is no cure, only a vaccination.

In the early 1950s, the CDC reports, before polio vaccines were available, polio outbreaks caused more than 15,000 cases of paralysis each year.

The United States has been polio-free since 1979, the CDC reports.

Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.

Poliovirus identified in London sewage, says UK health agency - CNN

London (CNN) UK health officials are urging people who may not be up to date on their polio shots to get vaccinated after poliovirus was found during routine surveillance of London sewage samples.

Investigations are underway after several closely related viruses were found in sewage samples from the Beckton Sewage Treatment Works taken between February and May, said the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) in a statement on Wednesday.

"It is normal for 1 to 3 'vaccine-like' polioviruses to be detected each year in UK sewage samples but these have always been one-off findings that were not detected again," the UKHSA said.

"These previous detections occurred when an individual vaccinated overseas with the live oral polio vaccine returned or travelled to the UK and briefly 'shed' traces of the vaccine-like poliovirus in their faeces," it added.

The recent samples raised alarm as the virus "continued to evolve and is now classified as a 'vaccine-derived' poliovirus type 2 (VDPV 2), which on rare occasions can cause serious illness, such as paralysis in people who are not fully vaccinated," the UKHSA said.

Read More

Polio alert: why a national incident has been declared | The Week UK

A national incident has been declared as polio is spreading in the UK for the first time in nearly 40 years.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said that waste from sewage treatment works in Beckton, east London tested positive for the polio virus in February, with further positive samples detected since.

Analysis of UK sewage normally shows up a few polioviruses each year, but the London samples detected since February “raised the alarm” because they are “related to one another and contained mutations that suggested the virus was evolving as it spreads from person to person”, reported The Guardian.

The outbreak is believed to have been triggered by someone returning to the UK after having been vaccinated with a live virus abroad, which then mutated into a type of polio “more like wild polio”, said The Telegraph.

Britain was declared polio-free in 2003, and the “last wild case” of polio was detected in 1984, so this new outbreak is the “first new transmission event since the 1980s”, added the paper.

What is the risk to the public?

Officials believe that the spread is probably between “two closely linked individuals”, most likely “extended family members” who are now shedding the polio virus strain in their faeces, reported Sky News.

Urgent investigations will now try to establish the extent of any community transmission and identify where it might be happening.

However, health experts at the UKHSA have said that this type of vaccine-derived poliovirus is “rare” and the overall risk to the public is “extremely low”.

So far the virus has only been detected in sewage samples and no cases of the disease or related symptoms, such as paralysis, have been reported. Public health officials are urging people to make sure they and their families are up to date with their polio vaccinations to reduce the risk of harm.

“Vaccine-derived poliovirus has the potential to spread, particularly in communities where vaccine uptake is lower,” Dr Vanessa Saliba, a consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA, told the broadcaster.

“On rare occasions it can cause paralysis in people who are not fully vaccinated so if you or your child are not up to date with your polio vaccinations it’s important you contact your GP to catch up or, if unsure, check your red book.”

Fact check: Coronavirus found in March 2019 wastewater sample

The claim: Traces of coronavirus were found in samples of wastewater collected before pandemic

As scientists rush to understand and fight against the novel coronavirus, a new claim suggests it may have been around a year before the pandemic started.

"This week, researchers at the University of Barcelona have published new findings that suggest the virus that causes COVID-19 has been found in sewage samples from March of 2019," a June 28 Facebook post states.

The original article published by Truth Theory, a UK-based website, emphasized the likelihood of this finding by suggesting "people who caught the illness could have been misdiagnosed with the flu" as a bad flu season was a legitimate health concern prior to the pandemic.

USA TODAY is awaiting comment from the author of the original article.

More:Fact check: Doctors study whether COVID-19 could trigger diabetes

Coronavirus likely in wastewater

The University of Barcelona, as cited by the Truth Theory article, did indeed find evidence of the novel coronavirus in wastewater. The study, which comes after many others using wastewater to monitor potential coronavirus outbreaks, tested samples collected months to a year before March 2020. The first positive sample was obtained on Jan. 15, 2020, 41 days before the first official case was declared in Spain on Feb. 25. Other archival samples collected up to March 2019 returned negative; a March 12, 2019, sample returned positive for the novel coronavirus.

“The levels of SARS-CoV-2 were low but were positive,” research leader Albert Bosch was quoted as saying by the university.

The scientific caveats

Spain is not alone in this newest finding: studies out of Italy and Brazil have also suggested coronavirus may have been circulating earlier than thought. But there is reason to be cautious.

Fact check:Could your December cough actually have been coronavirus? Experts say more research is needed

While a positive result could entail a true positive – that novel coronavirus was actually detected – it could also mean contamination of the test sample (which can happen in labs regularly handling positive specimens) or a false positive.

"When it’s just one result, you always want more data, more studies, more samples to confirm it and rule out a laboratory error or a methodological problem," said Dr. Joan Ramon Villalbi of the Spanish Society for Public Health and Sanitary Administration in an interview with Reuters.

It is also important to note that this finding runs contrary to epidemiological data.

"The authors don’t cite reports of a spike in the number of respiratory disease cases in the local population following the date of the sampling," Dr. Clare Crossan, a lecturer in virology at Glasgow Caledonian University, writes in an article for The Conversation.

"Also, we know SARS-CoV-2 to be highly transmissible, at least in its current form. If this result is a true positive, it suggests the virus was present in the population at a high enough incidence to be detected in an 800ml sample of sewage, but then not present at a high enough incidence to be detected for nine months, when no control measures were in place," Crossan further adds.

The University of Barcelona study, as well as those out of Italy and Brazil, is in preprint and awaiting peer review.

Our ruling: More information needed

The claim that novel coronavirus was discovered in wastewater samples predating the pandemic needs more information before it can be fully rated, based on our research. It is true that a sample yielded a positive result in testing for coronavirus. However, a positive finding can result from a variety of scenarios, including contamination from a positive sample or a false positive. Additionally, these findings have not yet been peer-reviewed and no definitive conclusion should be made until more studies are done.

Our fact-check sources:

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.

Our fact check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

Covid-19 cases trend up again in the US, driven by the growth of BA ...

(CNN) Covid-19 case numbers have begun to edge up in the United States, and nearly all of them are caused by the Omicron subvariant BA.2.

According to the latest estimates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, BA.2 caused 86% of new Covid-19 cases nationwide last week.

In some ways, this feels like a familiar place. Cases are going up again. At least one major city is reinstating its mask mandate. Broadway shows have canceled some performances.

But there continue to be reasons for optimism.

Despite BA.2's near-complete takeover from two other circulating Omicron subvariants, BA.1 and BA 1.1, US hospitalizations are at record low levels, and they continue to drop. Deaths also continue to fall.

Even though those numbers tend to lag behind case counts, the US hasn't seen a steep increase in infections. Whether that's likely to happen is still an open question.

Even Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, doesn't know what BA.2 will do. As a nation, transmission has to get down to a level that's "low enough that it doesn't disrupt our population or the economy, our daily economic, workplace and social lives, which means it has to be low enough that it isn't a serious threat to the health of the nation," he says. He doesn't know if we're out of the woods.

"We are certainly seeing the beginning of a surge of new infections," Fauci said. "It depends on how high we go up in the surge, and it depends on whether the surge is associated with an increase in severe disease.

"I can't say where we are right now, because we're transitioning," he said.

Cases rising regionally

Across the nation, Covid-19 cases have ticked up 24% from where they were two weeks ago, and the US is now averaging about 38,000 cases a day. This is a jump from last week, probably because Florida recently reported a two-week backlog. Even so, it's one of the lowest daily rates since July.

State by state, however, the picture is more mixed. Cases are rising in 25 states, falling in 16 and holding steady in nine others.

Cases are rising fastest in the Northeast, the region of the US that has the most BA.2 transmission.

On Monday, Philadelphia became the first major US city to announce a return to indoor mask requirements . Cases have climbed 50% there over the past 10 days, pushing the city over the threshold that triggers the mask mandates.

"I suspect that this wave will be smaller than the one we saw in January," Dr. Cheryl Bettigole, Philadelphia's public health commissioner, said Monday.

"But if we wait to find out and to put our masks back on, we'll have lost our chance to stop the wave."

Several universities, including Johns Hopkins, American, George Washington and Georgetown, have also reinstated indoor masking.

New York City had been reconsidering its mask requirements for preschoolers, but with cases rising in the city, Mayor Eric Adams recently said masks would be continue to be required for the youngest children, who had higher rates of hospitalizations during Omicron than in previous waves.

Beyond case counts, which may be a less reliable pandemic metric because testing numbers have dropped, coronavirus levels in wastewater are telling a largely reassuring story.

Wastewater monitoring is considered a reliable warning of what's on the way. US numbers are trending up slightly but are still at one of the lowest levels seen since July, according to Biobot Analytics, a company that analyzes wastewater samples from across the country.

Different countries, different stories

The situation with BA.2 here appears to be a departure from the one seen in the UK and Europe.

According to the variant-tracking website Covariants.org, the Netherlands was near the peak of its BA.2 wave when the subvariant reached 83% of infections there in the second week of March. Switzerland was also close to its BA.2 peak when the subvariant reached 80% of infections in mid-March. After falling for weeks, cases in the UK had doubled from a low point on February 25 and would soon reach the height of the BA.2 wave when the subvariant was causing 88% of cases there between March 7 and March 21.

The BA.2 experience in the US looks a lot more like what happened in South Africa. In the second and third weeks of February, when BA.2 was responsible for about 88% of transmission there, cases made a slight bump up but then continued to fall over the month of March.

"I've been cautiously optimistic about BA.2 because of the trends that it's not been as exponential a rise in cases, like we saw when Omicron first emerged," said Pavitra Roychoudhury, who studies the spread of infectious diseases at the University of Washington's School of Medicine.

She said the tidal wave of Omicron that hit the US over the winter has left a lot of immunity in its wake. We're also more vaccinated and boosted as a country than we've ever been -- though health officials say we could do a lot better on boosters.

Some are heeding that warning. The pace of vaccination has roughly doubled over the past two weeks as more people seek out second boosters.

An average of about 502,000 vaccine doses have been administered each day over the past week, according to CDC data. That's up from about 219,000 doses a day on March 29, when the CDC and the US Food and Drug Administration authorized a second booster shot for people 50 and older, though the CDC isn't specifically counting second boosters.

"That might be explaining our somewhat more optimistic outlook compared to places like the UK, where there was a significant surge and it was associated with BA.2," Roychoudhury said.

BA.2 in the UK

Overall during the pandemic, health officials have pointed to the UK as a harbinger of things to come in the US, but that kind of extrapolation may be getting harder to do as the populations develop different types and degrees of immunity.

After a wave of cases caused by Omicron's BA.1 subvariant that peaked in January and then fell, the UK saw a second increase in cases and hospitalizations with BA.2. That wave peaked in late March, and since then, cases have been on a steep decline.

Adam Kucharski, an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine who tracks infectious disease outbreaks, believes that the BA.2 wave in the UK was at least partly due to the timing of its booster campaign.

The UK began offering booster shots, or third vaccine doses, in mid-September, just a few days before the US did. But more people got them: In the UK, 68% of people over the age of 12 who are eligible for a booster dose have gotten one; in the US, that number is just 45%, according to the CDC.

Many people in the UK who got a booster in September or October still had high antibody protection when Omicron arrived.

Antibodies are the first line of defense in an infection. They act quickly to contain the spread of a virus through the body. Antibodies are highest in the first few months after vaccination and decline over time. But even after they've dropped off, the body retains its immune memory to vaccines and can gear up quickly to make more if it's infected.

Omicron was identified in late November, when many in the UK were still within the window of highest protection from their booster doses.

"I think we were fortunate that the boosters, in the short term at least, provided quite a lot of protection," Kucharski said.

People who'd had recent boosters had such good immunity that if even if they got infected with BA.1, they might not have known it because their symptoms were so mild. It was likely that they weren't contributing to transmission, Kucharski thinks, so boosters did a good job of holding down Omicron's rampant spread through the UK over the winter.

Fast-forward three months, however, and many people who'd gotten boosters as recommended were six months past their shots. Studies show that antibody levels decline four or five months after the third dose, so their protection against infection was probably much lower just as BA.2 arrived on the scene.

And now, Kucharski says, with BA.2, even the boosted group began getting "mild, mild symptoms or enough to detect that and test positive" and be counted as a case.

As immunity waned, BA.2 crept in

Whether the US will see a fresh wave of cases from BA.2 will depend a lot on two things, Kucharski said: the current level of immunity in the population and our behavior.

About half of those who are eligible for a booster dose in the US have had one, and millions more were infected by Omicron, giving an estimated nearly 95% of Americans some degree of protection against the coronavirus, according to the CDC.

Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team.

But for those who have lost their immunity over time because protection from their original two-dose vaccinations have waned or because they were infected a year or more ago with an older variant, the virus might find a way to spread.

"I think if BA.2 can find susceptibility, that will translate into growth in cases," Kucharski said.

But he stresses that a lot will depend on what Americans do right now.

"I think the question is what happens in the meantime, if actually booster campaigns and other things line up, then that might offset [the subvariant]. But I think based on what we're seeing a lot of countries in Europe, if there's susceptibility, either because people haven't had a booster or they had it a while ago, then that can translate into growing epidemic," he said.

COVID vaccine won't prevent getting pregnant, but catching the virus ...

Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 won't affect a couple's chances of getting pregnant, but contracting the coronavirus could impair male fertility.

Those are the main conclusions of a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, refuting a common myth about the vaccine and sending a warning to men who avoid it.

Researchers at Boston University studied more than 2,000 couples and found no differences in their chances of conception if either partner was vaccinated compared to unvaccinated couples. But the couples' chances of conceiving decreased slightly if the male partner had contracted the virus 60 days or less before the other partner's menstrual cycle, an indication of diminished male fertility.

One possible reason for that, researchers theorized, is the likelihood coronavirus infection would cause a fever, which has been known to reduce sperm count.

Among the males in the study who tested positive more than 60 days before the cycle, conception rates were the same as males who had not been infected. But couples in which the male was infected within that 60-day window were 18% less likely to conceive in that cycle.

“The findings provide reassurance that vaccination for couples seeking pregnancy does not appear to impair fertility,” said Diana Bianchi, M.D., director of NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, which funded the study. “They also provide information for physicians who counsel patients hoping to conceive.”

Misinformation about the impact of COVID vaccines on pregnancy and fertility has been so prevalent that some doctors have proactively dispelled the myth with their patients of reproductive age.

In September 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urgently exhorted those who were pregnant or planning to conceive to get vaccinated , after the pandemic's highest number of COVID deaths among pregnant people was recorded the month before.

"In addition to the risks of severe illness and death for pregnant and recently pregnant people,'' the CDC wrote, "there is an increased risk for adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes, including preterm birth and admission of their neonate(s) to an intensive care unit.''

Also in the news:

►U.S. Representatives Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Raul Grijalva of Arizona said Thursday they have tested positive for COVID-19 for the second time. Massie, a Republican opposed to mask and vaccine mandates, said he's not vaccinated. Grijalva, a Democrat, said he's vaccinated and boosted. Both reported mild symptoms.

►Czech folk singer Hana Horká, 57, has died just days after announcing on Facebook that she deliberately contracted COVID to avoid vaccination and was recovering from the disease.

►All New Jersey health care workers will need to be fully vaccinated and receive booster shots or face termination under an order signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.

►New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said National Guard members and state employees will volunteer as substitute teachers and child care workers to help fill staffing voids created by the pandemic.

►The U.N.-backed organization Medicines Patent Pool announced Thursday that it has signed agreements with more than two dozen generic drug makers to produce versions of Merck’s COVID-19 pill to supply 105 developing countries..

📈Today's numbers: The U.S. has recorded more than 69 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 859,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Global totals: More than 339 million cases and over 5.57 million deaths. More than 209 million Americans – 63% – are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

📘What we're reading: Now that the U.S. government has launched its free coronavirus test delivery website, how useful will these COVID-19 tests be for travelers who need a negative test to fly to their destination? Read more.

Keep refreshing this page for the latest news. Want more? Sign up for USA TODAY's free Coronavirus Watch newsletter to receive updates directly to your inbox and join our Facebook group.

London-bound flight returns to Miami when passenger refuses to wear mask

A passenger's refusal to wear a face mask onboard, which is required by federal law, forced an American Airlines flight bound for London to return to Miami this week.

The flight took off at approximately 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday and landed back at Miami International Airport approximately 90 minutes later, according to flight trackers. AA spokesperson Curtis Blessing confirmed to USA TODAY that the flight returned to Miami “due to a disruptive customer refusing to comply with the federal mask requirement.”

Blessing also confirmed that local law enforcement met the aircraft after it returned to the airport. A Miami-Dade Police Department spokesperson told USA TODAY a woman in her 40s was escorted off the plane for refusing to wear a mask. Police have not arrested the woman, and the department spokesperson said American Airlines will handle incident administratively.

-- Marina Pitofsky

Austria to require all adults to be vaccinated – a first in Europe

Austria is about to become the first European country to require COVID-19 vaccinations for all adults.

The Austrian parliament voted Thursday to implement the mandate for residents 18 and older starting Feb. 1. Fines could rise up to 3,600 euros ($4,000) for repeat violators. Some exemptions for medical reasons and previous infections would be allowed.

“This is how we can manage to escape the cycle of opening and closing, of lockdowns,” Health Minister Wolfgang Mueckstein said. “That is why this law is so urgently needed right now.”

About 72% of Austria's population of 8.9 million is fully vaccinated.

Indiana considers approving ivermectin for COVID-19 despite FDA warnings

An Indiana lawmaker wants to block the state's health care providers from discouraging use of the anti-parasite medicine ivermectin to treat COVID-19, a controversial treatment that has been rejected by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The legislation authored by Republican Rep. Curt Nisly would allow an Indiana doctor or advanced practice registered nurse to write a standing order for ivermectin – and ban pharmacists from discouraging using of the drug to treat coronavirus.

The FDA says ivermectin should never be used to treat or prevent COVID-19, and that incorrect use has required some patients to seek medical treatment. "Currently available data do not show ivermectin is effective against COVID-19," the FDA says on its website.

Dr. Elizabeth Struble, president of the Indiana State Medical Association, said in an emailed statement that she found the proposed legislation concerning.

“A health care provider prescribing an unproven therapy can be dangerous for the health of Hoosiers,” Struble said. "What’s even more dangerous is legislating the creation of a very broad, standing-order mechanism so pharmacists can freely dispense an unproven therapy.”

– Shari Rudavsky, Indianapolis Star

Is there COVID in the air? This device can tell us

It's not available for everyone yet, but Yale University researchers have developed an easy-to-use, clip-on device that can detect low levels of the coronavirus in the air around people, according to research published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology Letters. Experts in Yale's School of Engineering and Applied Science and the School of Public Health designed the Fresh Air Clip, a 3D-printed air sampler measuring about 1 inch in diameter that collects samples of air on a film inside the badge-shaped device. Read more here.

Researchers are using the Fresh Air Clips in additional studies at health care facilities in Connecticut and hope to make them available to the public in the future.

– Mike Snider

Hundreds of docs press FDA to approve vaccine for kids under 5

About 250 physicians sent a letter Thursday to the FDA demanding children under 5 get “urgent access” to COVID-19 vaccines . The letter argues the science supports immediate vaccine access and “procedural red tape” is preventing that. Pfizer announced early tests showed the 3-microgram doses given to 2- to 5-year-olds didn’t produce as much immune protection as did shots given to other age groups. The company hopes an additional dose of vaccine will provide the desired effectiveness, but that means waiting several more weeks for results.

Based on previous actions by the FDA, the COVID vaccine may be available for children 2 to 4 around May, said Dr. Robert Frenck, director of the Vaccine Research Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Children 6 to 24 months may have to wait until late summer or fall, he said.

On Wednesday, presidential medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci said he hopes the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine for kids under 5 will be authorized "within the next month or so.''

– Adrianna Rodriguez

Two years later, concerns over pandemic grow

Americans' pandemic fears rose with the infection rate in January, prompting most Americans to avoid large crowds even as masking and vaccine rates remain mostly stagnant, a new survey indicates. A Gallup poll of 1,569 U.S. adults, conducted online Jan. 3-14, found a steep rise in the percentage of Americans who said the pandemic is "getting worse," as compared to fall 2021 data. Americans' optimism had increased when vaccines started rolling out, but now over half of respondents said they think the pandemic is getting worse.

"Worry has jumped ... and is now the highest it has been since last winter, before COVID-19 vaccines were readily available to the general public," a summary of poll results says.

– Claire Thornton, USA TODAY

Omicron spike may be near peak in California

California, where an omicron-driven spike in COVID-19 cases occurred later than in cities such as Chicago, New York City and Washington, D.C., may reach peak case numbers and see case rates begin to fall this week, according to a forecast from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. The model predicted a peak in cases from the state for Jan. 19, with an estimation of almost 130,000 cases a day.

Earlier this week, USA TODAY talked to Marlene Wolfe, an assistant professor of environmental health at Emory University in Atlanta and part of the Sewer Coronavirus Alert Network, a team of scientists that evaluates sewage treatment plants to gain information about COVID-19 rates in California communities. Wolfe said then that testing in about a dozen California cities, the largest of which are Sacramento and San Jose, shows a few cities with possible downward trends but nothing concrete.

Other cities are on the rise, and it will take more time or data to determine where peaks have occurred, Wolfe said.

Testing firm fraudulently reported negative test results, complaint says

The Minnesota Attorney General's Office filed a consumer-protection lawsuit Wednesday against a nationwide chain of coronavirus testing sites for "deceptive and fraudulent practices." The suit alleges the Illinois-based Center for COVID Control and its primary lab, Doctors Clinical Lab, collected samples from Minnesotans for coronavirus testing but either failed to deliver results or delivered false or inaccurate results, according to the complaint reviewed by USA TODAY.

The company and its lab "provide inaccurate and deceptive test result information to Minnesota consumers and have fraudulently reported negative test results to consumers that never completed COVID-19 tests," according to the complaint. Some test results listed "the wrong test type and false dates and times for when samples were collected from consumers," the complaint said.

The company, which is under investigation by the Illinois Attorney General's Office and the Oregon Department of Justice, is operated by Illinois residents Akbar Syed and Aleya Siyaj, the complaint says. In recent months, the couple has purchased a number of luxury vehicles and a $1.36 million mansion.

– Grace Hauck, USA TODAY

Contributing: The Associated Press

Hong Kong Covid-19: This is what happens when you test positive ...

Hong Kong (CNN) Darryl Chan tested positive for Covid-19 when he landed in Hong Kong last month. More than two weeks later -- and despite never showing any symptoms -- he remains isolated in a hospital bed with no sign of being allowed to leave.

"I think the worst part is not knowing when I'll be able to get out," he said. "You're almost feeling you are back at school, with controlled wake-up and bedtime, (and) not being able to control what you can eat."

Analysis: What Hannity's unveiled texts reveal about him and how Trump viewed his advice

Hong Kong, along with mainland China, is one of the few places in the world still pursuing a zero-Covid policy . The city's priority is reopening borders with the mainland, not the rest of the world, Hong Kong authorities have said.

That means most non-residents are banned from entering, while almost all overseas arrivals must undergo 21 days of quarantine -- even if they are fully vaccinated.

Hong Kong deems travelers from the United Kingdom as a high-risk for the Omicron variant , subject to its most stringent quarantine and testing measures -- which include spending the first four days at a government camp.

On December 19, Chan flew to Hong Kong from London to start a new job.

Chan said he was fully vaccinated with a booster shot and had tested negative for Covid-19 several times before his flight. He was mentally prepared for quarantine, but not for what happened next, he said.

On arrival in Hong Kong, Chan took a mandatory Covid-19 test and waited hours at the airport. His result was determined "preliminary positive," meaning he was required to take another test. He was then moved to a cordoned-off area with a makeshift bed.

"It was definitely a bit of a shell shock," Chan said. "Having done so many tests in the week leading up to my flight, and all of them came back negative ... I didn't ever think that I'll actually test positive on arrival."

Some 13 hours after his plane landed, Chan was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital for further testing. He was later confirmed to have the Omicron variant, though he remained asymptomatic.

"(I had) that feeling of dread, where you sort of go, 'Oh, God, what's going to happen now?'" he said. "I definitely felt quite trapped ... you can't just say, 'I'm going to get back on a flight and go somewhere else.' You really are just trapped there, so that was quite a scary feeling."

It's not just travelers who face indefinite hospitalization when they test positive for Covid-19 in Hong Kong.

In recent days, Hong Kong has identified a number of Omicron cases in a cluster linked to aircrew -- breaking a nearly three-month streak of no locally transmitted Covid infections. Those confirmed infected have also been sent to the hospital.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people including more than 20 restaurant staff deemed close contacts of the positive cases have been sent to the government camp for 21 days of isolation and extensive testing. Any positive results would mean a transfer to hospital.

Anyone who attended the same premises as the positive cases at roughly the same time in recent days has also been ordered to take a test, while several residential buildings linked to the cluster have been temporarily locked down for mass testing.

As fears of local Omicron transmission grow, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said Tuesday that resumption of normal travel between the city and mainland China will "have to wait for another while."

Just before the cluster emerged, Lam reaffirmed Hong Kong's zero-Covid stance.

"Hong Kong has been taking very stringent measures to guard against importation of cases with a view to maintaining zero local infection," she said in a December 28 statement. "In the face of the fierce onslaught of Omicron, we need to be even more vigilant."

A staff member walks through the deserted arrivals hall at Hong Kong airport on November 29, 2021.

Stuck in the hospital

According to Hong Kong authorities, the minimum isolation period for anyone who tests positive for Covid-19 -- even if they are asymptomatic -- is nearly a month. They must stay in the hospital for at least 10 days and are not allowed to leave until they test negative twice in succession -- however long it takes.

But even testing negative twice doesn't mean you can go home. After that, those under confinement orders are transferred to an isolation facility for a further 14 days.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Chan was placed in an isolation ward with two other travelers who tested positive, also with Omicron. He is confined to his room for 24 hours a day with no fresh air or outdoor exercise.

His day follows a routine set by the hospital. At 8 a.m., he is woken by a jingle on the public address system and an announcement reminding him to take his own vitals.

A Hong Kong hospital meal for those confined after testing positive for Covid-19.

He receives meals provided by the hospital at fixed times. In the meantime, he spends his day connecting with family and friends on social media, and watching Netflix.

"I'd say probably early or mid-afternoon were the hardest time of the day," he said. "In the morning, you check your emails or social media. But by the time lunch rocks around, that's when you go, 'I don't really know what I'm going to do.'"

While he said his doctors have been professional, they are unable to tell him when he can be discharged. "It's all dependent on when I stop testing positive, and then they start the final countdown from that point," he said.

Darryl Chan has no idea when he will be allowed to leave the hospital after testing positive for Covid-19 in Hong Kong.

Mental toll of isolation

Since the start of the pandemic, Hong Kong has confirmed more than 12,600 cases and 213 deaths, according to government figures -- far fewer than many cities of comparative size elsewhere in the world.

the city has struggled with But while its zero-Covid approach has shielded residents from rising hospitalizations,the city has struggled with vaccine hesitancy -- despite free shots being available to residents over age 3. To date, fewer than 70% of Hong Kong's 7.5 million population has taken two full doses.

Uptake has been particularly low among the elderly, a group considered most at risk of hospitalization and death from Covid-19.

Instead, Hong Kong has relied on limiting group gatherings, mandatory masks in public, tracking, tracing, testing and confining close contacts and suspected cases -- plus its tough border and quarantine measures.

In a statement on December 29, the Hong Kong government reiterated its stringent measures are here to stay -- including its own large-scale quarantine facility.

"Recently, the global epidemic situation has worsened considerably due to the Omicron variant," the statement said. "The Government has to stay vigilant to prevent a fifth wave epidemic or outbreak in the community. After reviewing the situation holistically and prudently, the Government deems it necessary to reserve all rooms at the PBQC [Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre] for meeting the quarantine purpose."

Despite the city's success in keeping Covid-19 at bay, experts say long quarantine periods often come at a cost to the mental health of those confined.

"In general, there is increased sense of isolation, anxiety, and in some severe cases, even post-traumatic stress," said Dr. Elisabeth Wong, a psychiatrist and clinical adviser to Hong Kong-based mental health charity, Mind HK.

However, there are tips to maintain good mental health, she added.

"There are some tricks you can do, like making sure you schedule your day quite clearly," Wong said. "So you have rest times and work times ... and, as much as you can, incorporate some kind of exercise within the day."

People wearing face masks cross a street in the densely populated Mong Kok district of Hong Kong on December 22, 2021.

Rather than seeing quarantine as a punishment, she said, people going through the experience may also view it as an act of altruism. "You're doing something good for the society," she added.

But as his indefinite isolation period grows longer, Chan said he is worried about his mental health.

"I'm trying to rationalize it, I think just going through the processes knowing that there are certain things you can and can't change ... the only thing that I can change is how I approach it and what I do with my time," he said.

"The best part of it, I guess, is being able to see things in a different perspective," he added. "(I am) trying to turn it into something useful, something interesting to hopefully one day look back on and remember that time when I sat in a hospital room for X number of days."

The outlook for China's zero-Covid strategy | The Week UK

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Coronavirus in Arizona: Updates, tips, new cases

Arizona Republic

The spread of a highly contagious coronavirus has had wide-ranging global impacts, including in the financial markets and government travel policies.

As of April 30, the COVID-19 outbreak had infected more than 3.2 million people and killed more than 228,000 people globally, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University.

As a public service, The Arizona Republic is offering coverage of coronavirus health and safety free of charge on azcentral.com. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions: Ask us a new question here.

LATEST NEWS: Latest case counts, closures, advisories for May

DIG DEEPER: Find more graphics on COVID-19 testing in Arizona

Arizona coronavirus update: 7,648 confirmed cases, 320 known deaths as of Thursday

April 30: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 7,600, with 320 known deaths, according to numbers released on Thursday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Arizona's total identified cases rose to 7,648, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 446 confirmed cases, or 6.2%, since Wednesday when the state reported 7,202 identified cases and 304 deaths. Sixteen new deaths were reported since Wednesday.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 3,900, according to state numbers. All of Arizona's 15 counties have reported at least two cases.

The number of Arizona cases likely is higher than official numbers suggest because of limits on supplies and available tests, which led to the state issuing guidelines that restrict who should be tested. The state announced on April 23 that anyone who thinks they could be infected can now get tested.

Supermarkets grapple with possible meat shortages during coronavirus

April 30: Roughly two months after coronavirus fears began to surface, altering many consumer purchasing patterns, toilet paper remains in scarce supply on the shelves of grocery stores around the Phoenix metro area.

Could beef, pork and poultry items face similar shortages in the weeks and months ahead?

That prospect is looming larger amid reports of coronavirus outbreaks at meat-packing factories around the nation that have made some workers too sick to work — and prompting some giant processors like Tyson Foods to halt production at certain plants. Grocery-industry representatives aren't sounding the alarms, but anxiety has risen.

“I have not heard of hoarding at this point, but I do know supplies at the grocer have been thinner than normal during this entire crisis just due to disruption in the supply chain and now wellness issues in packing plants of other states,” said Stef Smallhouse, president of the Arizona Farm Bureau.

Arizona coronavirus update: 7,202 confirmed cases, 304 known deaths as of Wednesday

April 29: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 7,200, with 304 known deaths, according to new numbers released on Wednesday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Arizona's total identified cases rose to 7,202, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 254 confirmed cases, or 3.7%, since Tuesday when the state reported 6,948 identified cases and 293 deaths. Eleven new deaths were reported since Tuesday.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 3,700, according to state numbers. All of Arizona's 15 counties have reported at least two cases.

The number of Arizona cases likely is higher than official numbers suggest because of limits on supplies and available tests, which led to the state issuing guidelines that restrict who should be tested. The state announced Thursday that anyone who thinks they could be infected can now get tested.

COVID-19 caused strokes in young people who had mild coronavirus symptoms, NYC doctors say

April 29: New York City doctors say the coronavirus is triggering a surge in strokes in younger patients, causing alarm among medical experts.

Over a two-week period, Mount Sinai doctors reported five patients who suffered large vessel strokes in patients under the age of 50, according to letter they published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

All five patients tested positive for COVID-19 but had very mild to no symptoms.

“That creates a big alarm,” said Dr. J Mocco, director of the Cerebrovascular Center at Mount Sinai and one of the letter’s authors. “Our spider sense goes up to say that there’s something not right here.”

Out of the five patients, one died, one is still hospitalized, one was discharged from the hospital and two are in rehabilitation. The youngest patient was 33 and only one patient had a history of stroke.

2nd inmate in Arizona prisons dies from coronavirus

April 28: A 79-year-old man with lung cancer became the second inmate in Arizona’s prisons to die from the coronavirus, the Associated Press reports.

The prisoner known as Sittingdown, who didn’t have a first name and also was known as Robert E. Proell, died Friday of COVID-19 and lung cancer, according to André Davis, investigations supervisor at Pinal County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Sittingdown, who had been in prison for the last 35 years for sexual conduct with a minor, was housed at the prison in Florence. Sittingdown was taken to a hospital in Florence on April 18 and died there six days later, according to records.

The Florence prison has the most reported COVID-19 cases and accounts for 34 of the 49 confirmed cases in state prisons.

MLB may start season in home stadiums in June, sources say

April 28: Maybe it’s a dream scenario. Then again, maybe it just might work.

Major League Baseball officials have become cautiously optimistic this week that the season will start in late June, and no later than July 2, playing at least 100 regular-season games, according to three executives with knowledge of the talks. They requested anonymity because the plan was still under consideration.

And not only would baseball be played, but it would be played in their own major-league ballparks, albeit with no fans.

MLB is considering a three-division, 10-team plan in which teams play only within their division – a concept gaining support among owners and executives. It would abolish the traditional American and National Leagues, and realign the divisions based on geography.

The plan, pending approval of medical experts and providing that COVID-19 testing is available to the public, would eliminate the need for players to be in isolation and allow them to still play at their home ballparks while severely reducing travel.

The US now has 1 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus

April 28: The United States topped 1 million confirmed cases of coronavirus Tuesday – nearly a third of the world's cases – as health authorities here and around the globe try to understand the full scope of who is at risk and who has been infected.

Reaching seven figures – 1,002,498 to be exact – is the latest milestone for the U.S., which has topped 57,000 deaths during the pandemic, according to the Johns Hopkins University dashboard. That's a number approaching the 58,220 Americans killed in the Vietnam War from 1955 to 1975.

And despite warnings from national health leaders that the country could face a second wave of the virus in late 2020, states and cities are drafting or implementing plans to get people out of their homes and back into mainstream life.

It's all happened in about three months. That's when the country's first case was confirmed, and much of what we know about the virus is still subject to study and debate.

Arizona coronavirus update: 6,948 confirmed cases, 293 known deaths as of Tuesday

April 28: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 6,900, with 293 known deaths, according to new numbers released on Tuesday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Arizona's total identified cases rose to 6,948, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 232 confirmed cases, or 3.5%, since Monday when the state reported 6,716 identified cases and 275 deaths. 18 new deaths were reported since Monday.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now approach 3,600, according to state numbers. All of Arizona's 15 counties have reported at least two cases.

The number of Arizona cases likely is higher than official numbers suggest because of limits on supplies and available tests, which led to the state issuing guidelines that restrict who should be tested. The state announced Thursday that anyone who thinks they could be infected can now get tested.

A North Carolina pug tested positive for coronavirus, possibly the first dog in the U.S.

April 28: After several members of a North Carolina family tested positive for the new coronavirus, they found out their pet pug tested positive, too, possibly the first dog in the United States to be diagnosed with the virus.

But owner Heather McLean, a hospital pediatrician and vice chair and associate professor at Duke University, hopes that it doesn’t spark too much concern over household pets contracting and spreading the virus.

The McLeans discovered Friday that their pug, Winston, tested positive for COVID-19. He didn’t display any severe symptoms before they found out, said McLean’s 17-year-old daughter, Sydney.

Two things did stand out to the family, though: “My dad heard him cough a lot,” she said. “He didn’t eat his breakfast one morning and it’s weird because he’s a pug, but who knows?”

Heather and her husband, Sam, who works as a researcher and emergency physician at UNC-Chapel Hill, started developing mild symptoms in mid-March. She attributed her own symptoms — scratchy throat and mild headache among them — to allergies, but they worsened for a bit.

'Can't imagine why': Donald Trump denies responsibility for disinfectant confusion after some states report increased calls

April 28: President Donald Trump said he takes no responsibility for a spike in cases of people misusing disinfectants after he wondered aloud last week about possibly injecting them as a treatment for coronavirus.

When asked Monday about the increase of people in some states ingesting disinfectants Trump answered: "I can't imagine why."

When pressed about whether he takes any responsibility, Trump said, "No, I don't."

Maryland was one state that issued a warning against dangerous disinfectant use, with the Maryland Emergency Management Agency tweeting the agency had received "several calls."

"This is a reminder that under no circumstances should any disinfectant product be administered into the body through injection, ingestion or any other route," the tweet said.

These are 6 new symptoms of the coronavirus the CDC added to its list

April 27: Chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and a loss of taste or smell.

Those are the six new symptoms the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautioned could be signs of the coronavirus.

The additions come as health experts' understanding of the confounding disease evolves. The CDC previously listed fever, cough and shortness of breath as symptoms.

Purdue works to reopen college for fall 2020

April 26: Nothing beats the campus experience at Purdue University, not even the coronavirus. That’s what officials at the Indiana university are hoping anyway, with President Mitch Daniels floating plans to reopen campus for in-person classes in the fall while saying the COVID-19 virus “poses close to zero lethal threat” to young people.

Purdue was among the first wave of colleges to announce a shift from in-person classes in early March, leaving students, faculty and staff to adapt quickly to an online setting.

Now, as some states move to reopen non-essential businesses and boost the economy, Purdue and Daniels are at the forefront of efforts to put students back on campus for the fall.

Federal coronavirus strategy lurches as plans to help states change, then change again

April 25: The nation’s top federal disease agency had just started activating teams in nine states still relatively untouched by coronavirus when new orders came in last week from the White House coronavirus task force: shift resources to Tennessee and Nebraska, and double down in New Mexico and North Dakota.

Then, three days later, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rolled out yet another plan to expand the more targeted approach to all 50 states, on an uncertain timeline.

The strategy whiplash, documented in meeting notes and internal slides obtained by USA TODAY, comes after weeks of states and public health experts sounding alarms about the need for federal guidance on testing issues and how to ramp up public health staffing to trace coronavirus exposures.

The recent course corrections are a sign of the chaos around federal plans to help states return to some semblance of normalcy, as a national shutdown required to slow the spread of a virus stretches into its second month.

Arizona coronavirus update: 6,280 confirmed cases, 273 known deaths as of Saturday

April 25: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 6,200, with 273 known deaths, according to new numbers released Saturday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Arizona's total identified cases rose to 6,280, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 235 confirmed cases, or 3.9%, since Friday when the state reported 6,045 identified cases and 266 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 3,200, according to state numbers. All of Arizona's 15 counties have reported at least two cases.

The number of Arizona cases likely is higher than official numbers suggest because of limits on supplies and available tests, which led to the state issuing guidelines that restrict who should be tested. The state announced Thursday that anyone who thinks they could be infected can now get tested.

Arizona coronavirus update: 6,045 confirmed cases, 266 known deaths as of Friday

Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 6,000, with 266 known deaths, according to new numbers released Friday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Arizona's total identified cases rose to 6,045, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 276 confirmed cases, or 4.8%, since Thursday when the state reported 5,769 identified cases and 249 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 3,100, according to state numbers. All of Arizona's 15 counties have reported at least two cases.

The number of Arizona cases likely is higher than official numbers suggest because of limits on supplies and available tests, which led to the state issuing guidelines that restrict who should be tested. The state announced Thursday that anyone who thinks they could be infected can now get tested.

Experts say there's no medical basis for Trump's suggestion that sunlight, disinfectants may treat coronavirus

April 24: President Donald Trump touted a federal study Thursday that indicates sunlight, humidity and certain disinfectants can weaken the coronavirus – a finding that prompted the president to float the idea of treating patients with those measures.

Trump's remarks prompted a firestorm of criticism from doctors and medical researchers, accusations from the White House that the president was quoted out of context and a statement from the maker of the popular disinfectant Lysol warning that "under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body."

Adding fuel to the controversy, the White House published a revised transcript of Trump's press conference that changed the reaction of Deborah Birx to the idea. Birx, the White House coronavirus coordinator, was initially quoted in the transcript as saying "That is a treatment." The corrected transcript quoted her saying that, "Not as a treatment."

House passes $484 billion coronavirus stimulus for small businesses and hospitals

April 23: The House approved a nearly half-trillion-dollar emergency bill Thursday that provides more funds for struggling hospitals and will rescue a small business loan program that was quickly depleted by companies impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The measure, which passed 388-5 with one lawmaker voting present, will now head to President Donald Trump for his signature. The president has signaled he was ready to approve the bill.

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined four Republicans — Reps. Thomas Massie, Jody Hice, Ken Buck and Andy Biggs — in voting against the measure. Independent Rep. Justin Amash voted present.

The $484 billion measure offers more funds for the Paycheck Protection Program, which was halted last week after dispersing all of its initial $349 billion.

Southwest CEO: Airline will be 'drastically smaller' if business doesn't improve soon

April 23: Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly, like his counterparts at other companies pummeled by the coronavirus crisis, has been fielding questions about the impact from anxious employees for nearly two months.

The questions, which Kelly answers in videos sent to its 60,000 workers, have taken a sobering turn at perennially profitable and always upbeat Southwest, underscoring the industry's uncertain future.

"Most of my co-workers are not processing the dark and dangerous reality,'' one employee said in an email, according to excerpts Kelly shared in this week's "Ask Gary'' video.

"Our messages of strength have created a false sense of security. My co-workers talk about the losses at JetBlue and Delta yet somehow don't apply those numbers to Southwest.''

Kelly didn't get into financial specifics since Southwest won't report first quarter earnings and its second quarter outlook until April 28, but he did detail the industry's dire straits and the drastic steps Southwest will have to take if things don't improve soon.

He braced employees for the possibility of benefit and pay cuts and the first involuntary furloughs in the company's 50-year history but said the airline is doing everything it can to avoid that, raising billions of dollars in cash, slashing flights by more than half and parking hundreds of planes.

COVID-19 testing now allowed more broadly, state health department says

April 23: Anyone who thinks they could be infected with COVID-19 or who has been exposed to it can now get tested, the Arizona Department of Health Services said Thursday.

Previously, only people who were considered high-risk or those with certain symptoms, such as a fever or respiratory symptoms, could get a test.

For many weeks, people have reported not being able to get tested despite having symptoms and going to multiple health care providers. Testing capability was also impacted by supply chain issues like a lack of nasal swabs and test collection materials, and needed personal protective equipment for the workers who administer the tests.

House is poised to vote on a nearly $500 billion coronavirus relief bill

April 23: A popular small-business loan program that closed last week when it ran out of money is about to get a cash infusion.

The House is likely to approve legislation Thursday that would pump $320 billion into the Paycheck Protection Program, which is designed to keep small businesses from shuttering and their workers from going on unemployment during the coronavirus pandemic. The Senate approved the bill Tuesday.

Other programs would get money under the bill. The $484 billion legislation includes funding for hospitals that have been overwhelmed during the crisis and money for a coronavirus testing program.

Arizona coronavirus update: 5,769 confirmed cases, 249 known deaths as of Thursday

April 23: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 5,700, with 249 known deaths, according to new numbers released Thursday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Arizona's total identified cases rose to 5,769, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 310 confirmed cases, or 5.7%, since Wednesday when the state reported 5,459 identified cases and 229 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now approach 3,000, according to state numbers. All of Arizona's 15 counties have reported at least two cases.

The number of Arizona cases likely is higher than official numbers suggest because of limits on supplies and available tests, which led to the state issuing guidelines that restrict who should be tested.

Elective surgeries in Arizona to resume May 1

Arizona coronavirus update: 5,459 confirmed cases, 229 known deaths as of Wednesday

April 22: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 5,400, with 229 known deaths, according to new numbers released Wednesday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Arizona's total identified cases rose to 5,459, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 208 confirmed cases, or 3.96%, since Tuesday when the state reported 5,251 identified cases and 208 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 2,800, according to state numbers. All of Arizona's 15 counties have reported at least two cases.

The number of Arizona cases likely is higher than official numbers suggest because of limits on supplies and available tests, which led to the state issuing guidelines that restrict who should be tested.

Coronavirus at meat packing plants worse than first thought

April 22: A rash of coronavirus outbreaks at dozens of meat packing plants across the nation is far more extensive than previously thought, according to an exclusive review of cases by USA TODAY and the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting.

And it could get worse. More than 150 of America’s largest meat processing plants operate in counties where the rate of coronavirus infection is already among the nation’s highest, based on the media outlets’ analysis of slaughterhouse locations and county-level COVID-19 infection rates.

These facilities represent more than 1 in 3 of the nation’s biggest beef, pork and poultry processing plants. Rates of infection around these plants are higher than those of 75% of other U.S. counties, the analysis found.

And while experts say the industry has thus far maintained sufficient production despite infections in at least 2,200 workers at 48 plants, there are fears that the number of cases could continue to rise and that meat packing plants will become the next disaster zones.

White House, congressional leaders reach deal to replenish coronavirus small business loan program

April 21: The White House and congressional leaders reached a deal Tuesday to revive a stimulus program geared to keep small businesses from shuttering and their employees from going on unemployment because of the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

The nearly half-trillion deal will provide more funds to the Paycheck Protection Program, which was halted last week after it ran out of money.

The $484 billion bill will inject the program, which provides loans to small businesses, with more than $310 billion. Of that, $60 billion will be set aside for community-based lenders, smaller banks and credit unions to assist smaller businesses that don't have established relationships with big banks and had a harder time accessing the funds in the first round of loans. It will also bolster the Small Business Administration's disaster loan and grant programs, which had also dried up due to the coronavirus.

The deal also includes $75 billion to help overwhelmed hospitals and $25 billion for coronavirus testing, two provisions Democrats pushed for in negotiations.

Fauci takes heat from protesters of stay-at-home orders, says ignoring guidelines will 'backfire'

April 21: Asked Monday while appearing on ABC's Good Morning America about protests popping up around the country against local stay-at-home measures, Dr. Anthony Fauci warned such demonstrations may "backfire."

“I think the message is that, clearly, this is something that is hurting from the standpoint of economics, from the standpoint of things that have nothing to do with the virus,” Fauci replied. “But, unless we get the virus under control, the real recovery, economically, is not gonna happen.”

He continued, “If you jump the gun and go into a situation where you have a big spike, you’re gonna set yourself back. So as painful as it is to go by the careful guidelines of gradually phasing into a reopening, it’s going to backfire. That’s the problem.”

5,251 confirmed cases, 208 known deaths as of Tuesday

April 21: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 5,200, with 208 known deaths, according to new numbers released Tuesday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Arizona's total identified cases rose to 5,251, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 187 confirmed cases, or 3.7%, since Monday when the state reported 5,064 identified cases and 187 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 2,700, according to state numbers. All of Arizona's 15 counties have reported at least two cases.

The number of Arizona cases likely is higher than official numbers suggest because of limits on supplies and available tests, which led to the state issuing guidelines that restrict who should be tested.

Protesters rally at Arizona Capitol, calling for end of stay-at-home order

April 20: Hundreds of people gathered near the Arizona state Capitol on Monday calling for an end to Gov. Doug Ducey's stay-at-home order that closed non-essential businesses in March.

The Patriot's Day Rally — hosted by a group called Reopen Arizona — started at noon Monday at the Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza near the state Capitol in Phoenix. American flags and Trump campaign paraphernalia were abundant as people streamed into the plaza before marching across the street to the state Capitol, demanding businesses reopen and employees be allowed to return to work.

The event took place a day after Operation Gridlock Arizona, where roughly 100 cars circled the plaza, people honked their horns, held up protest signs and called for businesses to reopen.

No arrests or citations were made in relation to Monday's rally, according to Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman Bart Graves.

Trump announces suspension of immigration to 'protect jobs'

April 20: President Trump tweeted late Monday that he was temporarily suspending immigration to the U.S. The president cited the need to protect jobs in light of “the attack from the Invisible Enemy,” a reference to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

"In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!” Trump tweeted.

President Trump said he would be enacting the change in policy by signing an executive order to shut down immigration. Over the past weeks of the crisis, which has seen many states shut down, the administration has made moves to clamp down on asylum seekers and immigrants seeking entry into the country. Critics contend that Trump is using the crisis, which has killed more than 40,000 Americans and paralyzed the economy, to further his America First policies.

Big banks sued over small business stimulus

April 20: Two companies in California filed a class-action lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase bank alleging unfair business practices toward some small businesses that applied for coronavirus-related loans under the government's Paycheck Protection Program.

In the suit filed on Sunday, a cybersecurity firm and event planning company accused Chase Bank of prioritizing small business borrowers who were seeking larger loan amounts rather than processing the government-sponsored loan applications on a first-come, first-serve basis as advertised.

The move meant that Chase would collect larger processing fees – nearly $6 billion in total – by frontloading the queue with businesses seeking higher loans, according to the lawsuit.

The businesses seeking lower loans were deprioritized, so many didn't get the aid they were entitled to, the lawsuit filed on behalf of small businesses said.

The legal action is one in a series of lawsuits lodged by small businesses against big banks such as Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Bancorps citing unfair business practices and false advertising.

The loans were a part of a $349 billion emergency small business lending program meant to keep businesses afloat and staffers employed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Expert: Arizona 'miles away from being prepared to reopen'

April 19: With Arizona and other states considering reopening their economies on May 1, health experts said the state isn't yet doing enough COVID-19 testing or collecting good enough data to responsibly lift stay-at-home orders.

Arizona has done 51,000 tests through Saturday, a fraction of the COVID-19 tests needed to judge how widespread the outbreak is in a state this size. Measured in tests per million residents, Arizona was in the bottom 10 states nationwide last week.

And data the state provides is widely seen as inadequate. The state is missing demographic data about positive cases and deaths, its location data mixes hospitals with private residences, and the state won't provide data about cases and deaths on Indian reservations or in nursing homes.

"It just isn't going to work unless you have crystal clear data," said William Haseltine, an infectious disease expert and president of the global health think tank ACCESS Health International. "If Arizona doesn't have that they are miles away from being prepared to reopen."

Broadway star Nick Cordero has leg amputated because of COVID-19

April 19: Nick Cordero's wife said the Broadway actor made it through surgery to have his right leg amputated because of complications from coronavirus.

Amanda Kloots shared Saturday night in an Instagram Story that she had just gotten "a call from the surgeon" following the procedure.

"He made it through the surgery, which is really big," Kloots said. "They're taking him back to the room to recover and rest for the rest of the night, so hopefully he'll just kind of relax and rest."

Kloots told followers earlier Saturday that she had received some "difficult news." She explained that blood thinners doctors were using to help with clotting in Cordero's leg were causing issues with his blood pressure and internal bleeding in his intestines.

"We took him off blood thinners but that again was going to cause some clotting in the right leg, so the right leg will be amputated," she said.

Arizona reaches more than 4,900 coronavirus cases, with 184 known deaths

Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, rose to 4,929, with 184 known deaths, according to new numbers released Sunday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

That's an increase of 210 confirmed cases, or 4.4%, since Saturday when the state reported 4,719 identified cases and 177 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 2,589, according to state numbers. All of Arizona's 15 counties have reported at least one case.

People are flocking to reopened Florida beaches

April 18: People came faster than a flock of seagulls chasing a french fry when Florida beaches began reopening Friday as the coronavirus pandemic raged on.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis gave municipalities the go-ahead to reopen during a news conference Friday – if it can be done safely, while observing social distancing guidelines. A day earlier, President Donald Trump rolled out a three-phase approach for reopening the nation.

With the governor's green light, north Florida beaches were among the first to allow people to return since being closed down by the coronavirus pandemic.

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry announced that Duval County beaches would reopen Friday afternoon with restricted hours, and could be used only for walking, biking, hiking, fishing, running, swimming, taking care of pets and surfing. Visit Florida lists beaches by county in Florida and their status: closed, restricted or otherwise.

The beaches will be open from 6 to 11 a.m. and 5 to 8 p.m local time, Curry said in a video posted to Twitter. Gatherings of 50 or more people are prohibited.

Here's where your missing stimulus check went

April 18: Americans are reaching out to tax preparers and lining up at their offices around the country to find out what happened to their stimulus checks.

One answer: The IRS sent those missing payouts to an intermediary bank account if a client got an advance on their tax return, tax professionals say.

Clients tipped tax preparers off to the problem when they used Get My Payment, the government’s new stimulus deposit tracking portal, and uncovered that the payments of up to $1,200 for individuals were sent to an account number they didn't recognize.

Agencies that help people file for government-issued refunds are receiving an influx of calls regarding the one-time payout meant to be disbursed to 80 million Americans this week. While many people received the deposit, other payments may have gotten inadvertently sent to temporary accounts created during the tax filing process.

The IRS said it is moving to provide additional information and resolve any issues as soon as possible.

Arizona coronavirus update: Cases climb to more than 4,700, with 177 known deaths

April 18: Arizona reported eight more deaths from COVID-19 on Saturday, a day after a widely-respected model of the disease's progression predicted that the state had passed its likely peak in hospital resources and deaths.

Arizona's total identified cases rose to 4,719, with 177 known deaths, according to the most recent figures from the Arizona Department of Health Services. That's an increase of 212 confirmed cases, or 4.7%, since Friday, when the state reported 4,507 identified cases and 169 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 2,400, according to state numbers. All of Arizona's 15 counties have reported at least one case.

A model from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation that shows nationwide and international projections was updated Friday and shows a significantly different path for the disease in Arizona than earlier projections.

The institute's Arizona model estimates "peak resource" use was on April 10 — that means hospital beds, ICU beds and ventilators were at their greatest use that day. Based on projections, Arizona has enough beds to meet the continued demand. The earlier projection was April 30.

The projected peak in deaths per day was April 5, with 12 deaths that day, even though Arizona surpassed that number Friday. The earlier projection was May 2.

Latinos disproportionately dying, losing jobs because of coronavirus: 'We are strong people, but something has to change'

In a city where 16% of the population is Latino, physician Alicia Fernandez is alarmed by the overwhelming number of Latino patients she is seeing at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.

Fernandez blames the high cost of housing in the Bay Area, which finds many impoverished Latinos crowded into small apartments. “Sometimes it’s big families, but others it’s just a group of adults trying to make ends meet,” she says. “It makes it so hard to isolate and quarantine folks.”

In Nashville, school teacher Bobbi Negròn has been paying close attention to the havoc being wreaked on the lives of her fellow Latinos. When Negròn calls to see how some of her elementary school students are faring, parents sometimes ask her to stop phoning as they don’t have any minutes left on their cell plans.

In New York, a grim tally tells the tale: Latinos make up 29% of the population but are 39% of those who have succumbed to COVID-19, the respiratory illness causes by the virus.

Movie theaters would be among the first businesses to reopen after coronavirus under Trump plan

April 17: Break out the popcorn.

As the country takes the first baby steps back from the coronavirus shutdown, movie theaters could be one of the early beneficiaries.

Cinemas would be allowed to reopen in the first of three phases under the guidelines released Thursday by the White House.

Just when theaters, along with restaurants, sports stadiums and churches, will be allowed to welcome back the public under the Trump administration plan is yet to be seen. It will be left largely up to governors to decide when their states are ready to take the first step back to what was once considered normal.

President Donald Trump, in announcing the reopening at his daily news conference, said some are more ready than others. The plan didn't include a timetable.

4,507 confirmed cases, 169 known deaths as of Friday

April 17: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 4,500, with 169 known deaths, according to new numbers released Friday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Arizona's total identified cases rose to 4,507, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 273 confirmed cases, or 6.4%, since Thursday, when the state reported 4,234 identified cases and 150 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 2,400, according to state numbers. All of Arizona's 15 counties have reported at least one case.

More detailed data, including cases by ZIP code and race/ethnicity, was first released by the state Sunday and continues to be updated.

The number of Arizona cases likely is higher than official numbers suggest because of limits on supplies and available tests, which led to the state issuing guidelines that restrict who should be tested.

As of Friday morning, the state reported death totals from these counties: 69 in Maricopa, 51 in Pima, 24 in Coconino (county officials reported 26), 11 in Navajo, five in Pinal and four in Apache.

Mohave County reported two deaths, and Yavapai, Yuma and La Paz reported one each, as of Thursday. Information on deaths in those counties differed on the state site early Friday, showing fewer than three deaths for each of the four counties.

What is OSHA doing? Crisis raises questions about workplace safety agency

In South Dakota, the virus struck hundreds of workers at a single pork processing plant. In Illinois and Michigan, a half dozen grocery workers died and others fell ill. In New York, COVID-19 has claimed the lives of dozens of transit employees. Among health care workers, at least 27 have died and 9,200 have contracted the virus.

As the country contemplates returning more employees to work and reopening the economy, the key federal agency tasked with ensuring workplace safety is drawing withering criticism from advocates who say the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is falling down on the job.

“OSHA has been totally absent from the response,” said David Michaels, an epidemiologist and public health professor at The George Washington University who oversaw the agency during the Obama administration from 2009 to 2017. “It is shocking and disheartening because OSHA should be out front leading the federal efforts to protect workers.”

Drinking alcohol may heighten risk of getting coronavirus, WHO suggests

As the coronavirus pandemic leaves millions stuck at home, alcohol sales have risen drastically nationwide, with spirits and premixed cocktails in high demand.

The World Health Organization, however, says alcohol may put people at increased risk for the coronavirus, weakening the body's immune system and leaving drinkers at risk for other risky behaviors that could increase the likelihood of contracting coronavirus.

It does work as a disinfectant on surfaces, but too much alcohol consumption can actually make the body less capable of handling the coronavirus. A 2015 study published in the journal Alcohol Research found that excessive alcohol consumption is associated with "adverse immune-related health effects such as susceptibility to pneumonia.”

4,234 confirmed cases, 150 known deaths as of Thursday

April 16: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 4,200, with 150 known deaths, according to new numbers released Thursday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Arizona's total identified cases rose to 4,234, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 272 confirmed cases, or 6.9%, since Wednesday, when the state reported 3,962 identified cases and 142 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 2,200. All of Arizona's 15 counties have reported at least one case.

More detailed data, including cases by ZIP code and race/ethnicity, was first released by the state Sunday and continues to be updated.

The number of Arizona cases likely is higher than official numbers suggest because of limits on supplies and available tests, which led to the state issuing guidelines that restrict who should be tested.

As of Thursday morning, the state reported death totals from these counties: 64 in Maricopa, 37 in Pima, 24 in Coconino (county officials reported 26), 11 in Navajo, five in Pinal and four in Apache.

Coronavirus, diabetes, obesity and other underlying conditions: Which patients are most at risk?

April 15: Though people of all ages are affected by coronavirus, many of those who develop severe complications after contracting it have preexisting medical conditions. According to a CDC report, nearly 90% of adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in the US had one or more underlying diseases.

The most common were hypertension (49.7%), obesity (48.3%), chronic lung disease (34.6%), diabetes (28.3%), and cardiovascular disease (27.8%). These conditions were even more prevalent in deceased COVID-19 patients, according to data released by Louisiana, New York and New Jersey.

Was your Arizona unemployment claim rejected? Hold tight — the state is re-evaluating thousands of applications

April 15: Have you applied for jobless benefits in the past several weeks and been denied? You still might get some help, according to the Arizona Department of Economic Security.

The state is re-evaluating what likely are thousands of applications from the past two months to see if they should qualify under more generous federal guidelines passed by Congress, which include an additional $600 a week in benefits on top of the $240 maximum offered by the state for some people.

Congress passed, and President Trump signed, the CARES Act on March 27. It expands jobless benefits to nearly everyone put out of work, including part-time workers, contractors and the self-employed. Gov. Doug Ducey also expanded eligibility benefits by waiving the usual one-week waiting period and requirement that people getting jobless benefits continue to look for work.

Many people who have lost their jobs or had their hours reduced because of the national effort to prevent spreading coronavirus, were rejected by the Arizona Department of Economic Security.

Many people are denied because they don't have sufficient earnings history to qualify for state benefits.

But the changes from Congress allow people in that situation, including contractors, part-timers and the self-employed, to get paid.

"DES will review all applications that have been determined 'monetarily ineligible,' since Feb. 2 to determine eligibility for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance," said Brett Bezio, deputy press secretary for DES.

He could not say how many applications needed to be reviewed, but the department has seen a historic number of first-time applications in the past four weeks, with 345,800 people seeking benefits.

3,962 confirmed cases, 142 known deaths as of Wednesday

April 15: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now approach 4,000, with 142 known deaths, according to new numbers released on Wednesday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Arizona's total identified cases rose to 3,962, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 156 confirmed cases, or 4%, since Tuesday when the state reported 3,806 identified cases and 131 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 2,100. All of Arizona's 15 counties have reported at least one case.

More detailed data, including cases by ZIP code and race/ethnicity, was released by the state on Sunday.

The number of Arizona cases likely is higher than official numbers suggest because of limits on supplies and available tests, which led to the state issuing guidelines that restrict who should be tested.

As of Wednesday morning, the state reported death totals from the following counties: 60 in Maricopa, 34 in Pima, 24 in Coconino, 10 in Navajo, five in Pinal and four in Apache.

Trump announces 'halt' in US funding to World Health Organization

President Donald Trump said Tuesday his administration will "halt" U.S. funding to the World Health Organization as it conducts a review of the global organization's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

"The reality is that the WHO failed to adequately obtain, vet and share information in a timely and transparent fashion," the president said in a Rose Garden press conference.

Trump has accused the organization of not moving quickly enough to sound the alarm over COVID-19 and of being too China friendly. He has attacked the agency for advising the U.S. against banning travel from China to other parts of the world amid the outbreak.

"And the World — WHO — World Health got it wrong," the president told reporters at the White House last week. "I mean, they got it very wrong. In many ways, they were wrong. They also minimized the threat very strongly and — not good."

Gov. Ducey to hold press conference at 2:30 p.m.

How to track your stimulus check

April 14: Slowly but surely, taxpayers are telling their friends, and yes, posting news on social media, that they're already seeing stimulus cash arrive in their bank accounts.

And the Internal Revenue Service is expected to give you a new online tool as soon as Wednesday to get a better clue on when you'll see your Economic Impact Payment via IRS.gov/eip. The IRS said the tool will let you go online to check the status of a payment, including the date it's scheduled to be deposited or mailed.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a press briefing Monday that Treasury is ahead of schedule in getting the money out and expects that more than 80 million people will receive their stimulus money by Wednesday.

The U.S. Department of Treasury expects that a "large majority of eligible Americans will receive Economic Impact Payments within the next two weeks."

3,806 confirmed cases, 131 known deaths as of Tuesday

April 14: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 3,800, with 131 known deaths, according to new numbers released on Tuesday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Arizona's total identified cases rose to 3,806, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 104 confirmed cases, or 2.8%, since Monday when the state reported 3,702 identified cases and 122 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 2,000. All of Arizona's 15 counties have reported at least one case.

More detailed data, including cases by ZIP code and race/ethnicity, was released by the state on Sunday.

The number of Arizona cases likely is higher than official numbers suggest because of limits on supplies and available tests, which led to the state issuing guidelines that restrict who should be tested.

President Trump retweets a call for Dr. Anthony Fauci's dismissal

April 13: President Donald Trump generated new questions about the fate of his anti-coronavirus policy team by retweeting a post that called for firing Anthony Fauci.

Trump did not explicitly endorse the call to remove Fauci in his Sunday tweet, but in recirculating it, he defended himself against claims he did not act quickly enough to curb the spread of the virus that has killed thousands and led to a near-shutdown of the American economy.

DeAnna Lorraine, a pro-Trump congressional candidate who polled less than 2% in a recent open primary challenge to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., claimed in a tweet that "Fauci is now saying that had Trump listened to the medical experts earlier he could've saved more lives. Fauci was telling people on February 29th that there was nothing to worry about and it posed no threat to the US public at large."

She added: "Time to #FireFauci..."

Trump and Fauci, the long-time director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, have disputed each other during the course of the epidemic.

3,702 confirmed cases, 122 known deaths as of Monday

April 13: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 3,700, with 122 known deaths, according to new numbers released Monday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Arizona's total identified cases rose to 3,702, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 163 confirmed cases, or 4.6%, since Sunday when the state reported 3,539 identified cases and 115 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 2,000. All of Arizona's 15 counties have reported at least one case.

More detailed data, including cases by ZIP code and race/ethnicity, was released by the state at noon Sunday.

The number of Arizona cases likely is higher than official numbers suggest because of limits on supplies and available tests, which led to the state issuing guidelines that restrict who should be tested.

As of Monday morning, the state reported death totals from the following counties: 52 in Maricopa, 29 in Pima, 21 in Coconino, eight in Navajo, four in Pinal and four in Apache.

Coronavirus by ZIP code: New data shows where cases are found across Arizona

April 12: Arizona health officials for the first time released coronavirus data by ZIP code on Sunday. The data showed hot spots of infections near Indian reservations, especially around Page, along with large numbers of cases in Scottsdale and Tucson.

Yet the state excluded much of the information needed to identify locations of outbreaks in the state.

The state Department of Health Services published its data as a map, showing a number of cases for each ZIP code. ZIP codes with more than 10 cases gave a specific number. Those with fewer gave ranges: "0," "1-5" or "6-10."

The team from AZ Data Central extracted the case figures from the state's map, assembling many of the data points by hand.

The state's map shows every ZIP code with more than 10 cases as red.

To give a truer view of the pandemic's impact in Arizona, AZ Data Central's map presents the number as of Sunday relative to the population of each ZIP code.

As states restrict Easter gatherings, churches and lawmakers push back

April 12: In Kansas, that battle has reached the Supreme Court. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly filed a lawsuit Thursday after a Republican-dominated legislative panel overturned her executive order banning religious and funeral services of more than 10 attendees during the coronavirus pandemic.

Republican Senate President Susan Wagle painted the executive order as an attack on Christians. "Now, during Holy Week for Christians, she is closing our churches," Wagle said on Twitter. "We are doing our part to slow the spread."

US now has more COVID-19 deaths than any other country

April 11: The United States has passed Italy to become the country with the most coronavirus deaths. However, as a proportion of the total population in the U.S., virus deaths remain at about one-sixth of those in hard-hit Italy or Spain.

More than 19,700 people in the U.S. have died due to complications from the coronavirus as of Saturday afternoon, according to data from the Johns Hopkins University dashboard. Friday, the U.S. saw its highest daily death count yet, at 2,108.

Italy's death toll was at 19,468 and Spain, the nation with the third-most fatalities, had 16,353 reported deaths. Worldwide, the death count has surpassed 104,000.

Estimates on how many people will end up dying in the U.S. have fluctuated in recent weeks as new data continues to pour in.

A leading projection model from the University of Washington has forecast about 60,000 deaths in the country, far less than the 100,000 to 240,000 deaths that were projected in a White House release less than two weeks ago.

3,393 confirmed cases, 108 known deaths as of Saturday

April 11: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 3,300, with 108 known deaths, according to new numbers released Saturday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Arizona's total identified cases rose to 3,393, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 281 confirmed cases, or 9%, since Friday when the state reported 3,112 identified cases and 97 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 1,800. All of Arizona's 15 counties have reported at least one case.

The number of Arizona cases likely is higher than official numbers suggest because of limits on supplies and available tests, which led to the state issuing guidelines that restrict who should be tested.

As of Saturday morning, the state reported death totals from the following counties: 47 in Maricopa, 29 in Pima, 15 in Coconino, seven in Navajo and three each in Pinal and Apache. Mohave County reported two deaths and Yavapai and La Paz reported one each, though those did not appear on the state's dashboard.

100 more ventilators on their way to Arizona

April 10: Gov. Doug Ducey today said 100 additional ventilators will be sent to Arizona from the Strategic National Stockpile, at the request of Ducey and U.S. Sen. Martha McSally.

"These ventilators will add to our surge capacity and help us prepare in our tribal communities and elsewhere," Ducey said in a statement. "President Trump and I spoke about this Wednesday night. I’m grateful that he was able to deliver on this request immediately."

Ducey said he had been in touch with Navajo President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer about the Navajo Nation's needs for supplies, personnel and ventilators to fight COVID-19.

"Our goal is that we will never need these ventilators and can eventually send them to other regions of the country, but this action by President Trump and Vice President Pence will help ensure Arizona is prepared for a worst-case scenario,” Ducey said.

McSally said in her statement, “This is potentially life-saving news for Arizona.”

Looking for Lysol spray and Clorox wipes? Here’s when you can buy again

April 10: As the coronavirus locks down more of the country, shelf after shelf of Lysol sprays and Clorox wipes has been picked clean by shoppers preparing for the possibility that they could be quarantined for weeks or months.

Store limits on disinfecting wipes and sprays haven’t slowed the fear-fueled run as households stock up on cleaning products to protect against infection. Neither have eye-popping prices online and off.

In March, sales of aerosol disinfectants jumped 343% and multipurpose cleaners 166% from a year ago, according to research firm Nielsen. And still, people are scouring the internet's vast virtual shelves and local stores for more.

How could something so basic suddenly be so hard to get?

Manufacturers like Clorox were not prepared for skyrocketing demand in a sleepy sector with reliably steady sales that usually only fluctuate during flu season. And, with global supply chains snarled by the coronavirus, they now can’t produce enough inventory to meet that demand, supply chain experts say.

Clorox 4-in-1 Disinfecting Spray and Lysol Disinfectant Spray are among the products that the Environmental Protection Agency says likely protect against the spread of the coronavirus.

“Nobody ever expected this to happen, and they got caught flatfooted,” says Patrick Penfield, professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University. “They don’t have enough ingredients. They don’t have enough capacity.”

Disinfectant products manufacturers say they are rushing to churn out as much as they can as quickly as they can.

By mid-May, supply chains should return to normal and by June, out-of-stock disinfectants should begin reappearing on store shelves, predicts Tom Derry, CEO of the Institute for Supply Management. But intermittent shortages could persist for months, such as in the fall when people are expected to return to work and children to school.

Coronavirus antibody testing: What is it? Can it reopen US economy?

April 10: As officials begin to discuss when they can lift stay-at-home orders, companies are rushing to develop coronavirus antibody tests that could help them make those decisions without risking a second wave of infections.

Leading the fight against COVID-19, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Friday morning on CNN that antibody testing can show who has developed immunity to the coronavirus and can safely go back to work without getting reinfected.

“As we get to the point of at least considering opening up the country, as it were, it’s very important to appreciate and understand how much this virus is penetrating this society,” he said.

How would antibody tests factor into decisions to lift social distancing orders, and how reliable are those tests? Here's everything you need to know about antibody testing.

World reaches 100,000 deaths; US has 'not reached the peak'

April 10: Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, said Friday that the U.S. has not "reached the peak" of the pandemic but that there were "encouraging" signs that the curves were flattening or lowering.

"This is not the time to feel that since we have made such important advances ... that we need to be pulling back at all," Dr. Anthony Fauci added at the Friday press briefing.

Meanwhile, a leading projection of the pandemic had U.S. deaths from the virus at its peak Friday as the global death toll reached 100,000 lives. Research from the University of Washington in Seattle, which has created some of the preeminent modeling of the pandemic, indicated U.S. deaths could reach almost 2,000 on Friday but would fall in the coming days.

Elsewhere, travelers were being cautioned to stay home around the world to mark the traditions of Good Friday and the Easter weekend. Eagerly awaited stimulus checks should soon be hitting Americans' bank accounts. And New York now ha has more confirmed coronavirus cases than any other country in the world.

The U.S. surpassed 475,000 confirmed cases on Friday, according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard. About 26,000 Americans have recovered.

3,112 confirmed cases, 97 known deaths as of Friday

April 10: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 3,100, with 97 known deaths, according to new numbers released Friday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Arizona's total identified cases rose to 3,112, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 94 confirmed cases, or 3%, since Thursday when the state reported 3,018 identified cases and 89 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 1,700. All of Arizona's 15 counties have reported at least one case.

The number of Arizona cases likely is higher than official numbers suggest because of limits on supplies and available tests, which led to the state issuing guidelines that restrict who should be tested.

Iceland tested 10% of its population for COVID-19. Here's what it learned

April 10: By Friday, Iceland will have achieved something no other country has: tested 10% of its population for coronavirus, a figure far higher than anywhere else in the world.

No country or scientist or doctor has all the answers about the pandemic that has swept the globe, infecting more than 1.6 million people and killing at least 95,000.

But some places, such as tiny Iceland, Europe's most sparsely populated country – pop. 364,134, broadly equivalent to the number of people in Tulsa, Oklahoma – may be better placed to deliver some types of coronavirus information, and even answers, than most, at least in the short term, according to public health experts, international government officials and others involved in responding to the outbreak.

Stimulus checks on the way

April 9: U.S. stocks surged higher despite mind-numbing jobless numbers while some Americans could begin receiving stimulus checks Thursday.

Some of President Donald Trump's Cabinet signaled frustration with lockdowns and stay-at-home orders: Attorney General William Barr called restrictions in many states "draconian;" Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said parts of the economy could reopen by May.

The Dow was up more than 300 points. The Labor Department reported a staggering 6.6 million initial claims for unemployment insurance. And the saddest numbers: The U.S. death toll from the pandemic rocking the globe was nearing 15,000; there are now more than 432,000 confirmed cases, according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard.

There was a silver lining: A University of Washington health research center dropped its estimated U.S. death total from the coronavirus, placing the likely toll by August at about 60,000. Worldwide, there are more than 1.5 million confirmed cases and more than 90,000 deaths. And the nation's top health expert said he's optimistic of a turnaround.

Fauci lowers U.S. coronavirus death forecast to 60,000

April 9: Senior White House adviser Anthony Fauci said Thursday the death toll from the coronavirus could be closer to 60,000 Americans, assuming full social distancing, rather than the previously projected 100,000 to 240,000 deaths.

"The real data are telling us that it is highly likely that we're having a definite positive effect by these mitigation things that we're doing — this physical separation — so I believe we are gonna see a downturn in that,” Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told NBC's Today show.

“And it looks more like the 60,000 than the 100,000 to 200,000,” he said.

Fauci did not say which model he is using to come up with the estimate, but his comments came as a leading model from the University of Washington that experts in the White House have been using also predicted fewer Americans may die from coronavirus than previously thought.

That model now projects 60,415 people will die in the U.S. by Aug. 4, compared to previous projections that approached 100,000. Forty-five states and the District of Columbia will have fewer deaths than previously thought, under the model.

3,018 confirmed cases, 89 known deaths as of Thursday

April 9: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 3,000, with 89 known deaths, according to new numbers released Thursday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

The total identified cases in Arizona are 3,018, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 292 confirmed cases, or 11%, since Wednesday when the state reported 2,726 identified cases and 80 deaths. That's a higher daily percent increase than recent days.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now approach 1,700. All of Arizona's 15 counties have at least one recorded case.

The number of Arizona cases likely is much higher than official numbers suggest. People have reported trouble getting tested, as health professionals confront confusion over who to test and face a lack of testing supplies.

As of Thursday morning, Maricopa County recorded 39 deaths related to COVID-19. Pima County had 16 known deaths, Coconino had 15, Pinal and Mohave counties each had two deaths, and Navajo County reported one death, according to the respective county websites.

Almost all federal stockpile of personal protective equipment is depleted

Ninety percent of the federal personal protective equipment stockpile had been depleted as the Health and Human Services Department made its "final shipments" of N95 respirators, surgical and face masks, face shields, gowns and gloves, according to new documents released Wednesday by the House Oversight Committee

The remaining 10% of the stockpile, HHS said, would be reserved for federal workers and would not be sent to the states.

The documents, which report the distribution of personal protective equipment to state and local governments as of April 6, show that only 11.7 million N95 respirator masks and 7,920 ventilators have been distributed across the nation — both amounts small fractions of the estimated amount of protective equipment needed by frontline medical workers.

HHS confirmed to the Associated Press on Wednesday that the remaining equipment in the federal stockpile was in the process of being deployed.

More checks? Hazard pay? What might be in next stimulus bill

April 8: Americans have yet to receive their $1,200 stimulus checks from the federal government, but another round of cash payments could be coming their way.

Talks are under way between the Trump administration and Congress on another recovery package to blunt the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. A second round of cash payments to Americans is part of the discussions.

“We could very well do a second round,” President Donald Trump said at a White House news conference on Monday. “It is absolutely under serious consideration.”

Congress already has approved three stimulus bills to juice the economy amid the coronavirus crisis. The largest is a $2.2 trillion economic recovery package that provides one-time payments of up to $1,200 to millions of Americans, as well as loans, grants and tax breaks for businesses reeling from the economic fallout caused by the pandemic.

2,726 confirmed cases, 80 known deaths as of Wednesday

April 8: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 2,700, with 80 known deaths, according to new numbers released Wednesday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

The total identified cases in Arizona are 2,726, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 151 confirmed cases, or 6%, since Tuesday when the state reported 2,575 identified cases and 73 deaths. This is a lower percentage increase in cases than in previous days.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now approach 1,600. All of Arizona's 15 counties have at least one recorded case.

The number of Arizona cases is likely much higher than official numbers suggest. People have reported trouble getting tested, as health professionals confront confusion over who to test and face a lack of testing supplies.

As of Wednesday morning, Maricopa County recorded 37 deaths related to COVID-19. Pima County had 15 known deaths and Coconino had 14, according to the respective county websites. Navajo County and Mohave County each reported one death, both people in their 60s with underlying health conditions.

Gov. Ducey to hold press conference at 2 p.m.

April 7: Gov. Doug Ducey will join Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Chris and others to provide an update on COVID-19 in Arizona and the state’s latest actions.

New data on New York coronavirus deaths: Most had these underlying illnesses

April 7: The majority of New York’s more than 4,700 deaths due to coronavirus were among men, and 86% of all deaths were among people who had underlying illnesses, such as hypertension and diabetes, new state data shows.

The statistics released late Monday offered the latest glimpse into how the rapidly spreading virus has impacted New York and made it the epicenter for COVID-19 in the nation.

Of the 4,758 deaths in New York since the first on March 14, 61% were men and 39% were women, the state Department of Health reported on its new data portal.

In addition, 63% of the deaths were among those age 70 and older, while 7% of the cases were those 49 and younger.

And 4,089 of those who died had at least one other chronic disease, the records showed:

The leading underlying illness was hypertension, which showed up in 55% of the deaths.

Next was diabetes, which was diagnosed in 1,755 deaths, or about 37% of the cases.

Other top illnesses found in those who died from coronavirus were hyperlipidemia; coronary artery disease; renal disease and dementia.

2,575 confirmed cases, 73 known deaths as of Tuesday

April 7: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 2,500, with 73 known deaths, according to new numbers released by the Arizona Department of Health Services on Tuesday.

The total identified cases in Arizona are 2,575, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 119 confirmed cases, or 5%, since Monday when the state reported 2,456 identified cases and 65 deaths. This is a lower percentage increase in cases than in previous days.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now approach 1,500. All of Arizona's 15 counties have at least one recorded case.

The number of Arizona cases is likely much higher than official numbers suggest. People have reported trouble getting tested, as health professionals confront confusion over who to test and face a lack of testing supplies.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson moved to intensive care as coronavirus symptoms worsen

APRIL 6: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was moved to an intensive care unit at a London hospital Monday night after his coronavirus symptoms worsened, his office said in a statement.

Johnson, 55, asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab "to deputize for him where necessary," according to a Downing Street statement.

"Since Sunday evening, the prime minister has been under the care of doctors at St. Thomas' Hospital, in London, after being admitted with persistent symptoms of coronavirus," the statement said.

Johnson tested positive for the respiratory illness March 17, the first major world leader to publicly acknowledge having COVID-19. His symptoms include a high temperature and a cough. He is conscious and has not been put on a ventilator.

Earlier Monday, Johnson tweeted that he had a "comfortable night" and was in "good spirits" while receiving regular briefings from his Cabinet and government advisers.

Johnson's illness means that he has had to effectively step away from day-to-day governing as Britain, like much of the world, faces the worst public health crisis in a century. Britain has more than 52,000 confirmed cases and more than 5,300 deaths, and the virus could reach its peak in the country as soon as this weekend.

Cuomo: Deaths, hospitalizations may be leveling off in New York

April 6: The number of daily COVID-19 hospitalizations in New York state declined again and deaths may be leveling off, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday. Cuomo also said he would ask President Donald Trump for permission to use the 1,000-bed USNS Comfort for COVID-19 patients since there is little demand for beds for other illnesses. The Comfort anchored in New York's harbor with a mission to treat non-virus patients so hospitals could concentrate on COVID patients.

Cuomo also said demand for hospital beds and ventilators may not reach numbers previously projected if residents continue to follow social distancing and other guidelines. But he also announced an increase in the fine, to $1,000 from $500, for failing to follow the rules.

"There is a real danger in getting overconfident," Cuomo said at his daily news conference. "This is an enemy that we have underestimated from day one and we have paid the price dearly."

US stocks race higher

April 6: U.S. stocks rose sharply Monday: The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 were up more than 5% in early afternoon trading on signs of a slowdown in coronavirus deaths and new cases in some of the hardest-hit areas around the globe.

Global shares also rose Monday as investors saw hopeful signs the coronavirus pandemic may be leveling off in hard-hit places such as Italy, Spain – and even New York. Benchmarks were up about 3% in Paris and Frankfurt and Tokyo jumped more than 4%.

"In the near term, we believe market performance primarily depends on how quickly economic activity can normalize following measures to contain the virus,” Mark Haefele, chief investment officer at UBS Global Wealth Management, said in a note.

2,456 confirmed cases, 65 known deaths as of Monday

April 6: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 2,400, with 65 known deaths, according to new numbers released by the Arizona Department of Health Services on Monday.

The total identified cases in Arizona are 2,456, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 187 confirmed cases, or 8%, since Sunday when the state reported 2,269 identified cases and 64 deaths. This is a lower percentage increase in cases than in previous days.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 1,400. All of Arizona's 15 counties have at least one recorded case.

Trump interrupts when reporter asks Fauci about hydroxychloroquine

April 5: A reporter's question about hydroxychloroquine led to a testy moment at Sunday's White House briefing.

Anthony Fauci was asked his thoughts on the effectiveness of the anti-malaria drug in treating coronavirus patients, and President Donald Trump interrupted before the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases could answer.

“He’s answered that question 15 times,” said Trump, who had spent much of the news conference touting the drug's potential.

Arizona reports 2,269 coronavirus cases and 64 known deaths

April 5: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 2,200, with 64 known deaths, according to new numbers released by the Arizona Department of Health Services on Sunday.

The total identified cases in Arizona are 2,269, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 250 confirmed cases, or 12%, since Saturday when the state reported 2,019 identified cases and 52 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 1,300. All of Arizona's 15 counties have at least one recorded case.

Governors warn of dire ventilator shortages. Trump says some are playing 'politics'

April 5: Governors' warnings of life-threatening shortages of ventilators have emerged as a flashpoint between President Donald Trump and the states as the coronavirus crisis deepens.

"Some states have more ventilators than they need," Trump told a news briefing Saturday. "They don't even like to admit it. They'll admit it when everything's over but that doesn't help us very much.“

Governors in hard-hit states like New York, Michigan and Louisiana say doctors could be forced to make life or death decisions about who will get ventilators and who won't if hospitals starting running out of the machines when the peak of the crisis hits.

Trump says US to deploy 1,000 military personnel to New York City

April 4: President Donald Trump said Saturday he is deploying 1,000 medical personnel to New York City to help battle the coronavirus.

Personnel to be deployed will include doctors, nurses, respiratory specialists and others, Trump announced at a White House news briefing on Saturday.

“We've been doing it, but now we're doing it on a larger basis,” Trump said.

Trump did not say from which branches of the services the officials will be deployed. But he said they will be sent Sunday and Monday to New York, “where they’re needed most.”

IRS's antiquated technology could delay $1,200 coronavirus stimulus checks

April 4: WASHINGTON – Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is promising that millions of Americans will receive $1,200 stimulus checks in just two weeks, but some tax experts and congressional officials are warning it may take much longer.

Antiquated technology and staff reductions at the Internal Revenue Service have seriously hampered the agency’s ability to process checks in such a short period and could mean delays in sending the money to anxious Americans who are counting on the cash to get them through hard times caused by the coronavirus pandemic, experts say.

“There are going to be a lot of people for whom this is going to take a while, and I think it’s going to be measured in terms of months, not weeks,” said Howard Gleckman, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute's Tax Policy Center.

2,019 cases and 52 known deaths

April 4: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 2,000, with 52 known deaths, according to new numbers released by the Arizona Department of Health Services on Saturday.

The total identified cases in Arizona are 2,019 according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 250 confirmed cases, or 14%, since Friday when the state reported 1,769 identified cases and 41 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 1,100. All of Arizona's 15 counties have at least one recorded case.

Trump: CDC recommending voluntary use of face masks for public

April 3: The Trump administration is advising people to start wearing face masks in public to stop the disease's spread, a reversal on previous guidance that urged people not to wear masks.

President Donald Trump said at a White House news conference Friday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines are strictly voluntary. “You can do it – you don’t have to do it. It’s only a recommendation.”

Trump repeatedly stressed it is voluntary. "I don't think i'm going to be doing it," he said.

Trump stressed that the CDC is not calling for Americans wear medical-grade masks. Medical protective gear must be preserved for health care officials who are on the front lines treating coronavirus patients, he said.

Hair and nail salons must close, Ducey says

April 3: Any Arizona hair and nail salons that haven't already shut down to slow the spread of COVID-19 will have to close by 5 p.m. Saturday, according to new guidance issued by Gov. Doug Ducey's office.

The nature of such businesses means they cannot maintain required social distancing guidelines of at least six feet between individuals, his office said.

The directive also applies to:

Barbershops

Tanning salons

Spas

Massage parlors

Tattoo parlors

Basketball courts, splash pads, playgrounds and public restrooms at public parks

"Communal pools' at hotels, condominiums, apartment complexes and parks

Swap meets

Trump criticizes mask maker 3M

April 3: President Donald Trump is criticizing 3M over N95 respirator masks as the company revealed demand is "much higher" than its ability to make them during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a tweet, Trump said 3M "will have a big price to pay" over mask production.

"We hit 3M hard today after seeing what they were doing with their Masks," Trump wrote. "'P Act' all the way. Big surprise to many in government as to what they were doing."

On Thursday, the White House invoked the Defense Production Act to acquire more masks with N95 respirators from 3M.

1,769 cases and 41 known deaths

April 3: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 1,700, with 41 known deaths, according to new numbers released by the Arizona Department of Health Services on Friday.

The total identified cases in Arizona is 1,769, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 171 confirmed cases, or 11%, since Thursday when the state reported 1,598 identified cases and 32 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now exceed 1,000. All of Arizona's 15 counties have at least one recorded case.

Ducey shifts tone on salons

April 2: Gov. Doug Ducey walked back his controversial decision to allow Arizona's salons to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic, claiming his executive order outlining "essential services" did not include them.

"The businesses you're talking about are not covered," he told moderator Ted Simons during a town hall broadcast live throughout the state.

"If they're looking for cover under one of the categories, then they're going to have to be able to demonstrate that they can exercise social distancing or some other type of protective (measures)."

Target to limit number of shoppers in stores as a new safety measure

April 2: Target announced Thursday that it is adding new measures to promote safety and social distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The Minneapolis-based retailer said in a news release that beginning Saturday, April 4, it "will actively monitor and, when needed, meter guest traffic in its nearly 1,900 stores nationwide to promote social distancing."

Occupancy limits will vary by store and based on a specific location's square footage "to enhance the average space per person and reduce the possibility of congestion," Target said.

If a store needs to limit shoppers, there will be a "designated waiting area outside with social distancing markers."

Arizona coronavirus update: Nearly 1,600 identified cases and 32 known deaths

April 2: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now approach 1,600, with 32 known deaths, according to new numbers released by the Arizona Department of Health Services on Thursday.

The total number of identified cases in Arizona is 1,598, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 185 confirmed cases, or 13%, since Wednesday when the state reported 1,413 identified cases and 29 deaths.

All of Arizona's 15 counties have at least one recorded case.

What if I can't pay my rent? Help for Arizona renters struggling during COVID-19 pandemic

April 2: Rent is due for most metro Phoenix renters at the first of the month, but a growing number likely is struggling to pay due to the health and economic fallout from COVID-19.

A record number of Arizonans have applied for unemployment benefits as businesses have shuttered or scaled back operations to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.

If you are a struggling renter, help is available in a few ways.

You're feeling sick. Here's the latest on COVID-19 testing options in Arizona

April 2: As the new coronavirus spreads in Arizona, more and more people may get fevers, coughs and shortness of breath — the hallmark symptoms of COVID-19.

But many Arizonans will never know whether or not they had the virus.

A variety of laboratories, clinics and even telemedicine groups have started offering tests in Arizona, but guidelines are strict for who gets a test. For the most part, unless you’re very sick and present multiple symptoms or known exposure, it may be difficult to get tested.

ASU researchers look for traces of COVID-19 in Tempe's sewage, which could serve as early warning system

April 2: Arizona State University researchers in Tempe are looking for traces of COVID-19 in wastewater, which could serve as an early warning system of the virus’s spread in communities.

Tempe officials said more data on how widespread the virus is in the city could help staff better deploy protective equipment and other resources, access testing kits and better prepare first responders and health care workers to handle the outbreak, said Rosa Inchausti, director of Tempe’s Strategic Management and Diversity Office.

“Now we wake up and instead of checking the weather every day we look for two numbers, how many people are infected and how many people have died. But you don’t know anything about the people who are asymptomatic or who haven’t been tested,” Inchausti said. “That’s just not enough information for public officials to be making decisions.”

Jobless claims soar; 10% unemployment ahead?

April 2: The number of Americans who filed claims for unemployment benefits surged to a record 6.6 million last week as the coronavirus pandemic continued to spark massive layoffs and furloughs across the nation. The 6.6 million jobless claims reported by the Labor Department on Thursday was double the prior week’s record-smashing total of nearly 3.3 million. U.S. stocks, hammered by steep declines Wednesday, were modestly higher in early trading Thursday.

“Sadly we’re only at the start of this process,” said James McCann, senior global economist at Aberdeen Standard Investments. "When we look at all the jobs at direct risk from social distancing policies, and those which could be affected indirectly, the numbers start to get pretty scary."

More than 1,000 in US die in a single day from coronavirus

April 1: The U.S. topped 1,000 coronavirus deaths in a single day for the first time Wednesday, a daily death toll more than double that of two of America's most deadly illnesses — lung cancer and the flu.

Death counts from the virus are difficult to keep up to date in the daily chaos from the virus, but the Johns Hopkins coronavirus database — whose sources include the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the European CDC and the National Health Commission of China — shows that the U.S. hit 1,040 cases Wednesday at 10:25 p.m. ET.

The previous high mark for a single day in the U.S. was Tuesday, with 504 deaths.

Costco to limit how many people per membership can enter clubs

April 1: Costco will limit how many people can enter its warehouse clubs as part of its response to the coronavirus.

Starting Friday, April 3, the retail giant will allow no more than two people to enter stores with each membership card.

Earlier this week, Costco cut its weekday hours because of the pandemic. Stores now close at 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and gas stations at U.S. locations will be open at 7:30 a.m. daily and close at 7 p.m. weekdays and at 6:30 p.m. weekends.

Costco also is now offering three senior shopping hours a week and is allowing “those with physical impairments” to participate.

The senior hours originally started March 24 as a twice-weekly event for members 60 and up on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but Costco added Wednesdays as the third day effective April 1.

Arizona's case count rises by 10%

April 1: Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 1,400, with 29 known deaths, according to new numbers posted by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

The number of identified cases in Arizona was 1,413, according to the most recent state figures. All of Arizona's 15 counties have at least one recorded case.

That's an increase of 124 confirmed cases, or 10%, since Tuesday.

As of Wednesday morning, Maricopa County recorded 11 deaths related to COVID-19. Pima County had eight deaths and Coconino County four, according to their respective websites. Navajo County had one reported death, that of an individual in their 60s with underlying health conditions, according to the county.

Unemployment checks going out soon

April 1: Help is on the way for the record-shattering number of people seeking jobless benefits, which are set to increase by $600 a week.

Tens of thousands of Arizonans have applied for benefits in the past two weeks as businesses have closed or significantly reduced operations.

The state Department of Economic Security is responsible for reviewing and approving applications for people to get paid when they are let go from their jobs. The criteria for receiving benefits was expanded first by Gov. Doug Ducey in an executive order, and then again by Congress and President Trump last week.

The most significant change is a potential $600 a week in additional benefits for time away from work from March 29 through July 31. That's in addition to Arizona's cap of $240.

Sunlight does not kill the new coronavirus

April 1: An article on a holistic health blog that has been circulating on Facebook tells people to go outside to prevent catching the new coronavirus because sunlight kills it.

“In my opinion, keeping the beaches closed and having people quarantined inside their homes is a bad decision. Getting more sunshine is a proactive step we can all take at protecting ourselves from the current coronavirus outbreak,” wrote David Friedman, the author of the blog post.

The claim has been shared widely on the internet and appeared in a COVID-19 video by Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., who is a physician.

But it holds little truth. according to experts. Experts have advised against using concentrated UV light to prevent or treat the coronavirus and do not recommend going in the sunlight to kill the virus.

Read a full fact check of the claim, and learn why powerful UV light should be avoided.

These companies are still hiring in Arizona

April 1: As companies are laying off or furloughing employees and Arizona sees a record number of jobless claims, some companies in the state are still hiring.

These companies in Arizona have said they are hiring during the coronavirus outbreak. The industries include:

Grocers and retailers

Food and drink suppliers

First responders

Health care

Security companies

Education and tech services

Call centers

Industrial protection

Additionally, Arizona At Work has a list of all job opportunities available across the state. For help finding a job or building a resume, visit azjobconnection.gov.

Ducey's stay-at-home order: What it means

Gov. Doug Ducey on March 30 issued a statewide "stay-at-home" order to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, preventing Arizonans from leaving their residences except for food, medicine and other "essential activities." Here's what it means for you.

According to the governor, essential services include:

Health care and public health operations.

Services for elderly people, those with developmental disabilities, foster and adoption children and individuals experiencing homelessness.

Infrastructure operation, such as food production, utility operators, construction and internet providers.

First responders and other emergency personnel.

Grocery stores and pharmacies.

Veterinary care.

Outdoor recreation.

Charities and social service organizations, including nonprofits and food banks.

Media organizations.

Gas stations and other transportation-related businesses.

Banks and credit unions.

Hardware and supply stores.

"Critical trades," such as plumbers, electricians, cleaning, sanitation and security.

Shipping and mail services.

Educational institutions.

Laundry services.

Restaurants, for takeout and delivery.

Suppliers for essential businesses.

Distributors that enable telework.

Airlines, taxis and ride-sharing services.

Residential facilities and shelters.

Legal, real estate and accounting services.

Day-care centers for employees of essential businesses.

Manufacturers and distributors of "critical products."

Hotels.

Funeral services.

PREVIOUSLY: Arizona coronavirus updates from March 2020

Omicron: the symptoms and key differences from a cold | The Week UK

A growing body of evidence that Omicron causes cold-like symptoms has prompted calls for an urgent update of government guidance on spotting the Covid-19 variant.

According to data from the ZOE Covid study, which tracks reports of symptoms uploaded to an app by the public, the new “rapidly spreading” strain is producing “mild” symptoms that are “very hard” to differentiate from a common cold without testing, The Independent reported.

Tim Spector, who founded the ZOE project, said the data suggests that about half of all Omicron cases were being “missed” because they are not presenting with “classic” Covid symptoms of fever, new and persistent cough and a loss or change of smell or taste.

“It is going to be producing cold-like symptoms that people won’t recognise as Covid if they just believe the official government advice,” Spector, a professor of epidemiology at King’s College London, told the BBC’s Breakfast programme.

New symptoms

Early reports from South Africa, where Omicron was first detected, suggest that symptoms “in the country's fourth wave are far milder than in previous waves”, said The Guardian.

Although case rates “surged by 255%” within a week in early December as the new strain spread, “there is mounting anecdotal evidence that infections with the Omicron variant are provoking milder symptoms”, the paper reported.

However, England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty has urged caution over the information emerging from South Africa. Whitty told a Downing Street press conference earlier this week that “the amount of immunity in South Africa for this wave – because of a prior Delta wave and vaccination – is far higher than it was for their last wave”.

“That doesn’t mean that there isn’t some degree of slightly milder disease, that is possible,” he added. “But I just think there’s a danger people have over-interpreted this to say, this is not a problem and what are we worrying about?”

According to Zoe study founder Spector, the “majority of symptoms” linked to Omicron are identical to those of a severe winter cold. Omicron symptoms include headaches, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, fatigue, sneezing and coughing.