April 15 coronavirus news

By Ben Westcott, Adam Renton, Rob Picheta and Fernando Alfonso III, CNN

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

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6:09 p.m. ET, April 15, 2020

Trump says new coronavirus guidelines will be announced Thursday

From CNN's Betsy Klein

President Trump said Wednesday that new guidelines regarding preventing the spread of coronavirus while reopening the economy will be announced at a news conference Thursday.

Trump announced that data “suggests that nationwide, we are past the peak on new cases,” citing flattening of the curve in Detroit and Denver, new cases declining in New York, and “great progress” in Washington, DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and St. Louis.

“These encouraging developments have put us in a very strong position to finalize guidelines for states on reopening the country, which we’ll be announcing. We’re going to be talking about that tomorrow, we’ll be having a news conference tomorrow sometime during the afternoon. We’re going to be announcing guidelines and we’ll be talking about various states and it's very exciting,” Trump said.

As CNN has reported, the new recommendations would mimic the social distancing guidelines the President announced in March and extended at the start of April, while not mandatory, they carry the weight of the federal government and the presidency.

The comments come the same day Trump was told by many business stakeholders that more testing was needed in order for Americans to return to work.

5:58 p.m. ET, April 15, 2020

North Dakota governor extends nonessential business closure

From CNN’s Will Brown

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said he is extending his executive order that closes nonessential businesses in the state through April 30.

Burgum said he hopes the state could begin to reopen May 1 but added "plans can change."

5:58 p.m. ET, April 15, 2020

There are more than 630,000 coronavirus cases in the US

There are at least 632,878 cases of coronavirus in the US and at least 27,850 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University's tally of cases.

On Wednesday, Johns Hopkins reported 23,638 new cases and 1,817 reported deaths.

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

6:08 p.m. ET, April 15, 2020

Los Angeles mayor says no concerts or sporting events in city until 2021

From CNN's Sarah Moon

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told CNN's Wolf Blitzer concerts and sporting events will not be allowed in the city until 2021.

“It wasn’t a secret plan that got leaked,” Garcetti said on "The Situation Room," referring to an internal letter obtained by the Los Angeles Times.

Garcetti said unless there is a vaccine or a pharmaceutical intervention, there won't be mass gatherings like concerts and sporting events in Los Angeles until next year.

Watch:

5:49 p.m. ET, April 15, 2020

Illinois governor calls on Congress to pass a second relief package to help state revenue shortfalls

From CNN's Chris Boyette

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker called on Washington to pass a second relief package, specifically to help state government revenue shortfalls.

“This is a public health crisis, but it is accompanied by massive economic disruption that's unprecedented in modern history,” Pritzker said at a briefing on Wednesday

He said state budget experts estimate that there will be a $2.7. billion shortfall of revenues for this fiscal year, and a $4.6 billion shortfall for next fiscal year.

“I want to express my gratitude to our Illinois congressional delegation, our senators and congressmen of both parties for their support for the first CARES Act ... But I want to be clear, these dollars can be used to cover only new expenditures related to coronavirus," he said.

The bill provides funds to cover state government expenditures in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Currently this funding cannot be used to make up for state government revenue shortfalls that have been a result of coronavirus. That leaves states to face this unprecedented financial hole on their own, if the Congress doesn't pass a ‘CARES Act 2,’ to support state governments," Pritzker said.

“The federal government acted swiftly to step in and support businesses and corporations so that they can come out on the other side of this and jumpstart the economy. But the same type of action is needed in support of state governments,” the governor said.

5:22 p.m. ET, April 15, 2020

Trudeau warns national lockdown will continue for weeks

From CNN’s Paula Newton in Ottawa

CanadaJustin Trudeau, Canada's prime minister, speaks during a news conference outside Rideau Cottage in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Tuesday, April 14, 2020. David Kawai/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned again Wednesday that the national lockdown would continue for weeks to come even though the country has, so far, been spared the worst of Covid-19.

"If we reopen too soon, everything we're doing now might be for nothing,” Trudeau said during his daily press conference in Ottawa.

Canada reported 28,205 cases on Wednesday and 1,008 deaths. Nearly half of those deaths were related to outbreaks in long-term care facilities. Still, per capita, Canada has had fewer cases and deaths than the United States and most European countries.

But Trudeau says that doesn’t mean the country is reopening anytime soon, and certainly not by May 1.

"It would be terrible if we were to release restrictions too early and find out we're suddenly back in another big wave of Covid-19," he said, adding that any reopening would happen in phases.

5:18 p.m. ET, April 15, 2020

Joe Biden will participate in CNN's coronavirus town hall. Send us your questions.

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden gives a speech at a campaign event at Tougaloo College on March 8 in Tougaloo, Mississippi. Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

CNN is collecting your questions for former Vice President Joe Biden who will participate in Thursday's global town hall on coronavirus.

Have a question about the coronavirus pandemic for Biden? Share it below. We may ask it during the town hall.

5:12 p.m. ET, April 15, 2020

Connecticut governor announces new mask guidelines

From CNN's Julia Jones

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont will issue new guidelines for wearing masks in public spaces which will "likely be reflected in an executive order within 48 hours," he said in a news briefing in Hartford on Wednesday.

Lamont said the decision came after consulting with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

"It's time for us to be also really strict about the need to wear a mask, even masks you make yourself, just a bandana, a scarf, or a surgical mask," he said.

4:56 p.m. ET, April 15, 2020

New Orleans mayor extends stay-at-home order until May 16

From CNN's Jamiel Lynch

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has extended the city's stay-at-home order until May 16, her office announced Wednesday.

The mayor signed the proclamation Wednesday extending the order and prohibiting gatherings.