Coronavirus pandemic in the US

There are at least 1,002,498 cases of coronavirus in the US, according to Johns Hopkins University's tally of cases.

The number of confirmed US coronavirus cases topped 500,000 on April 10, according to Johns Hopkins’ tally.

President Trump is expected to sign a five-page executive order under the Defense Production Act today that compels meat processing plants to remain open, CNN has learned. 

Trump is expected to sign the order after some companies, like Tyson, were considering only keeping 20% of their facilities open. The vast majority of processing plans could have shut down, which would have reduced processing capacity in the country by as much as 80%, an official familiar says. 

By signing the order, Trump will declare these plants as a part of critical infrastructure in the US.

The administration is also working with the Labor Department on issuing guidance about which employees should remain home. This is to protect facilities that are required to stay open from liability issues.

Trump previewed the order earlier today during an Oval Office spray with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, saying that he expects to sign an executive order later in the day related to the food supply chain.

The President also underscored that “there’s plenty of supply. It’s distribution.”

“It was a unique circumstance because of liability,” he added.

Students at the University of California and the California State University System are suing for the balance of their campus fees, according to court papers filed in Los Angeles and Oakland yesterday.

The suit filed in Los Angeles against the California State University System said:

Similarly, the Oakland filing against the University of California says it “has improperly retained monies paid by Plaintiff and the other Class members for these fees for services that are no longer available,” according to the filing. 

Campus fees include health facilities, health services and student activities. Most students were not eligible for stimulus funds, said the suits.

Campuses have been closed to students since March and moved to distance learning platforms for over 700-thousand students.

School is in session through at least May for both university systems.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said Tuesday the current stay-at-home order will not be extended beyond Thursday, April 30. 

Ivey said she will instead issue a safer-at-home order that will go into effect at 6 p.m. ET Thursday. 

Under the new order, all employers, retail stores and beaches will be allowed to open subject to good sanitation and social distancing rules, the governor said. 

Ivey said the state is not out of the woods.

She encouraged all Alabamians to stay home and follow good sanitation practices. 

When the Supreme Court hears arguments next month by phone for the first time in the court's history, the justices will change their normal protocol and try to avoid their familiar interruptions.

The justices will ask their questions in order of seniority, with Chief Justice John Roberts going first, the court announced today.

Under normal circumstances, the court is considered a "hot bench," with justices frequently interrupting each other and the lawyers before them. Roberts has had to step in as a kind of traffic cop at certain times.

Under the new system that will be in place for arguments beginning on Monday, a justice will get the chance to exhaust his or her line of questioning before the next justice begins.

If there is time, according to a release from Kathy Arberg, the Court's public information officer, any remaining questions can be asked after the first round is over.

Arberg said the changes were made in "keeping with public health guidance in response to Covid-19."

In all, the court will hear 10 cases over the next two weeks. The most noteworthy cases fall on May 12 concerning President Trump's bid to shield his financial records from release.

The sessions will mark the first time in history that members of the public will be able to listen in to arguments real time.

Keep reading.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced 402 additional fatalities, bringing the total to 6,442 deaths related to Covid-19 in the state.

An additional 2,887 positive cases were reported in New Jersey, pushing the statewide total to 113,856.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said Monday her state is doing everything it can to keep the meat supply chain up and running.

“This is essential, critical to keeping the food supply chain moving, “ she said at her daily news briefing.

When asked about recent outbreaks in meat processing facilities in her state, Reynolds pointed to the fact Iowa produces 10% of nation’s food supply.

Reynolds said the meat processing plants are working with the state to ensure proper safety measures are being taken to protect both the workers and the supply chain.

She said temperature checks, mandatory face masks, partitions, new attendance policies, and social distancing are being used to keep workers safe.

Reynolds issued a warning if processing plants are closed down saying, “We're going to really be dealing with some significant issues going forward not only from a food supply, protein effort, but the cost of food as well.”

There has been at least 994,625 cases of coronavirus in the US, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

At least 56,749 people have died from the virus.

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

Troy Sneed, a Grammy nominated gospel singer and record label founder, has died of complications from Covid-19, his publicist Bill Carpenter confirmed to CNN.

Sneed was 52.

Known for gospel radio hits, including "My Heart Says Yes" and "Worked It Out," Sneed died Monday at a hospital in Jacksonville, Florida.