Coronavirus pandemic in the US

A new program would provide masks to as many Utah residents as possible, the state's Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox said at a news conference today.

The “mask for every Utahan” program will allow residents to request a mask from the state free of charge.

The masks will be manufactured by Utah-based businesses, according to Cox. He said in addition to providing masks for residents, the program will save at least 200 jobs in the state.

Cox said that once the initial mask order is placed, it could take up to three weeks to have them delivered.

President Trump said Tuesday that in addition to his friend Stanley Chera, he’s lost three other friends to coronavirus.

The President also said he’s spoken to at least three families of other individuals who have died from coronavirus.

“I’ve spoken to three, maybe four families (of individuals who have died of coronavirus) unrelated to me. I lost a very good friend. I also lost three other friends,” Trump said during an event in the East Room of the White House.

He added: “Two of them I didn’t know as well, but they were friends, people I did business with.”

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The past 24 hours have seen more people in Illinois die due to Covid-19 than any other day yet, Illinois Department of Public Health Director, Dr. Ngozi Ezike announced at a news conference Tuesday.

Ezike announced 144 new Covid-19 related deaths, bringing the state death total to 2,125.

The state has seen 2,219 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours. This brings the state total to 48,102 cases, Ezike said.

US stocks lost steam after a buoyant market open, finishing the day lower.

Here's what happened today:

Michael Hinojosa, the superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District, said that despite the President Trump's comments suggesting schools should open for just a few weeks, “we really have to listen to our local businesses our local leaders and how we work together here in Dallas. Every situation is different.” 

He told CNN's Kate Bolduan he is grateful to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for closing schools.

Hinojosa said he is very concerned about a potential spike in the virus.

The district is considering a split schedule for students, staggering arrivals and classroom lunches among the changes.

Plan A is everyone shows up with no restrictions, but Hinojosa admitted, “it’s very unlikely that Plan A will ever happen.”

Requiring all students and teachers to wear masks is another option, he said.

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President Trump stood by his comments that the number of coronavirus cases would go to zero in the United States, a claim he once made while trying to downplay the virus.

CNN’s Jim Acosta asked the President how the United States got to the grim milestone of one million coronavirus cases, from the President’s prediction back in February that 15 US cases would turn to zero.

“You have to understand when it comes to cases, we do much more testing than any other country,” the President said. “We’re going to show more cases because we’re doing much more testing.”

He went on to repeat claims that, “many very good experts, very good people too, said this would never affect the United States.”

“The experts got it wrong. A lot of people got it wrong and a lot of people didn’t know it would be this serious,” Trump said.

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The USNS Comfort, a hospital ship that was docked in the New York City to assist with the city's coronavirus response, will depart on Thursday, according to a press release form the US military.

The Comfort will return to Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, where it will wait for "future tasking for Covid-19 operations in support of FEMA," the release said.

The USNS Comfort arrived in New York City on March 30 and was originally tasked with providing care to non-coronavirus patients, but quickly started treating all patients regardless of their Covid-19 status.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced today that the state will extend its stay-at-home order until May 31.

“Today, I am announcing that I will extend the stay at home order, in the form of a new stay safer at home executive order. This order will be effective through May 31," Mills said.

She said the order, "will allow Maine people to continue to engage in activities that are already permitted such as occasional grocery shopping, exercise; but it will also be modified to allow us to participate in the safe and gradual reopening, restarting of our economy.”

As California moves closer toward lifting restrictions, Gov. Gavin Newsom is floating the idea of starting the next school year in late July or early August.

Newsom cited a significant loss in learning during the virtual model implemented by districts across the state.

“We have to make up for those gaps that may have occurred over this time,” State Health Director Sonia Angell said, explaining the plan to move forward

Reopening schools and child care will take more planning, Angell said, and precautions, including face coverings and physical distancing, must remain in place.