Coronavirus pandemic in the US

Elective medical procedures and outpatient health care operations like dentistry will be permitted to resume beginning tomorrow morning in West Virginia, Gov. Jim Justice announced at a news conference today.

Health providers must have adequate personal protective equipment inventories and are required to follow guidance issued by their boards and associations in order to open.

Justice’s proposal to reopen West Virginia, called The Comeback, is a six-week plan dependent on cumulative positive cases remaining below 3%.

The next phase allows restaurants, churches, and professional services like salons to open with restrictions on May 4.

“We can’t stay where we’re at,” Justice said. “If we stay where we’re at, we’re going to lose way, way, way more." 

He also said reopening schools this academic year “is completely off the table.”

Justice was asked to respond to President Trump’s suggestion earlier this week that states consider reopening schools.

“In West Virginia, that’s not going to happen,” Justice said.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum’s signed an executive order Wednesday allowing certain businesses to reopen Friday.

The new order goes into effect at midnight Friday, but businesses may not open until after 8 a.m. 

Here's what we know about the order:

There are at least 1,033 coronavirus cases in North Dakota and at least 19 people have died, according to the North Dakota Department of Health.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis shared specifics for his phase one reopening that is set to begin on May 4.

Schools will remain in distance learning, visits to senior living facilities will remain prohibited and elective surgeries can resume on May 4, DeSantis said today during a news conference.

Restaurants can reopen if they offer outdoor seating with 6 feet worth of space between tables and indoor seating is capped at 25% capacity.

Retail businesses can operate at 25% of indoor capacity.

Bars, gyms, and personal services such as hair dressers will remain closed, DeSantis said.

Churches will remain on “voluntary social distancing” and movie theaters will remain closed. 

"I do want people to be able to get into gyms, and if I get some guidelines that make sense and I see it is okay, then we will obviously reevaluate that. And I would say the same with some of the personal services, like the hair dressers," DeSantis added.

DeSantis said that Florida’s phase one reopening will focus on walk-up and drive-up testing, with a total of 11 state-supported walk-up sites across the state.  DeSantis said that walk-up testing is a concept the state rolled out about two weeks ago and that about 6,300 tests have been administered so far.  

There are at least 1,036,652 cases of coronavirus in the US and at least 60,475 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University's tally of cases.

On Wednesday, Johns Hopkins reported 24,070 new cases and 2,120 reported deaths. 

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

Missouri's Department of Natural Resources announced a phased approach to reopening state parks during a news conference on Wednesday.

Between May 4 and May 15, park lodging, dining marinas and retail stores will reopen with limited services and locations, Director of the Department of Natural Resources Carol Comer said. 

On May 11, Castlewood State Park, Elephant Rocks State Park, Watkins Woolen Mill State Park and Weston Bend State Park will reopen for day-use with limited parking. Some trails in these parks may be closed to ensure social distancing is possible, Comer said. 

On May, 18, the off-road vehicle riding area at St. Joe State Park will reopen with a limited number of one-day permits available. 

Camping in state parks will remain suspended through May 18, after which officials will reassess.

President Trump said he does not think states that have so-called "sanctuary cities" should receive federal bailout funds.

He added that it “will be a subject that will be discussed.”

“I don’t think you should have sanctuary cities if they get that kind of aid. If you’re gonna get aid to the cities and states for the kind of numbers you’re talking about, billions of dollars, I don’t think you should have sanctuary cities,” Trump said.

When asked specifically if he will prevent aid from going to sanctuary states and cities, Trump responded: “We shouldn’t have to pay anything anyway, because all they do is make it very hard for law enforcement.”

He added: “I don’t see helping cities and states if they’re going to be sanctuary, because all sanctuary means to me is that it’s protecting a lot of criminals, and others, many people.”

Watch:

Manufacturing, construction, vehicle or vessel dealerships and dog grooming and boarding businesses in Kentucky will be allowed to reopen May 11, Gov. Andy Beshear said.

This guidance also includes professional services operating at 50% capacity. Horse racing can also happen with no spectators, Beshear said.

On May 20, retail and houses of worship will be allowed to reopen, the governor said.

As a final step in the state’s first phase of reopening, starting May 25, social gatherings of 10 people will be permitted again. Barber shops, salons, cosmetology businesses and similar services will be allowed to reopen as well, according to Beshear.

Restaurants, movie theaters, campgrounds, youth sports, summer camps and daycares will be part of a possible June reopening, Beshear said.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said he has warned the federal government the nation’s food supply chain could be gravely impacted by Covid-19 cases in his state. 

The governor said he just completed a call with the White House, the governors of Delaware, Virginia, and 15 other states, that have meat processing plants.

Hogan said he is receiving federal assistance and is grateful to the Trump administration, particularly Vice President Mike Pence and theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention for their swift response.

The governor said the issue has become a multi-agency and multi-state effort.

President Trump said he will travel to Arizona next week, after weeks of staying in Washington because of Covid-19.

The comments came during a meeting with industry leaders at the White House on Wednesday.

Asked if he is going to start traveling soon, Trump responded, “I think so.”

Trump said he hopes that “in the not-too-distant future we’re going to have some massive rallies.”

“And people will be sitting next to each other,” he added. “I can’t imagine a rally where you have every fourth seat full. Every six seats are empty for everyone you have full, that wouldn’t look too good.”