Coronavirus pandemic in the US

Self-identified Hispanics are testing positive at a higher rate than any other demographic in Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said at a news conference Wednesday.

He added: “Decades of institutional inequities and obstacles for members of our Latinx communities are now amplified in this pandemic. And while we can't fix generations of history in the span of a few months, we must advance equity in our public health response today, everywhere and anywhere we can.”

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot previously said Wednesday that Latino residents make up the largest percentage of Covid-19 cases in the city. They represent 37% of Covid-19 cases in the city and 25% of deaths.

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union on Wednesday said at least 27 meatpacking workers have died because Covid-19.

The UFCW also said that according to internal estimates, nearly 8,000 of their meat packing members have been “directly impacted” by Covid-19, including “those who have been hospitalized, tested positive, are awaiting test results, are showing symptoms, or have been exposed.”

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said she expects a "big increase in positive" coronavirus cases after employees at a Smithfield Foods processing plant in Sioux Falls were tested for Covid-19.

Noem said approximately 1,100 tests were given on the second day of the event, bringing the total number of tests to approximately 2,600.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has announced that the City Council has approved a $15 million rent relief fund for the Texas city.

The money for the program will come from the federal CARES Act, according to the statement. Landlords would need to agree to certain terms if they choose to participate in the program, and renters must meet certain requirements.

"The program is expected to help at 6,818 households," the statement said. 

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany discussed the strained relationship between the US and China this afternoon during a news briefing.

In recent weeks, President Trump, along with several administration officials including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, have spoken to dozens of foreign allies about ways to collectively address what the White House says was China's intentional effort to conceal the severity of the outbreak, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions.

Some more context: A nationalist tabloid controlled by the Chinese Communist Party has dismissed claims by the Trump administration that the novel coronavirus originated from a laboratory, as the war of words over the pandemic escalates between Washington and Beijing.

Pompeo said Sunday in an interview with ABC that there was "enormous evidence" Covid-19 originated in a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the outbreak was first detected last December. He did not provide details to support the claim.

Responding to Pompeo's comments, China's state owned Global Times newspaper said in an editorial Monday that the former CIA director had "stunned the world with groundless accusations."

"Since Pompeo said his claims are supported by 'enormous evidence,' then he should present this so-called evidence to the world, and especially to the American public who he continually tries to fool," the editorial said.

"The truth is that Pompeo does not have any evidence, and during Sunday's interview, he was bluffing."

Watch here:

Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike announced at a news conference Wednesday that the state has seen 2,270 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours and 136 additional deaths.

This brings the total state count to 68,232 cases and 2,974 deaths, Ezike said.

President Trump affirmed that he believes the number of reported US deaths from coronavirus is correct, but says he doesn’t believe the numbers being reported by “other countries."

During a meeting with the governor of Iowa, Trump was asked if he believes the reported death toll in the United States. 

Trump went on to say that he doesn't believe the figures out of China and doesn't "believe them from other countries, where I see you know, a very tiny number of people died, but you’re watching the news and you see what’s going on." 

Trump conceded that “it’s a big number” being reported, “but it’s also a number… that’s at the very lower scale of any number that was predicted.” 

“Now it’s time to open up our country. We’ve got to open up our country,” Trump said.

President Trump said Drs. Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx will remain in their current roles on the coronavirus task force, the same day he announced it would continue “indefinitely.”

The President was asked what Fauci’s role will be moving forward during a meeting with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds.

“I know you’ll be staying,” he said to Birx, who was in the room. “I hope you’ll be staying. We’ll miss you otherwise. She’s done a fantastic job. Both, both. Same thing.”

Trump said that the White House would be “adding some names” to the group and “may take off a couple that frankly, their expertise no longer applies.” He didn’t want to say who was being considered for the task force, “because some people aren’t going to make it.” 

“That’s all I do, I get calls from people, the biggest people they want to be on,” Trump continued. “Enemies of mine. People that don’t like me want to be on the committees. I say, ‘that’s strange.’”

The President said that in this case, they’re looking at very “professional” names, not just people who want the status of being on the task force.

“We don’t need status,” he said, “we need results.”

Interior Secretary David Bernhardt asked people to practice social distancing in a tweet today, while sharing photographs of himself neither social distancing nor wearing a mask. 

Asked about the photos, here's what the Interior Department said: