By Meg Wagner, Mike Hayes and Melissa Macaya, CNN
There are at least 1,520,029 cases of coronavirus in the US, and at least 91,187 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University's tally of cases.
Johns Hopkins reported Tuesday 11,721 new cases and 840 deaths.
The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases.
From CNN's Nikki Carvajal
During a cabinet meeting at the White House Tuesday, President Trump signed an executive order that he described as “instructing federal agencies to use any and all authority to weigh, suspend, and eliminate unnecessary regulations that impede economic recovery.”
“And we want to leave it that way,” the President added, “we want to leave it that way. In some cases, we won't be able to, but in other cases, we will.”
Trump said the order directs agencies to “review the hundreds of regulations we've already suspended in response to the virus and make the suspensions permanent where possible.”
“I'm also instructing agencies to use the emergency authorities to speed up regulation cuts for new rules that will create jobs and prosperity and get rid of unnecessary rules and regulations,” he added.
“The potential is you're going to find regulations that nobody's ever thought of before, because you're going to be doing it yourselves,” Trump told his cabinet members, seated around the table.
“When I look at (Environmental Protection Agency) sitting here and the veterans sitting here, and I look at all of the different people, Homeland Security, Chad (Wolf), I look at all of the great talent around this table. You have a right to do something that nobody would have ever thought you would have the right to do. And so I just want you to go to town and do it right, do it proper, make sure everything is safe, and make sure it's environmentally good for those of you that are in that category, but it's very important,” Trump said, shortly before signing the executive order.
The White House has yet to release the text of the order.
From CNN's Gisela Crespo
Thirty-eight percent of congregants who attended events at a church in a rural Arkansas county during a six-day period in March later tested positive for Covid-19, according to a report published Tuesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the report, 35 of 92 people who attended events at the church from March 6 to 11 had lab-confirmed cases of Covid-19. The outbreak resulted in three deaths among church attendees, all people over 65. Six of the seven patients that were hospitalized were also in this same age range.
Contact tracing identified at least 26 additional people who tested positive for Covid-19 and had contact with members of the church. From this group, one person was hospitalized and subsequently died.
As of April 22, 61 confirmed cases had been identified in people directly and indirectly associated events at the church and there were a total of four deaths.
The church pastor developed symptoms on March 11 and his wife developed symptoms on March 10. After becoming aware of symptoms among churchgoers, the church was closed on March 12. The pastor and his wife sought testing on March 13 and received laboratory confirmation of Covid-19 on March 16. The Arkansas Department of Health was notified of those first two confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the county on March 16 – also the same day national social distancing guidelines were announced.
An investigation afterward found two people who were symptomatic during March 6 to 8 “likely initiated the chain of transmission among church attendees.”
"The primary patients had no known Covid-19 exposures in the 14 days preceding their symptom onset dates, suggesting that local transmission was occurring before case detection," the CDC said in its report.
The report notes some limitations, including that not all of those who were infected sought testing and some were ineligible for testing based on the criteria at the time. Forty-five of 92 people who attended events at the church were tested for Covid-19.
The report said faith-based organizations "should be aware of the potential for high rates of transmission" for Covid-19.
"These organizations should work with local health officials to determine how to implement the U.S. Government’s guidelines for modifying activities during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent transmission of the virus to their members and their communities."
From CNN's Konstantin Toropin
Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee announced today that new criteria will allow 10 more counties to be eligible to move onto phase 2 of the state's reopening plan.
The state currently has approved 10 of its 39 counties to move to phase 2, Inslee explained today in a press conference. Two other counties were eligible to move to phase 2 as well, but have not yet applied, Inslee said.
"That makes 22 counties in the state that are currently eligible for a variance upon application or already moving to phase two," Inslee said.
"Combined, these counties represent about 30% of the state's population," he said.
Phase 2 allows for:
None of the counties moving into the next reopening phase include the state's most populous ones like King, Pierce, or Snohomish - once the epicenter of the Covid-19 outbreak in the US.
The new criteria focuses on counties having less than 10 new cases per 100,000 residents over a 14 day span, Inslee said.
From CNN's Jessica King
Delaware’s retail establishments – currently scheduled to partially open June 1 – may operate as soon as tomorrow under certain guidelines, Gov. John Carney announced in a statement Tuesday. He also announced that restaurants and bars could apply for expanded seating for that June 1 reopening.
“All retail establishments in Delaware may operate by appointment only” starting tomorrow, Wednesday May 20 at 8 a.m. ET, Gov. Carney’s statement said. Stores may accept two appointments per half hour and must adhere to strict social distancing and cleaning, in accordance with the CDC and Delaware Division of Public Health guidance.
Some examples of stores given included clothing stores, shoe stores, florists and used merchandise retailers.
These establishments will then continue to be allowed to open their indoor spaces at 30% of fire capacity on June 1 as part of Phase 1 of Delaware’s re-opening.
Restaurants, bars, taprooms, and craft breweries – who are also scheduled to open at 30% indoor capacity starting June 1 – may now apply to expand their outdoor seating on that date as well. This does not change the current planned opening date. They will however be able to apply for that expansion starting this Friday, May 22.
“It’s our hope that these additional steps will safely bring some relief to Delaware businesses and workers who have made real financial sacrifices” during the Covid-19 crisis, Governor Carney said.
When asked in his daily coronavirus briefing how these guidelines will be enforced, the governor admitted that in the short-term they “rely heavily on voluntary compliance” but that mechanisms for enforcement may look different in the long-term.
From CNN's Ali Zaslav, Manu Raju, Lauren Fox and Ted Barrett
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday, as President Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have indicated, that the Senate will wait a couple weeks to decide on a "phase four" stimulus bill.
“We’ll discuss a way forward in the next couple weeks,” McConnell said.
McConnell's comments came after the President spoke at the Republican conference lunch.
Sen. Lindsey Graham said that he suggested during the lunch that states issue a full account of how they've used their state and local money before they receive any more funds.
Graham said Trump was open to a fourth phase of stimulus funding, but non committal on how or when to do it.
From CNN’s Rebekah Riess
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine today issued a new "urgent health advisory," moving from orders combating the Covid-19 pandemic, to "strong recommendations."
“It's now time for our orders to reflect the reality of where we are today,” DeWine said, calling the advisory a new phase in the battle against the virus.
Here's what the "Ohioans Protecting Ohioans" advisory recommends:
The advisory also strongly recommends that high-risk Ohioans stay at home as much as possible, asking them to avoid places where they are likely to encounter a lot of people, according to DeWine.
While the advisory doesn’t require that all other Ohioans stay at home when possible, it strongly recommends it, the governor said.
Additionally, the limited travel restrictions that were part of Ohio’s previous Stay-at-Home and Stay Safe Ohio orders, will now be lifted.
From CNN's Elizabeth Hartfield
CVS in New Jersey is set to offer self-swab tests at a minimum of 50 locations in the state by the end of the month, Gov. Phil Murphy said.
He also announced that all of New Jersey’s more than 18,000 pharmacists have been licensed to administer Covid-19 tests to customers.
Murphy said the state had removed requirements that pharmacists enter into collaborative agreements with physicians.
It’s a little pass 2 p.m. on the East Coast. Here's a quick recap of the latest coronavirus updates from across the country:
Every US state will be partially reopened by tomorrow: By Wednesday, every US state will have started lifting measures enacted weeks ago to curb the spread of coronavirus. Right now, all states except Connecticut have in some way moved toward reopening — and Connecticut is due to begin its first reopening steps tomorrow.
US-Canada border closed for at least another month: President Trump confirmed that the US-Canada border will remain closed to nonessential traffic during a White House event earlier today.
His comments came after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the border between the two countries will remain closed to nonessential traffic until June 21.
Fed and Treasury chiefs grilled in the Senate: Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin defended the administration's efforts to revive the economy while testifying before the Senate Banking Committee.
Mnuchin told senators that he expects economic conditions will improve in the third and fourth quarters of this year, but warned that with ongoing shutdown measures "There is risk of permanent damage."
Powell said that the program meant to lend billions of dollars to small- and mid-sized businesses should be ready to launch by the end of the month.
New York to allow Memorial Day ceremonies with up to 10 people: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the state will allow ceremonies on Memorial Day with 10 people or less. Vehicle parades in honor veterans will also be allowed. The governor said local governments can decide if they want these ceremonies to occur.
Cuomo’s announcement came after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called the city's daily numbers on coronavirus cases a “mixed bag” and urged caution.