Coronavirus pandemic in the US

By Melissa Macaya, Mike Hayes, Meg Wagner and Zamira Rahim, CNN

Updated 10:26 p.m. ET, May 21, 2020
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6:04 p.m. ET, May 21, 2020

More than 94,000 people have died from coronavirus in the US

 

There have been at least 1,573,534 cases of coronavirus in the US and at least 94,477 people have died, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University.

Johns Hopkins reported Thursday 21,681 new cases and 1,038 deaths. 

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

5:52 p.m. ET, May 21, 2020

Senate fails to pass changes to the Paycheck Protection Program before recess

From CNN's Manu Raju, Lauren Fox, Ted Barrett, Ali Zaslav and Clare Foran

The Senate adjourned Thursday without passing changes to the Paycheck Protection Program, which would give businesses more time to use money amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced the Senate will take up a lands bill important to Sens. Cory Gardner of Colorado and Steve Daines of Montana, who are both up for re-election, when they return and set the schedules of pro formas next week.

“Thanks to the hard work of Senators Gardner and Daines, we'll be able to take up their bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act in the next work period,” McConnell said Thursday. “A milestone achievement to secure public lands and ensure their upkeep well into the future.” 

Gardner had earlier said he did not want the Senate to recess without passing more Covid relief.

McConnell added: “We’ll have much work to do in our home states next week and we’ll have much to do when we get back here after that.”

5:53 p.m. ET, May 21, 2020

New data shows there has been more than 35,000 Covid-19 deaths in long-term care facilities

From CNN's Anna-Maja Rappard

Workers from a Servpro disaster recovery team wearing protective suits and respirators enter the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington, to begin cleaning and disinfecting the facility, Wednesday, March 11, near Seattle. The nursing home was at the center of the coronavirus outbreak in Washington state.
Workers from a Servpro disaster recovery team wearing protective suits and respirators enter the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington, to begin cleaning and disinfecting the facility, Wednesday, March 11, near Seattle. The nursing home was at the center of the coronavirus outbreak in Washington state. Ted S. Warren/AP

More than 35,000 deaths linked to Covid-19 have occurred at long-term care facilities in 37 states across the country, according to new data published from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The data showed an increase of more than 5,000 deaths from last week.

New York and New Jersey alone make up nearly one-third of the 35,118 total Covid-19 deaths reported in long-term care facilities, according to the new data.

Twenty-three states reported more than half of their Covid-19 deaths are in long-term care facilities, and increase from 18 states last week. Minnesota, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire are still experiencing the highest death rates in long-term care facilities. Minnesota’s rate remains highest at 81%, Rhode Island increased slightly to 78%, and New Hampshire’s rate remains at 77%, according to the latest available data from Kaiser Family Foundation

KFF notes there is still no public data available in Alaska, Hawaii, Montana and South Dakota on Covid-19 deaths in long-term care facilities.

Hear more:

5:19 p.m. ET, May 21, 2020

New York City reports 16,232 confirmed Covid-19 deaths

From CNN's Rob Frehse

New York City is reporting at least 16,232 confirmed coronavirus deaths and approximately 4,771 probable coronavirus deaths as of today, according to the most recent data on the city website.

The New York City Health Department defines probable deaths as people who did not have a positive Covid-19 laboratory test, but their death certificate lists as the cause of death “COVID-19” or an equivalent.

The total number of confirmed coronavirus deaths and probable coronavirus deaths in New York City is at least 21,003. 

There have been about 192,840 coronavirus cases in the city and approximately 50,770 people have been hospitalized, according to the city.

5:00 p.m. ET, May 21, 2020

Trump on second stimulus bill: "I think we will. I think we’re going to be helping people out"

From CNN's Allie Malloy 

President Donald Trump speaks during a tour at the Ford Rawsonville Plant that has been converted to making personal protection and medical equipment in Ypsilanti, Michigan on May 21.
President Donald Trump speaks during a tour at the Ford Rawsonville Plant that has been converted to making personal protection and medical equipment in Ypsilanti, Michigan on May 21. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

President Trump said today he thinks that there will be a second stimulus bill for Americans, echoing Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s comments earlier Thursday. 

“I think we will. I think we’re going to be helping people out. We’re gonna be getting some money for them during the artificial — cause it really is it’s an artificial closure — and now we’re gonna be able to open it up,” Trump told reporters while touring a Ford Motors factory in Michigan. 

“I would say there could be one more nice shot. One more nice dose,” Trump said regarding the stimulus. 

When asked what should be included in the bill, Trump wouldn’t answer saying he’ll let reporters know at the “appropriate time.” 

“Today we’re celebrating these great companies doing ventilators and other equipment but we have a very, very specific plan. It’ll be great for the American people and our economies gonna be back soon,” Trump said. 

Earlier in the day, Mnuchin said there is a “strong likelihood” that another stimulus bill will be needed to keep the economy afloat. 

He added, that for now, Congress needs to take a step back and allow the $3 trillion in aid already appropriated to get pumped into the economy. 

 

4:57 p.m. ET, May 21, 2020

Puerto Rico will hold its Democratic primary on July 12

From CNN's Adam Levy

A medical personnel stands at the entrance of a municipal Covid-19 drive-thru testing site in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on March 25.
A medical personnel stands at the entrance of a municipal Covid-19 drive-thru testing site in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on March 25. Ricardo Arduengo/AFP/Getty Images

Puerto Rico announced it will now hold its Democratic primary on July 12.

A statement from the Puerto Rico Democratic Party announcing the date change criticized both the Democratic National Convention and Sen. Bernie Sanders for forcing them to hold the contest amid the coronavirus outbreak.

It said chairman Charles Rodriguez “preferred to avoid the primary and save much needed public funds to deal with the COVID-19 emergency and budgetary constraints, and instead adopt an alternate method for selecting delegates.”

“The Democratic primary, however, is mandated by law and Senator Sanders insist on participating in the primaries in Puerto Rico and other states in order to accumulate delegates that he believes will enable him to advance his platform proposals at the Democratic National Convention,” the statement said.

Some background: Puerto Rico postponed its primary after originally delaying the event scheduled for March 29. It has been a US territory since 1917, and it participates in the presidential primary process but not the general election.

4:55 p.m. ET, May 21, 2020

UPenn considering an entirely online fall semester

From CNN's Elizabeth Stuart

The University of Pennsylvania is considering conducting all classes online for the fall 2020 semester, one of four possible scenarios it is looking at.

The four scenarios laid out in an email by the university's president Amy Gutmann and other school leaders are: 

  1. A hybrid experience with some in-person instruction.
  2. An in-person experience ending at Thanksgiving break.
  3. A more robust summer course offering in 2021.
  4. An entirely online experience for the fall semester.

For the hybrid option, classroom instruction would be offered in smaller groups, with no more than 25 students. All larger classes of more than 25 students would be delivered online, even for students living on campus.

The in-person experience ending at Thanksgiving break could also be compatible with a hybrid experience. All on-campus activities would end before the holiday, and the remainder of the semester would be conducted online.

The option for more course offerings in summer 2021 would be to maintain flexibility for students, and is also compatible with the first two scenarios, according to the email.

The final option of an entirely online fall semester would happen if students can't be brought back to campus in the fall because of the pandemic.

"In this scenario, we would make every effort to bring students back to campus as soon as possible," the email said.

The email also said some activities, like research, are likely to resume before others, like extracurricular or student-life activities. A decision with more specific plans will be made by the end of June.

5:22 p.m. ET, May 21, 2020

Trump says he will not replace the director of the CDC

From CNN's Greg Clary 

President Donald Trump speaks as he tours Ford's Rawsonville Components Plant that has been converted to making personal protection and medical equipment on Thursday, May 21, in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
President Donald Trump speaks as he tours Ford's Rawsonville Components Plant that has been converted to making personal protection and medical equipment on Thursday, May 21, in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Alex Brandon/AP

President Trump said he is not looking to replace Dr. Robert Redfield, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Trump shared this insight after answering a reporter's question as he was was wrapping up the second stop on his visit to a Ford manufacturing plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Some context: Redfield’s job has been in question after Trump criticized him at a private Senate GOP lunch and White House trade adviser Peter Navarro slammed the CDC for failed coronavirus tests early in the pandemic. 

Trump said Wednesday that Redfield is doing a "very good job" leading the agency and denied ever discussing the CDC at Tuesday's lunch on Capitol Hill with GOP senators.

"I think he's done a very good job. I think my whole team has done a very good job," Trump said, adding that there is "great talent" at the CDC. 

Watch:

4:46 p.m. ET, May 21, 2020

Los Angeles County reports more than 2,000 coronavirus-related deaths

From CNN's Cheri Mossburg

With 46 new deaths reported today, Los Angeles County now has a total of 2,016 coronavirus-related fatalities.

“This is a sad milestone for us,” Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said in a daily briefing.

Some context: There are 42,037 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the county, with about three-quarters of those infected falling between the ages of 18 and 65; the age group that makes up the majority of the county's workforce, Ferrer said.

Testing is increasing within the county, with more than 400,000 people tested so far. Of those, about 9% are confirmed to have the virus.

Ferrer expressed concern about no-shows at testing sites, saying that 10-20% of appointments made are not being kept.