Coronavirus pandemic in the US

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced today that people 10 years old and older will be required to wear masks within a public indoor spaces in the state starting Friday.

People who are eating and drinking will be exempt.

Here's where masks will be required:

Northam apologized for an incident over the weekend where he was photographed while not wearing a mask.

Northam said he was approached by a group of people who wanted to take a picture with him.

Los Angeles County, California, will appoint an independent Inspector General to oversee nursing homes throughout the coronavirus outbreak. 

More than half of Covid-19 fatalities in Los Angeles County, accounting for more than 1,000 deaths, have stemmed from outbreaks at nursing homes.

County Supervisor Janice Hahn described it as “a pandemic within a pandemic in our skilled nursing facilities.” 

The inspector general will likely be in place by July and will be responsible for overseeing the health and safety of residents and staff. 

Auditing more than 300 facilities within the county, this person will ensure compliance with testing, training, staff levels, and mitigation plans, as well as oversee investigations of outbreaks.

On nursing home staff and administrations, Health Director Barbara Ferrer said, “This is in no way to a reflection on the fact that they’ve failed or have done something wrong. They’ve worked their hardest and done their best, but it hasn’t been enough.”

The measure also calls for development and implementation of a digital dashboard in which to collect and display the data.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced today that beginning this week, newly organized "Congregate Care Unified Response Teams," which will include medically trained members of the Ohio National Guard, will begin testing all staff and certain residents within Ohio’s 960 nursing homes. 

According to DeWine, all staff will be tested to help nursing home administrators understand the status of the virus in their facilities, while testing of residents will be based on assessment.

The testing will start in facilities where residents or workers have or have had cases of Covid-19, which includes approximately 200 of the states’ facilities, the governor said.

Starting this week, Ohio will also start testing all residents and staff at the state's developmental centers. The Ohio National Guard will be doing the testing there and testing should be completed this week, according to DeWine.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany urged Americans to follow social distancing guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while also maintaining that President Trump "wants to see society reopened."

McEnany was asked about the large crowds seen gathering during Memorial Day weekend, many of whom did not appear to be following social distancing guidelines.

"Everyone, while you go out, let's keep cognizant the recommendations of the CDC," she said.

Watch here:

A new study suggests that asymptomatic coronavirus infections among pregnant women may be less common than previously feared – at least outside of New York City.

An earlier report found that more than 13% of admitted pregnant patients at two New York City hospitals had asymptomatic infections, which made the case for universal testing of women before childbirth.

The new study, though, looked at more than 750 pregnant women who were admitted to hospitals in southern Connecticut without symptoms in April. 22 of those women tested positive for the virus.

The findings were published Tuesday in the medical journal JAMA, but the researchers noted that they looked at just three hospitals in southern Connecticut, meaning that other cities and states could have different experiences.

“Although performed in mixed community and academic hospital settings, limitations of the findings include a short duration and a single geographic region,” they wrote.

The researchers didn’t say pregnant women shouldn’t be tested for coronavirus, but they wrote: “Approaches to care that balance screening and testing of patients combined with a rationalized approach to use of PPE should be considered for obstetric units.”

The second phase of Rhode Island's reopening will start Monday, Gov. Gina Raimondo said, calling it a reopening of “almost every part of our economy.”

She said that information for most businesses opening during this phase is available online, and more guidelines for barbershops and gyms should be available in one or two days.

Here are the reopening guidelines for phase two:

The governor also said that she will have more to announce on Thursday about the return of sports. 

Regarding distance learning, Raimondo noted that there has been a 90 plus percent participation rate among students for distance learning in the state. 

Latest figures: Rhode Island announced 13 additional coronavirus-related deaths, bringing the statewide death toll to 634, and 73 new positive cases, bringing the statewide to 14,210.

Five of the 13 deaths are associated with long-term care facilities, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health Nicole Alexander-Scott said during a press conference Tuesday morning.

Both Alexander-Scott and the state's governor noted that the numbers may be on the lower side for yesterday and today since certain testing sites were closed and others were “slower” over the holiday weekend.

Raimondo still called these numbers “good news,” and said that the state is seeing a stable plateau with no spikes or increases. “We are learning to live with the virus,” she noted. 

Still, there are places such as parts of Providence and Central Falls where the amount of people testing positive is coming back at more than 10%, which is a higher percentage than what the CDC recommends, the governor said.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Tuesday that she is lifting restrictions that limit gatherings to 10 people, effective Monday.  

Reynolds said her proclamation extends to youth and adult sports as well.  

She also announced many large scale venues can also reopen June 1 –– including speedways, racetracks, outdoor performance venues, amphitheaters, grandstands, casinos, amusement parks, bowling alleys, pool halls and arcades.  

The governor emphasized these venues may only reopen at 50% capacity and people "also must follow social distancing hygiene and public health measures," Reynolds said.  

It's just after 1:30 p.m. ET in New York. If you're just joining us, here are the top US coronavirus headlines you need to know.

Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters Tuesday that the District has had 13 days of sustained decline in community spread of coronavirus and on track to report 14 days of decline. This is one of the previously outlined metrics listed in order to begin a phased reopening. 

The mayor said she hopes the downward trends would continue and that she could announce next steps tomorrow. Bowser also noted local officials would continue to track community spread and follow science and data in determining when to reopen.

Some context: The mayor announced last week that — barring any spikes in community spread — the District could begin the first phase of its reopening this Friday.

Here's what would reopen:

Looking ahead to the summer, Bowser said the District would not be issuing permits for parades on July 4 if the city is still in phase one at that time.

Bowser said there is potential for future upticks in cases, but she expressed confidence in the District's plan for reopening.

The numbers: There are 109 new positive cases of Covid-19 and no new deaths, according to Bowser.

With regard to contact tracing, Bowser said the district will onboard approximately 50 new tracers today and should have 200 contact tracers enlisted by June 1.