March 26 coronavirus news

By Jessie Yeung, Joshua Berlinger, Adam Renton, Meg Wagner, Emma Reynolds and Mike Hayes, CNN

Updated 0252 GMT (1052 HKT) March 27, 2020

104 Posts

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12:42 p.m. ET, March 26, 2020

Chicago beaches are closed, official says

Chicago's Lakefront Trail and the city's beaches have been closed to public access, according to Alderman Harry Osterman, who represents the 48th Ward, one of Chicago's lakefront districts.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot yesterday urged individuals going to the Lakefront Trail to exercise, and not to congregate in large groups, or she would be forced to close the area.

"This order has been put in place to ensure social distancing between individuals and to help reduce the spread of COVID-19," Osterman said in a statement.

Lightfoot is expected to speak at a daily coronavirus briefing this afternoon.

12:35 p.m. ET, March 26, 2020

Employee at FEMA headquarters in DC tests positive for coronavirus

From CNN's Priscilla Alvarez

A federal employee working at the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington, DC, tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of a visit by Vice President Mike Pence and other members of his task force, according to a statement from the agency.

FEMA said the person who tested positive Tuesday did not "come within six feet of the Vice President or any other Task Force principal for any period of time."

The statement said the agency conducted contact tracing to determine the areas of the FEMA headquarters building and the National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) and compared it to the movements of task force principals in recent days.

"All areas visited by the Vice President and other Task Force members were disinfected prior to their visits," the statement said.

FEMA said it will clean to make sure the “potentially affected workspace meets federal health and safety standards.”

12:26 p.m. ET, March 26, 2020

Prince Charles thanks well-wishers for support after coronavirus diagnosis

From CNN's Lindsay Isaac in London

Prince Charles tweeted his thanks for the public support he has received since being diagnosed with coronavirus.

A message on behalf of the Duke of Cornwall was posted on the official Clarence House account. It read:

“Thank you for all your ‘Get Well Soon’ messages for His Royal Highness. He is enormously touched by your kind words.”

What we know: The Prince of Wales is only displaying mild symptoms and is otherwise in good health, Clarence House said in a statement. It is unknown how the 71-year-old caught the virus because of his recent busy schedule of public events.

12:42 p.m. ET, March 26, 2020

40,000 retired medical workers have volunteered to help New Yorkers

From CNN's Adrienne Vogt

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the number of volunteers during the coronavirus crisis has been “inspiring.”

Cuomo said 40,000 retired medical staff volunteered, with 12,000 more people in one day volunteering to help work at health care facilities.

There have also been 8,600 mental health professionals volunteering.

“Easy times don’t forge character. It’s the tough times that forge character,” he said.

Watch:

12:27 p.m. ET, March 26, 2020

More than 37,000 people have tested positive for coronavirus in New York

So far, at least 37,258 people have tested positive for coronavirus across the state of New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

Additionally:

5,327 people are currently hospitalized
1,290 patients are in intensive care
1,517 patients have been discharged after being hospitalized

12:22 p.m. ET, March 26, 2020

Michigan is "a few weeks out from the apex" of coronavirus cases, official says

Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief deputy director for Health for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, said that as they are able to test more Michiganders, their target date for the apex of cases will improve, but right now they are “a few weeks out from the apex.”

Khaldun said they can flatten the curve if people listen to the stay-at-home order and practice social distancing.

12:14 p.m. ET, March 26, 2020

More than 1,000 people in the US have died from coronavirus

From CNN's Amanda Watts

An NYC Medical Examiner's van is parked along the street where members Air Force Reserve set up tents and medical related equipment as they build a makeshift morgue outside Bellevue Hospital to handle potential high number of Coronavirus victims, on Wednesday, March 25, in New York City. Anthony Behar/Sipa USA/AP

At least 1,046 people have died due to coronavirus in the United States, according to CNN’s tally.

12:37 p.m. ET, March 26, 2020

Florida reports more than 2,000 coronavirus cases

From CNN's Tina Burnside

The Florida Department of Health has recorded at least 2,349 positive cases of novel coronavirus and 27 deaths as of Thursday.

That is a significant increase from Wednesday's report of 1,921 cases and 22 deaths.

Broward, Dade and Palm Beach counties make up the vast majority of cases in the state.

CORRECTION: This post has been updated with the latest number of coronavirus cases in Florida.

12:19 p.m. ET, March 26, 2020

New York governor says any "realistic" scenario will overwhelm state's health care system

From CNN's Adrienne Vogt

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo continued to warn that the coronavirus pandemic will cause a huge strain on hospitals and health care facilities.

"Almost any scenario that is realistic will overwhelm the capacity of the current health care system. A little reality,” Cuomo said.

Cuomo said the goal is to have a 1,000-bed overflow facility in each of the five New York City boroughs, plus Westchester, Rockland, Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Right now, hospitals and health care facilities in the state have enough personal protective equipment for the “immediate future,” Cuomo said, but they are still looking around the country for ventilators.

The state has approved the splitting of ventilators to allow one machine to serve two patients. Cuomo said they are also working on converting thousands of anesthesia machines into ventilators.