April 3 coronavirus news

Delta Air Lines expects revenue over the next three months to be down 90% with no end of the industry's troubles in sight.

He said April's schedule will be "at least 80% smaller than originally planned, with 115,000 flights canceled."

As an example of the drop in traffic, Bastian said that on March 28, Delta carried only 38,000 customers. Normal late-March Saturday traffic is 600,000.

"I wish I could predict this would end soon, but the reality is we simply don't know how long it will take before the virus is contained and customers are ready to fly again," Bastian said.

He confirmed that on Friday, Delta filed for its share of $25 billion in federal grants allocated to the airline industry and approved by Congress last week.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called upon President Trump during a Friday press conference to start a “national enlistment effort” for medical personnel across the country and to have the US military coordinate that effort.

De Blasio called for an effort “to recruit doctors, nurses, and medical professionals from all over the country, send them rapidly where they're needed most and then move them rapidly to the next biggest problem, the next biggest challenge. And what we will do, and I know every other city and state will do the same, is we will then offer our personnel to go to the next front to help as well.”

De Blasio said the US military could organize the effort because they have “the ability to put together a national structure to mobilize these medical personnel and ensure they get where they need to go rapidly and to make sure the priorities are right.”

De Blasio said: "It's time for the commander in chief to give the order. If we’re fighting a war, let’s act like we’re fighting a war. Right now, there’s a peacetime approach in Washington and that won’t cut it."

President Trump has approved a disaster declaration for Arkansas in response to coronavirus.

This is the 39th such declaration he has made in response to the coronavirus pandemic, including 34 states, the US Virgin islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico.

Arkansas has at least 687 confirmed coronavirus cases and at least 12 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Short term rentals in South Carolina — including hotels, motels, rental houses, Airbnbs and time shares — are now prohibited to travelers coming from Covid-19 hotspots, the state’s Gov. Henry McMaster announced today.   

The state had 147 new cases confirmed in the last 24 hours for a total of 1,700 total cases. 

McMaster has also announced the closing of more non-essential businesses including furniture and clothing stores, florists, book stores, craft and music stores, effective Monday, April 6, at 5 p.m.  

Grocery stores, home improvement stores, gas stations and firearm retailers will remain open, McMaster said. 

McMaster was pressed by several reporters about his decision to not order a stay-at-home order and he said the orders he’s already put in place address many of the things that would make them stay home.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced a statewide stay-at-home order effective Saturday afternoon. 

"My fellow Alabamians, I want to get straight to the point. Effective tomorrow afternoon at 5 p.m., I am mandating a stay-at-home order for the entire state," Ivey said during a press conference Friday afternoon in Montgomery.

Before Friday, Alabama was one of the few states that had yet to issue a stay-at-home order.

Alabama has at least 1,349 cases of coronavirus and at least 34 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said his state does not have enough tests for coronavirus.

He said that Illinois is doing about 5,000 tests a day, but hope to get to 10,000. The increase on tests would provide better data and hone in on testing potential outbreak areas, Pritzker added.

Massachusetts has reported 1,436 new coronavirus cases and 38 new deaths today, according to the state website.

The state now has a total of 10,402 cases and 192 deaths.

About 15% of Texans diagnosed with coronavirus have been hospitalized, Gov. Greg Abbott said during a Friday afternoon press conference.

There are currently 5,478 people who have tested positive in the state and 827 of them are hospitalized, Abbott said. 

So far, 91 people have died, according to Abbott.

The state is working to identify alternative sites for medical treatment but currently has more than 19,000 hospital beds and 2,000 ICU beds available, he said.

The state received additional personal protective gear including 1.4 million face masks and 190,000 face shields, Abbott said. 

President Trump is being urged to consider calling for nationwide stay-at-home recommendations, something he has so far refused to do, a source close to the White House Coronavirus Task Force says tells CNN. 

Among the officials nudging the President to embrace such a move is Dr. Anthony Fauci, the source said. On Thursday night during CNN's Town Hall on the coronavirus pandemic, Fauci said it's time for every state in the country to have stay-at-home orders. 

"If you look at what's going on in this country, I just don't understand why we're not doing that. We really should be," Fauci said.

Separately, a White House official tells CNN that the task force is looking to issue mask guidelines at Friday's White House briefing. 

The official said it's possible the mask guidelines could slide until Saturday, but the briefing is expected to delve into masks today. 

President Trump, Vice President Pence, Dr. Fauci, and Dr. Deborah Birx are all expected to attend the official said.