By Joshua Berlinger, Ben Westcott, Adam Renton, Rob Picheta, Meg Wagner and Mike Hayes, CNN
From CNN's Jason Hoffman and Betsy Klein
President Trump has approved a disaster declaration for New Hampshire in response to coronavirus.
This is the 36th such declaration he has made in response to the coronavirus pandemic, including 31 states, the US Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico.
From CNN Business' Anneken Tappe
The coronavirus pandemic is starting to noticeably damage economic data around the world.
The global composite output index, produced by JPMorgan and IHS Markit, slumped to 39.4 points in March, its fastest drop in some 11 years. Any level below 50 denotes an economic contraction.
Even though the index had been in contraction territory in the prior month as well — 46.1 points in February — the drop-off was the second-biggest on record, surpassed only by a drop in October 2001.
Looking closer at the global services sector, business activity, new business and new export business all dropped at the sharpest rate in survey history.
Not all countries were hit the same: China, which was hit by the pandemic earlier in the year, got some respite from its rate of contraction.
The outbreak is still sweeping across the United States, where business activity dropped to the greatest extent since the height of the 2007-2009 financial crisis. Still, America saw the weakest downturn among its developed world peers.
From CNN's Greg Wallace
The Transportation Security Administration reported the first coronavirus death in its ranks.
The employee was a 39-year-old K9 handler at the Newark airport, the TSA said Friday.
More than 130 TSA officers and agency employees have tested positive for coronavirus.
From CNN's Cheri Mossburg
There are 10,710 cases in the state, with 237 deaths, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Public Health.
There are at least 261,438 cases of coronavirus in the US and 6,699 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University's tally of cases.
So far, on Friday, 15,865 new cases and 641 deaths have been reported, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins.
The total includes cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as all repatriated cases. Wyoming is the only state not reporting a death from coronavirus.
From CNN's Chris Boyette
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said at a press conference Friday that the federal government should do more to direct industries to make personal protective equipment (PPE) for those on the front lines treating patients with Covid-19.
“I know the President has ordered some companies to ramp up productions of ventilators. This is important, and badly needed. But the federal government can and should do more to direct industries to help produce these supplies,” Cooper said. “This pandemic is a war. And we need the armor to fight it.”
North Carolina has received three shipments of PPE from the Strategic National Stockpile but not the amount they have requested, Cooper said.
“We're grateful for these supplies. But to be clear, we've gotten just 33% of what we've asked for and told not to expect more anytime soon," Cooper added.
Some context: The governor said that North Carolina, like many states in the country, is grappling with shortages of critical medical supplies amid the coronavirus pandemic and trying to find ways to buy more.
“Now of course we know that we can't rely solely on the National Stockpile, and our emergency management teams are working around the clock to find the equipment that is so badly needed by those on the front line of this pandemic, we're not the only ones,” Cooper said.
From CNN's Ryan Browne
The US military is preparing to deploy additional forces in support of the coronavirus response, including 15 Army task forces, a US defense official told CNN.
The US Navy has placed two additional Navy Expeditionary Medical Treatment Facilities, one active duty and the other drawn from the reserves on "prepare to deploy orders." The Navy earlier sent two of these units to New Orleans and Dallas. They consist of about 450 personnel, 150 of which are doctors.
The location of where the units are being sent has yet to be determined and that decision will be made by Federal Emergency Management Agency. The official said the units should be ready to deploy in about 72 hours. While they are expected to go to New York, FEMA will make that decision.
The Navy and Air Force are also mobilizing volunteer reservists.
The Army has also created from its reserves 15 teams known as "Urban Area Medical Task Forces" to help bolster the coronavirus response. These teams will consist of 85 personnel each, 20 of whom will be doctors, for a total of 1,275 personnel. The task forces are intended to serve as an augmentation element, going into retrofitted arenas and convention centers in support of HHS. The official said these forces should be mobilized by Tuesday.
There is acknowledgement within the Department of Defense that the situation in New York is deteriorating to the point where the US military has to draw more from its own medical capabilities, assuming risk at defense installations, in order to help combat the pandemic.
By the numbers: These additional forces will join the US military's 460 doctors, 1,117 nurses and other medical personnel already assisting civilian communities in their response to the coronavirus.
From CNN's Ariane de Vogue
The Supreme Court on Friday said that it will postpone the remaining two weeks of arguments that were set to begin on April 20 and that it is considering rescheduling some of the 20 or so cases that it has had to put off so far in response to Covid-19.
“The court will consider rescheduling some cases from the March and April sessions before the end of the Term, if circumstances permit in light of public health and safety guidance at that time,” said court spokesperson Kathy Arberg. “The court will consider a range of scheduling options and other alternatives if arguments cannot be held in the courtroom before the end of the term.”
According to the statement, the justices will release opinions for all the cases that have been argued so far this term.
From CNN's Barbara Starr
The Pentagon is deploying a deploying a mortuary affairs unit to New York City to support the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, a US defense official said Friday.
The deployment is at the request of Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“Under our Defense Support to Civil Authorities mission, U.S. Northern Command is facilitating this request on behalf of DoD. These highly trained specialists will assist New York City with the solemn duty of properly handling human remains during this pandemic. Forty-two Soldiers from the 54th Quartermaster Company, from Fort Lee, Va., have deployed to Joint Base Maguire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. Federal and local laws regulate how these operations are conducted in the United States,” the official said.