April 6 coronavirus news

By Helen Regan, Jessie Yeung, Adam Renton, Amy Woodyatt and Meg Wagner, CNN

Updated 9:18 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020
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2:45 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

New Jersey is now reporting more than 1,000 deaths from Covid-19

From CNN's Laura Ly

Pool/News 12 New Jersey
Pool/News 12 New Jersey

New Jersey has had 3,663 positive test results and 86 deaths in the last 24 hours, Gov. Phil Murphy said at a press conference today.

Monday’s numbers bring the statewide total to 41,090 cases and 1,003 deaths. 

2:33 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

Peloton cancels all live classes after employee tests positive for coronavirus

From CNN's Brian Vitagliano

Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg/Getty Images/FILE
Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg/Getty Images/FILE

Peloton is canceling all live classes days after confirming an employee tested positive for Covid-19. 

Peloton informed members in an email Monday that it would pause production at both its London and New York studio locations through April 30. The fitness company previously had continued to offer virtual live classes despite New York closing all essential businesses.

This decision was made following news last week that the company confirmed a studio employee in New York had tested positive for Covid-19.

In lieu of live classes, Peloton will offer new, pre-recorded sessions as well as on-demand content.

Peloton sells $2,000-plus indoor fitness bikes. Customers pay $39 a month in subscription fees to participate in live classes.

2:26 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

US Army has paused arrival of new recruits to basic training 

From CNN's Ryan Browne and Michael Conte

The US Army has paused the arrival of new trainees to basic training, the Army’s top general who oversees training announced Monday.

The Army has paused “shipment of trainees to basic combat training,” Gen. Paul Funk, the Commander of the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command said at a Pentagon news conference Monday.

Funk said the pause would be conditions-based but that it will be re-evaluated after two weeks.

He said this is not a pause for the soldiers currently in basic training.

2:53 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

New York official whose mother died from coronavirus: "Trump has blood on his hands"

From CNN's Elise Hammond

Scott Stringer
Scott Stringer CNN

Scott Stringer, the New York City comptroller whose mother died from coronavirus, said he is angry at the federal government's response to the pandemic.

"Donald Trump has blood on his hands and my mom's blood on his hands and he sent us that hospital that's right here in the Manhattan harbor and no one will get on that hospital," Stringer said.

About the ship: The USNS Comfort hospital ship docked in New York City last week. The original plan was for the the ship to treat non-coronavirus patients to ease the strain on area hospitals seeing an influx of infected patients. But today, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he believes the right move is for the ship to utilize its 1000-bed capacity to battle the coronavirus. Trump has said the ship could be used for coronavirus patients if needed.

Stringer said his mother was a strong woman and the only way he was able to get closure was through an outpouring of texts and support from strangers.

"The government is supposed to protect our people and we're supposed to be able to protect our parents and grandparents the way they protected us and we're not able to do that," Stringer said.

Watch his interview with Anderson Cooper here:

2:10 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

At least 81 people on an Australian cruise ship near Uruguay have coronavirus

From CNN's Hamdi Alkhshali

At least 81 passengers and crew aboard an Australian cruise ship off the coast of Uruguay, in South America, have tested positive for coronavirus, the cruise company announced on Monday.

Australian company Aurora Expeditions, said two crew members and one passenger had been taken off the ship to a hospital in the city of Montevideo as “they are considered as a higher risk," the cruise ship owners said in a statement. Those patients were considered to be a higher risk. 

More than 120 other passengers and staff were tested for Covid-19, with 81 passengers testing positive and 45 have been tested negative.

Another 90 test results are expected to be processed over the next 12 to 24 hours. 

2:07 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

Georgia governor says beaches are important for residents "physical and mental health"

From CNN's Natasha Chen 

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp speaks during a news conference in downtown Atlanta on April 1.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp speaks during a news conference in downtown Atlanta on April 1. Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/AP/FILE

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said the state's beaches are an important option for residents to "maintain their physical and mental health." He issued the statement today to reiterate his stance on opening the state's beaches. 

Kemp said state troopers and local law enforcement are working to make sure those visiting the beaches are abiding by the shelter-in-place order. Visitors are not allowed to bring chairs, umbrellas, coolers or other items that encourage group activity.

“During these difficult times, it is vitally important for Georgians to have safe options to maintain their physical and mental health while also abiding by social distancing," Kemp said. 

Kemp said most people followed the rules this weekend and patrols reminded people "to follow social distancing or disperse." 

He issued a shelter-in-place order on April 2, which supersedes all local orders placed previously. 

Following the order, Georgia Department of Natural Resources signed an administrative order Friday on the use of beaches in Georgia.

Georgia's Tybee Island Mayor, Shirley Sessions, announced in a written statement Saturday that she and the Tybee City Council will pursue legal avenues to overturn Kemp's "reckless mandate" to reopen beaches in the state.

1:58 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

Most coronavirus cases in US children are mild, but some severe cases have been reported

From CNN Health’s Gina Yu

Children make up less than 2% of reported cases of Covid-19 in the United States for which age was known, according to a new report released today by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The research, published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, found 149,082 reported cases between Feb. 12 and April 2 where the patient's age was known, and 2,572 (or 1.7%) were among children younger than 18 years.

Infants younger than 1 year made up 15% of pediatric Covid-19 cases — or 0.27% of all reported Covid-19 cases with known age. Three deaths were reported among the pediatric cases included in the analysis.

Children seemed to have fewer hospitalizations than adults, according to the report: 20% of children for whom hospitalization status was known were hospitalized compared to 33% of 18 to 64-year-old adults with known status. 

“Whereas most Covid-19 cases in children are not severe, serious Covid-19 illness resulting in hospitalization still occurs in this age group,” the report said.  

However, data were available for a small proportion of patients, said the researchers. For example, hospitalization status was available for 29% of cases in children younger than 18 years and 31% of cases in adults ages 18 to 64 years.  

Some more key findings:

  • Among 345 pediatric cases with information on underlying conditions, 80 (23%) had at least one underlying condition, such as chronic lung disease – which was most commonly reported – and cardiovascular disease.
  • For the 295 pediatric cases that had information on both hospitalization status and underlying medical conditions, 28 of 37 (77%) hospitalized children had one or more underlying medical condition – including all six admitted to an intensive care unit. Children who are less than 1 year made up 59 of the 147 (40%) pediatric hospitalizations and 5 of the 15 (33%) pediatric ICU admissions.
  • Children with Covid-19 might not have reported fever or cough as often as adults, the report also said. Among those with available information, 73% of pediatric patients had symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath, compared to 93% of adults ages 18 to 64 years during the same period.
1:36 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

Navy says its prepared to treat coronavirus patients on the hospital ship if directed

From CNN's Ryan Browne

Seth Wenig/AP/FILE
Seth Wenig/AP/FILE

The Navy says its prepared to shift course and treat Covid-19 patients aboard the USNS Comfort hospital ship that is docked in New York City.

A Navy spokesperson told CNN today:

“We continue working closely with state and local healthcare providers to determine the best way to support New York City, including constant review of procedures for improved admitting and caring for patients onboard. We have not been directed to take COVID-19 patients at this time. If we are directed to take COVID-19 positive patients, we are prepared to do so in ways that will limit risk to the crew and other patients onboard.”

What's this about: Earlier today, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at press conference that he plans to call President Trump today and ask him to authorize the Navy to treat Covid-19 patients aboard the Comfort.

The original plan was for the the ship to treat non-coronavirus patients to ease the strain on area hospitals seeing an influx of infected patients. Now, Cuomo said he believes the right move is for the ship to utilize its 1000-bed capacity to battle the coronavirus

1:42 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

More than 10,000 people have died from coronavirus in the US

A body is moved to a refrigerator truck serving as a temporary morgue outside of Wyckoff Hospital in Brooklyn on April 4, in New York.
A body is moved to a refrigerator truck serving as a temporary morgue outside of Wyckoff Hospital in Brooklyn on April 4, in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty Images

The United States has at least 10,335 reported deaths from coronavirus, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Johns Hopkins is reporting at least 347,003 coronavirus cases in the United States.