April 10 coronavirus news

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Friday that about half of all US deaths have been reported in two states: New York and New Jersey.

The CDC’s numbers lag behind those maintained by other sources, such as Johns Hopkins University, but the agency on Friday released a detailed report outlining the geographic distribution of coronavirus in the US.

New York City has had the highest “cumulative incidence” of reported cases, with 915.3 cases per 100,000 people, according to the CDC. Minnesota had the lowest incidence, at 20.6 cases per 100,000 people.

Some context: A variety of factors could explain why some regions have more cases and deaths, the CDC said. 

Differences in population density, age distribution and the prevalence of underlying medical conditions among Covid-19 patients could be factors, according to the agency.

The variation between regions could also reflect differences in when coronavirus was first introduced into a population. And the timing and extent of community mitigation measures could also be at play, according to the agency.

The CDC also said that differences in testing capacity – and public health reporting practices – could be factors.

The agency cautioned, however, that its report has limitations.

Case counts are likely “underestimated” because of incomplete detection of cases and delays in reporting, according to the CDC. And deaths are also likely to be underreported, the agency said, because people might die from the virus without receiving a Covid-19 diagnosis.

The Internal Revenue Service said Friday that some stimulus payments will start going out next week. Payments will start with those people who have filed their 2018 or 2019 tax returns and have authorized a direct deposit. Those payments will be made automatically.

Social Security beneficiaries will also receive their payments automatically. Those payments will go out “in the near future,” the IRS said Friday.

Others — who haven’t filed those returns, authorized direct deposits, or receive Social Security — will likely have to wait weeks and even months before seeing their money. Some will have to first file a return or register online in order to receive the payment.

Also on Friday, the IRS launched a new tool to help low-income people who aren’t normally required to file returns to input some basic information so that they can receive the stimulus money. They’ll have to provide their Social Security number, name, address, and the number of their dependents – as well as bank account information if they want to receive a direct deposit.

Next week: The IRS plans to roll out another online tool. This will allow people a chance to provide their bank account information so they can receive their payment more quickly rather than waiting for a paper check.

This feature will be unavailable if the payment has already been scheduled for delivery, the agency said. It will also help people check on the status of their payments.

A 15-year-old teen from the Yanomami indigenous tribe died Thursday from coronavirus-related causes in northern Brazil, according to a statement from the country’s health ministry. 

The teen had been hospitalized since last Friday in the state of Roraima’s General Hospital in capital Boa Vista, according to the statement.

The Association of the Indigenous People of Brazil (APIB), a watchdog group that defends indigenous rights, told CNN at least two other indigenous people have died from coronavirus complications. However, this is the first indigenous death confirmed by the Brazilian Health Ministry. 

The teen was from the Rehebe village, an area that indigenous activist groups say has been affected by illegal mining. 

Brazil’s Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said during a press conference this week the spread among indigenous groups is “worrisome” and said a national crisis committee has been created to monitor cases in indigenous territories. 

President Trump focused on the battle against Covid-19 in a scripted message on Good Friday, thanking first responders and calling on Americans to pray for the nation.

“At this holy time, our nation is engaged in a battle like never before, the invisible enemy,” the President said from the Oval Office.

The President thanked “the many families who have prayed” for him, and asked for continued prayers for healing and “comfort for those who are grieving.”

“As our nation battles the invisible enemy,” the President said, “we reaffirm that Americans believe in the power of prayer.”

The President was joined by Vice President Mike Pence and Bishop Harry Jackson. He did not take questions from reporters in the room.

According to Johns Hopkins University's tally, there are at least 473,093 cases of coronavirus in the US and at least 17,836 people have died from the disease.

So far on Friday, Johns Hopkins has reported 7,343 new cases and 1,152 reported deaths.

The total includes cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other U.S. territories, as well as all repatriated cases. Wyoming is the only state or territory that is not reporting a death from coronavirus.

The restrictions imposed to stop the spread of coronavirus in Ireland will be extended until May 5, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar announced at a briefing on Friday. 

Under the new rules, people can go out only to "shop for food or household goods, to attend medical appointments and collect medicines, vital family reasons such as providing care to children and the elderly, to take brief individual physical exercise, for farming purposes and food production," Varadkar announced.

Prime Minister said all visits to hospitals and prisons have stopped and public transport is limited to “essential workers and people providing essential services." 

Public and private gatherings among people outside of the same household are also banned.

Even though the coronavirus pandemic continues to take lives across the United States, Covid-19 has not become the leading cause of death in the nation, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed to CNN.

"There are no data to support that theory," Jeff Lancashire, a spokesperson for the National Center for Health Statistics, said in an email on Friday.

What the data shows: Lancashire noted that between January and April in 2018, more than 234,000 people in the United States died of heart disease and nearly 199,000 died of cancer.

So far during the coronavirus pandemic, there have been about 16,700 Covid-19 deaths in the United States, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University.

Labs in the state of Oklahoma are working on antibody testing, Gov. Kevin Stitt said during a news conference today.

Stitt said the state is in contact with labs and working to identify those who may have developed antibodies.

Earlier today, Dr. Anthony Fauci says antibody tests — which show who has already been infected with the coronavirus — will be available in the US soon. 

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said he plans to sign an executive order Friday extending previously enacted closures, social distancing and safety measures until at least May 20. 

Connecticut has 9,784 confirmed coronavirus cases and 380 deaths, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University.

Read Lamont's tweet: