April 11 coronavirus news

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is waiving regulations on physicians-in-training (PIT) permit holders to increase health care capacity to fight coronavirus in the state.

With restrictions waived, PIT permit holders will be able to work at any Texas hospital or facility associated with the Graduate Medical Education (GME) training program. They will also be able to practice in areas outside their GME training program with physician oversight.

For example, under these temporary waivers, residents in a surgical residency program can assist in an Emergency Department if a surge of patients is experienced. These waivers will increase the availability of medically trained individuals to help assist the coronavirus response.

Texas has 12,398 confirmed coronavirus cases and 248 deaths, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University.

There are 550 sailors from the USS Theodore Roosevelt who have tested positive for coronavirus as of Saturday, according to a statement from the US Navy.

So far, 92% of the sailors have been tested and 3,696 of them have now been moved ashore.

Some context: CNN reported on Thursday that a sailor from the USS Theodore Roosevelt who had tested positive for coronavirus was admitted to an intensive care unit in Guam after being found unresponsive.

Florida and Idaho families who use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are now allowed to use their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards online due to the coronavirus pandemic, an announcement from US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said in a press release Saturday.

The approval allows states to expedite the implementation of online purchasing by stores that are already authorized to take SNAP benefits, according to the release.

People who receive such benefits should be able to use them for online retailers later this month, the release said.

The US Air Force medically evacuated three contractors who tested positive for Covid-19 from Afghanistan to Germany on Friday, according to a statement from Air Mobility Command spokeswoman Rose Ripley.

This is the first time the Air Force has medically evacuated someone sick from coronavirus, and marks the first operational use of the "Transport Isolation System," according to the statement. 

The system was developed during the Ebola outbreak and is designed to move patients ill with an infectious disease. 

The New York Fire Department says 714 members have tested positive for the coronavirus, FDNY spokesman Jim Long told CNN. This figure includes firefighters, EMS and civilian personnel.

Overall, 2,700 members are currently out sick or on medical leave. This includes all injuries and other illnesses, in addition to coronavirus cases.

On Friday, EMS received 4,459 medical calls. FDNY tweeted on Saturday urging people to only call 911 if it's a real emergency.

See FDNY's tweet:

New Jersey has recorded 3,599 new coronavirus cases bringing the statewide total to 58,151, according to Gov. Phil Murphy.

Murphy said 251 with the virus have died in the past 24 hours, bringing the state total to 2,183.

“We’re slowing the rate at which new cases are doubling,” Murphy said.

“The curve is flattening,” but “were not in the end zone folks, we cannot spike any footballs, we're not even first in goal," he added.

In a series of announcements made on Twitter, Murphy called on all NJ Transit and "private carriers to cut the capacity on all trains, buses, light rail vehicles, and paratransit vehicles to 50% of their maximum."

Murphy is also "expanding the requirement to wear a face covering to ALL customers heading into one of the restaurants and bars that remain in operation as they get their takeout orders," he said in a tweet.

Red Murphy's tweets:

The Queen has used her Easter message to encourage hope in the face of the coronavirus outbreak, saying it “will not overcome us."

In a written message released from Windsor Castle, she said that Easter is a time of “light overcoming darkness."

The Queen added: “We know that coronavirus will not overcome us. As dark as death can be — particularly for those suffering with grief — light and life are greater. May the living flame of the Easter hope be a steady guide as we face the future.”

The United Kingdom government is launching a campaign to support domestic violence victims during the coronavirus restrictions, Home Secretary Priti Patel announced Saturday.

The campaign, under the hashtag #YouAreNotAlone, will aim to reassure those affected by domestic abuse that support services remain available.

The government has asked members of the public to show their solidarity by sharing a photo of a heart on their palm, and then asking others to do the same. This aims to “show victims that they are not alone and to convey to perpetrators that domestic abuse is unacceptable in any circumstances,” the home secretary said in a statement.

Advertisement aimed at raising awareness of where people can seek help will run across social media, and materials will be made available to a wide range of partners including charities and supermarkets.

Citing a surge in calls to domestic abuse charities, the Home Secretary pledged an additional $2.4 million (£2 million) to immediately bolster domestic abuse helplines and online support. 

Speaking from Downing Street at the daily press briefing, Patel also addressed other crime-related issues, such as fraud, during the nationwide response to the pandemic.

The Javits Center in New York City has treated about 453 people so far.

There are 319 patients in the facility now, Terry Lynam, senior vice president and chief PIO at Northwell Health, told CNN.

The USNS Comfort, US Navy hospital ship also in New York City, has treated 96 patients, and there are 66 patients currently there, Lynam says.

Lynam confirmed to CNN that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo installed Northwell Health CEO Michael Dowling to oversee clinical operations at the Javits Center and at the USNS Comfort.

Dowling is charged with keeping in constant contact with hospitals, checking on their capacity and whether it makes sense to move patients to the Javits Center.

Some context: The Javits Center and the USNS Comfort were approved to help alleviate the burden the coronavirus is placing on civilian hospital infrastructure.

Both facilities are staffed with hundreds of military doctors and nurses.