April 12 coronavirus news

A 200-bed temporary care facility will be built at the Georgia World Congress Center for a potential coronavirus patient surge in Georgia, according to an announcement from Gov. Brian Kemp.

Georgia's projected peak date is April 26, according to Kemp's news release.

The Georgia National Guard, Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, Department of Community Health, Department of Public Health and contractors will immediately begin to prepare GWCC for the potential coronavirus patient surge for mild to moderate (non-ICU) illness levels, excluding ventilator support, according to Kemp's release.

More than 95 million people in nearly 20 states could experience severe weather today and Monday, including heavy rain, hail and tornadoes.

Emergency officials say sheltering from tornadoes and protecting yourself from severe weather takes priority over social distancing guidelines Americans are adhering to during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency tweeted a photo saying their experts were monitoring the weather. The tweet also emphasized that people should have a safe place to go –– and if that's a public shelter, to continue practicing social distancing.

"If you go to a public shelter please wear a mask, bandana, or scarf around your nose and mouth," the tweet said.

Oktibbeha County's Emergency Management in Mississippi tweeted a photo with information about procedures people should follow when they get to a safe room.

"Upon arrival, be prepared to sanitize your shoes and your hands," the tweet reads. "Everyone is required to wear some type of face covering such as: mask, face shield, bandana, etc.," the tweet from Oktibbeha County said.

The tweet also said "while the significant danger of the spread of Covid-19 exists, tornadoes can be life-threatening events. Life-Safety will always be our priority."

Louisiana is also in the path of severe weather.

The Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness said people should revise their emergency plans to account for lifestyle changes in the midst of coronavirus shelter-in-place orders, according to a statement this morning.

Whether shelters will remain open despite the pandemic is up to city and county governments.

Closures and updates on the weather can be found on official social media accounts, government websites or by contacting local emergency management agencies.

There are 585 sailors from the USS Theodore Roosevelt who have tested positive for coronavirus as of Sunday, according to a statement from the US Navy.

As of today, 92% of the aircraft carrier's crew have been tested for coronavirus, the statement said.

There are 3,696 sailors who have been moved ashore.

France recorded 561 new coronavirus deaths on Sunday, according to the nation's Health Ministry, bringing the countrywide total to 14,393.

This is the lowest recorded daily increase in deaths since the start of April.   

“We are seeing the start of a very high plateau,” the ministry said in a statement.

While the outbreak continues to leave the country "hard hit," containment efforts, including drastic social distancing efforts, are starting to have an impact, the ministry said.

There are 6,845 patients in intensive care, a drop of 38 overall, the ministry said.

Pakistan has confirmed 5,183 coronavirus cases and 88 deaths as of Sunday, according to the country’s Ministry of Health.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan appealed to world leaders Sunday in a special televised address for a "global initiative on debt relief" from the coronavirus pandemic and the financial burdens of the country's lockdown. 

Khan urged the international community to "step up measures" to "help developing countries to overcome the disastrous impacts of Covid-19."

Khan also proposed that developing countries be provided with fiscal space and financial relief through restructuring and other additional measures that could help them manage the unfolding crisis. 

"The dilemma we face in Pakistan is saving people from dying of the virus and on the other hand saving people from starving to death due to a lockdown," Khan said.

Walt Disney World will temporarily furlough 43,000 employees at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando effective April 19, President of Unite Here Union Eric Clinton said in a video address on Sunday. 

Clinton is president of one of six unions in the Service Trades Council Union that represents 43,000 cast members at Walt Disney World.

“Disney has reached agreements with several unions for hourly cast members that will maintain members’ health insurance benefits coverage, educational support and additional employee assistance programs during a temporary furlough effective April 19,” a statement from a Disney spokesperson reads.

Clinton explained that the union secured a historic agreement that “provides healthcare for 12 months to any Disney cast member that currently has health care at no cost to them at all.”

“These agreements provide an easier return to work when our community recovers from the impact of Covid-19. We are grateful to have worked together in good faith to help our cast and members navigate these unprecedented times,” the statement from Disney reads.

Ecuador President Lenín Moreno announced on Twitter that he is ordering a 50% reduction in his salary and the salaries of his entire cabinet due to the coronavirus outbreak. 

In the announcement, Moreno said he arranged for a salary reduction for himself, the vice president, the cabinet ministers, vice ministers, governors and members of the National Assembly.

There are 24 provincial governors in Ecuador and 137 seats in the National Assembly.

Ecuador has 7,466 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 333 deaths, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University.

Read Moreno's tweet:

New Jersey reported an additional 3,733 positive coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the statewide total to 61,850, Gov. Phil Murphy said.

As of 10 p.m. Saturday, 7,604 residents were hospitalized, including Covid-19 positive and persons under investigation.

There are 1,914 people listed in critical or intensive care and 1,644 are on ventilators. Murphy said.

Read Murphy's tweet:

There are at least 532,339 cases of coronavirus in the US and at least 21,418 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University's tally.

The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as all repatriated cases. 

Wyoming is the only state that is not reporting a death from coronavirus.