April 21 coronavirus news

The number of coronavirus deaths in the US could surpass modeling estimates of 60,000 if some states move too quickly in reopening, a source close to the White House coronavirus task force warns.

The source pointed to the governors in South Carolina and Georgia deciding to reopen businesses, even as those states have yet to meet "gating" guidelines laid out by the administration last week. 

"Not good," the source said. 

The gating guidelines determine when states can reopen restaurants, bars, gyms and public spaces, as well as providing guidance for employers.

These criteria include a sustained decrease in cases over a 14-day period and a return to pre-crisis conditions in hospitals.

Turkey confirmed at least 4,674 new coronavirus infections in a 24-hour period on Monday -- a spike from previous days where the number of new positive cases hovered around 4,000.

Another 123 Covid-19 deaths were also recorded, according to the Turkish health ministry.

The country has now reported a total of 90,980 cases and 2,140 deaths from Covid-19.

Turkey will be under 4-day curfew, effective from midnight on April 22 local time through April 26, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The country has also started production of locally made ventilators, Erdogan announced, with the first batch already delivered to a newly-built hospital in Istanbul.

At least 784,599 cases of coronavirus and 42,138 related deaths have been recorded in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University.

On Monday, the US reported at least 24,859 new cases and 1,417 deaths. 

These totals includes cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as all cases repatriated from overseas.

As states begin to include "probable deaths" in their counts, so will JHU. In the upcoming days, these changes may show as surges of deaths in the United States. 

CNN is tracking US coronavirus cases here:

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Tracking Covid-19 cases in the US

Colombia is extending its coronavirus lockdown through May 10, President Ivan Duque said Monday.

In an address to the nation, Duque said that essential businesses such as grocery stores, banks and local transport will remain open, but borders will stay shut and commercial flights will only resume in June.

Other economic sectors may be allowed to return to operate before May 11, depending on how the health situation evolves, Duque said.

Duque acknowledged the economic damage caused by the shutdown, but said that these emergency measures were aimed at strengthening the country’s health system. 

More than 77% of Colombia's workforce is currently out of work and without welfare protection, Duque's vice president Marta Lucia Ramirez said on Sunday. 

As of today, Colombia has reported 3,977 coronavirus cases, including 189 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Guatemala President Alejandro Giammattei denounced several reported attacks on people returning to Guatemala from overseas, particularly those arriving from the United States.

During a government news conference Sunday, Giammattei asked Guatemalans to treat these people not as "criminals" but rather as "brothers."

The person who returned from abroad had attained the proper paperwork demonstrating they had tested negative for coronavirus and had followed all necessary quarantine measures, Giammattei said.

This comes after his announcement last week that deportation flights into Guatemala were to be suspended after a CDC mission in the country found several positive cases that had recently returned to the country. 

Giammattei also stressed that many of those returning to Guatemala had been sending back remittances to family members only months prior to the pandemic.

US President Donald Trump said during Monday’s White House news briefing that 50,000 to 60,000 people in the US are expected to die from coronavirus -- far fewer than earlier projections made by the administration.

“Now we’re going toward 50 -- I’m hearing, or 60,000 people. One is too many. I always say it. One is too many, but we’re going toward 50 or 60,000 people. That’s at the lower -- as you know the lower (end of the projections) was supposed to be 100,000 people,” he said.

Late last month, the nation's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, told CNN's "State of the Union" that based on models, 100,000 Americans or more could die from the virus.

At least 42,138 people have died in the US from coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Savannah, Georgia, Mayor Van Johnson said Gov. Brian Kemp's decision to allow some businesses in the state to reopen as early as Friday is "not based in any type of science or best practices."

Johnson said Kemp did not talk to him or other local municipalities before announcing his decision on Monday.

He said local mayors would "have the best information here on the ground."

Kemp said earlier Monday that no local ordinance can restrict the openings, which will be implemented statewide. Johnson said because there is nothing he can do on a local policy level, he is encouraging people in Savannah to "follow common sense."

"This is still a dangerous time, and it's not the time for people to take their feet off the gas. Not the time to think we're lulled into a false sense of security. This is still a dangerous world and Covid is still killing people," he said.

One crew member of the Italian cruise ship Costa Atranchica has tested positive for coronavirus, the mayor of Nagasaki, Tomihisa Tagami, said at a news conference on Monday.

The Costa Atranchica, which is anchored at Nagasaki port in southwestern Japan, has a total of 623 crew members who are foreign nationals. All crew members are now onboard the ship.

Health checks will be carried out on at least 53 people who may have had close contact with the crew member who tested positive, according to Tagami.

On March 13, Nagasaki Gov. Hoso Nakamura said the government requested that the crew refrain from disembarkation due to the spread of infection in Japan.

Local authorities did not provide any details on the crew members and their nationalities. 

Chile will begin issuing digital immunity cards this week to people who have recovered from coronavirus, according to an announcement from health officials on Monday.

The so-called “Covid cards” will be issued to people who tested positive for the virus and have shown signs of recovery after a 14-day quarantine. 

The program, which had been announced by the Chilean health minister last week, was scheduled to launch Monday but has now been postponed for the next “coming days,” according to the country’s public health undersecretary Paula Daza. 

Chilean health officials said last week the Covid card would help identify those individuals who no longer pose a health risk to others. 

As of Monday, Chile had reported 10,507 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and 139 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.