May 2 coronavirus news

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told CNN’s Ana Cabrera Saturday officials expected the crowds at Central Park and were "prepared for this."

"The NYPD is out in force" along with other city agencies, he said.

Enforcement numbers from about an hour ago "looked actually quite good," the mayor said adding "the vast majority of people got the message and that's the story of NYC over these last weeks."

He said its "totally understandable" that folks want to go out get some exercise and fresh air but added the message has been "don’t linger too long, get back home" and "while you’re out there keep that face covering on, keep that social distance."

For anyone who tries to resist these rules or create a public gathering, the NYPD is immediately going to give them a summons, de Blasio said.

The mayor said overall in the past few weeks "people are overwhelmingly abiding by that social distancing," adding that more and more people are putting on face coverings. The city is giving them out today for free, he added.

"New Yorkers have been pretty amazing at following rules in a place where it's tough," he said.

Scores of people descended upon the National Mall on Saturday as the US Navy's Blue Angels and the Air Force Thunderbirds performed a flyover to honor first responders on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

The nation's capital is under a stay-at-home order to slow down the spread of the virus but that didn't stop crowds from gathering between the US Capitol and the Washington Monument.

The Blue Angels and Thunderbirds conducted flyovers in Washington, Baltimore and Atlanta on Saturday.

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said that he would announce more guidelines as the state began lifting restrictions put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“On Monday we will be having an announcement in terms of guidelines in reference to our houses of worship, and some of our larger venues," Hutchinson said.

Hutchinson said the state has sought a measured approach when it comes to reopening the state.

A federal judge in the Southern District of New York dismissed the New York State Nurses Association's request for an injunction that would've forced Montefiore Medical Center to provide more personal protective equipment, court documents show.

The union alleged shortcomings like inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE), a lack of training for registered nurses redeployed from hospital units to meet the staffing needed to treat the high number of Covid-19 patients, and unsafe working conditions for high-risk employees.

The union filed similar suits against Westchester Medical Center and the New York State Department of Health.

Writing Friday, Judge Jesse Furman wrote that the court did not have the authority to enforce an injunction against Montefiore, and that under the union's collective bargaining agreement, the dispute could only be resolved through arbitration.

"It would 'unduly interfere' with the hospital’s ability to make business decisions' at a time when the judicial interference could be particularly problematic," Furman wrote, citing legal precedent. "The tragic fact that, between now and the conclusion of the arbitration proceedings, nurses at Montefiore may well (indeed, are likely to) contract Covid-19 does not alter that conclusion."

Furman wrote "...given the measures that Montefiore has been taking, under extraordinary circumstances, to protect its staff and provide patient care," adding "the Court cannot say that the likelihood of infection (let alone death) in the absence of an injunction is so great as to render the arbitral process meaningless."

"That is not to say that Montefiore cannot or should not do more to protect its nurses than it is," Furman wrote, "it is merely to say that, under the parties' collective bargaining agreement, that is an issue for the arbitrator, not this Court, to decide."

CNN’s Ramon Escobar captured photos of people in Central Park on a sunny Saturday while the state remains under a stay-at-home order.

Signs instructed park visitors on how far apart they must remain from others.

New York Police Commissioner Dermot Shea asked community partners Friday night to spread a singular message: "Now is not the time to relax."

Several tweets Saturday from the NYPD's press Twitter accounts and the chief of department reinforced that the department is aware that people are heading outside to "soak up the sun and enjoy the fresh air," but also reminded the public that social distancing rules are in place.

Officers who patrolled an Upper East Side park Saturday were pleased to report proper PPE and social distancing observed. There were no tweets about Central Park specifically.

The NYPD had no information on whether or not citations have been issued Saturday when reached by CNN.

A total of 24,760 people in France have died after contracting Covid-19, an increase of 166 since Friday, the Health Ministry announced Saturday.

The number of patients in intensive care continues to decline with 3,827 receiving treatment, a decrease of 51 in 24 hours.

In total, 25,827 patients are currently receiving hospital treatment in France for coronavirus.

China has sent 149 medical experts to 16 countries for Covid-19 prevention and control work, according to Mi Feng, China’s National Health Commission spokesperson.

Mi made the statement Saturday, according to Chinese state-run media China Global Television Network (CGTN). 

Mi said China is willing to continue to work with the international community to combat the pandemic.

China's National Health Commission (NHC) reported a single new case of novel coronavirus and no deaths for the fourth consecutive day, according to a statement published on Saturday. 

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy told reporters Saturday that the state's downward trend in Covid-19 cases continued, but emphasized the importance of remaining socially distant, especially as the weather improves.

Murphy reported 205 news deaths and 2,912 additional cases since yesterday, bringing the state totals to 7,742 deaths and 123,717 cases, respectively. 

While the governor called the statewide death toll "unfathomable," he expressed hope that New Jersey was rounding the corner. 

"All of the important metrics in our hospitals continue to show positive trends," Murphy said.

He said initial anecdotal reports indicated that the reopening of parks in the state was working out but said that this weekend would be a bellwether for social distancing.

"If we hear minimal reports of knucklehead behavior at our parks and we see the metrics we need to meet being met over the next couple of days and weeks, then we know that you all have taken to heart your responsibility," he said.

He said it was a "big week in terms of federal assistance" He lauded the federal government for giving the state testing supplies and for providing PPE to long-term care facilities.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell issued a joint statement Saturday “respectfully” declining an offer from the Trump administration to deploy rapid coronavirus testing capabilities to Capitol Hill.

“Consistent with CDC guidelines, Congress will use the current testing protocols that the Office of the Attending Physician has put in place until these speedier technologies become more widely available,” they also said.

Some background: Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced that 1,000 coronavirus tests will be available as US senators and staff return to Capitol Hill on Monday, after the Capitol physician earlier said testing for members would be limited.

The House –– which has 435 members compared to 100 in the Senate –– canceled its plans to return to Washington this upcoming week, with Democratic leadership citing guidance from Capitol attending physician Brian Monahan.

Trump criticized Pelosi on Twitter Saturday and said the House should return.