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May 6 coronavirus news

By Jessie Yeung, Adam Renton and Angela Dewan, CNN

Updated 8:57 p.m. ET, May 6, 2020

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4:57 a.m. ET, May 6, 2020

China calls US attacks a Republican political strategy

From CNN’s Steven Jiang in Beijing and Isaac Yee in Hong Kong

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying speaks at a news conference in Beijing on March 30. Kyodo/Getty Images

China says recent accusations by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and President Donald Trump that the Covid-19 pandemic originated in a lab in Wuhan are a political strategy for Republicans ahead of the 2020 presidential election.

Speaking at a regular press briefing on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters:

“We urge the US to stop spreading disinformation or misleading the international community. It should deal with its own problems and deal with the pandemic at home. I believe the strategy of the Republicans in their election shows that all too clear, and now we are fed up with such tricks.”
“Mr Pompeo cannot present any evidence because he has not got any, this matter should be handled by scientists and not politicians out of their domestic political needs,” Hua added.

Responding to comments from Trump about possibly levying tariffs in retaliation, Hua said: “The facts show that tariffs are not good weapons, they impact all parties negatively, under current circumstances tariffs should not be used as weapons."

When asked about a Reuters report that a Chinese government think tank had issued a document to leaders saying the US and China could potentially end up in armed conflict over growing global anti-China sentiment, Hua said: “As to the question of whether this will result in military conflict, of course this is not what we want to see. China loves peace, we believe that cooperation in fighting the epidemic should deepen mutual cooperation.”

Hua also addressed accusations that the country was profiting from the virus, saying, “China’s so called cover-up or profiting from the virus are just baseless,” and that as of May 1, China has provided “5.3 billion masks to the US and 330 million surgical gloves, 38.8 million protective suits and 5.98 million goggles, and 7,500 ventilators.”

US allegations: Pompeo said Sunday in an interview with ABC that there was "enormous evidence" Covid-19 originated in a laboratory in Wuhan. He did not provide details to support the claim.

China has also faced criticism over its handling of the virus, especially during the initial outbreak. It was accused of silencing whistleblowers and delaying informing the public about the severity of the crisis.

A report by the US Department of Homeland Security found that the Chinese government intentionally concealed the severity of the virus from the international community while it stockpiled imports and decreased exports, according to two administration officials familiar with the report.

Chinese response: Wuhan Mayor Zhou Xianwang has admitted that the city's "warnings were not sufficient," and offered to resign.

And Beijing has hit back with its own propaganda efforts, accusing the US of shifting blame and spreading "lies."

Read more:

US government report assesses China intentionally concealed severity of coronavirus

4:37 a.m. ET, May 6, 2020

The US has recorded more than 1.2 million coronavirus cases

At least 1,204,475 cases of coronavirus have been recorded in the US, including 71,078 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University's tally of cases.

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

CNN is tracking US coronavirus cases here:

Tracking Covid-19 cases in the US

4:23 a.m. ET, May 6, 2020

The US is unprepared to protect residents when states reopen, former acting CDC director says

From CNN's Christina Maxouris

Store manager Natalie Hijazi temporarily closes off the entrance to a Pet Fair store inside The Woodlands Mall on Tuesday, May 5, in The Woodlands, Texas. David J. Phillip/AP

With more than half the United States now into at least the first stage of reopening, one expert says the country still hasn't done enough to protect residents from the coronavirus.

"I don't think you can say, how much suffering are you willing to bear in order to restart the economy until you have done everything possible to ensure that every single person in America can take measures to protect their own health, the health of their families and the health of their communities," Dr. Richard Besser, the former acting director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Tuesday. "That's just not the case right now."

Governors across the country have allowed residents to return to some semblance of normalcy after weeks of shutdowns to stop the spread of the virus. But the country's death toll continues to rise and public health experts have warned relaxing restrictions could cost thousands of lives.

"We don't have the testing capacity now to know where this disease is," Besser said. "We have not scaled up the thousands and thousands of contact tracers that we need, we don't provide safe places for people to isolate or quarantine if they are identified as either having an infection or being in contact."

"We are saying, if you have money and you are white, you can do well here," he said. "If you are not, good luck to you."

Read the full story here.

4:05 a.m. ET, May 6, 2020

Former British PM Theresa May criticizes lack of "coherent international response" to Covid-19

From CNN’s Hilary McGann in London

Former UK prime minister Theresa May leaves Downing Street in this July 17, 2019 file photo in London, England. Chris J. Ratcliffe/Getty Images

Former British prime minister Theresa May has criticized world leaders for their “inability to forge a coherent international response” to the novel coronavirus pandemic, in an opinion piece for the Times of London on Wednesday.

May, who was prime minister from 2016 until the summer of 2019, said that though researchers and scientists across the world are working together, there is “little evidence of politicians doing so.”

“A polarized politics has taken hold. It views the world through a prism of winners and losers and sees compromise and cooperation as a sign of weakness,” May wrote.

While acknowledging there are “real questions” about the initial response of the Chinese government, May said it would be a “mistake” to “allow this to become a fault line in international relations.”

Amid ongoing questions of the World Health Organization and the US withdrawal in funding, May said frustrations should be “channeled into reforming” the organisation and “not denigrating the concept of international co-operation.”

This comes as the UK struggles to contain the virus. Yesterday the UK's death toll surpassed Italy's, making it the highest in Europe and second globally after the US.

3:47 a.m. ET, May 6, 2020

Singapore's coronavirus cases surge past 20,000

From CNN's Eric Cheung and Anna Kam in Hong Kong

A woman wearing a face mask walks along a promenade in Singapore on May 4. Roslan Rahman/AFP/Getty Images

Singapore confirmed 788 new cases of coronavirus today, raising the country's total past 20,000 infections.

The vast majority of these new cases are foreign migrant workers living in dormitories, where clusters have made the country's numbers spike dramatically in recent weeks.

The country has now recorded 20,198 cases and 18 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University -- the highest caseload in Southeast Asia.

Singapore reopens: The city-state started a phased return to work yesterday. Businesses that reopen will be required to follow strict new rules, including the wearing of face masks all day in the office and no gathering among staff during lunch breaks.

The Ministry of Health calls the new measures the "new normal in a Covid-19 world."

Starting from May 19, schools will also reopen, for those who have practical sessions and need additional support.

But for migrant workers isolated inside dormitories, restrictions on daily movements will stay in place until June 1.

3:30 a.m. ET, May 6, 2020

It's just past 9:30 a.m. in Berlin and 12:30 p.m. in Islamabad. Here's the latest on the pandemic

A few people walk on Pariser Platz in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on Tuesday, March 5. Christophe Gateau/dpa via AP

If you're just joining our live coverage of the global coronavirus pandemic, here are some key headlines today:

Trump to disband task force: The White House coronavirus task force will start to wind down later this month, close to Memorial Day on May 25, according to a senior White House official. This comes just after new models show the US could see its death toll double, to reach 134,000 by August 4.
UK resignation: Neil Ferguson, the leading epidemiologist who advised the UK government on the coronavirus response, resigned on Tuesday after the Telegraph newspaper reported he broke lockdown rules.
New findings: A genetic analysis found that the virus' jump from animals to humans was "very recent," and ruled out the possibility that it had been infecting people long before it was identified.

And here are the latest updates today:

Germany lockdown: Chancellor Angela Merkel will discuss loosening lockdown measures with the 16 state prime ministers today. Under Germany’s federal system, state leaders have a lot of autonomy, but Merkel’s spokesman has said he does not want a patchwork system of regulations.
Back to school: Nearly 58,000 students returned to school today in Wuhan, China, the original epicenter of the outbreak. Wuhan began lifting restrictions in early April, after more than two months of total lockdown.
Not just in Wuhan: Hong Kong will also start sending students back to school this month. Some countries and regions in Europe are also beginning to resume daily life and lift restrictions as the coronavirus threat begins to subside.
US infection forecast: Covid-19 will likely infect 60% to 70% of the US population before it slows down, according to a top infectious disease epidemiologist. Michael Osterholm estimates that between 5% and 15% have been infected so far.
Deaths spike in Pakistan: The country has reported 40 new fatalities, its largest single-day jump in deaths of the epidemic.
Infection slowdown: South Korea and mainland China both recorded no new local transmissions yesterday.
In Japan: New guidelines for social distancing are provoking public backlash. The suggestions include mandatory face masks and outdoor dining at restaurants.
And some good news: Japanese artist Takashi Murakami and the streetwear brand Supreme teamed up to raise over a million dollars, with 100% of proceeds going to support those facing homelessness during the pandemic.

3:17 a.m. ET, May 6, 2020

A leading UK scientific adviser has resigned after breaking lockdown rules he helped to shape

From CNN's Milena Veselinovic in London

Neil Ferguson speaks at a news conference in London on January 22. Credit: Reuters

The leading epidemiologist who advised the UK government on the coronavirus response has resigned from his government post on Tuesday after the Telegraph newspaper reported he broke lockdown rules.

Professor Neil Ferguson, who is based at Imperial College in London, is one of the architects of the UK government stay-at-home strategy and was a prominent member of Britain's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), which has been spearheading the coronavirus response.

In a statement to CNN, Ferguson said he accepted he made "an error of judgement and took the wrong course of action," and therefore stepped back from his involvement in SAGE.

"I acted in the belief that I was immune, having tested positive for coronavirus and completely isolated myself for almost two weeks after developing symptoms," he said.

"I deeply regret any undermining of the clear messages around the continued need for social distancing to control this devastating epidemic. The government guidance is unequivocal, and is there to protect all of us,” he said.

2:55 a.m. ET, May 6, 2020

Hong Kong has ordered more than 173,000 people to be quarantined since the outbreak started

From CNN's Alexandra Lin in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has ordered more than 173,000 people to undergo quarantine since the coronavirus outbreak began, city authorities said today.

As of Monday, the city's Department of Health has issued 103,543 mandatory quarantine orders to people arriving in the city from mainland China, Taiwan and Macao. A further 69,685 orders were issued for people arriving from elsewhere overseas.

Hong Kong survived two waves of coronavirus.

The city saw its first case in late January, and had just begun letting its guard down in late February when it was hit by a second wave.

After a brief period of low case numbers, new infections spiked dramatically, prompting a series of additional stringent restrictions.

That second wave now appears to have largely passed. Hong Kong hasn't had a case of local transmission in more than two weeks, and the city is cautiously resuming normal life. Yesterday, city leaders announced that certain restrictions would be loosened, and schools will start reopening by the end of the month.

The new guidelines, which will go into effect Friday, will allow more people to gather in public and some businesses to reopen.

Read more:

How Hong Kong contained its second wave of Covid-19

2:38 a.m. ET, May 6, 2020

Takashi Murakami and Supreme teamed up to sell shirts for coronavirus aid. They've raised over $1 million

Renowned Japanese artist Takashi Murakami teamed up with fashion brand Supreme to fundraise during the coronavirus pandemic -- and ended up raising more than a million dollars.

Murakami, founder of the "superflat" movement that blurs the boundaries of high and low culture, helped create a T-shirt with his original artwork. The print features the Supreme logo against the artist's signature flowers.

All of the proceeds will go to the non-profit organization Help USA to support youth and families facing homelessness during the pandemic, said Supreme, a cult US streetwear brand.

The shirt originally sold for $60. But anytime Supreme releases new items, they are quickly snatched up and resold for much higher prices online, with fans worldwide clamoring for the coveted goods -- and this time was no different. The T-shirt is reselling for up to $1,750 on the streetwear site Grailed.

On Tuesday, Help USA posted a photo of the shirt on Instagram, thanking Murakami and Supreme for donating $1,052,040 in sales.

"This incredible gift comes in a time of our clients' greatest need and supports our work nationally to provide the most vulnerable with a safe place to call home, food, and essential services during this crisis and beyond," said the post.