By the end of the day Friday, there were more than 1.44 million coronavirus cases in the US
A nurse takes a swab sample from a patient at a drive-thru coronavirus testing site in Seattle, Washington, on Friday. Ted S. Warren/AP
As of Friday evening on the East Coast, there were at least 1,442,824 cases of coronavirus in the United States, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
At least 87,530 people in the country have died after contracting the virus.
On Friday, JHU reported 25,050fresh cases and 1,632 more deaths.
The totals includes cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases.
12:26 a.m. ET, May 16, 2020
Thailand is relaxing some of its lockdown measures this weekend
From CNN's Kocha Olarn in Bangkok
An employee wearing a face mask under a protective face shield cleans tables at the food court of a partially closed shopping mall preparing to fully re-open in Bangkok. Mladen Antonov/AFP/Getty Images
Shopping malls, restaurants, parks, museums libraries and learning centers will be allowed to reopen in Thailand from Sunday, authorities have announced.
Bars will be free to serve takeaway alcoholic drinks, while gyms will be allowed to partially reopen areas for free weight training and yoga.
The country-wide curfew imposed during the pandemic will be reduced by one hour. People will now be barred from being outside from 11 p.m. until 4 a.m.
11:54 p.m. ET, May 15, 2020
Taiwan's coronavirus success has bolstered its global standing. This has infuriated Beijing
Analysis by Nectar Gan and Brad Lendon in Hong Kong
Employees, right, wearing race masks sit behind plastic partitions as they check tax documents submitted by residents, left, at the Taipei National Taxation Bureau on May 12. Sam Yeh/AFP/Getty Images
While many governments struggled to contain the spread of coronavirus, Taiwan appeared to have it largely under control.
In January, the self-ruled, democratic island of 23 million people banned incoming travel from parts of mainland China. Soon after, cruise ships could no longer dock there. By March, domestic face mask production was also increased.
As of Saturday, Taiwan had recorded 440 coronavirus cases and seven deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. By comparison, Australia -- with a population of 25 million -- had reported more than 7,000 infections and 98 deaths.
Eager to share its experiences in fighting Covid-19, Taiwan is now pushing for a greater voice in global health discussions. The United States, Japan and New Zealand have all voiced support for Taiwan to join next week's World Health Assembly -- an annual meeting of World Health Organization (WHO) members.
And this doesn't sit well with Beijing.
China regards the island as part of its territory, and has for years blocked it from taking part in many global institutions, while also refusing to have diplomatic relations with countries that maintain official ties with Taiwan.
China's National Health Commission said it identified eight new novel coronavirus cases on Friday. Thirteen asymptomatic patients were also identified.
Two of the infections were locally transmitted in the country's northeast Jilin province, where a new cluster of cases has emerged. The outbreak has prompted authorities to strengthen lockdown measures in the region.
The other six cases were imported -- five in Shanghai and one in the southern island of Hainan.
Total cases as at the end of Friday:
82,941 confirmed
78,219 recovered and discharged from hospital
4,633 deaths
11:13 p.m. ET, May 15, 2020
With 40% of small businesses fearing bankruptcy, Canada is extending a scheme to help cover wages
From CNN’s Paula Newton in Ottawa
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses the media in Ottawa, Ontario, on Friday. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP
The Canadian government will continue to pay up to 75% of employee wages until the end of August for some businesses, acknowledging the possibility of mounting bankruptcies as reopening in Canada proceeds slowly.
“Business owners, please take confidence from this announcement. You now have some runway to catch your breath as you get restarted, so please, bring back your employees,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a news conference Friday.
While business organizations welcomed the extension, many say they are alarmed at the continuing damage being inflicted -- especially on small and medium-sized businesses -- during the economic shutdown.
Dan Kelly, president and CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), told CNN that "it has been absolutely soul crushing to see what has happened to entrepreneurs who pride themselves on being self-sufficient and resilient people."
“If the current restrictions last until the until the end of May, 40% of small businesses are saying that they are not sure whether they would ever be able to reopen their doors, that’s how worrisome this current situation is," Kelly said.
In surveys conducted over the last few weeks, the CFIB says more than 1 in 4 small and medium-sized business reported having lost 90 to 100% of revenue because of pandemic-related lockdowns.
And yet, in a problem acknowledged by both business groups and the Canadian government, the wage subsidy already on offer has not met expectations, with fewer businesses applying than expected.
Nearly 8 million Canadian workers now collect about $1,400 a month as part of an emergency benefit available to anyone who lost their job because of Covid-19. That program may now be keeping prospective employees at home.
Finance Minister Bill Morneau said the government will look "carefully at the relationship between these two benefits."
10:38 p.m. ET, May 15, 2020
Here are the top coronavirus headlines from today
Members of the Georgia National Guard work to clean and disinfect hallways and common areas at Provident Village assisted living and memory care home in Smyrna, Georgia, on May 5. John Bazemore/AP
If you're just tuning in, here are some of the top stories you might have missed:
Global infections top 4.5 million: There are now 4,538,406 cases of coronavirus in the world as of Friday evening Eastern Time, according to Johns Hopkins University. At least 307,486 fatalities have been reported.
A dire prediction for the US: Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the US Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, said the department's forecasting models predict US deaths from Covid-19 will exceed 100,000 by June 1.
Another stimulus bill in the works: The US House of Representatives passed a $3 trillion Covid-19 relief bill by a vote of 208-199 on Friday evening. The legislation, which reflects Democratic priorities and was not a product of bipartisan negotiations, would stand as the largest relief package in US history if passed.
Lombardy moves forward: Italy’s worst-hit coronavirus hotspot, Lombardy, will begin the process of reopening shops, restaurants and hair salons on Monday, the region’s governor said.
Canada extends wage assistance: The Canadian government will continue paying up to 75% of employee wages until the end of August for some businesses, acknowledging the possibility of mounting bankruptcies as reopening in the country proceeds slowly.
9:37 p.m. ET, May 15, 2020
US House approves $3 trillion Covid-19 bill despite GOP opposition and some Democratic defections
From Clare Foran, Manu Raju and Haley Byrd
House TV
House Democrats passed a more than $3 trillion Covid-19 relief bill by a vote of 208-199 on Friday evening.
The measure was approved despite opposition from Republicans as well as from some moderate and progressive Democrats. Fourteen Democrats crossed party lines to vote against it and one Republican voted in favor.
The legislation, which reflects Democratic priorities and was not a product of bipartisan negotiations, would stand as the largest relief package in US history.
House Democratic leaders argued that the package, which allocates funding for state and local governments, coronavirus testing and a new round of direct payments to Americans, is urgently needed to address the crisis.
The legislation is not expected to be taken up by the Senate due to GOP opposition. Democrats also had to grapple with criticism and pushback from moderates upset that the bill did not have widespread bipartisan support and progressives who believe the bill did not go far enough to help Americans facing fallout from the pandemic.
A number of Democratic moderates came out against it ahead of the final vote, including vulnerable lawmakers in competitive battleground districts.
Freshman Democratic Reps. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, Kendra Horn of Oklahoma, Ben McAdams of Utah, Joe Cunningham of South Carolina, Cindy Axne of Iowa, and Elaine Luria of Virginia all said ahead of the vote that they opposed it and indicated they planned to vote against it.
Where politicians stand: Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens, a freshman from a Michigan swing district who was the subject of an intense lobbying campaign, announced not long before the final vote that she would support the bill. She had been signaling to her leadership that she would vote against it, but had been lobbied all day, multiple sources told CNN.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, co-chair of the House Progressive Caucus, said on Friday that she would vote against the bill. She and a number of other progressives had been frustrated that their paycheck guarantee proposal was not included in the bill.
GOP Rep. Pete King indicated ahead of the final vote that he would cross party lines and support the measure. The New York Republican planned to vote for the measure, his spokesman told CNN earlier in the week.
In a sign of how serious that pushback from Democrats was, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi worked to lock in the support for the bill ahead of a final vote with multiple sources involved in the vote-counting effort telling CNN that Pelosi worked hard behind-the-scenes to ensure she had the votes.
Some more context: When asked ahead of the vote how hard she was working the vote, Pelosi said, "like normal" and that she was "confident" the bill would pass.
Pelosi, a California Democrat, defended the bill on Thursday against attacks that it is partisan, saying, "We're putting our offer on the table. We're open to negotiation."
Most Republicans dismissed the aid package as a liberal wish list. They have argued it is too soon to move ahead with another far-reaching legislative response to the pandemic without first waiting to see the results of the trillions of dollars in aid that have already been enacted.
10:04 p.m. ET, May 15, 2020
UNICEF is building a coronavirus treatment center in the world's largest refugee camp
From journalist Sol Han
Rohingya refugees stand at the Kutupalong camp at Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Suzauddin Rubel/AP
UNICEF is building a 210-bed isolation and treatment center in Cox's Bazar, home to the world's biggest refugee camp, after two people there tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees live in the camp to escape violence and persecution in neighboring Myanmar.
One of the confirmed cases was a Rohingya refugee, while the other was a Bangladeshi citizen who lives in the area surrounding the camps, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said in a statement.
Bangladesh has more than 20,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 298 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Government response: The Bangladeshi government suspended most of the services within the densely populated camps in late March, including educational programs and other advocacy work.
Health officials have now begun to treat both patients while isolating and testing other refugees in the camps, the agency said.
Covid in the camps is "a nightmare": “The first positive case of Covid-19 in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh is the realization of a nightmare scenario,” said Daniel P. Sullivan, a senior advocate for human rights with the US-based organization Refugees International.
“In addition, the prevalence of underlying health conditions among refugees and the deteriorating sanitary conditions sure to come with the looming monsoon and flooding season make for a witch’s brew of conditions in which the virus is sure to thrive."
8:44 p.m. ET, May 15, 2020
Air Canada is reducing its workforce by up to 60%
From CNN’s Rebekah Riess
A passenger wheels her luggage at Toronto Pearson International Airport on April 1. Cole Burston/Getty Images
Air Canada will be significantly downsizing its operation, including reducing its workforce by 50% to 60%, the airline said in a statement.
“COVID-19 has forced us to reduce our schedule by 95% and, based on every indicator we have, our normal traffic levels will not be returning anytime soon. Our current workforce supports an operation transporting 51 million customers a year with 1,500 flights a day and 258 aircraft. With current realities, this is simply not sustainable going forward,” the airline said.
Air Canada said it is taking these measures to conserve cash and to resize its business to fit the level of anticipated traffic in the mid- to longer-term, while positioning itself to rebuild once business returns.
“We are working with our unions to implement these measures in accordance with our collective agreements,” the airline said.