May 24 coronavirus news

President Donald Trump on Sunday issued a proclamation suspending entry to the US for any individual who has been in Brazil within the 14 days immediately prior to their arrival. 

The policy is aimed at limiting the spread of the coronavirus. As of Sunday evening, Brazil had more than 347,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, the second most worldwide, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Some context: Coronavirus has yet to peak in Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest and worst-infected city, but the health care system is already beginning to break down.

As the crisis deepens and the number of deaths continues to rise, President Jair Bolsonaro is urging businesses to reopen. He opposes many governors who are stressing social distancing measures to slow the spread.

Far from hospitals, Brazil's indigenous people are dying at an alarming rate. The death toll is double that of the rest of Brazil's population, according to the advocacy group Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil.

Dublin Deck Tiki Bar and Grill in Patchogue, New York, apologized on Sunday after Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office criticized the restaurant for allegedly easing restrictions on masks and social distancing for its customers because of rainy weather on Friday.

“From what I understand, it was raining on Friday evening and so the bar allowed patrons to come inside to pick up their food,” said Melissa DeRosa, secretary to the governor, adding that was the explanation given to Suffolk County police, who broke up the crowd.

Restaurants in New York state are currently limited to take-out and delivery.

Photos from inside the bar at the time showed people not wearing masks, DeRosa said.

“That’s stupid -- stupid for you, it’s stupid for your surrounding patrons, it’s stupid for the bar,” she said. “I take them at their word that that’s what happened, but moving forward, they should be on notice and again, the enforcement is up to the locals.”

The restaurant later posted an apology on its Instagram story, saying “quick rainfall sent guests inside to the bar area.”

“There are no excuses when it comes to public safety. We should not have allowed anybody inside whatsoever,” the statement said.

"We apologize to anybody who may have been offended by the videos that surfaced," it said.

The Suffolk County Police Department confirmed it responded after "multiple 911 calls" regarding noncompliance at the restaurant. The department is "taking reports of noncompliance very seriously," it said in a statement.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced Sunday that community pools will reopen on June 1, along with beaches.

Beaches and hotel accommodations for tourists are already expected to reopen that same day. The mayor's announcement also says "pools in condominium and apartment complexes and other private communities" can open as well.

The pool reopenings will be subject to certain restrictions which will be recommended by medical experts and the mayor later in the week, the statement said. 

New York state reported an additional 1,589 Covid-19 cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the statewide total to 361,515, according to a news release from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office.

Earlier Sunday, Cuomo said intubations and hospitalizations were down.

New coronavirus cases are up slightly on the rolling average but generally, “all part of the decline," Cuomo said.

New Jersey has reported 1,065 new Covid-19 cases and 52 deaths, according to a tweet from Gov. Phil Murphy.

The state has 2,857 people in hospitals, 760 in critical care and 639 on ventilators, the tweet said.

New Jersey currently has a total of 154,154 Covid-19 cases and 11,133 deaths.

Jodi Akins visited Backwater Jacks Bar & Grill in Osage Beach, Missouri, on Saturday for a pool party.

Akins, from Blue Springs, went with four friends and acknowledged it was hard to social distance but said the bar took their temperatures before going in.

Akins said the bar had bottles of hand sanitizer for patrons to use.

The bar posted on Facebook that this was its of summer launch party called "Zero Ducks Given Pool Party."  It advertised several DJs and bands performing throughout the event.

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The commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration on Sunday urged Americans observing Memorial Day weekend to follow federal guidelines aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus, saying the deadly virus "is not yet contained."

Some context: The commissioner's Memorial Day warning comes as some states begin to reopen, allowing people to go to beaches, cookouts and bars as they observe one of the more popular holidays that's to take place amid the pandemic. But as social activities increase, health experts like Hahn warn the US is still not out of the woods.

"Even as states and some state officials rush to reopen it's on us to make smart and safe decisions," Dr. Seema Yasmin, a former disease detective at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told CNN Saturday night.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, told the public last week that going outside was fine, with cautious measures.

"Go out, wear a mask, stay 6 feet away from anyone so you can have the physical distancing," he told a CNN coronavirus town hall. "Go for a run. Go for a walk. Go fishing. As long as you're not in a crowd and you're not in a situation where you can physically transmit the virus."

Chile's Ministry of Health reported 3,709 new cases of the novel coronavirus in a single day, bringing the country's total number of cases to 69,102.

Health authorities also reported 45 new deaths, bringing the country's death tally to 718.

After Brazil and Peru, Chile has one of the highest number of confirmed cases in Latin America.

South Africa will reopen the majority of its economy starting June 1, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced during a televised address to the nation on Sunday evening.

Most sectors will open under new level three regulations, but with strict observance of social distancing and health safety measures. 

The national borders will remain closed and flights will continue to be grounded, except for cargo. Schools will begin a phased reopening, with grades 7 and 12 beginning on June 1.

All public universities will be expected to begin remote teaching.

The nation’s coronavirus-related alcohol ban will be lifted for home consumption, but its ban on cigarettes continues under level three.

Some context: South Africa has conducted close to 600,000 coronavirus tests and more than 12 million screenings thanks to an army of around 60,000 public health workers deployed at the start of the country’s outbreak. 

Ramaphosa admitted that one third of South Africa’s cumulative cases occurred in the last week alone, adding that modeling shows that “the coronavirus pandemic is going to get much worse before it gets better.”

“We have known all along that the lockdown would only delay the spread of the virus, but it would not be able to stop it,” said Ramaphosa.