June 8 coronavirus news

By Jessie Yeung, Steve George and Emma Reynolds, CNN

Updated 2:51 a.m. ET, June 9, 2020
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5:01 p.m. ET, June 8, 2020

Yosemite National Park to reopen Thursday

From CNN's Cheri Mossburg

Yosemite National Park is seen closed to visitors on Saturday, April 11.
Yosemite National Park is seen closed to visitors on Saturday, April 11. Carolyn Cole, Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

Yosemite National Park will reopen to the public on Thursday, allowing 50% of its average visitors.

The park is beginning a phased reopening that starts by allowing 1,700 vehicle passes each day, according a statement from park spokesperson Jamie Richards.

"There is no place like Yosemite, and we can't wait to welcome visitors back," said Acting Superintendent Cicely Muldoon. "It's going to be a different kind of summer, and we will continue to work hand in hand with our gateway communities to protect community health and restore access to Yosemite National Park."
5:01 p.m. ET, June 8, 2020

Los Angeles is actively reviewing reopening guidelines

From CNN's Mary Kay Mallonee

A man walks by a store requiring shoppers to wear face masks on May 27 in Los Angeles.
A man walks by a store requiring shoppers to wear face masks on May 27 in Los Angeles. Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty Images

Los Angeles County is actively reviewing state guidance on reopening more sectors of the economy, including film and television production, sporting events, and theme parks.

The state guidelines permit reopening on Friday. L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger promised an announcement on what Los Angeles will allow prior to that.

Los Angeles County has recorded a total of 64,644 confirmed coronavirus cases, and more than 2,600 deaths. 

In the wake of large crowds protesting throughout the county, Health Director Barbara Ferrer is urging all residents to move about under the assumption they are infected and do what they can not to spread the virus.

4:43 p.m. ET, June 8, 2020

Some US states are seeing increases in coronavirus cases

From CNN's Christina Maxouris and Holly Yan

Dr. Natalia Echeverri prepares a swab to test for Covid-19 on April 17 in Miami, Florida.
Dr. Natalia Echeverri prepares a swab to test for Covid-19 on April 17 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

While states lift more restrictions and more Americans go out to socialize or protest, almost half of US states are seeing higher rates of new coronavirus cases.

But the situation would have been much worse had states not shut down, a new study says.

More than 1.9 million Americans have been infected, and more than 110,000 have died in just over four months, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Some states are seeing increases: Nationwide, 22 states are seeing upward trends in coronavirus cases. About 20 states have seen decreases in recent days, and eight states are holding steady.

One of the states with the biggest spikes in new cases is Florida. The number of new cases reported each day has increased an average of roughly 46% over the past week, just as most of the state entered a second phase of reopening.

While big cities on the coasts were hit hard early in the pandemic, the past few weeks have seen wider spread in inland states, including Arkansas, Texas and Arizona.

In Utah, state Rep. Suzanne Harrison called a recent spike of cases "very concerning (and) approaching exponential."

"Today's 18.5% positive test rate is double yesterday's (9.4%)," she tweeted over the weekend.

Friday, health officials in Utah said they were "very concerned" about the rise in new cases over the past week.

The state has recorded more than 12,000 infections, according to Johns Hopkins.

Track the virus in your state and across the US here.

4:22 p.m. ET, June 8, 2020

US stocks finish higher as economy continues to gradually reopen

From CNN’s Anneken Tappe

US stocks rallied on Monday, pushed higher by the momentum that already got the market going last week. Investors are excited about the gradual reopening of the economy and a Friday jobs report that was much better than expected.

Here's where the markets finished up today:

  • The Nasdaq Composite closed at a new all-time high, exceeding the record it set on February 19. It’s the first major stock index to reach pre-pandemic highs. The Nasdaq closed up 1.1%.
  • The S&P 500 ended up 1.2% on Monday, just eking out a gain of 0.1% for the year.
  • The Dow finished 1.7%, or 461 points, higher.

 

4:05 p.m. ET, June 8, 2020

Connecticut governor orders review of response to Covid-19 in state nursing homes

From CNN's Julian Cummings

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont speaks to the media about the shipment of personal protective equipment from China donated to the state to aid Connecticut's frontline workers on Tuesday, May 12, in New Britain, Connecticut.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont speaks to the media about the shipment of personal protective equipment from China donated to the state to aid Connecticut's frontline workers on Tuesday, May 12, in New Britain, Connecticut. Chris Ehrmann/AP

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced Monday that he is ordering an independent review of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic by state nursing homes.

The review will be conducted by a third party and will incorporate a “top-to-bottom analysis of all elements of the pandemic and how it was addressed in these facilities.”

"Our state took proactive and innovative steps to address the outbreak in our long-term care facilities, but we must take steps to better understand how prepared the system was, and then review the steps that were taken once the virus was clearly present across the state,” Lamont said in a statement.

The governor said that he wants the review completed by the fall in order to be prepared for a possible second wave of coronavirus.

3:46 p.m. ET, June 8, 2020

North Carolina health official "concerned" about increase in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations

From CNN’s Jennifer Henderson

Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, answers a question during a briefing at the Emergency Operations Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Thursday, June 4.
Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, answers a question during a briefing at the Emergency Operations Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Thursday, June 4. Ethan Hyman/The News & Observer/AP

North Carolina Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. Mandy Cohen said today, “The percent of tests that are positive" for the state "is now among the highest in the nation."

She continued: "I am concerned. These trends moving in the wrong direction is a signal we need to take very seriously.”

Here are the numbers: There have been 36,484 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the state. At least 938 new cases have been reported today, 739 people are hospitalized and 1,006 people are dead, according to North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.

Today marks the highest day of people hospitalized for Covid-19 since the pandemic began, Cooper said. On Saturday, North Carolina had the highest day of new cases — with 1,370. North Carolina is also seeing more viral spread of Covid-19. 

Cooper said Dr. Deborah Birx of the White House Coronavirus Task Force contacted Dr. Cohen on Friday with her concerns.

3:57 p.m. ET, June 8, 2020

Major League Baseball's latest proposal calls for 76-game season

From CNN's David Close

Major League Baseball is proposing a 76-game season in the league’s latest idea to save the 2020 season, per ESPN. The report details the latest proposal by the owners sent to the players union Monday morning.

ESPN, citing an unnamed source familiar with the negotiations, says in addition to a shortened season, the players would receive 75% of their prorated salaries. Last week, the league reportedly rejected a Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) proposal which offered a 114-game season with players receiving their full prorated salaries. In a statement on June 4, MLBPA Director Tony Clark said the players would resoundingly reject any proposals that asked for further reductions in salaries.

Neither MLB or MLBPA have responded to CNN’s request for details or comment.

Some context: In May, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred appeared on CNN and expressed hope that a new season could be salvaged

“I think it’s hopeful that we will have some Major League Baseball this summer…Me, personally, I have great confidence that we'll reach an agreement with the players association both that it's safe to come back to work and work out the economic issues that need to be resolved," Manfred said.

When asked about the economic impact if there was no MLB baseball this season, Manfred told CNN that losses would be “devastating” and would result in losses approaching $4 billion.

Hear more:

3:51 p.m. ET, June 8, 2020

Cuba reports no coronavirus deaths for 9 consecutive days 

From CNN’s Patrick Oppmann in Havana

A man rides his bicycle along an empty street in Havana on May 19.
A man rides his bicycle along an empty street in Havana on May 19. Yamil Lage/AFP/Getty Images

Cuba has gone nine days without a coronavirus death as of Monday, Dr. Francisco Durán, national director of epidemiology at Cuba’s Ministry for Public Health, said at a news conference.

He also said there were only nine new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours.

Over the weekend, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said the virus was “under control” in Cuba and the government would soon announce measures to gradually reopen the island.

Since the outbreak, Cuban officials have ended nearly all international travel to and from the island, made wearing a face mask in public mandatory and have required everyone ill with the coronavirus to quarantine at government-run hospitals.

Cuba has a total of 2,200 cases of coronavirus and a total of 83 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

3:53 p.m. ET, June 8, 2020

New Jersey governor says he'll get coronavirus test after attending protests

From CNN's Kristina Sgueglia

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy listens during a coronavirus news conference at the War Memorial in Trenton, New Jersey, on May 19.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy listens during a coronavirus news conference at the War Memorial in Trenton, New Jersey, on May 19. Chris Pedota/The Record/AP

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said he and family members took part in two protests this weekend, and plans to soon be tested for coronavirus.

“To say that black lives matter, that systemic racism must be relegated to history, and we must use this time to transform our society and ourselves so that we finally live up to our nation’s highest ideals," he said.

The governor said he was “honored” to walk alongside community leaders and residents in Hillside, and urged those protesting across the state to be tested for coronavirus.

“To everyone who took to their streets and town centers, please go out and get tested for Covid-19. We cannot let what happened across New Jersey this weekend be undone by an outbreak," he said.

Murphy said he and the first lady of New Jersey have scheduled their tests.