April 14 coronavirus news

A group of Southern California pastors is suing California Gov. Gavin Newsom and several other officials in federal court over health directives that have prevented worshipers from attending church services due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The suit was filed Monday in the US District Court for the Central District of California by the Dhillon Law Group, which is led by Harmeet Dhillion -- a Republican Party official -- on behalf of four plaintiffs, three of whom are pastors.

The plaintiffs include:

Newsom’s office did not immediately return a CNN request for comment.

The church leaders in the lawsuit are also suing state Attorney General Xavier Becerra and several Riverside and San Bernardino county officials, including the sheriffs and health officers.

Orders ignored: On March 19, Newsom issued the first statewide stay-home order in the US, urging California’s nearly 40 million residents to remain home to reduce the spread of the virus, and closing all non-essential businesses. Despite the orders, some congregations have continued to meet, including in Sacramento County, where 71 people connected to a single church were later infected with the coronavirus in one of the largest outbreak clusters in the country.

Electronic worship: The suit comes after Dhillon sent a letter last week to San Bernardino County officials demanding it loosen restrictions around church gatherings following its order that all religious ceremonies be held electronically. Violating the order was punishable by a $1,000 fine or up to 90 days imprisonment. But after the letter, the county issued a “clarification” allowing for in-person church services “if they choose to do so and make every effort to prevent contact between congregants.” 

Praying safely: On Friday, Newsom also addressed church gatherings ahead of Easter, saying those planning to worship could continue to do so in a safe manner. “As you pray, move your feet at least six feet apart from someone else,” he said. “Practice your faith, but so in a way that allows you to keep yourself healthy, keep others healthy.”

Authorities in New Zealand have extended the country's state of national emergency for another seven days in order to support the government's efforts to combat the spread of Covid-19.

The initial declaration was made on March 25, and today's extension is the third of its kind. The seven-day declaration can be extended as many times as necessary, Minister of Civil Defense Peeni Henare said in a statement.

The state of emergency provides those managing the response in an emergency the ability to access powers they would not normally have, but might require now to implement and enforce these measures, "including managing roads, traffic and public places; providing first aid, food, shelter and accommodation," Henare said.

New Zealand has reported 1,366 coronavirus cases and nine Covid-19 related fatalities, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Here's what you need to know:

The creator of an influential coronavirus model, Dr. Christopher Murray, told CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Monday that the country can essentially stop coronavirus transmission this summer.

Murray said that’s happening in Italy and China and there’s “no reason it wouldn’t work here.”

Murray’s model, which is often cited by the White House, assumes that social distancing will continue through May. But experts have pushed back on the model’s assumption that states can prevent any resurgence of the virus once those measures are lifted. 

Watch his interview below:

Public health authorities in China recorded 89 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday, the country's National Health Commission reported.

The new cases raise the mainland China total to 82,249. The death toll remains at 3,341. A total of 77,738 people have been discharged from hospital, authorities said.

All but three of the new cases recorded Monday were imported from other countries, according to the NHC.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed several executive orders Monday, ordering several types of businesses to remain closed to the public for the time being.

The orders will impact restaurants -- which are limited to carry-out and delivery orders only -- bars, gyms, theaters, casinos and other places of "public accommodation," and will remain in place until April 30.

Whitmer's office also announced an executive order tasking the Michigan Liquor Control Commission with initiating a spirits buy-back program, in the hopes it would offer financial relief to bars and restaurants.

“Michigan’s 8,500 on-premises liquor licensees continue to make unprecedented sacrifices to help slow the spread of COVID-19 across our state,” she said. “This buy-back program will help our bars and restaurants critical to Michigan’s economy weather the storm through this challenging time in our history.”

The New York Fire Department has reported no new cases of Covid-19 today -- the first time that's happened since the pandemic hit the city, according to spokesman Jim Long.

New York City has been one of the hardest-hit places in the United States. More than 100,000 people have been infected there, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University, and at least 7,349 people have died.

FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said during an interview with television station NY1 that about 650 members of the department have Covid-19 right now. That number doesn't include people that have gone back to work who previously tested positive for the virus. 

It's just after lunchtime at a central Seoul market and a crowd in hot pink jackets is gathering.

Pink is the color of the country's main opposition party, the conservative United Future Party, and this crowd of supporters is staging a legal campaign rally ahead of Wednesday's election of 300 members of the National Assembly.

Large public gatherings are a jarring sight during a pandemic.

But South Korea has never postponed an election -- and the coronavirus is not stopping this one.

Like many democracies around the world, South Korea has been faced with a predicament: how to hold an election during a pandemic without spreading the virus.

At least 47 countries have postponed elections due to the coronavirus outbreak, including Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, France and Ethiopia. Others, like the United States and New Zealand, are still deciding whether to proceed with their scheduled votes.

Read more about the challenges of holding an election during a global pandemic here:

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At least 581,679 patients have been infected by the coronavirus in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University's tally of Covid-19 cases.

The death toll in the country stands at 23,604, Johns Hopkins reported.

A total of 24,379 new cases and 1,525 deaths have been reported on Monday.

The numbers includes cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, US territories and repatriated cases from abroad.

CNN is tracking US cases here:

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Tracking Covid-19 cases in the US