Democratic and Republican leaders were scrambling members of Congress back to Washington late Thursday because they suddenly believe the $2 trillion economic relief package might not pass by the voice vote planned for Friday and could be delayed if at least 216 members don’t show up to vote on the floor.
The U.S. now has more reported coronavirus cases than any other country, including China. As of early Friday, the U.S. had 85,707 cases, according to NBC News’ count.
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In New York City, the epicenter of the American outbreak, hospitals are seeing crisis conditions, with hospital waiting rooms packed with people who are contagious. Some patients are waiting six hours to be seen, while others on stretchers wait 50 to 60 hours for a bed.
New Orleans was on track to become a new coronavirus hotspot. Thursday afternoon, the Louisiana Department of Health reported more than 2,300 cases of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump tweeted early Friday that he had a “very good conversation” with China’s President Xi Jinping, and that the two are working closely together.
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Mexican zoo names new baby tiger ‘Covid’
The birth of a baby tiger called “Covid” has brought a glimmer of hope to a private zoo in eastern Mexico, even as normal life slows down to contain the deadly coronavirus that inspired his name.
Named by the family that owns the zoo, Bengal tiger Covid was born on March 14 in the city of Cordoba in a small zoo that specializes in rescuing animals from circuses and exotic private collections.
“He’s going to have a big impact because the situation right now is difficult for everyone, even for us,” Kitzia Rodriguez, daughter of the zoo owner and a vet there, told Reuters. “But I think the birth, in spite of the situation, will help us and gives us hope to carry on, so we can have visitors. Covid was a gift.”
In Tokyo, face masks are a must-wear for commuters
Trump speaks to China’s Xi about coronavirus
President Donald Trump tweeted early Friday that he had a “very good conversation” with China’s President Xi Jinping, and that the two leaders discussed the coronavirus pandemic and are working closely together.
State-run Xinhua reported that the two leaders had spoken.
Trump has repeatedly called the coronavirus the “Chinese virus,” even though the World Health Organization in 2015 said that diseases should not be named based on geographic locations. The outbreak began in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Trump this week seemed to back off from the term. Trump was asked about the change in language Thursday and said that the virus did come from China but “I think it was time” and that “I don’t have to say it, if they feel so strongly about it.”
Montana governor latest to tell residents to stay home to slow spread of virus
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock issued a stay-at-home directive Thursday, which his office says requires residents to remain in their homes as much as possible and for nonessential businesses to temporarily close in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Montana has 90 cases of the coronavirus illness COVID-19, many of them in Gallatin and Yellowstone counties, which is where Bozeman and Billings are located, respectively. The order goes into effect Saturday.
Bullock also announced Thursday that the state has seen its first death related to the illness.
Like other orders around the country, essential businesses like grocery stores and pharmacies will remain open and residents are allowed to leave to go shopping, take walks or other outdoor exercise or to walk dogs, and to care for loved ones, among other activities.
Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy to arrive in Los Angeles Friday
The Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy is expected to arrive in Los Angeles on Friday to support medical systems amid the coronavirus epidemic.
President Donald Trump on March 18 said two hospital ships — the other is the USNS Comfort, which departs Virginia for New York City on Saturday — would be deployed to help in the outbreak.
The Mercy set sail from San Diego this week. The Defense Department says the ship can hold up to 1,000 hospital beds, which will reduce the burden on regular hospitals that have to handle COVID-19 patients.
COVID-19 is the illness caused by the coronavirus. In Los Angeles County, the number of cases grew to 1,216 Thursday, including 21 people who have died, the health department said. There had been 559 new cases confirmed in the past 48 hours, and the department said the large increase was in part due to greater testing capacity that is allowing officials to identify cases.
