https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200124/coronavirus-2020-outbreak-latest-updates?ecd=wnl_spr_050120&ctr=wnl-spr-050120_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d
Coronavirus 2020 Outbreak: Latest Updates By WebMD News Staff [image: photo of coronavirus] <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200124/coronavirus-2020-outbreak-latest-updates?ecd=wnl_spr_050120&ctr=wnl-spr-050120_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200124/coronavirus-2020-outbreak-latest-updates?ecd=wnl_spr_050120&ctr=wnl-spr-050120_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200124/coronavirus-2020-outbreak-latest-updates?ecd=wnl_spr_050120&ctr=wnl-spr-050120_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200124/coronavirus-2020-outbreak-latest-updates?ecd=wnl_spr_050120&ctr=wnl-spr-050120_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d#> <?subject=Latest%20Coronavirus%20News%20(Live%20Updates)&body=I%20visited%20WebMD%20and%20thought%20that%20you%20would%20be%20interested%20in%20the%20information%20below.%20%0Ahttps://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200124/coronavirus-2020-outbreak-latest-updates?ecd=wnl_spr_050120&ctr=wnl-spr-050120_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d%0A%20%20%20%0A%20To%20view,%20click%20on%20the%20address%20above%20or%20copy%20and%20paste%20it%20into%20your%20Web%20browser.%0A%20%20%20%0A%20LEARN%20MORE%20AT%20WEBMD%20-%20the%20nation%27s%20most%20trusted%20health%20and%20wellness%20resource.%0A%20https://www.webmd.com/%20%0A%20Copyright%202020%20WebMD,%20All%20rights%20reserved.%20%0A%20WebMD%20does%20not%20provide%20medical%20advice,%20diagnosis%20or%20treatment.> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200124/coronavirus-2020-outbreak-latest-updates?ecd=wnl_spr_050120&ctr=wnl-spr-050120_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200124/coronavirus-2020-outbreak-latest-updates?ecd=wnl_spr_050120&ctr=wnl-spr-050120_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200124/coronavirus-2020-outbreak-latest-updates?ecd=wnl_spr_050120&ctr=wnl-spr-050120_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200124/coronavirus-2020-outbreak-latest-updates?ecd=wnl_spr_050120&ctr=wnl-spr-050120_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200124/coronavirus-2020-outbreak-latest-updates?ecd=wnl_spr_050120&ctr=wnl-spr-050120_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d#> <?subject=Latest%20Coronavirus%20News%20(Live%20Updates)&body=I%20visited%20WebMD%20and%20thought%20that%20you%20would%20be%20interested%20in%20the%20information%20below.%20%0Ahttps://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200124/coronavirus-2020-outbreak-latest-updates?ecd=wnl_spr_050120&ctr=wnl-spr-050120_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d%0A%20%20%20%0A%20To%20view,%20click%20on%20the%20address%20above%20or%20copy%20and%20paste%20it%20into%20your%20Web%20browser.%0A%20%20%20%0A%20LEARN%20MORE%20AT%20WEBMD%20-%20the%20nation%27s%20most%20trusted%20health%20and%20wellness%20resource.%0A%20https://www.webmd.com/%20%0A%20Copyright%202020%20WebMD,%20All%20rights%20reserved.%20%0A%20WebMD%20does%20not%20provide%20medical%20advice,%20diagnosis%20or%20treatment.> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200124/coronavirus-2020-outbreak-latest-updates?ecd=wnl_spr_050120&ctr=wnl-spr-050120_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d> *This article was updated on May 2, 2020, at 3:40 p.m. ET.* The United States leads the world in cases of COVID-19. We'll provide the latest updates on coronavirus <https://www.webmd.com/lung/coronavirus> cases, government response, impacts to our daily life, and more. What is the latest news? Airline Face Covering Rules Start Monday, Southwest Joins Decision *May 2, 2020, at 3:40 p.m.* On Monday, several major airlines will begin requiring passengers to wear face coverings during flights, which they announced within the past few days. Southwest Airlines was the final airline to announce <https://www.swamedia.com/releases/release-48461735d2a28f8684dda2686d0e2a98-southwest-promise> its face mask requirement on Friday. “Wearing a face covering isn't about protecting yourself, it's about protecting those around you. This is the new flying etiquette,” Joanna Geraghty, president and chief operating officer of JetBlue, said in a statement <http://otp.investis.com/clients/us/jetblue_airways/usn/usnews-story.aspx?cid=981&newsid=68480>. JetBlue was the first major U.S. airline to require passengers to wear masks, which the company announced on April 27. Delta and American followed 3 days later. EXPANDED COVERAGE Latest News Evidence Mounts for Greater COVID Prevalence <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200424/more-data-bolsters-higher-covid-prevalence> Blood Clots Are Another Dangerous COVID-19 Mystery <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200424/blood-clots-are-another-dangerous-covid-19-mystery> The Great Invader: How COVID Attacks Every Organ <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200423/the-great-invader-how-covid-attacks-every-organ> The Road Ahead With COVID-19 <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200421/the-road-ahead-with-covid19> Models Show COVID-19 More Widespread, Less Risky <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200418/new-model-shows-covid-more-widespread-less-severe> Doctors Puzzle Over COVID-19 Lung Problems <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200407/doctors-puzzle-over-covid19-lung-problems> COVID-19 Hitting Some African American Communities Harder <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200408/covid19-hitting-some-african-american-communities-harder> Expert Opinions Coronavirus in Context <https://www.webmd.com/special-reports/coronavirus-in-context/default.htm>: New series with WebMD Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Whyte For most airlines, the new guideline starts in the check-in lobby and includes the boarding gates, jet bridges, and airplane cabins, except during meals. Those who can’t keep a mask in place, such as children, won’t be required to wear one. Delta Air Lines <https://news.delta.com/facecoverings>, United Airlines <https://hub.united.com/united-coronavirus-covid19-safety-update-2645397564..html> , JetBlue Airways <http://blog.jetblue.com/coronavirus/> and Lufthansa Group <https://www.lufthansa.com/de/en/social-distancing> will begin to encourage customers to wear masks on May 4, which they all announced within the last week. A few days later, on May 8, Frontier Airlines <https://www.flyfrontier.com/committed-to-you/> and Hawaiian Airlines <https://www.hawaiianairlines.com/KeepingYouSafe> will join, and a few days after that, on May 11, American Airlines <http://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2020/American-to-Require-Customers-to-Wear-Face-Coverings-Starting-May-11-OPS-DIS-04/> , Alaska Airlines <https://blog.alaskaair.com/coronavirus/airport-to-aircraft-safety-covid-19/> and Southwest Airlines <https://www.southwest.com/promise/> will require passengers to wear masks as well. Air Canada <https://aircanada.mediaroom.com/2020-04-17-Air-Canada-Customers-Required-to-Have-Protective-Face-Coverings-as-Additional-Safeguard> has required customers to wear masks since April 17. In most cases, airlines will provide masks to passengers who don’t have one. “While we continue to encourage customers to bring their own face covering when traveling with us, supplies will be available for customers who need them,” according to a Delta statement <https://news.delta.com/facecoverings> .. The airlines have also announced other measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus, such as using pre-packaged foods and sealed drinks during meal service and changing seat assignments and boarding procedures to promote social distancing. More information can be found on each airline’s COVID-19 policy page. “American will not assign 50% of main cabin middle seats or seats near flight attendant jump seats on every flight, and will only use those middle seats when necessary,” according to a March 24 statement <http://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2020/American-Airlines-Adjusts-Food-and-Lounge-Service-in-Response-to-COVID-19-OPS-DIS-03/> .. International airlines have extra policies as well. Korean Air <https://www.koreanair.com/global/en/about/news/travel_info/2020_03_covid/#cta-medium=/global/en/2020_04_covidmeasure.html> has provided flight crew members with protective gear, googles, masks, and gloves, and passengers are required to wear masks. “Protective gowns are being provided on medium- and long-haul inbound flights as overseas COVID-19 cases continue to increase significantly,” according to a Korean Air statement <https://www.koreanair.com/global/en/2020_04_covidmeasure.html>. The CDC recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to all global destinations. It updates travel health notices <https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html> online and encourages ongoing face and hand hygiene, social distancing, and disinfectant guidelines, as posted on its website <https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html> .. CDC Forms Consortium to Share COVID-19 Sequencing Data *May 2, 2020, at 11:40 a.m. * The CDC is bringing together public and private laboratories, universities, corporations, and health agencies to share research about how the coronavirus is spreading across the nation. Participants will put data about COVID-19 genomic sequencing into the public domain, according to a news release from the CDC. That real-time information, which will show how the virus mutates and spreads, is designed to help public health officials interrupt chains of transmission, prevent new cases of illness, and guide ways to do contact tracing and control infections. Ultimately, the data-sharing should save lives, the CDC says. "The U.S. is the world's leader in advanced rapid genome sequencing,” CDC Director Robert Redfield, MD, said in the release. “This coordinated effort across our public, private, clinical, and academic public health laboratories will play a vital role in understanding the transmission, evolution, and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 . I am confident that our finest, most skilled minds are working together to help us save lives today and tomorrow." The group is called SPHERES, which stands for SARS-CoV-2 Sequencing for Public Health Emergency Response, Epidemiology and Surveillance. SARS-CoV-2 is the scientific name for the new coronavirus. The CDC listed 21 state health departments, 20 academic institutions, 13 corporations, and 10 federal agencies and laboratories that were involved in the launch, including its own Office of Advanced Molecular Detection. The data will be placed in public repositories at the National Library of Medicine's National Center for Biotechnology Information (NLM/NCBI), the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID), and other public sequence repositories. The CDC’s Advanced Molecular Detection (AMD) <https://www.cdc.gov/amd> program will lead SPHERES. That program has worked with federal, state, and local health agencies to strengthen infectious disease surveillance and outbreak response, the CDC says. Duncan MacCannell, the unit’s chief science officer, told *The New York Times* that the United States would coordinate its efforts with international partners. New Study to Track National Response to Coronavirus Efforts *May 2, 2020, at 10:20 a.m. * Even as some states begin to reopen parts of their economies, scientists can’t say for sure which parts of the restrictions are most important. A new study announced Thursday by the City University of New York Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health (ISPH) hopes to help determine that. Researchers say the study, named “Communities, Households, and SARS/COV-2 Epidemiology (CHASING) COVID,” is designed to further our understanding of the pandemic -- how it’s affecting American life, how it’s spreading, and whether efforts to slow the spread are working. “For this pandemic and future pandemics where there is no vaccine or treatment, we need to understand which components of the public health response -- like masks, stay-at-home orders, avoiding gatherings, and hand washing -- are being taken up in communities and households, as well as which ones work best at reducing community transmission,” says Denis Nash, PhD, executive director of ISPH and principal investigator of the study. “We also need to understand the impact of reopening society, and how the public health response adapts to what happens next with the pandemic.” For the study, Nash’s team recruited more than 7,000 people from across the country, representing a diverse sample of the population. Roughly one-quarter are ages 60 and above; one-quarter are black or Hispanic; and just over half are men. At least one-quarter identified themselves as front-line workers in health care or other essential fields. People taking part in the study will be contacted monthly for at least 6 months to assess what they’re doing to control the epidemic: Are they wearing face masks, staying home, washing hands? They’ll also be asked about COVID-related issues like any symptoms they may be having, testing and diagnosis, and health care access. Twice during the 6 months, participants will provide dried blood spot specimens, which ISPH will store until a proven antibody test is available. The researchers will integrate publicly available data on population mobility, diagnoses, and deaths with the data they compile, which will allow them to determine how public health efforts affect the spread of the virus. In addition, Nash expects the results to generate evidence about exactly which antibodies provide immunity, what measures might help address the racial and socioeconomic disparities in treatment and outcomes we’ve seen with COVID, and how the public health response is affecting things like mental health, food security, and domestic violence. “Our study focuses on a wide range of things that aim to provide a more holistic view of the impact of the public health response beyond its direct impact on SARS/COV-2,” he says. 2 More Years of COVID-19 Pandemic Likely, Experts Say *May 1, 5:05 p.m. * The coronavirus will likely spread for the next 18-24 months and infect up to 70% of the population, several pandemic experts say in a new report <https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/sites/default/files/public/downloads/cidrap-covid19-viewpoint-part1_0.pdf> .. Even in a “best-case scenario,” people will continue to die, and there will be infections throughout this year and next year, according to the report released Thursday. “This thing's not going to stop until it infects 60 to 70 percent of people,” Mike Osterholm, PhD, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota, told CNN <https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/30/health/report-covid-two-more-years/index.html>. “The idea that this is going to be done soon defies microbiology.” Osterholm, who has advised several presidents on pandemics during the past 2 decades, co-authored the nine-page report, titled “COVID-19: The CIDRAP Viewpoint <https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/sites/default/files/public/downloads/cidrap-covid19-viewpoint-part1_0.pdf>,” with epidemiologists from the Harvard School of Public Health and formerly from the CDC. The team used prediction models, historic pandemic data, and published reports about COVID-19 to forecast the next 2 years. Based on that, they say government officials should prepare for a long-term pandemic. They discuss three scenarios: 1. The first scenario could be that the first wave of COVID-19 this spring is followed by several smaller waves during the summer and the next 2 years, gradually decreasing throughout 2021. This could vary by geography and require periodic shelter-in-place recommendations. 2. The second scenario could be that the first wave is followed by a larger wave in the fall or winter, and then smaller waves in the 2021, which could require shelter-in-place measures again in the fall. This scenario mimics the 1918-1919 pandemic. 3. The third scenario could be a “slow burn” of transmission during the next 2 years, which may not require additional shelter-in-place orders but will continue to cause new cases and deaths. To prepare, states should plan for the second scenario, or the “worst-case scenario,” they write, especially since the coronavirus has a long incubation period and is spread easily by people without symptoms. A vaccine could help, of course, but a widespread vaccine may not be likely until 2021, they say. The report is focused on the Northern Hemisphere. But the pandemic could be even harsher in developing countries in the Southern Hemisphere that lack health care infrastructure and have a high number of infections and illnesses that make COVID-19 symptoms more severe, according to the report. “Government officials should develop concrete plans, including triggers for reinstituting mitigation measures, for dealing with disease peaks when they occur,” the authors say. “Risk communication messaging from government officials should incorporate the concept that this pandemic will not be over soon and that people need to be prepared for possible periodic resurgences of disease over the next two years,” they say. University of Oxford Starts Human Clinical Trials for Vaccine *May 1, 12:08 p.m.* Researchers at the University of Oxford have started clinical trials with humans for a coronavirus vaccine and might have results in a couple of months, the university said in a news release. The school said around 1,110 people who have not tested positive for COVID-19 will take part, with half receiving the vaccine and the other half -- the control group -- receiving a meningitis vaccine. They will keep a diary and have blood samples taken to show how they're responding to the vaccine. To see if the vaccine works, infection rates in the two groups will be compared. A number of participants will need to develop COVID-19, the release said. “If transmission remains high, we may get enough data in a couple of months to see if the vaccine works, but if transmission levels drop, this could take up to 6 months,” the release said. Oxford professor John Bell told the BBC that researchers “hope to get some signal about whether it's working by the middle of June." Drug manufacturer AstraZeneca has agreed to distribute the vaccine if it works, the company said in a news release. U.S. Must Face COVID-19 Vaccine Challenges, Experts Say *May 1, 11:26 a.m.* Besides coming up with a coronavirus vaccine, the United States must also figure out the best, fastest way to manufacture and deliver a vaccine to the populace, two experts said Friday morning during an Infectious Diseases Society of America media briefing. “Vaccines don't save lives. *Vaccinations* save lives,” said Walter A. Orenstein, MD, a professor in the division of infectious diseases at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. “When first licensed, we won't have 7 billion doses the next day to vaccinate the whole world.” Orenstein said the government should “incentivize” manufacturers to start making vaccines while a vaccine is still going through clinical trials, so that the vaccine could be quickly put into use after approval. But if the vaccine fails the trials, the product would have to be destroyed, he said. “We need to be thinking about those issues now,” Orenstein said. Another challenge is figuring out who gets the vaccine first. The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will decide that, he said, but he thought that essential workers, people suffering the most like the elderly, and people identified as “transmitters” would most likely be at the top of the list. Kathryn M. Edwards, MD, the scientific director at the Vanderbilt Vaccine Research Program in Nashville, said the United States already has a system in place to deliver vaccinations to children that could help develop a system for the coronavirus. The U.S. also has experience providing vaccines for the Ebola pandemic in West Africa, she noted. She said another question that must be addressed is whether the coronavirus vaccine will be a one-time event for a person, or whether the virus is mutating and will require follow-up shots with different vaccines. At all times in the development process, safety must be emphasized, Edwards said. “We want the vaccine, but we want a safe vaccine,” she said. Edwards and Orenstein said one of the bright spots in developing the vaccine is that a lot of testing is underway. Orenstein said the World Health Organization reported eight vaccines are now in clinical trials, and 94 are in pre-clinical trials. Federal Government to Increase PPE Shipments to Nursing Homes *April 30, 6:35 p.m. * The federal government will increase inspections and shipments of equipment to nursing homes, which have been hotbeds of coronavirus cases, according to a news release on the White House website <https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trump-remains-committed-caring-nations-seniors-coronavirus-pandemic-beyond/> .. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will start sending supplemental shipments of personal protective equipment to all 15,400 Medicaid- and Medicare-certified nursing homes in the United States, the release said, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will provide $81 million to the states to increase inspections. A new rule being put in place will require nursing homes to report information about COVID-19 cases directly to the CDC, the release said. Nursing homes will also have to report cases to family members. The administration will set up a Coronavirus Commission for Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes made up of industry experts, doctors, scientists, and patient advocates. NYC to Stop Subway Service 4 Hours Daily to Disinfect Trains *April 30, 5:15 p.m.* New York City will shut down subway service from 1 to 5 a.m. starting May 6 so trains and stations can be disinfected, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said Thursday on its website. <https://new.mta.info/coronavirus/subway-and-bus-service> The city is the epicenter of the U.S. coronavirus pandemic, with at least 12,571 confirmed deaths and 5,295 probable deaths, according to the city website. <https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-data.page> The MTA said it has launched a free “essential connector” service to transport essential workers, such as health care workers and first responders, during those 4 hours of cleaning. “Essential Connector riders will be limited to two trips per night on for-hire-vehicles and must show proof of essential travel with appropriate credentials. Riders who do not have a smartphone will be able to request a ride through a dedicated number,” the MTA said. MTA bus service will continue to operate 24/7. "It is a massive undertaking that we have never done before," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a news conference, according to NY1. <https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2020/04/30/cuomo-announces-mta-to-close-nyc-subway-system-overnight-for-daily-full-cleanings-> TSA: 500 Employees Test Positive for COVID-19 *April 30, 3:27 p.m. * More than 500 Transportation Security Administration employees have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the agency's COVID-19 data page <https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus>. As of Thursday morning, the page said 505 employees had tested positive, and among those, 212 had recovered and five had died. In a chart, the TSA also lists the confirmed cases at each airport, which is split between the number of TSA screening officers and non-screening employees. The list includes the last work date of the most recent screening officer who tested positive. The list doesn't include non-airport TSA employees or contractors who have limited interaction with the public. “Passengers who believe they may have come in contact with an infected individual within the past 14 days should follow the CDC's recommendations <https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/risk-assessment.html> for travel-associated exposure,” according to the TSA website. According to the chart, positive cases were largest in major cities. About 40% were in the three major airports that serve the New York City area. John F. Kennedy International Airport has 105 employees who tested positive, LaGuardia Airport has 32 employees who tested positive, and Newark Liberty International Airport has 56 employees who tested positive. Here are other major airports and their total confirmed cases: - Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport: 27 - Miami International Airport: 18 - Denver International Airport: 17 - Logan International Airport in Boston: 16 - Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida: 16 - Chicago O'Hare International Airport: 14 - Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport: 14 - Orlando International Airport: 14 - Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport: 13 - Los Angeles International Airport: 11 On Wednesday, TSA issued a statement <https://www.tsa.gov/news/2020/04/29/statement-passing-newark-liberty-international-airport-tsa-officer-mark-barisonek> after Mark Barisonek, a TSA officer at the Newark Liberty International Airport, died from COVID-19 on Tuesday. “For nearly 16 years, Mark dedicated his career to the TSA mission. He was an integral member of Team Newark and will be remembered fondly by those who knew him and worked alongside him,” according to the statement. Barisonek is the second TSA member at the Newark airport to die from COVID-19. Francis “Frank” Boccabella III, an explosive detection canine handler, died on April 2. Boccabella was the first TSA employee to die from COVID-19. CDC: Most Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Georgia Are Black *April 30, 1:02 p.m.* More than 80% of patients hospitalized for the coronavirus in Georgia in March were African Americans, according to a new CDC study <https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/pdfs/mm6918e1-H.pdf?deliveryName=USCDC_921-DM26922> released Wednesday. The CDC, headquartered in Atlanta, surveyed eight hospitals across the state, including seven in the metro Atlanta area and one in southern Georgia. Among the 305 COVID-19 patients, 247 -- more than 80% -- were black. Thirty-two patients were white, 10 were Hispanic, and eight were Asian or Pacific Islander. “The proportion of hospitalized patients who were black was higher than expected based on overall hospital admissions,” the study authors wrote. Black patients weren't more likely to require a ventilator or die during hospitalization, according to the study. They also weren't more likely to have diabetes or heart disease, which could affect the severity of COVID-19, though about 74% of patients overall had conditions considered high-risk for severe COVID-19. Diabetes was most common in patients between ages 50 and 64. “Given the overrepresentation of black patients within this hospitalized cohort, it is important for public health officials to ensure that prevention activities prioritize communities and racial/ethnic groups most affected by COVID-19,” the study authors wrote. About 36% of COVID-19 cases in Georgia are in African American people, according to the state's public health department <https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report>, which is a little higher than the state population of 32%. Similar trends have been documented in other states, according to CBS <https://www.cbsnews.com/news/georgia-coronavirus-patients-black-covid-19/>.. In Maryland, black people make up 31% of the population and 45% of coronavirus deaths. In Louisiana, black people make up 33% of the population and 56% of coronavirus deaths. Major cities such as New York, Detroit, and Washington, D.C., have also reported racial disparities in COVID-19 cases, CBS said. Los Angeles Offers Free COVID-19 Tests for All Residents *April 30, 10:49 a.m.* All residents in Los Angeles County should be able to receive a coronavirus test, whether or not they have COVID-19 symptoms, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Wednesday evening <https://corona-virus.la/updates>. Testing is by appointment only at coronavirus.lacity.org/testing, and tests are available at eight places in the city of Los Angeles, according to the announcement. The website has links to schedule an appointment, find a nearby testing location, and read frequently asked questions. It also has information about testing for front-line health care workers, skilled nursing facilities, and Kaiser Permanente members. Residents can also watch a test preparation video and learn about test results. Priority for same- or next-day testing will still be given to people with symptoms such as a fever, coughing, and shortness of breath, the site says, and residents must indicate their symptoms when scheduling a test. People who have severe symptoms such as extreme shortness of breath should still contact a doctor or call 911. The testing program began about a month ago with one location staffed by the Los Angeles Fire Department and has grown to eight sites inside the city and 34 sites across the region, according to the announcement. The program has completed 140,000 tests since March 20. The program is a partnership among the city of Los Angeles, the county of Los Angeles, and the Community Organized Relief Effort, or CORE. The announcement came the same day county health officials reported a surge in new COVID-19 cases, according to NPR <https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/30/848144570/los-angeles-city-and-county-offer-free-coronavirus-testing-to-all-residents>, which they attributed to more widespread testing. The Los Angeles County Health Department reported more <http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/locations.htm> than 1,500 new cases, which is the largest single-day increase since the start of the pandemic. At the same time, hospitalizations and deaths have remained steady, health officials said. How many people have been diagnosed with the virus, and how many have died? According to Johns Hopkins University <https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html>, there are more than 3.32 million cases and more than 237,000 deaths worldwide. Over 1.04 million people have recovered. How many cases of COVID-19 are in the United States? There are more than 1.09 million cases in the U.S. of COVID-19, and over 64,000 deaths. More than 159,000 Americans have recovered from the disease, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. <https://covidtracking.com/data/#MA> See a map of cases and deaths by state here <https://www.webmd.com/coronavirus>. What travel restrictions are there? The State Department has urged all U.S. citizens to avoid any international travel due to the global impact of the new coronavirus. If you are currently overseas, the department wants you to come home, “unless [you] are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period,” according to a statement. “Many countries are experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks and implementing travel restrictions and mandatory quarantines, closing borders and prohibiting non-citizens from entry with little advance notice,” the agency says. In addition, the State Department says it will not issue any new passports except for people with a “qualified life-or-death emergency and who need a passport for immediate international travel within 72 hours.” The U..S. is banning all foreign travel to the United States from most of Europe for 30 days beginning midnight Friday, March 13. American citizens are not included in the ban. The U.S. has also temporarily suspended nonessential travel to Mexico and Canada. *Kathleen Doheny, Ralph Ellis, Jonathan Mintz, Carolyn Crist and HealthDay News contributed to this report.*
