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Trump tweets blame in all directions over ventilators for coronavirus, except at himself

Hours after a Fox News interview in which he downplayed a national shortage of hospital ventilators to treat patients infected with the coronavirus, President Trump fired off a number of tweets Friday blaming General Motors and its CEO, Mary Barra, for not manufacturing more of them.

In shadow of coronavirus, Congress contemplates 'one of the biggest rule changes in the last century'

The pandemic has left multiple members of Congress in quarantine and led to restrictions on movement that could prevent the House from voting.

A Wuhan seafood vendor believed to be one of the first coronavirus patients says 'a lot fewer people would have died' if the Chinese government acted sooner

Wei Guixian, a 57-year-old seafood vendor in Wuhan, China, was among the first 27 people to be diagnosed with the coronavirus.

U.S. attorney general seeks to expand home confinement option as coronavirus spreads in prisons

U.S. Attorney General William Barr said Thursday he has directed the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to expand its use of home confinement for inmates in appropriate cases, as the coronavirus has continued to spread in the federal prison system. A total of six inmates and four prison staffers have tested positive for COVID-19, Barr said, adding that several federal facilities including two in New York City are now on lockdown as a result. The First Step Act, signed into law by U.S. President Donald Trump in late 2018, expanded the BOP's powers to maximize the amount of time that lower-risk inmates can spend in home confinement, when possible.

US eyes new outbreaks as infections worldwide top 590,000

New Orleans rushed to build a makeshift hospital in its convention center Friday as troubling new outbreaks bubbled in the United States, deaths surged in Italy and Spain and the world warily trudged through the pandemic that has sickened more than a half-million people. In a reminder no one is immune to the new coronavirus, it pierced even the highest echelons of global power as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson became the first leader of a major country to test positive. The escalation of cases worldwide came as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared a new rapid test from Abbott Laboratories, which the company says can detect the coronavirus in about 5 minutes.

Alabama girl, 4, missing for nearly two days, found safe

Evelyn Vadie Sides and her dog have been reunited with worried loved ones.

Woodland Park boy donates 1,000 sanitizer sprays to town amid coronavirus concerns

11-year-old Jayden Perez and his family donated 1,000 hand sanitizer sprays to his New Jersey community as concerns around the spread of COVID-19 grow.

Coronavirus: Asia's 'shining star' heads for recession due to virus

Singapore's sharp slowdown suggests a major contraction for a world economy battling coronavirus.

Trump demands appreciation from governors for coronavirus response

President Trump used his daily coronavirus to attack Democratic governors who in his estimation had shown insufficient gratitude for his administration’s response to the pandemic.

South Africa begins 'unprecedented' military-patrolled lockdown

South Africa came under a nationwide military-patrolled lockdown on Friday, joining other African countries imposing strict curfews and shutdowns in an attempt to halt the spread of the coronavirus across the continent. Some 57 million people are to be restricted to their homes during South Africa's three-week total lockdown which began at midnight. Kenya, Rwanda and Mali are some of the African countries that have imposed restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has been confirmed to have infected 3,203 people and killed 87.

Without any interventions like social distancing, one model predicts the coronavirus could have killed 40 million people this year

The researchers warned that governments and individuals must take immediate steps like lockdowns and staying home to stem the impacts of the pandemic.

Russia confirms coronavirus case in Putin's administration, tightens curbs

The Kremlin confirmed a coronavirus case in President Vladimir Putin's administration on Friday and the government said measures imposed in Moscow to fight the virus should be extended across Russia. The Kremlin said it was taking measures to stop the virus spreading further after a staff member in the presidential administration contracted the virus. It said the person had not come into contact with Putin, but declined to identify them.

China sends medical aid to Pakistan to combat virus outbreak

China sent a plane loaded with medical personnel and supplies Saturday to help Pakistan fight the spread of the coronavirus in one of the world's most populous nations. Iran is battling the worst outbreak in the region and state TV said Saturday another 139 people had died from the virus. China has sought to portray itself as a global leader in the fight against the outbreak, which began a few months ago in its Wuhan province.

Custodian with coronavirus symptoms accuses Harvard of neglect

Doris Reina-Landaverde said she ran out of masks to use while cleaning and was told by the university that they didn't have any more.

273 Americans stuck in Central America flown back to U.S. on ICE deportation flights

Americans were brought back on the return legs of three ICE removal flights to Central America, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said.

China threatens to strike back after Taiwan deal

China has denounced a U.S. act that increases American support for Taiwan internationally.

The mistakes that turned New York into an epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic

Caught between a mayor’s indecision and a president’s inattention, the nation’s largest city was left dangerously exposed to the coronavirus pandemic.

Italy, Spain suffer record virus deaths as British PM tests positive

Italy on Friday recorded the most daily deaths of any country since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and Spain had its deadliest day, as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson became the first major world leader to test positive. Italy reported 969 new deaths, Spain 769 and France 299 as Europe reeled from a crisis that led the United States on Friday to finalise an unprecedented $2 trillion stimulus package. In other grim milestones, AFP tallies showed more than 26,000 deaths worldwide, and a total of 300,000 cases now recorded in Europe, after the United States overtook China as the country with the most infections.

Cruise workers are using TikTok to give a behind-the-scenes look into what life is like on an empty cruise ship

While Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian have canceled US-based cruises until mid-April at the earliest, some ships are still at sea.

Coronavirus response coordinator questions report that had predicted 2.2 million deaths in the U.S. from the pandemic

At a press briefing, Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, questioned a report that had predicted 2.2 million people in the United States would die due to the coronavirus.

Indian authorities send buses to take unemployed to villages

Authorities sent a fleet of buses to the outskirts of India's capital on Saturday to meet an exodus of migrant workers desperately trying to reach their home villages during the world's largest coronavirus lockdown. Thousands of people, mostly young male day laborers but also families, fled their New Delhi homes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown that began on Wednesday and effectively put millions of Indians who live off daily earnings out of work. Modi said the extreme measure was needed to halt the spread of the coronavirus in India, which has confirmed 775 cases and 19 deaths, and where millions live in cramped conditions without regular access to clean water.

This TSA officer has coronavirus symptoms. He can't get tested

TSA officer Brian Shoup's case illustrates the difficulties of the coronavirus pandemic across the country: the risk of exposure and lack of testing.

Hubei, the center of China's coronavirus outbreak, has emerged from a months-long coronavirus lockdown. Photos show the province slowly coming back to life.

Experts, and people who live in Hubei, are still fearful that the loosening of restrictions will help the coronavirus reappear.

Coronavirus: India defiant as millions struggle under lockdown

The government defends strict lockdown measures that have left millions stranded and without food.

CNN Anchor Shreds Trump’s Trade Adviser Over Coronavirus Response: ‘You’re Wasting Everyone’s Time!’

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro found himself on the receiving end of a verbal buzzsaw Thursday afternoon when CNN anchor Brianna Keilar relentlessly grilled him on the administration’s lack of preparedness for the coronavirus pandemic, explicitly telling him he was “wasting everyone’s time.”With casualties from the deadly coronavirus surging across the nation and hospitals running out of needed supplies as they become overrun with patients, Keilar confronted Navarro over the Trump administration’s seeming inability to provide ventilators and masks to localities and states in dire need.Navarro, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, immediately took issue with Keilar’s questioning, demanding that she “not sensationalize this crisis” because it would “create more anxiety and panic.”“I am not sensationalizing anything,” Keilar shot back, noting that she was tracking what governors are saying their states are lacking from the federal government. She then brought up the desperate need for ventilators across the country, pointing out that the current estimate will fall well short of what is required. “In fairness, the government was clearly ill-prepared for this,” she said. “This is not something that, you know, these viruses happen and how awful they are, but they are things that happen. Your government knew in the summer when it did a drill that if this happened, this would be a problem and there was a lack of preparation, which is why we have you on to talk about the supply chain.Whoopi Goldberg Confronts Newt Gingrich for Suggesting Nurses Will Abandon Coronavirus Patients“Right now, it looks like the capacity for the U.S. is going to be about 200,000 ventilators and what experts are saying is there could be a million needed,” Keilar continued. “Are you going to be able to meet that demand?”Navarro began to complain about what the Trump White House inherited from the Obama team, prompting Keilar to wonder aloud why he was wasting his time with that and not focusing on the problem at hand.Eventually, the Trump aide once again pointed the finger at the president’s predecessor, lamenting that the White House inherited insufficient stockpiles and inadequate testing systems.“You’re wasting everyone’s time with this,” the CNN host fired back. “It’s 2020. The president was elected in 2016. Can you get to a million ventilators?”Navarro went on to declare that the number of ventilators needed was “way, way, way out” and “wildly over what we need” before claiming that they are ramping up production. He then continued to complain about how Keilar was treating him.“I think what’s important for CNN here is to report this in a sober way, without frightening America, and just having reasonable conversations when somebody from the White House comes on instead of just shouting in our ear,” he grumbled.“Peter, I will tell you that one way that I think a lot of people are calming down is when they have information and even if it’s bad news, they know the size of the problem and the government has a plan for it,” the CNN anchor retorted. “That’s what we’re trying to get with you. You’re in charge of the supply chain. That’s the most pressing issue right now. I don’t know that I actually have too much of a clearer picture having spoken to you today.”After grousing some more over Keilar calling the Trump administration unprepared, Navarro attempted to end the interview by placing the blame for the administration’s delayed response to the pandemic on China having dealt the country a “bad hand.”“Peter, that is just a waste of time to say that,” Keilar scolded Navarro. “I’m going to leave it there.”“Why is that a waste of time?” Navarro pleaded.“We’re out of time and that’s just ridiculous,” she replied, ending the interview.Fox News Host Martha MacCallum Nails Kellyanne Conway for Rewriting Trump’s Coronavirus HistoryRead more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

Letters to the Editor: Trump's updates are ridiculous, but they make you wonder: Where is Joe Biden?

Joe Biden should more forcefully rebut President Trump, whose daily updates on the coronavirus give him precious media coverage.

A Connecticut doctor has been charged after authorities said he deliberately coughed on his coworkers

People across the United States have been arrested and charged in recent days after allegedly violating social distancing measures.

Six positive coronavirus cases in Kentucky linked to St. Patrick's Day party

In total, 44 cases reported so far in Fayette County, in the heart of Bluegrass country.

South Korean coronavirus test kit makers win U.S. FDA pre-approval

Three Korean coronavirus test-kit makers have won preliminary approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), paving the way for kits to be exported to the United States to help it battle the largest outbreak of the virus. South Korea's foreign ministry said that winning the preliminary approval under emergency use authorization will allow the products to be sold in the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump this week asked his Korean counterpart to supply the medical devices and promised to help Korean firms gain U.S. regulator approval.

Asia virus latest: People return to China epicentre, security talks off

Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the coronavirus first emerged last year, partly reopened on Saturday after more than two months of near total isolation for its population of 11 million. A top Asian security conference that gathers defence ministers -- including from the US and China -- and senior military officials was cancelled due to the pandemic. Thousands of migrant workers in India, left jobless and penniless by the full shutdown of the country, are walking long distances back to their home villages after all transport was stopped except for essential services.

Neanderthals didn't just hunt mammoths. They actually knew how to fish, researchers discover.

A new study suggests that Neanderthals were skilled fishermen and that seafood was a key ingredient in their diets.

Mexican governor prompts outrage with claim poor are immune to coronavirus

Miguel Barbosa’s comments reflect almost conspiratorial response of many Mexican politicians to pandemic * Coronavirus – latest updates * See all our coronavirus coverageA Mexican state governor has prompted incredulity and outrage by claiming that poor people are immune to Covid-19, as the government attempts to promote physical distancing and cancels non-essential services.Miguel Barbosa, the governor of Puebla, was apparently commenting on reports that a significant proportion of Mexico’s coronavirus cases is made up of wealthy people who had travelled abroad.Officials say three-quarters of Mexico’s 475 confirmed cases are related to international travel, including several people who reportedly caught the virus on skiing trips to Italy or the US.“Most of them are wealthy people,” Barbosa said. “If you are rich you are at risk. If you are poor you are not. The poor, we’re immune.”default His comments set off a firestorm in a country, where nearly half of the population are poor and the majority work in the informal economy.They also reflected the almost conspiratorial response of many Mexican politicians toward Covid-19, which threatens to wreck the government’s agenda of mega-projects and expanding social programmes.The country’s president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whose administration has promised to “put the poor first”, has responded with breezy optimism to the crisis. He told reporters on Tuesday that Mexico would be past the “worst of it” within a month.López Obrador has resisted stiffer measures such as quarantine and border closures, on the grounds that poor Mexicans are unable to afford not to work.“The economy is in a nosedive and his base, the poor, is getting the short end of the stick,” said Esteban Illades, the editor of Nexos magazine, of the president’s motives. “A weak economy means his legacy is compromised.”Mexico has entered phase II of the coronavirus pandemic, meaning community spreading has started. There have been six deaths in the country so far.Covid-19 has struck at a tough time for Mexico. The economy slumped in 2019 and forecasts for 2020 suggested continued stagnation even before the pandemic.López Obrador swept to power with an overwhelming majority in 2019, but recent polls suggest his support is slipping. One survey showed his approval rating below 50% for the first time.The president’s supporters have rallied around him and tried to downplay the dangers of the coronavirus.Analysts say the pandemic is the most recent in a string of crises, including outbreaks of drug violence and growing fury over gender-based violence, which López Obrador and his supporters see as personal attacks rather than issues requiring urgent attention and resources.“They’re looking at how coronavirus will affect their so-called ‘fourth transformation”, as the president refers to his administration, “and how their dreams of transforming the country are now on the backburner,” Illades said. “It happens every presidential term. Reality always gets in the way of dreams.”

In Iran, false belief a poison fights virus kills hundreds

Standing over the still body of an intubated 5-year-old boy wearing nothing but a plastic diaper, an Iranian health care worker in a hazmat suit and mask begged the public for just one thing: Stop drinking industrial alcohol over fears about the new coronavirus. The boy, now blind after his parents gave him toxic methanol in the mistaken belief it protects against the virus, is just one of hundreds of victims of an epidemic inside the pandemic now gripping Iran. Iranian media report nearly 300 people have been killed and more than 1,000 sickened so far by ingesting methanol across the Islamic Republic, where drinking alcohol is banned and where those who do rely on bootleggers.

Top scientist: Coronavirus could be seasonal

Anthony Fauci, who leads research into infectious diseases at the National Institutes of Health, said there is a strong chance the new coronavirus could return seasonally.

Cuomo Says Ventilator Needs Not Based on ‘Feelings’ After Trump Attack

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo hit back at Donald Trump on Friday after the president said he “felt” that New York, the struggling epicenter of the coronavirus, did not need the 30,000 ventilators officials have demanded.With 519 deaths and 44,635 confirmed cases, of which 6,481 require hospitalization, the coronavirus pandemic has put New York’s medical facilities on the brink. Cuomo has been practically begging for ventilators for days, slamming the federal government for initially sending 400 from the national stockpile when the state needed 30,000. The Trump administration later sent 4,000 more.In an interview on Fox News on Thursday night, Trump said he doubted that states, including New York, actually needed the amount of equipment they were asking for.“I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they’re going to be. I don’t believe that you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators,” he said.Then, on Friday, he wrote a series of frenzied tweets, saying General Motors, which reportedly had a plan to make ventilators that was rejected by the federal government, must immediately open a plant for production. “START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!! FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST!!!!!!” he tweeted. (Despite his tweets, Trump had still not implemented the Defense Production Act, which forces companies to manufacture supplies, White House officials told The Daily Beast.)In a Friday briefing at the Javits Center, which is being converted into a massive emergency hospital, Cuomo did not name-check Trump but said equipment needs were not based on “feelings.”“Look I don’t have a crystal ball, everybody is entitled to their own opinion but I don’t operate here on opinion,” he said. “I operate on facts and on data and on numbers and on projections.”He said experts’ projections for New York predict that the state will hit its apex for hospitalization rates in 21 days. The state is building a stockpile of resources for when that apex hits and the entire system is stressed, Cuomo said. That includes 3,000 ventilators that would be distributed to hospitals as needs arise—a fraction of the total 30,000 needed across the state.“Those are numbers, not ‘I feel, I think, I believe, I want to believe.’ Make the decisions based on the data and the science,” he said. “I hope we don’t need 30,000 ventilators, I hope some natural weather change happens overnight and kills the virus globally. That’s what I hope. But that’s my hope, that’s my emotion, that’s my thought. The numbers say you may need 30,000.”Health-care workers say ICU and emergency rooms in New York are “under siege” and running desperately low on personal protective gear and medical equipment, including ventilators.“We have never seen anything like this, and we are so unprepared for the need that seems to grow daily,” an NYU Langone doctor told The Daily Beast on Thursday. “Honestly, I’m terrified.”The U.S. now has more coronavirus cases than anywhere else in the world, with 86,012 positive diagnoses, according to Johns Hopkins University’s tracker.Cuomo announced on Friday that the state was building another four emergency hospitals in convention centers, university stadiums, and shipping terminals, on top of four makeshift facilities already being built, to meet the 140,000 beds needed.“We are doing things that have never been done before,” he said.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

Italy again reported the highest single-day death toll since the coronavirus outbreak began: 919 deaths. Its cases have surpassed China's.

Italy's coronavirus death toll is the world's highest: More than 9,000 people have died, compared with 1,300 people in the US and 3,300 in China.

Why the Strategic National Stockpile isn't meant to solve a crisis like coronavirus

The country's largest repository of drugs and medical equipment is designed to be used as a stopgap — not a solution — during emergencies.

A 90-year-old woman in Washington state recovered from the coronavirus, and she credits family, God, and potato soup

Family members of 90-year-old COVID-19 patient Geneva Wood were called to the hospital to say their goodbyes. After seeing them, she recovered.

Social Security recipients to get checks under coronavirus stimulus bill. Here’s how

People who receive Social Security benefits are still eligible without having filed a tax return.

US couple, adopted daughter, caught in India virus lockdown

A Georgia couple who traveled to India to adopt a child have had to delay bringing their new daughter back to the United States after Indian authorities locked down the country because of the coronavirus. India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on Tuesday announced a three-week lockdown in the country of 1.3 billion people, meaning that citizens and visitors alike may only leave their homes or hotels for food, medicine or other essential needs. The order is meant to keep the virus from surging and overwhelming an already strained health care system, but it has also left Mike and Whitney Saville of Auburn, Georgia, with little hope of getting back home with their daughter Grace anytime soon.

101-year-old Italian man, born amid Spanish flu pandemic, survives coronavirus illness, official says

Identified as Mr. P., a 101-year-old man from Rimini, Italy, survived COVID-19, an official from his city told local media.

Hedge funds are pouncing on companies infected by coronavirus

Hedge funds have lost billions of dollars as coronavirus has stalled the economy and sent Wall Street into a tailspin. US-based hedge funds are aiming to persuade clients that the current economic crisis and the uncertainties in fact present a unique investment opportunity, according to letters sent to clients viewed by AFP. In their discussions with current investors and potential new clients, some of these funds are emphasizing that stocks, corporate bonds and commodities have not been as cheap since the 2008 global financial crisis, according to sources close to the institutions.

‘Throw Massie out of Republican Party’: Trump Rips GOP Rep. Who Threatened to Delay Coronavirus Bill

President Trump slammed Representative Thomas Massie (R., Ky.) on Friday for saying he would vote against the Senate’s $2-trillion coronavirus relief package, calling him a “third rate Grandstander” who “just wants the publicity” and saying he should be kicked out of the GOP.Trump, who called it “HELL” to work with Democrats, also admitted Republicans “had to give up some stupid things in order to get the ‘big picture’ done.”> …& costly. Workers & small businesses need money now in order to survive. Virus wasn’t their fault. It is “HELL” dealing with the Dems, had to give up some stupid things in order to get the “big picture” done. 90% GREAT! WIN BACK HOUSE, but throw Massie out of Republican Party!> > -- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020Trump then added that the Kentucky Republican is "empowering the Radical Left Democrats" and "is a disaster for America, and for the Great State of Kentucky!"> By empowering the Radical Left Democrats, do nothing Kentucky politician @RepThomasMassie is making their War on the 2nd Amendment more and more difficult to win (But don’t worry, we will win anyway!). He is a disaster for America, and for the Great State of Kentucky!> > -- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020According to Politico, Massie reportedly reached out to Trump on Friday morning, but it remains unclear if they connected.> NEWS — @RepThomasMassie reached out to talk to @realDonaldTrump this morning, per multiple sources. Not clear if they connected — but @RepThomasMassie made the call.> > -- Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) March 27, 2020Massie said in a radio interview on Thursday morning that the bill, although it includes direct payments of $1,200 for individuals and $2,400 for married couples, is not justified due to its price tag, which would further worsen the already-growing national debt.Massie's comments prompted congressional leadership to urge their members to rush back to Washington, D.C., to vote in person due to concerns that Massie's lone dissenting vote could have blocked the unanimous consent required to pass a bill by a so-called voice vote.“I know there are people saying, ‘Oh, you gotta vote for it. You can’t slow this down,'” Massie argued. “Meanwhile, they spent a week in the Senate arguing how much money should go to the Kennedy Center.”Multiple members of Congress publicly criticized Massie’s stance.While Representative Eric Swalwell (D., Calif.) said, “I don’t want make an insignificant person more significant,” New York Republican Peter King lit into his fellow caucus member.“Because of one Member of Congress refusing to allow emergency action entire Congress must be called back to vote in House. Risk of infection and risk of legislation being delayed. Disgraceful. Irresponsible,” tweeted King, who said in November he would not seek reelection in 2020.> Heading to Washington to vote on pandemic legislation. Because of one Member of Congress refusing to allow emergency action entire Congress must be called back to vote in House. Risk of infection and risk of legislation being delayed. Disgraceful. Irresponsible.> > -- Rep. Pete King (@RepPeteKing) March 27, 2020Massie is already being challenged by Todd McMurtry — the lawyer for Covington Catholic High School student Nicholas Sandmann — who said in January that he was launching a primary bid against Massie in Kentucky’s fourth congressional district.McMurtry’s campaign has already positioned itself with the president, arguing that Trump cannot count on Massie’s support.

'Each day we get news of another brother or sister who has fallen': United Auto Workers announce death of fourth Fiat Chrysler employee due to the coronavirus

The fourth FCA death comes as some plants among the Detroit Big Three, whose workers are unionized with the UAW, prepare to come back online.

Nigeria needs $330 million for coronavirus battle, turns to private sector

Nigeria has appealed to private companies to make voluntary contributions towards the 120 billion naira ($330 million) the government says it needs to fight the coronavirus epidemic. "So far, the federal government has made giant strides in the fight but it is clear that the private sector needs to step in and support efforts already being made," Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele said. The crash in oil prices, which have fallen by nearly two- thirds this year due in large part to a coronavirus-induced demand collapse, has seriously battered Nigeria's finances.