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Coronavirus: NYC readies to reopen as virus hospitalizations, deaths dip

More than 6.6 million people worldwide -- including nearly 1.9 million in the United States – have been infected with the new coronavirus, and the number of deaths from the outbreak continues to rise. While efforts to contain the COVID-19 outbreak continue, states have begun to shift their focus toward reopening their economies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking cases in the U.S. here.

Live updates for Friday, June 5, continue below:

NYC readies to reopen as virus hospitalizations, deaths dip

Update 11 p.m. EDT June 5: w York City is preparing to reopen some businesses and increase subway service Monday, the state's latest data suggests hospitalizations and deaths linked to the coronavirus are continuing their gradual decline.

Mayor Bill de Blasio says city inspectors will visit every construction site to ensure compliance with rules to protect workers and the community from COVID-19.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at least 42 people died in New York on Thursday due to COVID-19. That’s a drop from as many as 800 deaths in one day as the crisis peaked in mid-April, according to the state’s official tally, which doesn’t include people who likely died of the disease.

Meanwhile, 2,728 patients were hospitalized for COVID-19 Thursday, down from a peak of over 18,000.

“The people of the state radically changed how they behaved and look at that progress: lowest number of hospitalizations to date in a matter of weeks,” Cuomo said.

The latest data suggests deaths are dropping in New York City as well: The city has reported nearly 150 confirmed COVID-19 deaths in the last week, down from about 300 in the previous week.

There are concerns that the progress could be undermined by large protests in the recent days over police misconduct. The governor has urged protesters to get tested for the virus.

Some regions that are reopening have seen upticks.

The Fingers Lake region, for example, has seen over 200 people hospitalized for COVID-19 this week, up from around 120 in early May.

Kansas protester who didn’t wear mask infected with COVID-19

Update 10:15 p.m. EDT June 5: Health officials are asking everyone who attended a Lawrence protest over the death of George Floyd to monitor for symptoms of the coronavirus after one of the participants tested positive.

The Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health said in a news release Friday that the infected person didn’t wear a mask while attending Sunday’s protest, which attracted thousands of people to the downtown.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the person's sample was taken on Thursday, and health officials were notified of the positive test Friday. The patient disclosed during the contact tracing and disease-investigation process that he was not wearing a mask.

“Similar to what we would ask anyone who goes out in public right now, we are asking anyone who attended the recent protest to self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and isolate if they become sick as well as call their healthcare provider for next steps,” Sonia Jordan, informatics director, said in the release.

Populous Kansas counties see dozens of new coronavirus cases

Update 7:45 p.m. EDT June 5: Kansas' four most populous counties reported dozens of new coronavirus cases in the past two days, part of an increase that's occurred since Gov. Laura Kelly lifted statewide restrictions on businesses.

The state Department of Health and Environment said Friday that Kansas has had a total of 10,393 novel coronavirus cases since the pandemic reached it in early March. That’s up 2.2% or 223 from Wednesday.

The department’s figures show that 70% of the new cases over the past two days — 156 in all — came from only four counties. They were Sedgwick County, home to the state’s largest city, Wichita; Shawnee County, home to Topeka, and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in the Kansas City area, the state’s first hotspot.

Kelly lifted statewide restrictions on businesses on May 26 and left decisions on rules to each of the state’s 105 counties.

Since then, Kansas has seen more than 1,000 new coronavirus cases. More than 500, or roughly half, have come from the four populous counties, and the percentage would be larger without outbreaks among workers in meatpacking plants.

The state reported 10 new COVID-19-related deaths over the past two days, leaving the number at 232.

Mexico alleges some doctors sold false death certificates

Update 7:45 p.m. EDT June 5: Mexico City officials said Friday that prosecutors are investigating several doctors who allegedly issued false death certificates for people who may have died of the coronavirus.

Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum alleged the doctors “were involved in charging for these services,” which are supposed to be free but can sometimes be lengthy and bureaucratic.

“They sold these certificates when they should not have,” Sheinbaum said.

The scheme purportedly involved at least one city government employee and around 10 doctors, none of whom were city hospital employees, the mayor said.

There are also indications the doctors may have signed off causes of death other than COVID-19 for bodies they had never seen or examined, though the reasons were unclear, officials said.

But bodies had been piling up at hospitals in Mexico City as the pandemic worsened, and some relatives may have simply wanted to get their deceased family members released more quickly. In addition, bodies of people who died from COVID-19 have to be cremated or buried under stricter rules so some families may have paid for a false certificate to avoid that or the social stigma the virus carries.

No charges have been filed in the case.

Citing jobs, Trump claims victory over virus, econ collapse

Update 5:55 p.m. EDT June 5: President Donald Trump effectively claimed victory over the economic crisis and COVID-19 on Friday as well as major progress against racial inequality, heartily embracing a better-than-expected jobs report in hopes of convincing a discouraged nation he deserves another four years in office.

In lengthy White House remarks amid sweeping social unrest, a still-rising virus death toll and Depression-level unemployment, the Republican president focused on what he said was improvement in all areas.

He was quick to seize the positive jobs report at a time when his political standing is at one of the weakest points of his presidency less than five months before the general election. Just 2 in 10 voters believe the country is headed in the right direction, a Monmouth University poll found earlier in the week.

California to allow schools, gyms and bars reopen next week

Update 3:30 p.m. EDT June 5: California will allow schools, day camps, bars, gyms, campgrounds and professional sports to begin reopening with modifications starting next Friday.

Mark Ghaly, the state’s top health official, said the state will release guidance later Friday for counties to follow to reopen a broad range of businesses that have been closed since mid-March because of concerns about spreading the coronavirus.

The rules on schools and day camps will apply statewide. But only counties that have met certain thresholds on the number of cases, testing and preparedness will be allowed to start reopening the other sectors. The state’s guidance will also include rules on hotels, casinos, museums, zoos and aquariums and the resumption of music, film and television production.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has been moving the state through a methodical four-step process for reopening. Most of the new businesses are part of “Phase 3.” Nail salons will not be included in the list, Ghaly said.

Ghaly stressed that its up to counties to determine whether they are ready to reopen based on their ability to manage an expected increase in the number of those testing positive. He said Thursday that the state’s coronavirus cases and hospitalizations remain stable.

But the state is monitoring and preparing for a potential increase in cases due to broader reopening and mass protests across the state against racial injustice.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause pneumonia and death.

Nearly 42,000 coronavirus cases reported in Louisiana

Update 3:30 p.m. EDT June 5: Officials in Louisiana reported 427 new coronavirus infections Friday, raising the state's total number of infections to 41,989.

Statewide, at least 2,801 people have died of COVID-19 and at least 31,728 people have recovered from the viral infection, officials said.

Officials report 1,289 new COVID-19 cases in North Carolina, setting another high record

Update 2:50 p.m. EDT June 5: Health officials in North Carolina announced Friday that 1,289 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported, setting a new high record for new coronavirus infections reported in a single day in the state, WSOC-TV reported.

The record broke the one set one day earlier, when 1,189 new COVID-19 cases were reported, according to WSOC-TV.

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, 33,255 coronavirus infections have been reported statewide. As of Friday, 966 people have died of COVID-19.

RNC to conduct official convention business in North Carolina, not Trump’s speech

Update 2:30 p.m. EDT June 5: President Donald Trump won't accept his party's nomination in North Carolina, but the Republican National Committee confirmed to WSOC-TV that it would still hold meetings in Charlotte.

City officials sent WSOC-TV a statement Thursday confirming that the city's attorney met with RNC representatives, the host committee and all other parties Thursday.

“RNC representatives confirmed that at this point in time, they intend to locate the entirety of the business portion of the Convention in Charlotte," the statement said. “It was understood by the parties that some of the Convention events that were originally set to occur in Charlotte may be relocated to another community outside of North Carolina."

864 new cases of COVID-19 reported in New Jersey

Update 2:10 p.m. EDT June 5: Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey said Friday that 864 new coronavirus infections have been reported, raising the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 163,336.

The governor also announced that he’s extended a public health emergency declared statewide for another 30 days.

“We will continue our path forward, while remaining vigilant and prepared to act should there be a new outbreak of (COVID-19)," Murphy said.

Officials also reported 79 more deaths associated with the coronavirus pandemic. As of Friday, 12,049 people have died statewide of COVID-19.

Trial finds hydroxychloroquine has ‘no clinical benefit’ for COVID-19 patients

Update 1:55 p.m. EDT June 5: An anti-malarial drug touted by President Donald Trump as a possible cure for COVID-19 has been found to have "no clinical benefit" for patients receiving treatment for coronavirus infections, according to a study out of the United Kingdom.

“We have concluded that there is no beneficial effect of hydroxychloroquine in patients hospitalised with COVID-19,” The chief investigators of the RECOVERY trial, which is run by the University of Oxford, said in a statement Friday. “We have therefore decided to stop enrolling participants to the hydroxychloroquine arm of the RECOVER trial with immediate effect.”

Researchers said they found no difference between the recoveries of 1,542 patients who were treated with hydroxychloroquine compared to 3,132 patients who were not given the drug.

“There was no significant difference in the primary endpoint of 28-day mortality,” investigators said. “There was also no evidence of beneficial effects on hospital state duration or other outcomes.”

Louisiana moves into second phase of reopening

Update 1:15 p.m. EDT June 5: Spas, tattoo parlors, pool halls and more businesses were allowed to reopen Friday in Louisiana as officials continue to allow businesses shuttered by the threat of the coronavirus pandemic to reopen.

In a statement released Thursday, Gov. John Bel Edwards emphasized that the move does not mean the threat of the virus has ended.

“The public should not let its guard down,” he said. “COVID-19 is still a real issue in our communities, and it is still necessary that people wear masks while in public, wash their hands frequently and maintain good social distancing so that we can prevent cases from spiking as we ease restrictions in Phase Two.”

Deaths from COVID-19 top 40,000 in the UK

Update 12:55 p.m. EDT June 5: Officials in the United Kingdom reported 1,650 new coronavirus infections Friday, raising the country's total number of infections to 283,311.

Officials said that as of 5 p.m. local time Thursday, the most recent date for which data was available, 40,261 people had died nationwide of COVID-19.

World Health Organization widens recommendations for use of masks

Update 12:25 p.m. EDT June 5: The World Health Organization is changing its recommendations for the use of masks during the coronavirus pandemic and is now recommending that in areas where there is widespread transmission, people should wear masks when social distancing is not possible, such as on public transport and in shops.

In a press briefing on Friday, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also said people over age 60 or those with underlying medical conditions should wear a medical mask in situations where social distancing cannot be maintained. WHO has previously only recommended that health care workers, those sickened by COVID-19 and their care givers wear masks.

Tedros emphasized that “masks on their own will not protect you from COVID-19” and emphasized the importance of hand-washing, social distancing and other measures. He added that health workers in areas with widespread transmission should now wear medical masks in all areas of health facilities and not just those with confirmed COVID-19 patients, saying that doctors working in cardiology or other wards, for example, should continue to wear a medical mask even if there are no known coronavirus patients.

Trump says he hopes George Floyd ‘looking down,’ seeing better-than-expected jobless numbers

Update 12:10 p.m. EDT June 5: President Donald Trump said Friday that he hopes George Floyd, the 46-year-old killed by Minneapolis police last week, would be glad to see the May jobs report, which showed lower unemployment than expected amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying ‘This is a great thing that’s happening for our country,’” the president said during a news conference. “This is a great day for him. It’s a great day for everybody.”

Floyd died last week after then-Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee to Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes as three other police officers, Thomas Lane, J.A. Kueng and Tou Thao, watched or actively helped to hold him down, according to prosecutors.

Nearly 84,000 National Guard members activated amid COVID-19, civil unrest

Update 12:05 p.m. EDT June 5: Officials with the U.S. National Guard said Friday that nearly 84,000 soldiers and airmen have been activated due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and civil unrest in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.

Officials said 37,400 National Guard members were assisting states as they respond to the threat of COVID-19. More than 41,500 members of the National Guard were on duty in 33 states and Washington D.C. as protests over police brutality continue across the country.

42 new fatal COVID-19 cases reported in New York

Update 11:55 a.m. EDT June 5: Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York said Friday that 42 more people have died of COVID-19 in the state, "the lowest number since we started."

“Eight weeks ago, we had 800 (deaths)," Cuomo said at a news conference, calling the fall in deaths "amazing."

He praised New Yorkers for adhering to social distancing measures to keep themselves and others safe amid the pandemic.

“The people of the state radically changed how they behave,” he said.

79 new cases of COVID-19 reported in DC

Update 11:30 a.m. EDT June 5: Health officials in Washington D.C. said Friday that 79 new coronavirus infections have been reported in the area, raising the total number of cases in the area to 9,199.

Officials also announced that four more people between the ages of 44 and 84 have died of COVID-19 in Washington D.C., bringing the total number of deaths in the District to 479.

Judge rules Tennessee residents can vote by mail

Update 10:45 a.m. EDT June 5: A judge ruled Thursday that residents of Tennessee can vote by mail for August primary and the November general election, according to WHBQ-TV.

The American Civil Liberties Union had brought the case to court on behalf of several Tennesseans who believe their health will be in jeopardy if they're forced to vote in-person amid the coronavirus pandemic, WHBQ-TV reported. The state had required voters to provide an excuse to vote by mail.

Trump holding news conference after release of May jobs report

Update 10 a.m. EDT June 5: President Donald Trump is speaking Friday morning following the release of the May jobs report, which found that unemployment fell slightly to 13.3% last month.

Stocks jump on Wall Street following surprise May job gains

Update 9:55 a.m. EDT June 5: Stocks climbed early Friday after the government delivered a big positive surprise on the job market. Instead of another month of slashing jobs, employers added to their payrolls last month.

The report gave another shot of adrenaline to Wall Street’s recent rally. The S&P 500 rose 2% and bond yields rose sharply after the government said employers added 2.5 million jobs in May, while economists were expecting them to cut another 8 million.

While it’s just one month of data, the report gives credence to a building sense of optimism among investors that the economy can recover relatively quickly from the coronavirus slump.

Universal Orlando reopening its three theme parks Friday

Update 9:25 a.m. EDT June 5: Three Universal Orlando theme parks are set to reopen Friday morning after they were shut down due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

Universal is the first of Orlando, Florida's three major theme parks to reopen, according to WFTV.

Park officials said guests, team members and vendors will be required to wear face coverings in public areas, according to WFTV. Guests, team members and vendors will also be required to have temperature checks upon arrival, the news station reported.

Trump to speak about unemployment figures

Update 8:50 a.m. EDT June 5: President Donald Trump said Friday that he plans to speak at 10 a.m. about the May unemployment figures released by the U.S. Labor Department.

Earlier Friday, Trump heralded the “really big jobs report.”

US unemployment rate dips to 13.3%

Update 8:40 a.m. EDT June 5: The unemployment rate in the United States slipped to 13.3% in May, down from the 14.7% reported in April, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Labor Department.

The figures include an addition of 2.5 million jobs in May, as state governments eased restrictions on businesses prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. The job gain suggests that businesses have quickly been recalling workers as economies have reopened.

Other evidence has also shown that the job market meltdown triggered by the coronavirus has bottomed out. The number of people applying for unemployment benefits has declined for nine straight weeks. And the total number of people receiving such aid has essentially leveled off.

The overall job cuts have widened economic disparities that have disproportionately hurt minorities and lower-educated workers. Though the unemployment rate for white Americans was 12.4% May, it was 17.6% for Hispanics and 16.8% for African-Americans.

Even with the surprising gain in May, it may take months for all those who lost work in April and March to find jobs. Some economists forecast the rate could remain in double-digits through the November elections and into next year.

Global deaths near 392K, total cases approach 6.7M

Update 8:02 a.m. EDT June 5: The global death toll attributed to the novel coronavirus reached 391,588 early Friday, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally.

In the four months since the virus was first identified in Wuhan, China, it has infected at least 6,658,334 people worldwide. Meanwhile, 16 nations now have total infection counts higher than China's 84,171.

The 10 nations with the highest number of infections recorded to date are as follows:

• The United States has reported 1,872,660 cases, resulting in 108,211 deaths.

• Brazil has recorded 614,941 cases, resulting in 34,021 deaths.

• Russia has confirmed 449,256 cases, resulting in 5,520 deaths.

• The United Kingdom has reported 283,080 cases, resulting in 39,987 deaths.

• Spain has confirmed 240,660 cases, resulting in 27,133 deaths.

• Italy has reported 234,013 cases, resulting in 33,689 deaths.

• India has reported 227,273 cases, resulting in 6,367 deaths.

• France has confirmed 189,569 cases, resulting in 29,068 deaths.

• Germany has reported 184,924 cases, resulting in 8,642 deaths.

• Peru has reported 183,198 cases, resulting in 5,031 deaths.

US biotech firm wins contract to deliver 10M doses of coronavirus vaccine candidate 

Update 7:18 a.m. EDT June 5: Novavax Inc., a Maryland-based biotech company, said Thursday it has landed a contract worth as much as $60 million from the U.S. Department of Defense to mass produce its novel coronavirus vaccine candidate.

The therapeutic candidate, which goes by the experimental name NVX-COV2373, started a Phase I safety trial with volunteers in May.

Per the DOD contract, Novavax will deliver 10 million doses of the vaccine in 2020 that could be used in late-stage clinical trials or under an Emergency use authorization if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves the vaccine, CNN reported.

Mexico records 3rd consecutive daily record increase in new coronavirus cases 

Update 6:40 a.m. EDT June 5: For the third consecutive day, Mexico has reported record-setting new coronavirus diagnoses.

With 4,442 new cases recorded Thursday, Mexico's total infections now stand at 105,680 and have resulted in at least 12,545 deaths, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally.

Brazil’s coronavirus deaths surpass Italy’s fatalities

Update 6:22 a.m. EDT June 5: With 1,473 additional novel coronavirus deaths recorded in the 24 hours ended Thursday, Brazil's virus-related death toll surpassed that of Italy, once the epicenter of Europe's outbreak.

According to Brazil’s health ministry, the South American nation’s coronavirus deaths now total 34,021 compared with Italy’s 33,689.

Meanwhile, Brazil's total infections have swelled to 614,941, meaning it trails only the United States with slightly fewer than one-third of the U.S. infection count.

US coronavirus cases near 1.9M, deaths top 108K

Update 12:41 a.m. EDT June 5: The number of novel coronavirus cases in the United States continued to climb toward 1.9 million early Friday across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

According to a Johns Hopkins University tally, there are at least 1,872,660 confirmed U.S. cases of the virus, which have resulted in at least 108,211 deaths.

The hardest-hit states remain New York with 375,133 cases and 30,174 deaths and New Jersey with 162,530 cases and 11,970 deaths. Massachusetts, with 102,063 cases, has the third-highest number of deaths with 7,201, while Illinois has the third-highest number of cases with 124,759. Only 15 states and territories have confirmed fewer than 5,000 cases each.

Six other states have now confirmed at least 55,000 novel coronavirus cases each, including:

• California: 122,168 cases, resulting in 4,444 deaths

• Pennsylvania: 78,335 cases, resulting in 5,832 deaths

• Texas: 70,555 cases, resulting in 1,776 deaths

• Florida: 60,183 cases, resulting in 2,607 deaths

• Michigan: 58,241 cases, resulting in 5,595 deaths

• Maryland: 55,858 cases, resulting in 2,668 deaths

Meanwhile, Georgia, Virginia, Connecticut and Louisiana each has confirmed at least 41,000 cases; Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina each has confirmed at least 32,000 cases; Colorado, Minnesota, Tennessee, Arizona, Washington and Iowa each has confirmed at least 20,000 cases; Wisconsin and Alabama each has confirmed at least 19,000 cases, followed by Mississippi with 16,560; Rhode Island and Nebraska each has confirmed at least 15,000 cases, followed by Missouri with 14,438 and South Carolina with 12,415; Utah, Kentucky and Kansas each has confirmed at least 10,000 cases; Delaware, Nevada and the District of Columbia each has confirmed at least 9,000 cases; Arkansas and New Mexico each has confirmed at least 8,000 cases, followed by Oklahoma with 6,907 and South Dakota with 5,247.

Click here to see CNN's state-by-state breakdown.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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