Latest coronavirus news: Trump announces $19 billion relief program for farmers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is committed to providing our readers with comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus.
This daily live blog will provide the latest updates, news and details of COVID-19 from media outlets and social media sources nationally and internationally.
8:30 p.m.
"Although many more detainees were exposed and need testing, Mr. Albence stated that ICE has a limited number of tests and that “we would certainly do more testing” if additional test kits were available."
— Hamed Aleaziz (@Haleaziz) April 18, 2020
"Acting Director Albence asserted that releasing non-violent immigrants to protect them from being infected and sickened with coronavirus could give the impression that the Administration is “not enforcing our immigration laws..."
— Hamed Aleaziz (@Haleaziz) April 18, 2020
8 p.m.
Fauci on lab vs. bat coronavirus origin: "A group of highly-qualified evolutionary virologists looked at the sequences in bats as they evolve. The mutations that it took to get to the point where it is now is totally consistent with a jump of a species from an animal to a human."
— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) April 18, 2020
6:55 p.m.
.@VP says states that meet the criteria to go into phase 1 of re-opening have sufficient #Coroanvirus tests to do that.
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) April 17, 2020
6:30 p.m.
President Trump says he will be sending out $19 billion in relief to farmers, including 'mass purchases' of dairy, meat, and other items
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) April 17, 2020
Ag Secretary Perdue indicates there will be more bailout money sent to farmers later this year through the CCC program, which has funded the $28 billion in previous farm bailouts during the Trump Administration.
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) April 17, 2020
Pres announces $19-billion @USDA relief program for nation's farmers and ranchers. Calls them "great people" who "never complain," Says direct payments will be used to purchase dairy, meat and produce for people in need. Another $14-billion in pipeline for July.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) April 17, 2020
5:50 p.m.
Today, Spectrum announced the tents are coming down at their Greenville and Lakeview hospitals as part of a new workflow approach to dealing with COVID-19. Spectrum officials say effective social distancing is slowing the surge of COVID-19 patients in West Michigan. pic.twitter.com/jQIgtGJQiy
— Elisabeth Waldon (@elisabethwaldon) April 17, 2020
5:40 p.m.
.@GovNedLamont just announced that Connecticut’s 2020 presidential primary election to be rescheduled to Tuesday, August 11, 2020. #Election2020 #COVID #NBCCT @NBCConnecticut
— Kyle Jones (@KyleJonesNBC) April 17, 2020
5 p.m.
4 p.m.
3:45 p.m.
3 p.m.
2:18 p.m.
NEW: Asked if CDC is in discussions w @uscensusbureau to reassign #2020Census workers to do contact tracing for COVID-19 cases, @CDCgov spokesperson Jason McDonald tells me "no plans have been finalized" as officials involved in discussions determine impact on "other missions"👇 pic.twitter.com/3LTM3hwhDa
— Hansi Lo Wang (@hansilowang) April 17, 2020
1:08 p.m.
BREAKING: San Diego Comic-Con officially CANCELLED this year. Will resume in 2021.
— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) April 17, 2020
1:00 p.m.
I'm so sad I won't be able to see you guys in concert this year, but I know this is the right decision. Please, please stay healthy and safe. I’ll see you on stage as soon as I can but right now what’s important is committing to this quarantine, for the sake of all of us. pic.twitter.com/qeiMk2Tgon
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) April 17, 2020
12:28 p.m.
$DAL Delta Extends Rebooking for Virus-Affected Travel Up to 2 Years
— Tom Flatten The Curve Hearden (@followtheh) April 17, 2020
12:13 p.m.
Stanford U Covid-19 antibody study out as preprint
— Antonio Regalado (@antonioregalado) April 17, 2020
3,300 people recruited via Facebook ads
considering test performance, estimate 2.4 - 4.6% positive on antibodies in Santa Clara country
50-85 TIMES (!!!!!) the # confirmed caseshttps://t.co/rI4DH4Od4G
12:11 p.m.
Fort Bragg reporting its first two #COVID19 deaths. One was a civilian @USArmy employee and the second a @FtBraggNC contractor. Both died last night.
— Sarah Blake Morgan (@StorytellerSBM) April 17, 2020
11:55 a.m.
BREAKING: At least 10 nursing homes in New York have had at least 30 confirmed COVID-19 deaths, per DOH. The state has released the facility-by-facility numbers, current as of Wednesday. https://t.co/2KOwYXVZgo
— (@JonCampbellGAN)Apr 17 2020
10:34 a.m.
We have 1,597 confirmed #COVID19 cases in Davidson County as of today, an increase of 37 in the past 24 hours. Please continue to follow our #SaferAtHome plan and help us keep our community safe. https://t.co/RL2nitOVgU pic.twitter.com/98pSNYzkYd
— Mayor John Cooper (@JohnCooper4Nash) April 17, 2020
9:57 a.m.
Just spoke to an immigration detainee who was transferred by ICE from a Louisiana detention center to Krome in Miami.
— Monique O. Madan (@MoniqueOMadan) April 17, 2020
He says he's sick with a "tremendous cough" and "pain in his body." He has not been tested.
Such transfers are happening, COVID-19 or not. @MiamiHerald
8:56 a.m.
Update: @Ford in an SEC filing just said it expects to post a $2 billion net loss in Q1
— (@MikeMartinez_AN)Apr 17 2020
8:07 a.m.
Altria CEO Howard Willard, recovering from COVID-19, retired effective April 14
— (@MarketsTicker)Apr 17 2020
7:17 a.m.
'Cool Runnings' Real-life Jamaican bobsleigh team member Sam Clayton dies of coronavirus https://t.co/NJtx9nf36o
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) April 17, 2020
7:11 a.m.
The Rutgers University scientist who oversaw the development of a saliva test to detect coronavirus says he believes this new way to collect patient samples could serve as a bridge to widespread national testing. https://t.co/3UevIdJE5p
— ABC News (@ABC) April 17, 2020
6:25 a.m.
President Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen will be released early from prison due to the coronavirus pandemic https://t.co/34CuhfcJ0m pic.twitter.com/TVjXlanNwO
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) April 17, 2020
About the Authors
Tim Darnell is an Atlanta native and veteran of several local, national, and international news, business and sports publications.
Stephanie has been telling stories her whole life. Her interest in the written word started with short stories and journal entries about run-ins with classroom bullies as a child and matured to writing for her high school newspaper over the years. She has written and edited for The Tennessean, Augusta Chronicle and American City & County.
Kelcie Willis is a writer and online content producer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Sociology from the University of Georgia. At the AJC, she covers state, regional and national news with the Content Curation Desk.
