In Washington state, an outbreak at another nursing center is being reported, with at least one dead and dozens more infected. Washington was one of the early epicenters of the pandemic in the U.S. at the Life Care Center of Kirkland, where the disease killed 35 people.
In Ohio, reproductive rights defenders are calling out attempts by Attorney General Dave Yost to close abortion clinics amid the coronavirus crisis by labeling abortions “non-essential” procedures. State Senator Nickie Antonio said, “Every woman who seeks an abortion knows it’s an essential, time sensitive procedure — especially in states like Ohio, which has drastically limited the window when abortions are allowed. It is inexcusable that our state’s attorney would play politics with a global pandemic.”
In Florida, the University of Tampa and several other Florida colleges said a number of its students who celebrated spring break have tested positive for coronavirus, days after images of densely packed revelers on the state’s beaches went viral and caused outrage. A Florida attorney is suing Governor Ron DeSantis to compel him to close all of Florida’s beaches to deal with the pandemic.
Hunger strikes are now underway in three Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, detention centers in New Jersey as prisoners call out deteriorating conditions and a failure to protect them from a potential outbreak of COVID-19.
In media news, tributes poured in from NBC News hosts and other employees after longtime NBC audio technician Larry Edgeworth died of medical complications related to COVID-19.
Dozens of Mike Bloomberg campaign staffers have been told they were exposed to coronavirus, just hours before they were laid off and days before they were set to lose their health insurance. In other 2020 election news, Bernie Sanders’s campaign raised over $2 million for coronavirus charities in two days after making an appeal to supporters.
Indigenous communities say they have been neglected in the federal response to coronavirus as emergency funds and medical aid for tribal groups have been delayed.
On Friday, the Trump administration said it was limiting nonessential travel on the U.S.-Mexico border. Despite the travel restrictions, construction of Trump’s border wall is continuing, putting construction crews at risk of infection and costing taxpayers billions of dollars as experts say the economy is already in a recession.
And nationwide, the deadline to file taxes has been extended three months to July 15. The deadline for the census has been extended by two weeks.