U.S. Coronavirus Blog: Trump Targets WHO As Deaths Pass 12K

This story on coronavirus developments is updated throughout the day with national news and developments from around our network of local Patches. Scroll down for links helpful to day-to-day living and stories on recent developments.

We're All In This Together: Help Patch Help Our Communities

The new coronavirus crisis is being felt in the Trump administration in chaotic ways.

President Donald Trump targeted the World Health Organization during his daily coronavirus briefing, calling it a "China-centric organization" and threatening to pull its U.S. funding. He accused the organization of "missing the mark" on the coronavirus pandemic.

"They should have known and they probably did know," Trump said.

Hours earlier, Trump bashed his acting inspector general of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for confirming the strain the new coronavirus outbreak is placing on U.S. hospitals, which are still without all the equipment, testing and protective gear they need.

Trump accused a member of his administration of creating a "fake dossier," his secretary of the Navy offered his resignation for telling sailors that the captain of their Navy ship, who was removed from his command for raising alarms about cases of the new coronavirus, was either "naive" or "stupid."

Finally, Trump removed a Pentagon inspector general who was to make sure the $2 trillion stimulus money was being spent how it should be.

And this was all done Tuesday.

On the report about hospitals, the president's been quite vocal about what the acting inspector general, Christi Grimm, wrote about her findings.

Trump also targeted Grimm during his Monday coronavirus briefing at the White House, calling the report's findings biased and politically motivated. He doubled down Tuesday, using his preferred medium to call the report "fake."

To create the report, Grimm surveyed 323 hospitals in March and concluded they had insufficient capacity to handle the surge of coronavirus patients. The report also confirmed severe shortages of testing supplies and equipment.

Here's the full report. Judge for yourself.

Trump Criticizes World Health Organization: 'Called It Wrong'

Navy Secretary Offers To Resign After Calling Captain 'Stupid'

Trump Rages Over Watchdog Report on ‘Severe’ Hospital Shortages

On Tuesday, Trump fired Glenn Fine, who has been the acting Defense Department inspector general since before Trump took office. More recently, Fine was appointed leader of a new panel of watchdogs charged with policing how the government spends and carries out the $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill.

In an equally abrupt move, Trump named Sean O’Donnell as acting Defense Department inspector general. O'Donnell currently is the Environmental Protection Agency’s inspector general.

Trump Effectively Ousted Top Watchdog for Virus Relief Funds: NYT

With all the moving around and firings in Washington, governors continued to plead for help.

To see the strain the pandemic is taking on U.S. health care systems, you shouldn't need to look farther than New York state, home of some of the most brutal images resulting from the coronavirus. The state saw its single deadliest day Tuesday, as makeshift hospitals have been set up in arenas and parks, officials plead for more masks and ventilators, and funeral homes are inundated, unable to find a final resting place for the dead.

New York's deadliest day comes 24 hours after a glimmer of hope peeked through the darkness of warnings from health experts about a spike in deaths over the next couple of weeks.

For the third day in a row, the state is continuing to see a decline in new hospitalizations, ICU admissions and intubations, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, confirming that the state's social distancing measures have been effective in reducing the spread of the virus.

"I know it's hard, but we have to keep doing it," he said Tuesday.

New York reported more than 700 coronavirus-related deaths Tuesday, Cuomo said at his daily briefing. Overall, the death toll in the state climbed to 5,489, up from 4,758 a day earlier.

A flattening in the numbers of cases and hospital admissions is often followed by an increase in deaths, health officials said. Now, officials will watch closely to see if the glimmer of hope in New York is a blip or or the beginning to a sustained drop in cases.

New York Sees Largest Number Of Single-Day Deaths

NY May Be At Peak Of Coronavirus Outbreak, Cuomo Says

The state is not out of the woods by a long shot, especially New York City. However, the city received its own bit of hopeful news Tuesday when Mayor Bill de Blasio said the number of new cases in the city is slowing, giving more time to stock hospitals with desperately needed ventilators.

City data showed the number of new COVID-19 cases dropped below 2,500 for the first time since March 22.

"The number of people showing up in our hospitals who need a ventilator, that situation has improved a bit," de Blasio said. "That's very good news, that's crucial news."

Coronavirus Rates Slow In NYC For First Time In Days, Mayor Says

Tuesday's news follows a particularly somber Monday briefing, during which de Blasio said temporary burials are being planned in New York City as the death toll neared 2,500 and funeral homes are left totally overwhelmed.

New York is not the lone hot spot in the United States as cases continue to rise. Louisiana, Michigan, Maryland and Illinois are growing hot spots.

Those places may want to pay particularly close attention to health experts.

"The next two weeks are extraordinarily important," Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House's coronavirus response coordinator, said at Saturday's task force news conference. "This is the moment to not be going to the grocery store, not going to the pharmacy, but doing everything you can to keep your family and your friends safe."

Don't miss local and statewide news about coronavirus developments and precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters. Also, for updated coverage on national news surrounding coronavirus, sign up for the Patch Across America daily newsletter.

The news was grim in the United Kingdom, too. Prime Minister Boris Johnson remained in an intensive care unit for a second day, the BBC reported.

Johnson, 55, was admitted to St. Thomas' Hospital in London with "persistent symptoms" on Sunday and was moved to intensive care Monday. More than 5,000 people have died in the U.K. from the coronavirus.

NY May Be At Peak Of Coronavirus Outbreak, Cuomo Says

Coronavirus Rates Slow In NYC For First Time In Days, Mayor Says

Temporary Burials Planned As NYC Death Toll Nears 2,500

Judging by the turnout at Wisconsin polling places Tuesday, you may see hints of a pandemic at play but would never know a stay-at-home order is in effect for the entire state.

As Wisconsin's presidential primary got underway, voters struggled with long lines and 90-minute waits to cast their ballots while also facing the challenge of maintaining at least 6 feet of distance between others. In Milwaukee, a city of 600,000 people, only five polling places were open to the public, contributing to the long waits and unavoidable crowds.

In the state with nearly 2,500 coronavirus cases, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers had sought to delay in-person voting, but to no avail — the conservative-leaning court state Supreme Court ruled that Evers did not have the authority to postpone the election.

Wisconsin Election: Long Lines As Voting Goes On Amid Coronavirus

By midday Tuesday, more than 383,000 people in the United States were infected by the virus and more than 12,000 had died, according to Johns Hopkins University. Around 20,100 have recovered.

With the numbers continuing to jump nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now recommending that people use some kind of face covering when they go out — but nothing medical grade because health workers need them desperately.

Numbers: Latest U.S. Confirmed Cases And Death

Face Masks During Coronavirus: How To Make Your Own

A Texas City Mandates People Wear Masks In Public Or Face $1,000 Fines

NJ Gov.: Coronavirus May 'Spill Meaningfully Into Summer'

Gov. Phil Murphy offered some insight into how long the coronavirus crisis may last in New Jersey just as he was providing an update of the outbreak's toll.

Latest Coronavirus Myths: Malaria Drug, Mail Safety, Face Masks

Is hydroxychloroquine, long used to treat malaria and lupus, a "silver bullet" for the new coronavirus? Should Americans wear masks?

Top Musicians To Perform Two-Hour Special For Coronavirus Fight

Lady Gaga, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Lizzo, Billie Eilish and Priyanka Chopra Jonas are among the One World: Together at Home" special.

Mayor's Haircut In Stay-At-Home Chicago, City Of Big Whiners

KONKOL COLUMN: The only takeaway from Mayor Lori Lightfoot's coronavirus haircut controversy: Stay home. Save Lives. Quit whining.

Colorado National Guard Sends 250 Personnel

The Colorado National Guard is helping with homeless shelters, and Denver now has 270 hotel rooms for those in need.

UW Medicine Seeks Testers For Outbreak Prediction App

The University of Washington School of Medicine is looking to pay 25,000 people across the nation to test an outbreak prediction app.

Here's How The Coronavirus First Reached CT: Yale Study

A new report by the Yale School of Public Health examines the origins of the new coronavirus and how it ended up getting to Connecticut.

LI Woman Played Wedding Song To Husband Dying Of Coronavirus

Joe Lewinger died from the new coronavirus. The 42-year-old Long Island father of three had no underlying health issues. A week after his death, his wife, Maura, spoke with CNN about how she said goodbye to her husband and played their wedding song on FaceTime.

Tiger At NY Bronx Zoo Tests Positive For Coronavirus

The tiger is the first animal in the U.S. known to be infected.

Human Trials Begin On Coronavirus Vaccine Made In PA

A Montgomery County-based biopharmaceutical company has begun human trials on a coronavirus vaccine.

British Open Canceled Until '21 As Golf Schedule Reworked

The British Open will not be played this year — skipping a year for the first time since 1945 — with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R&A) choosing to play golf's oldest championship next year at Royal St. George's and move the 150th Open at St. Andrews to 2022.

Keeping The Peace With Family During Coronavirus Isolation

As we're sheltering in place for an unknown period, how can we avoid getting on each other's nerves? Moms and experts weigh in.

Newborn Elephant At Tucson Zoo A Pleasant Coronavirus Distraction

A baby elephant was born at the Reid Park Zoo this week, and the first pictures are a delightful distraction during the coronavirus shutdown.

Read More By State:

• Arizona Coronavirus: Cases Top 2,500; 73 Have Died
• California Coronavirus: What To Know Tuesday, April 7
• Colorado Updates: Stay-At-Home Order Extended
• Connecticut Updates: State Reports Largest Single-Day Death Toll
• D.C.: Total Coronavirus Cases Top 1,200
• Florida Coronavirus Update: 14,504 Cases, 283 Deaths
• Georgia: Total Deaths Surpass 300, 100 New Deaths Tuesday
• Illinois Coronavirus Update April 7: 13,549 Cases; 380 Deaths
• Massachusetts Updates: 96 More Deaths, 1,365 New Cases
• Maryland: 4,371 Confirmed Cases, 103 Deaths As Of April 7
• Michigan: State Has 3rd Highest Number Of Cases In U.S.
• Minnesota: Gov. Tim Walz Signs Two More Executive Orders
• New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know
• North Carolina: Death Toll Now At 46, At Least 3,221 Cases
• Pennsylvania Reports Largest Single-Day Coronavirus Death Toll
• Rhode Island: Restaurant, Business Closures Extended To May
• Wisconsin Coronavirus Cases Climb To More Than 2,500, Now 92 Dead

Patch Coronavirus Resources

This article will be updated through the day; please check back in for updates.