Samara Heisz/iStock(NEW YORK) — More than 2.1 million people have been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus worldwide as the spread of the virus continues.
The global coronavirus death toll stands at more than 145,000 people, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to a number of deaths in which a person is not tested for the virus.
Many cities and states have begun counting probable deaths caused by COVID-19, including New York City, the epicenter of the disease in the United States.
The U.S. has more cases and deaths than any country in the world, with at least 671,425 diagnosed cases and at least 33,286 deaths. Just 24 hours prior, the death toll was 28,364.
More than 56,000 people in the U.S. have recovered from COVID-19.
Here’s how the news is developing Friday. All times Eastern:
9:05 a.m.: Michigan governor on reopening US businesses
After President Donald Trump unveiled his administration’s plan to reopen the U.S. economy on Thursday, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says the president’s guidelines have shortcomings.
“We should be able to administer a test to anyone who has symptoms. Ideally to people that are around people with symptoms, and in the best case scenario just doing them broadly so we really get a handle on where COVID-19 is and where the threats are,” Whitmer told ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America.
“In Michigan we’ve had to be really aggressive. We’ve got the third-highest death rate in the country right now,” Whitmer said. “We have a unique crisis … we need unique solutions.”
Whitmer said that’s why seven Midwest governors from both sides of the aisle have joined together so they can have an open dialogue and share best practices as they work toward reopening their economics.
One of the governors in the Midwest coalition — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine — tweeted Thursday that his state would start reopening on May 1.
Whitmer responded on GMA that the coalition “doesn’t mean that each of us is going to take the exact same steps.”
“I do hope to have some relaxing come May 1, but it’s two weeks away, and that information and the data and our ability to test is changing so rapidly,” she said. “It’s hard to tell you precisely where we’ll be in a week from now much less two.”
After four sheriffs in Michigan said they won’t enforce Whitmer’s stay-at-home order, the governor said, “I can take it.”
“Four sheriffs out of 83 sheriffs making a point, that’s fine,” she said. “I can take it. If it makes people feel better to take their frustrations out on me, that’s fine. All I ask is let’s not get overly political here. Let’s focus on the public health.”
6:35 a.m.: China increases Wuhan death toll by 50%
Chinese officials overnight said they had underestimated the number of people that died from COVID-19 at the epicenter of the outbreak, in Wuhan, by 50%. The country added 1,290 dead to its readjusted total for Wuhan, with a death toll that now stands at 3,869 in the city.
China said this was not a cover-up, rather an adjustment to numbers based on new information coming from places like prisons and care facilities.
The timing of this adjustment comes as President Donald Trump criticized China for its underreporting of deaths and cases at the start of the outbreak.
French President Emmanuel Macron added his voice to the growing skepticism of China’s handling of the pandemic.
“There are clearly things that have happened that we don’t know about,” Macron told the Financial Times.
3:45 a.m.: Illinois has deadliest day since pandemic began
As President Donald Trump talks with governors about reopening the country and cautious optimism rises with COVID-related hospital admissions down in many cities, Illinois had its worst day since the pandemic began.
At least 125 people died in the state in the last 24 hours, which brings the statewide coronavirus death to at least 1,072 residents.
“While these numbers are disheartening, I don’t want people to despair,” Illinois Dept. of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said, according to ABC Chicago station WLS-TV. “Instead, I want them to renew our collective resolve to do what is needed to end the pandemic. We continue to learn and amass new information about this virus every single day.”
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker also announced Thursday new testing sites in the state and that Illinois has joined a coalition of other Midwestern governors to explore how to improve their economies.
The state’s unemployment rate rose 1.2%, to 4.6%, Thursday and lost at least 34,000 jobs, the Illinois Department of Employment Security announced. Nationwide, the staggering number of people who have filed for unemployment amid the pandemic has suppressed 20 million. More than 5.2 million filed for unemployment insurance just in the last week, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.
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