General News 

We’re all aware of the painful human toll of COVID-19 outbreaks in New York, New Jersey, Louisiana and California. Now we’re beginning to see alarming surges in other parts of the country. Florida now has over 13-thousand confirmed cases. Illinois has 11-thousand and Michigan has over 15-thousand. Hospitals have become crowded in several states, which is why it’s puzzling that some medical centers are reducing staff levels. At Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami-Dade County, employees are being asked to go on temporary furloughs due to financial strains. Meanwhile, The Washington Post spoke with an Illinois physician whose sole job right now is addressing COVID-19-associated breathing problems. He says, it’s basically like being right next to a “nuclear reactor”.

One other story that’s getting a lot of attention right now is a tiger at the Bronx Zoo that has tested positive for coronavirus. 

International News 

There’s a lot of international news today. In the U.K., Prime Minister Boris Johnson now remains under observation at a London hospital. Some good news out of Spain, where authorities there say deaths have now fallen for the fourth consecutive day. And tough questions are being posed across Europe. Some have asked “How did the E.U. get the coronavirus so wrong?” Finally, Japan is declaring a national emergency as cases have soared in Tokyo. 

Science News 

In research news, a medication originally developed to combat Ebola is entering clinical trials as a potential treatment against the new coronavirus. Also, a second vaccine candidate, this one from Inovio Pharmaceuticals, begins human clinical trials today. The vaccine has shown promising response in animal studies. 

News You Can Use 

Finally, some news you can hopefully use to manage stress and anxiety. The author of an article in the New York Times identifies the similarities and differences between our reactions to COVID-19 and terrorism. An article in the Harvard Business Review urges Americans not to let fear of COVID-19 turn into stigma.