March 27 coronavirus news

Sonja Reinert, a labor and delivery nurse at Emory Hospital Midtown in Atlanta, posted an emotional video on Facebook Friday, urging people to stay home and stop stealing their supplies.

She said they don't have enough personal protective equipment or other supplies. They've had to hide, gloves hats and even hand sanitizer because people have been stealing it.

“I think that’s what’s the most shocking is that people walking into a hospital and think they can just take something," she added.

Reinert said hospital administrators are doing everything they can to get the supplies they need. She went on to ask the public for face masks and supplies, adding, "please consider donating them because we don't have anything."

Reinert said they test any patients with a cough for coronavirus, but the results don't come back for three days. They've been treating any patients with symptoms as if they have the disease.

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Data is continuing to show that younger people are being hospitalized with Covid-19, World Health Organization officials said during a media briefing in Geneva on Friday. 

"What we know from data across a number of countries — including data from China, including data from the US and Italy and Iran and Korea and Japan and others — is that this virus can cause mild disease," Kerkhove said. "But we do have reports and there are some publications now that describe severe infection in children."

Dr. Mike Ryan, WHO executive director of health emergencies program, said during the briefing that in Korea, 20% of the deaths were in people under 60 years of age; in Italy, up to 15% of people in intensive care were under 50; and in Germany and other countries, up to 10% to 15% of people under 50 with disease will have moderate to severe infection. 

"This Covid-19 virus is capable of causing infection and severe disease in people of all ages," Kerkhove said.

The US House is debating the $2 trillion economic stimulus bill now. Here's what we're expecting next:

What this is about: Massie tweeted that he will seek a recorded vote, meaning that members would be required to show up in person and vote on the historic stimulus bill. 

Leadership has hoped to pass the measure by a voice-vote.

The number of people who died of coronavirus in Italy has risen by 969, the biggest daily jump since the crisis began. 

The total number of deaths now stands at 9,134, according to Italy's Civil Protection Agency. 

There has been an increase of 4,401 cases of coronavirus in the past day, the Civil Protection Agency said. 

The total number of recorded coronavirus cases in Italy, including deaths and those who recovered, now stands at 86,498.

Clarification: The 969 figure includes 50 deaths that were not included in Thursday’s figures.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced Friday she is ordering the closure of all nonessential businesses in the state due to the coronavirus outbreak. 

All nonessential businesses are being asked to close at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Ivey said they have broken their nonessential businesses into four categories:

The businesses will remain closed through April 17. 

Ivey went on to say that she will not be issuing a statewide shutdown. 

As of Friday morning, Alabama has recorded 540 cases of coronavirus.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said in a news conference today that he has closed in-person instruction for the remainder of the school year, but is asking schools to continue virtual learning.

He said he fully understand this is hard and the impact it will have on families, but he believes it is important to keep people safe.

Apple on Friday released a website and an iOS app that allows users to screen themselves for coronavirus symptoms, marking another response to the pandemic by a major tech platform. 

Both tools were developed in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the White House's Coronavirus Task Force and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Apple said in a statement to CNN. The app and website include a questionnaire and information about the novel coronavirus. 

The website is https://www.apple.com/covid19.

The app can be downloaded here: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1504132184

Apple said it will not collect or store users’ answers to the questionnaire, though it will collect anonymous information about usage of the tools.

As the world faces a global shortage of medical equipment, the World Health Organization is planning to ship personal protective equipment to doctors in 60 more countries, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a media briefing in Geneva today.

"WHO has shipped almost 2 million individual items of protective gear to 74 countries that need it most and we’re preparing to send a similar amount to a further 60 countries, but much more is needed," Tedros said. "The problem can only be solved with international cooperation and solidarity."

Illinois has a "desperate need" for personal protective equipment, the state's Department of Public Health tweeted Friday.

IDPH is asking for anyone who can donate gloves, masks, and gowns to protect health care workers to reach out to the state to arrange for a donation.

More on this: Gov. J.B. Pritzker said during a news conference Thursday that Illinois is competing with other states, the federal government and other countries in the marketplace to obtain more PPE.

Pritzker called on President Trump to enforce the Defense Protection Act executive order to make it easier for states to produce and purchase more PPE.