April 6 coronavirus news

By Helen Regan, Jessie Yeung, Adam Renton, Amy Woodyatt and Meg Wagner, CNN

Updated 9:18 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020
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4:33 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

Chicago mayor says 72% of city's Covid-19 deaths are black patients

From CNN's Bill Kirkos and Omar Jimenez

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks after being sworn in as Mayor of Chicago during a ceremony in Chicago, Illinois, on May 20, 2019.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks after being sworn in as Mayor of Chicago during a ceremony in Chicago, Illinois, on May 20, 2019. Scott Olson/Getty Images

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says that 72% of all Chicago deaths related to Covid-19 have been black Chicagoans.   

While presenting statistics on how Covid-19 is affecting black residents more severely than white residents, Lightfoot announced a new Covid-19 patient data order to help combat the virus' effects on Chicago, including in the hardest hit African-American neighborhoods. 

Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Allison Arwady joined Lightfoot at Monday's press conference and said that 52% of the city's Covid-19 diagnoses have been in black Chicagoans.

"72% of our Covid deaths here in Chicago have been in black Chicagoans" even though they make up 30%, Arwady said.

"Those numbers take your breath away," Mayor Lightfoot said.  

Lightfoot criticized health care providers for not providing needed information on Covid-19 effects demographically. 

She's announcing the launch of a Covid-19 patient data order that requires healthcare providers to report the race and ethnicity of those they treat. This is "not negotiable," Lightfoot said, while announcing the new strategy in an effort to understand the full Coronavirus impact on the city.

5:25 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

UK Foreign Secretary will deputize for Prime Minister Boris Johnson

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab during a joint news conference in Tokyo, Japan, on February 8.
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab during a joint news conference in Tokyo, Japan, on February 8. Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

Before he was moved to the ICU, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab — who is the most senior Cabinet minister after Johnson — to deputize for him where necessary, according to a statement from 10 Downing Street.

CNN correspondent Bianca Nobilo said Raab stood in for Johnson at the daily briefing on coronavirus and chaired the coronavirus "war cabinet" meeting today.

At a press conference about four hours ago, Raab said the prime minister was comfortable, in good spirits and was continuing to lead the country. Now, Johnson's symptoms are being called "persistent."

Watch more:

5:27 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

US stocks finish higher

From CNN’s Anneken Tappe

US stocks closed near session highs Monday on optimism about a slowdown in new coronavirus infections.

It was the stock market’s best day since March 24.

Here's how today went:

  • The Dow finished up 7.7%, or 1,627 points.
  • The S&P 500 closed 7% higher.
  • The Nasdaq Composite ended up 7.3%.

It's a shortened trading week for US markets, which will be closed for Good Friday.

Remember: As stocks settle after the trading day, levels might still change slightly.

Watch more:

4:00 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

Illinois reports more than 1,000 new cases in the last 24 hours

From CNN's Stephanie Gallman

The state of Illinois saw a rise of 1,006 cases of Covid-19 and 33 deaths from the virus in the last 24 hours, according to an announcement by the Department of Health at the governor’s press briefing Monday. 

The state has a total of 12,262 cases and 307 deaths.  

4:12 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

Arkansas plans to send ventilators to Louisiana this week, governor said

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson speaks in Hope, Arkansas, on May 5, 2015.
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson speaks in Hope, Arkansas, on May 5, 2015. Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Monday that his state will send five ventilators to Louisiana this week to help with treating hospitalized Covid-19 patients.

Hutchinson said during a press conference that he asked Dr. Nathaniel Smith, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Health, “about the possibility of extending ventilators to the urgent needs in Louisiana and I asked about five and talked to UAMS (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences) who said they could make five available without jeopardizing our population here.”

The governor added he asked Smith to coordinate the transfer of ventilators to Louisiana because “this week I know Governor (John Bel) Edwards is going to be a confronted with a real challenge.”

4:19 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

California locks down more than 4,600 beds to prepare for coronavirus surge

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks to the press in Los Angeles, California, on December 19, 2019.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks to the press in Los Angeles, California, on December 19, 2019. Agustin Paullier/AFP/Getty Images

The state of California has secured 4,613 beds to prepare for the surge of coronavirus cases, California Gov. Gavin Newsom just announced.

Today’s press conference was held at the Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, an alternative care site where 400 beds will be provided for patients being discharged from the hospital with mild to moderate systems. Acute care will continue to be provided at hospitals, Governor Newsom said.

The Sleep Train Arena, where the Sacramento Kings used to play, will start accepting patients as early as April 20.

Alternative care sites have been set up in every major region in the state of California, Newsom said. 4,613 beds have been locked in and are “ready to go.” An additional 5,005 beds have also been identified.

This is a part of Newsom’s first phase to secure 50,000 beds beyond the current capacity.

More than 80,000 people have filled out an application for the California Health Corps. These workers will help staff the sites.

While the state has the physical sites and the human personnel, more PPE is needed. We need more ventilators and N95 masks, Newsom said.

Newsom also reminded residents to continue to practice social distancing. “Physical distancing is working,” he said.

Newsom said he anticipates a peak in mid-May.

3:42 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

Arkansas schools will be closed for the rest of the school year

Arkansas public schools will remain closed for the rest fo the current school year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Monday.

During a news conference in Little Rock, Hutchinson told reporters alternative methods of instruction will continue while schools remain closed. 

The governor also sounded a positive tone on the measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

“What we're doing in Arkansas is having some beneficial impact, significant beneficial impact from our social distancing and restrictions on gatherings and so I want to encourage everyone in Arkansas during this critical week to continue to do your responsibility to follow the social distancing when you can't social distance wear a mask so that you can protect yourself and you can protect others. We want to continue to slow that spread,” Hutchinson said.
3:37 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is in intensive care

From CNN's Hilary McGann

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a press conference at 10 Downing Street in London on March 20.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a press conference at 10 Downing Street in London on March 20. Julian Simmonds/WPA Pool/Getty Images

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is in intensive care at St Thomas’ Hospital, in London, 10 Downing Street said.

"Over the course of this afternoon, the condition of the Prime Minister has worsened and, on the advice of his medical team, he has been moved to the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital," a spokesperson said in a statement.

Johnson was admitted to the London hospital last night with persistent symptoms of coronavirus, 10 days after first being diagnosed.

Watch more:

3:08 p.m. ET, April 6, 2020

Milwaukee mayor says he supports delaying Wisconsin primary

From CNN's Elise Hammond

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers just ordered a suspension of his state's primary election just one day before it was scheduled to take place.

Evers issued an executive order delaying tomorrow's primary until June 9, unless he and the legislature approve of a different date. He said in the order that "no Wisconsinite should ever have to choose between exercising their constitutional right to vote and being safe, secure, and healthy."

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said he was proud of the governor and agrees that going forward with the election would put many people at risk.

"I can't ask people to go in-person vote if I think they're putting their lives on the line. I can't do that," Barrett told CNN's Anderson Cooper.

The delay will be challenged: Some Republican state legislative leaders say they will ask the state Supreme Court to block the order. In a joint statement, state Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, both Republicans, said they were challenging Evers' executive order in the Wisconsin Supreme Court and that local clerks should "stand ready to proceed with the election."

If courts allow Evers to delay the primary, his move could avert the need for the Wisconsin National Guard to man polling places Tuesday as poll workers quit due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Wisconsin had been the only one of 11 states with April primaries that was moving forward with in-person voting, after the other 10 either delayed their primaries or shifted to by-mail only voting.