May 25 coronavirus news

By Ben Westcott, Brett McKeehan, Zamira Rahim, Mike Hayes, Melissa Macaya and Meg Wagner, CNN

Updated 10:10 PM ET, Mon May 25, 2020
67 Posts
Sort byDropdown arrow
4:58 p.m. ET, May 25, 2020

More than 98,000 people have died from coronavirus in the US

There are at least 1,657,441 cases of coronavirus in the US, and at least 98,034 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University's tally of cases.

Johns Hopkins reported 14,195 new cases and 314 deaths on Monday.  

The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases. 

4:54 p.m. ET, May 25, 2020

Another Covid-19 vaccine enters human trials

From CNN’s John Bonifield

Dr. Nita Patel, Director of Antibody discovery and Vaccine development, looks at a computer model showing the protein structure of a potential Covid-19 vaccine at Novavax labs in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on March 20.
Dr. Nita Patel, Director of Antibody discovery and Vaccine development, looks at a computer model showing the protein structure of a potential Covid-19 vaccine at Novavax labs in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on March 20. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images

Maryland-based biotechnology company Novavax announced plans Monday to begin enrolling approximately 130 people with a new experimental vaccine against the novel coronavirus. 

It’s the 10th company worldwide to start human trials of potential vaccines against Covid-19.

The first volunteer is expected to be vaccinated Monday evening in Australia, where the initial phase of the trial is being conducted at two sites.

The vaccine, called NVX‑CoV2373, produced high levels of neutralizing antibodies in pre-clinical testing, according to a company statement issued Monday.

"These results provide strong evidence that the vaccine candidate will be highly immunogenic in humans, leading to protection from COVID‑19 and thus helping to control the spread of this disease," the statement said.

The announcement was made only in the statement, and the data has not been peer-reviewed or published in a medical journal. 

The company says it expects to have preliminary safety and effectiveness results in July. If the results are promising, the trial will proceed into its second phase, in which a larger group of participants in multiple countries would be tested to evaluate the safety, effectiveness and Covid-19 disease reduction capacity of the vaccine.

Meanwhile, Novavax plans to produce the vaccine ahead of time, so a supply will be available if it is proven to work. The manufacturing is being accelerated with $388 million from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), a global partnership among public, private and philanthropic organizations.

A company spokesperson tells CNN Novavax expects to deliver 100 million doses of the vaccine by the end of the year, and a billion doses in 2021.

 

4:22 p.m. ET, May 25, 2020

France reports continued decrease of hospitalized patients with coronavirus

From CNN's Benjamin Berteau and Pierre Buet

The number of patients hospitalized with coronavirus across France continues to decline, falling by 387 over the last 24 hours, the French Health Ministry confirmed Monday.

The total number of patients currently in hospitals with coronavirus now stands at 16,798.

France also continues to see a decline in the number of patients admitted to intensive care units, with a total of 1,609 patients currently in intensive care – 46 fewer than Sunday’s total.

This decline comes a day after the health ministry reported a spike in cases over the weekend.

According to the latest data released by the country's health ministry, the nationwide death toll now stands at 28,432. These are the latest figures released by the government since Thursday, when the holiday weekend began.

4:14 p.m. ET, May 25, 2020

Connecticut reports 49 new coronavirus deaths

From CNN's Rob Frehse

Connecticut reported 405 new coronavirus cases and 49 new deaths, according to a statement released from the governor's office on Monday.

Some of the latest numbers come from data that occurred over the last several days to a week, according to Gov. Ned Lamont.

As of 2 p.m. today, the state now has a total of 40,873 cases of coronavirus and 3,742 deaths.

At least 706 Covid-19 patients have been hospitalized.

4:16 p.m. ET, May 25, 2020

California workers union calls for immediate closure of Los Angeles meat plant

From CNN's Cheri Mossburg

The workers union representing 1,300 employees of Smithfield’s Farmer John plant just south of Los Angeles, California, are calling for its immediate closure in the wake of a coronavirus outbreak.

The company, which makes the Dodger Dog, a delicacy at baseball games, reported 153 cases among its 1,837 employees, according to the L.A. County Department of Public Health.

Of the 153, only 14 have returned to work. Smithfield has offered testing to all employees.

The union said the company needs to increase safety measures before reopening.

“Working conditions inside the plant are similar to what we are seeing nationwide in Smithfield plants,” John Grant, the president of UFCW Local 770, said in a statement. “Workers are still too close together on the line, in the breakroom, the bathrooms and other such hubs."

Rina Chavarria, who works at the plant, said in the statement that workers do not feel safe.

“We work hard every day. Smithfield has not taken steps to make sure workers are protected and now so many of us are getting sick. We can’t go to the plant under these conditions. We are paid too little not to work so we call on Smithfield to do the right thing and close the plant while we keep our pay and benefits," Chavarria said.

Some context: President Trump signed an executive order at the end of April aimed at keeping meat-processing facilities open during the pandemic.

This left plants across the country scrambling to balance worker safety with pressure from the federal government to remain operational.

4:02 p.m. ET, May 25, 2020

Kuwait to end full Covid-19 curfew on May 30

From CNN’s Sharif Paget

Residents walk in a neighborhood of Kuwait City, on May 12, as authorities allowed people to exercise for two hours under a nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Residents walk in a neighborhood of Kuwait City, on May 12, as authorities allowed people to exercise for two hours under a nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yasser Al-Zayyat/AFP/Getty Images

Kuwait will not extend its full coronavirus curfew beyond May 30, Kuwait’s state news agency KUNA said on Monday, citing Interior Minister Anas Al-Saleh.

Al-Saleh announced that Kuwait will instead turn to a partial curfew to pave the way “for restoration of normal life,” KUNA reported.

No further details were immediately provided about the partial curfew.

The country has so far recorded 21,967 coronavirus cases with 165 deaths, according to its health ministry.

4:03 p.m. ET, May 25, 2020

Canada wants national sick leave plan in place for possible second wave of the pandemic

From CNN’s Paula Newton in Ottawa

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives on Parliament Hill to attend the Special Committee meeting on the COVID-19 global pandemic in Ottawa, Canada, on Wednesday, May 20.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives on Parliament Hill to attend the Special Committee meeting on the COVID-19 global pandemic in Ottawa, Canada, on Wednesday, May 20. Dave Chan/AFP/Getty Images

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government is trying to give all workers a minimum of 10 days paid sick leave per year as Canada starts to prepare for a possible second wave of the pandemic. 

"Nobody should have to choose between taking a day off work due to illness or being able to pay their bills. Just like nobody should have to choose between staying home with COVID-19 symptoms or being able to afford rent or groceries," Trudeau said during a press conference from Ottawa Monday. 

The effort is complicated by the fact that sick leave is usually a provincial jurisdiction. Trudeau said putting the necessary mechanisms in place for a national paid sick leave program would be challenging but his government and the provinces are determined to try. 

“When the fall comes and flu season starts up we don’t want people who develop a sniffle to suddenly worry that while they really shouldn’t go into work but they can’t afford to not go into work and therefore the risk of contributing to a wave significantly, could be a real problem,” said Trudeau. 

Canada's top doctor repeated her assertion Monday that a second wave of the virus could be worse than the first and encouraged public health officials to build up capacity for testing, hospital beds and PPE in order to prepare. 

“I think you can never be overly prepared and we have to just keep going with some of these capacity developments and that goes for lab testing as well,“ said Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer.

By the numbers: As of Monday, Canada had reported more than 86,000 cases of Covid-19 and more than 6,500 deaths. 

3:42 p.m. ET, May 25, 2020

Charlotte councilman says Trump's desire for RNC capacity crowds is "unrealistic"

From CNN's Jason Kurtz

Aerial view of downtown Charlotte, North Carolina.
Aerial view of downtown Charlotte, North Carolina. Shutterstock

A Charlotte city councilman said President Trump's threats to pull the Republican National Convention from North Carolina aren't realistic.

Earlier today, Trump contended that Gov. Roy Cooper is "unable to guarantee" that the arena will be allowed "full attendance."

"I think that it’s unrealistic for the President, or anybody, to expect Governor Cooper… to be able to guarantee anything about what three months from now looks like," said Larken Egleston, a Democrat who helped vote to bring the RNC to the Queen City.

He told CNN's Brianna Keilar that he thinks the Covid-19 pandemic has been politicized.

"I think at first, at least in our state, we were seeing a lot of bipartisan cooperation for doing what's best for the citizens of North Carolina. That seems to be fraying," Egleston said.

Vice President Mike Pence on Monday suggested a trio of other states — all with Republican governors — as possible RNC replacements for North Carolina.

"It's an issue we've been talking about because these national conventions literally take many months to organize and prepare and there are states around the country -- we think of Texas, we think of Florida, Georgia, the last two states I visited last week that have made tremendous progress on reopening their communities and reopening their economies," Pence said.

Egleston reacted to the mention of moving the convention to Texas, Georgia, and Florida.

"If the reason that they’re moving is because they don't want to adhere to some of the precautions… I think it’d be pretty reckless of those states," he said.

Watch full interview here:

3:26 p.m. ET, May 25, 2020

Day camps in Colorado will be allowed to open next week, governor says

From CNN's Konstantin Toropin

Colorado Governor holds a press conference outside of STRIDE Community Health Center in Wheat Ridge, Colorado on Monday, May 18.
Colorado Governor holds a press conference outside of STRIDE Community Health Center in Wheat Ridge, Colorado on Monday, May 18. Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post/Getty Images

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announced the state would loosen restrictions on restaurants and open summer day camps, ski resorts and campsites, a statement from his office announced today. The move is as part of an update and extension of his "Safer at Home" executive order.

Restaurants in the state will be able to open for in-person dining at 50% capacity or 50 people, whichever is less, starting Wednesday, the statement said. Restaurants are also encouraged to provide outdoor seating.

Meanwhile, bars will remain closed, the order said.

The new order also allows children’s day camps and youth sports camps to open on June 1 "with restrictions and strong precautionary measures," the statement said.

Ski resorts and private campsites will also be allowed to reopen, though ski resorts will still need approval from local authorities. 

“We are still a long way from returning to normal, but these updates are a step in the right direction because Coloradans are doing a good job so far limiting our social interactions," Polis said in the statement. 

The governor said they will be evaluating rules for establishments that do not serve food and overnight youth camps in June.