Weekly Coronavirus Report: What Happened Today
Around the World Today:
Spain’s tourism minister Reyes Maroto announced that the country's land borders with neighbors France and Portugal will be reopened on June 22.
Israel's Parliament, the Knesset, was suspended after a lawmaker confirmed he had tested positive for the coronavirus. All 120 lawmakers and Knesset staff were told to stay at home.
Authorities in Norway turned down applications to hold rallies in the country’s three largest cities in support of protesters in the U.S. over the death of George Floyd, citing the coronavirus restrictions on gatherings.
New figures from the Department of Labor showed that around 1.8 million Americans filed for first-time jobless benefits last week, hinting that the worst could be over for the labor market.
Iran reported over 3,000 new cases of coronavirus in each of the past two days, raising fears about a second spike.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced that it would contribute $1.6 billion to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, an organization that helps provide vaccines to developing countries.
Several U.S. states across the South appeared to be grappling with upticks in infections, as Alabama, South Carolina, and Virginia saw new cases climb 35 percent or more in the week that ended May 31 compared with the previous week.
The NBA approved a plan to restart the season with the abbreviated competition of just 22 teams — tentatively set to begin July 31 with all games played near Orlando, Florida.
The medical journal The Lancet on Thursday retracted a large study on the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 because of potential flaws in the research data. The study, published two weeks ago, found no benefit to the drug — and suggested its use may even increase the risk of death.
The United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA) issued $545 million in its first payments to farmers through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz urged protesters to get tested for COVID-19.
The U.K. government announced that face coverings will be mandatory for all passengers using public transit in England from June 15.
Brazil reported 1,473 new deaths from COVID-19 — the highest daily number to date — as the country's death toll reached 34,000, surpassing Italy to become the third-highest in the world.
A Tennessee judge ruled that all eligible voters in the state could apply for a mail-in ballot because of the dangers posed by the coronavirus.
Sources: The COVID Tracking Project and NBC News