Joe Biden says he urged some governors who wanted to endorse his presidential campaign to refrain from doing so because the Trump administration might retaliate by withholding medical supplies critical to COVID-19 relief.
Addressing a virtual town hall of the Amalgamated Transit Union town hall from Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday, Biden said, “I probably shouldn’t say this.”
“I told some governors, don’t endorse me who wanted to endorse me. Don’t endorse me because you’ll pay a penalty,” Biden said. “You won’t get what you need from the federal government in terms of COVID prep.”
He added: “Not a joke, my word.”
Biden’s campaign has drawn the support of some leading Republicans who have broken ranks against their own party and President Donald Trump.
Asked what he would do differently in handling the coronavirus pandemic than Trump, Biden responded, “I don’t want to be attacking the president and the first lady now because they now have contracted the coronavirus.”
“Jill and I pray for their quick and full recovery,” he added, referring to his wife, Jill.
Doctor says Trump ‘not yet out of the woods’
President Donald Trump’s main doctor says in a health update that the medical team treating the president is “cautiously optimistic,” but also notes that the president is “not yet out of the woods.”
The latest assessment came Saturday night from Navy Commander Dr. Sean Conley. He reported that Trump had been up and around at his medical suite during the day and had been conducting business.
Medical experts say the disease caused by the virus, COVID-19, can become more dangerous as the body responds to the infection over time.
Trump is expected to remain at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for several more days. In a video Saturday from his hospital quarters, Trump says he is feeling better and hopes to “be back soon.”
In video, President Trump says he hopes to ‘be back soon’
President Donald Trump has released a new hospital video in which he says he’s starting to feel better and hopes to “be back soon.”
In the four-minute video, Trump says he “wasn’t feeling so well” when he was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday after testing positive for the coronavirus.
But he says that “I feel much better now” and that “We’re working hard to get me all the way back.”
Trump sounds a little raspy in the video, but he appears to be in good spirits as he says he’s fighting for the millions of people who have had the virus across the world.
He said that, while he could have stayed locked in the White House to protect himself from the virus, as president he couldn’t be “locked up in a room upstairs.”
He also thanks the doctors and nurses treating him as well as well as the world leaders and Americans who have sent their well wishes.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 3, 2020
Chris Christie hospitalized with coronavirus symptoms
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has tweeted that he’s checked himself into a hospital, hours after confirming he had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Christie says that after consulting with his doctors Saturday, he went to Morristown Medical Center on Saturday afternoon.
Christie says he is experiencing mild symptoms but because of his history of asthma, “we decided this is an important precautionary measure.”
Christie is the latest in a string of virus cases connected to President Donald Trump’s inner circle.
Trump’s former 2016 rival told The Associated Press on Friday that the last time he was with the president was Tuesday during preparations for his debate with former Vice President Joe Biden in Cleveland.
Christie said he had tested negative earlier that day.
Trump says he is ‘going to beat’ coronavirus
President Trump has told his longtime friend and sometimes lawyer Rudy Giuliani that he’s “going to beat” the coronavirus.
The New York Post says Trump called Giuliani on Saturday to assure him he’s doing fine following a sobering assessment from the White House chief of staff.
Trump reportedly told Giuliani on the call: “I feel I could get out of here right now. But they’re telling me there can always be a backstep with this disease. But I feel I could go out and do a rally.”
Trump also reportedly explained that he continued to engage in high-risk activity despite the pandemic because he’s the “president of the United States. I can’t lock myself in a room. … I had to confront (the virus) so the American people stopped being afraid of it so we could deal with it responsibly.”
He also said he hopes that by beating the virus he “will be able to show people we can deal with this disease responsibly, but we shouldn’t be afraid of it.”
Trump is being treated around the clock by a team of doctors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Aussies reminded of rules amid weekend crowds
MELBOURNE, Australia — The premier of Australia’s Victoria state has called on citizens to “stay the course” after large groups flooded beaches and parks at the weekend in defiance of strict lockdown regulations.
Victoria, emerging from a major winter spike in coronavirus cases, relaxed lockdown regulations last weekend but still allowed only five people from up to two households to congregate outside.
Many ignored those regulations on Saturday and crowded parks and beaches, causing Premier Daniel Andrews to remind Victorians not to be selfish and maintain social distancing. Victoria reported only 12 new coronavirus cases and one death Sunday, well down on the peaks of winter.
“We are so, so close,” Andrews said. “Let’s not any of us do anything that might undermine the very positive numbers. Once we get them low, we can keep them low and we can open up again if we don’t do anything silly or anything selfish right now.”
Andrews said the situation in Victoria is “delicately poised” as the state moves toward further easing of lockdown rules.
“It’s sunny, yes, and people love to go to the beach when it’s sunny but there’s a global pandemic on,” he said. “Surely, there’s a greater urge to see this thing, to defeat it and to have a normal summer and have a COVID normal Christmas and 2021.”
New Mexico reports 298 new coronavirus cases
SANTA FE, N.M. — New Mexico officials have reported 298 additional known COVID-19 cases and three more deaths, increasing the statewide totals to 30,296 cases with 890 deaths.
The additional cases reported Saturday included 75 in Bernalillo County, 67 in Dona Ana County, 32 in Chaves County, 22 in Lea County and 20 in Curry County. The three deaths occurred one each in Bernalillo, Curry and Dona Ana counties and involving people in their 70s or 80s with underlying conditions.
Inmates in Arizona say prison system failed to protect them during pandemic
PHOENIX — Numerous inmates say Arizona’s prison system has failed to provide necessary testing, supplies and treatment during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Arizona Republic reports that dozens of letters from inmates in recent months said the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry wasn’t protecting staff and inmates during the outbreak. The Republic reports inmates’ letters describing fears and frustrations, asking for help while others provided graphic details in personal narratives of surviving the virus.
A department spokesperson denied many allegations by inmates, including that sick inmates weren’t tested. Department spokesperson Judy Keane also cited health and safety protocols announced during the pandemic.
Backlog contributes to U.K. setting daily record
LONDON — Britain has recorded 12,872 new coronavirus infections, by far the highest daily total since the outbreak began, though the figure includes a backlog of previously unreported cases.
The government says the figure includes an unspecified number of deaths over the past week that have not been reported because of a now-resolved “technical issue.”
Saturday’s total is more than 5,000 cases more than the previous high, recorded earlier this week.
Britain is seeing a second spike in coronavirus cases, though the daily number can’t directly be compared to the outbreak’s U.K. peak in April because many more tests are now being performed now.
The number of hospitalizations and deaths is also rising but remains far below the U.K.’s springtime peak. Another 49 COVID-19 deaths were reported on Saturday. Britain’s official coronavirus death toll is 42,317.
The government has imposed restrictions on social gatherings to try and curb the spread of the virus, and almost a third of the country’s population of 66 million is under tighter local lockdown measures.
New York’s coronavirus cases continues to rise
NEW YORK — New York state’s daily count of new coronavirus cases is continuing to rise.
The state reported on Saturday that there were more than 1,700 new confirmed cases on Friday, up slightly from the day before with case totals not seen since May. Some of the hot spots in the state included the New York City borough of Brooklyn, where more than 350 people tested positive, and in suburban Rockland County, which saw at least 120 new cases.
The hardest hit regions of the state, on a per capita basis, were the Southern Tier area along the Pennsylvania border and the Mid-Hudson Valley.
Trump’s diagnosis shows U.S. vulnerability to coronavirus
The news of President Donald Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis serves as a reminder of the pervasive spread of the coronavirus in the United States.
U.S. infections have been rising for several weeks, a worrying sign with colder weather approaching. The response to the crisis rests largely with governors, which has meant a patchwork of approaches. Only a handful of countries rank higher in COVID-19 deaths per capita.
The Midwest is the new hotspot. Wisconsin reported a record daily death toll Wednesday, and hospitals in multiple cities said they were running out of space. A 530-bed field hospital that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built on the state fairgrounds in West Allis in April can be used if the situation worsens.
Iowa reported more than 1,000 new cases for the third consecutive day on Friday.
The U.S. leads the world with 7.3 million cases and more than 209,000 dead.
11 new coronavirus deaths in South Dakota
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — South Dakota health officials announced 11 new deaths in the last day, increasing the total to 248 since the start of the pandemic.
There were about 617 cases per 100,000 people in South Dakota over the past two weeks, which ranks second in the country for cases per capita, according to The COVID Tracking Project.
Officials say there have been 464 new cases since Friday’s report and nearly 24,000 have tested positive statewide. There were 1,758 tests processed in the last day.
NFL postpones Sunday’s New England, Kansas City game after positive tests
BOSTON — The NFL has postponed Sunday’s game between New England and the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs after positive coronavirus tests on both teams.
ESPN reported on Saturday that Patriots quarterback Cam Newton was among those contracting the disease. The NFL says the game will be played Monday or Tuesday.
The league says the move followed “positive COVID-19 tests on both teams.” The Patriots confirmed a player has tested positive but didn’t reveal his name.
This week, the matchup between Pittsburgh and Tennessee was postponed because of an outbreak on the Titans.
More than 2,500 new coronavirus cases in Italy
MILAN — New coronavirus cases in Italy maintained a trajectory above 2,500 on Saturday, with about 119,000 people tested.
Twenty-seven people died in the last 24 hours, according to the ministry of health, bringing known deaths to 35,968. There have been 322,751 total infections.
Nearly 300 people are in intensive care and 3,205 hospital beds in COVID-19 wards are occupied. Those number have been increasing with a surge in new cases in recent weeks, following dips to only 100 new cases a day in July.
Greece will use local lockdowns to keep coronavirus cases in check
ATHENS, Greece — Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis says authorities would use local lockdowns to keep a recent surge in coronavirus cases under control.
Health authorities announced another 267 coronavirus cases Saturday and seven deaths.
The total number of confirmed cases is 19,613, about 80 percent recorded in the past two months. A daily record of 460 new cases were reported Friday, attributed to people not wearing masks and failing to keep social distancing.
In Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest, people participated in a 1.25 mile fast walk to debunk speculation that wearing face masks causes shortness of breath. Participants measured oxygen and carbon dioxide levels after the walk, finding all within the normal range.
Pope Francis, in 1st post-lockdown outing, goes to Assisi to sign text
ASSISI, Italy — Pope Francis has traveled to the homeland of his nature-loving namesake to sign an encyclical laying out his vision of a post-coronavirus world built on solidarity and care for the environment.
In his first outing from Rome since the coronavirus lockdown in February, Francis celebrated Mass on Saturday in the crypt of the Basilica of St. Francis in the Umbrian hilltop town of Assisi. He was to pray at the tomb of the saint and sign his encyclical, which is to be released to the public on Sunday.
The document, entitled “Fratelli tutti,” or “Brothers all,” is in many ways expected to be a synthesis of the main priorities of Francis’ pontificate, which have focused on the need for greater solidarity with the poor, dialogue with others and care for God’s creation.
For Francis, the coronavirus pandemic has only confirmed his belief of the interconnectedness of the health of the planet and its people.
Like the rest of Italy, the Vatican under Francis locked down during the worst of the pandemic, forcing Francis to cancel audiences and travel. His trip to Assisi was his first outing from Rome since he travelled to Bari on Feb. 23 just before the lockdown.
Chicago encourages venues to apply for financial help
CHICAGO — Chicago officials are encouraging music venues, theaters and other performing arts venues to apply for financial help while they’re closed because of the coronavirus.
Applications for the new relief program overseen by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events open on Monday. Up to 120 recipients can receive $10,000 grants backed by the Walder Foundation, the Arts for Illinois Relief Fund and Accion.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot says, “to keep this rich, diverse part of our city’s culture alive, it is critical that we continue to provide space and support for our artists, cultural workers and performing arts companies.”
Venues must be in Chicago and produce performing arts programs, including theatre, dance, performance art or live music.
India’s COVID-19 fatalities top 100,000, only trail US, Brazil
NEW DELHI — India has reached 100,000 confirmed coronavirus deaths, trailing only the United States and Brazil.
The Health Ministry says the 79,476 new infections raised the overall confirmed caseload to more than 6.4 million. The country’s toll is nearly 10% of the global deaths.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist government have been criticized for the handling of the virus and the contracting economy that’s left millions jobless.
Overall numbers show India’s urban districts have accounted for nearly 80% of the death toll, but health experts warn of a “slow burn” surge in the country’s vast hinterlands.
“India has an inadequate health system, which is lopsided and unjustly distributed,” said Dr. T. Jacob John, a retired virologist.
Public health experts say a disorderly lockdown, which led millions of migrant workers to flee from cities to villages, further complicated the fight against the virus.
Still, India is preparing to reopen cinemas and entertainment parks with limited capacity beginning Oct. 15. Health experts warn the move has the potential for the virus to spread during the upcoming religious festival and winter season.
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