Four F-35A fighter jets fly over the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., Friday, April 17, 2020, to honor the Class of 2020 who will graduate early in a closed ceremony Saturday on the terrazzo at the center of campus rather than Falcon Stadium. The early graduation on the terrazzo will allow them to stay 8 feet apart during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vice President Mike Pence will speak in person, but the cadets won't march up to receive diplomas and high fives and hugs are banned. The Thunderbirds will fly over at the conclusion of the ceremony that will be streamed online for families and friends. In the foreground is a Republic F-105D Thunderchief, the first supersonic tactical fighter-bomber developed from scratch. The first F-105D Thunderchief flew in 1959 and played a major role in the Vietnam War. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP)
The Associated Press
Countries worldwide are wrestling with when and how to ease the restrictions meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus amid rising unemployment. Spain, which imposed one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe in mid-March, announced it will start easing restrictions on children.
In the U.S., 17 governors whose states are home to about half the country's population have joined one of three regional pacts meant to smooth the eventual reopening of their economies. Adding to the pressure are protests against stay-at-home orders organized by small-government groups and Trump supporters. And in a symbolic nod to normalcy, Vice President Mike Pence delivered a commencement address at the U.S. Air Force Academy, a trip aimed at showing the country is on course to gradually reopen after weeks of shutdowns.
Meanwhile, a new wave of infections is threatening to overwhelm hospitals in Japan.
Here are some of The Associated Press' top stories Saturday on the coronavirus pandemic. Follow APNews.com/VirusOutbreak for updates through the day and APNews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak for stories explaining some of its complexities.
WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY:
- African Americans and Native American communities are being hit hard by the virus. In New Mexico, Native Americans account for nearly 37% of the state's 1,484 confirmed cases and about 11% of the state's population.
- Global 'œbrain drain'ť of medical professionals to richer countries has left developing nations without tens of thousands of highly skilled workers.
- Frustration boiled over into anger during a private call between Pence and Democratic senators over coronavirus testing plans.
- An all-star streaming and TV special aimed at fighting the pandemic features the likes of Lady Gaga, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey and Billie Eilish.
- Youth and amateur athletics in the U.S. are bracing for financial and membership downturns because of the pandemic.
- The U.S. and Canada say they will keep their common border closed to nonessential traffic for 30 more days.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover.
Here are the symptoms of the virus compared with the common flu.
One of the best ways to prevent the spread of the virus is through frequent hand-washing with soap and water. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends first washing with warm or cold water and then lathering soap for 20 seconds to get it on the backs of hands, between fingers and under fingernails before rinsing off.
Phones should also be washed. Here's how.
TRACKING THE VIRUS: Drill down and zoom in at the individual county level and you can access numbers that will show you the situation where you are, and where loved ones or people you're worried about live.
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ONE NUMBER:
- 20,000: Africa surpasses 20,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 1,000 deaths.
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IN OTHER NEWS:
- TEACHER TV: Lessons are given over the airwaves to students stuck at home.
- A RARE GOODBYE: Israeli hospital takes the unusual step of allowing patients dying of COVID-19 to be visited by their loved ones.
- SKI RESORT HELP: Young workers from Latin America who are stranded at U.S. ski resorts get food and lodging assistance.
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Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
National Guardsmen look on as people wait in line at a walk-up coronavirus testing site during the COVID-19 pandemic, Saturday, April 18, 2020, at the Urban League of Broward County in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
The Associated Press
Dormant school buses are secured at a facility Friday, April 17, 2020, in Tempe, Ariz. Cities across Arizona are tightening their belts and revising previously rosy budget forecasts as they begin to feel the financial impact of the coronavirus outbreak now shutting down much of the economy across the state. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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Emergency workers wearing full protective suits transport a patient to an ambulance at the Severo Ochoa Hospital in Leganes, Spain, Saturday, April 18, 2020. Spain has eased this week the conditions of Europe's strictest lockdown, allowing manufacturing, construction and other nonessential activity in an attempt to cushion the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this May 5, 2018, file photo, Mike Smith rides Justify to victory during the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The move of the Triple Crown's first leg to Labor Day weekend due to the coronavirus pandemic will mark the first time the Derby won't run on the first Saturday in May since 1945. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
The Associated Press
Delcia Dias, left, and Monica Dias celebrate the beaches opening on a limited basis, Friday, April 17, 2020 on Jacksonville Beach, Fla. Gov. Ron DeSantis has given the green light for some beaches and parks to reopen if it can be done safely after being closed because of the coronavirus. DeSantis' announcement on Friday came as north Florida beaches became among the first to allow beach-goers to return since the closures. (Will Dickey/The Florida Times-Union via AP)
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In this Monday, April 13, 2020 photo provided by Jay Peak Resort, Antonella Atto, left, from Peru, receives a week's supply of food from David Marchand, resort ski patrol director, in Jay, Vt. She is among hundreds of college students from South America working at U.S. ski resorts during what was their college summer break, who are unable to return home because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. (Melissa Sheffer/Jay Peak Resort via AP)
The Associated Press
Zimbabwe council police watch as a bulldozer destroys stalls in the area of a popular market in a campaign to clean up the city, in Harare, Zimbabwe, Saturday, April 18, 2020. Zimbabwe will commemorate its 40th Independence Day under the government instructed lockdown in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
The Associated Press
A boy picks up wood from destroyed stalls in the area of a popular market in a campaign to clean up the city, in Harare, Zimbabwe, Saturday, April 18, 2020. Zimbabwe will commemorate its 40th Independence Day under the government instructed lockdown in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
The Associated Press