The statue of Britain's wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill stands in an almost empty Parliament Square in London, Friday, May 8, 2020 on the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. The 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe should be all about parades, remembrances, and one last great hurrah for veteran soldiers who are mostly in their nineties. Instead, it is a time of coronavirus lockdown and loneliness spent in search of memories both bitter and sweet. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
The Associated Press
The U.S. unemployment rate rocketed to 14.7% in April, a level last seen during the Great Depression, as 20.5 million jobs vanished in the worst monthly loss on record. It's stark evidence of how the coronavirus has brought the economy to its knees.
'œIt's going to take a long time before the labor market recovers to its pre-recession state," said Gregory Daco, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics.
The financial pain is reverberating from India to Argentina, where untold millions already struggling to get by have had their lives made harder by lockdowns and layoffs. How the world's poor get through this pandemic will help determine how quickly the global economy recovers and how much aid is needed to keep countries afloat.
Here are some of AP's top stories Friday on the world's 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:
- On the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, instead of parades, remembrances and one last great hurrah for veterans now mostly in their 90s , it's a time of coronavirus lockdown and loneliness.
- Many religious Americans are fine with waiting longer to return to their churches, synagogues and mosques. Only about a third say that prohibiting in-person services violates religious freedom, according to a poll by The University of Chicago Divinity School and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
- The New Mexico town of Gallup that serves tens of thousands of people living on and around the vast Navajo reservation in the U.S. Southwest has been on extreme lockdown with police checkpoints shutting out anyone who is not a resident or has an emergency.
- The mayor of Milan - the first Western metropolis to shut down because of the coronavirus - is reacting furiously to images of young people ignoring social distancing rules as they gathered in a trendy neighborhood for the typical aperitivo.
- At least 70% of U.S. Olympic sports organizations have applied for government funds during the coronavirus pandemic, a stark financial reality that underscores the frailties within the world's most dominant Olympic sports system.
- With the coronavirus forcing pundits, reporters, analysts and sports figures to speak to the masses from their dens, living rooms and kitchens, television viewers are finding themselves entertained by the unscripted glimpse into famous people's homes.
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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 and death. 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 spread of the virus is washing your hands 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.
You should wash your phone, too. 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:
- 1,031: The number of workers infected at a Tyson Foods pork plant in Waterloo, Iowa, a far greater figure than the state or company has acknowledged, local health officials said. The workers - nearly 40% of the plant - have tested positive for the coronavirus or for antibodies that show they had been infected.
IN OTHER NEWS:
- STEP BACK: The coronavirus has turned retail employees into store sheriffs. They confront shoppers who aren't wearing masks and enforce social distancing measures such as limits on the number of people allowed inside. 'œEverybody is on edge,'ť says Sandy Jensen at a Sam's Club in California. Her frustration is shared by store workers across the country.
- NOT JUST LUNCH: He sold food with a side of humor at his family's bright green taco truck in Seattle. 'œHello, my friend!'ť Tomas Lopez said. 'œNo yoga today? You must be hungry!'ť Lopez, 44, died of COVID-19 on April 2. He is being mourned by many who considered their quick encounters with Lopez a bright spot in their day.
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Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
People on a Vespa adorned with a Union Flag ride past the Centotaph in Whitehall in London, Friday, May 8, 2020 on the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. The 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe should be all about parades, remembrances, and one last great hurrah for veteran soldiers who are mostly in their nineties. Instead, it is a time of coronavirus lockdown and loneliness spent in search of memories both bitter and sweet. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
The Associated Press
A just married couple is celebrated by friends as they leave the registry offices after the civil ceremony in Milan, Italy, Friday, May 8, 2020. The municipality of Milan restarted celebrating civil marriages Thursday, as the city is slowly returning to life after the long shutdown due to the coronavirus outbreak. Access to the ceremony is only allowed for best men. (Claudio Furlan/LaPresse via AP)
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In this Monday, May 4, 2020, photo, Shileyi Platero, 10, along with her stepfather Leland Barger, fills some water tanks just outside of Gallup, N.M., before taking back home in the town of Thoreau, N.M. Normally they would travel to Gallup to get supplies including water but they could not enter the town due to the lockdown. (Roberto E. Rosales/The Albuquerque Journal via AP)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this April 16, 2016, file photo, Sarah Hammer of the United States celebrates after the women's omnium cycling time trial at the Rio Olympic Velodrome during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At least 70% of U.S. Olympic sports organizations have applied for government loans in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, a chilling figure that underscores the frailties embedded within the world's most dominant Olympic sports system. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File)
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In this April 10, 2020, photo, Judith Andeka a widow and mother of five, fetches water with a bucket in the Kibera slum, or informal settlement, of Nairobi, Kenya. Andeka used to earn $2.50 to $4 a day washing clothes in Nairobi's Kibera, one of the world's biggest slums. With people not going to work because of restrictions on movement, neighbors can't afford her services. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
The Associated Press
A protective mask is shown on a statue of a mermaid playing harp in St. Clair Shores, Mich., Thursday, May 7, 2020. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Thursday that auto and other manufacturing workers can return to the job next week, further easing her stay-at-home order while extending it through May 28 because of the new coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this May 7, 2020, file photo, a pedestrian walks by The Framing Gallery, closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in Grosse Pointe, Mich. The U.S. unemployment rate hit 14.7% in April, the highest rate since the Great Depression, as 20.5 million jobs vanished in the worst monthly loss on record. The figures are stark evidence of the damage the coronavirus has done to a now-shattered economy. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)
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Alamo Heights Baptist Church pastor Bobby Contreras, left, and his wife Hannah, work to clean, sanitize and prepare the church for services this Sunday, in San Antonio, Wednesday, May 6, 2020,. Texas' stay-at-home orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic have expired and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has eased restrictions on many businesses that have now opened, churches and places or worship may resume live services with 25% capacity. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
The Associated Press
World War II veterans salute as Taps is played during a ceremony at the World War II Memorial to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day with President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, Friday, May 8, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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Graves of French soldiers killed during World War II are picture at the military cemetery in Sigolsheim , eastern France, Friday May 8, 2020. Ceremonies to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, the formal end of World War II in Europe, happen in a time of lockdown and loneliness. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
The Associated Press
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team flies over the London Eye in London on Friday, May 8, 2020 on the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. The 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe should be all about parades, remembrances, and one last great hurrah for veteran soldiers who are mostly in their nineties. Instead, it is a time of coronavirus lockdown and loneliness spent in search of memories both bitter and sweet. (Marc Ward/PA via AP)
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