April 17, 8 p.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's order requiring all New Yorkers to cover their nose and mouth when outside and not able to socially distance from others. The order applies to anyone taking mass transit and applies to everyone 2 years and older.

 April 17, is 6 p.m.  Connecticut's presidential primary has been rescheduled to Aug. 11, Gov. Ned Lamont said.

April 17, 4:15 p.m. The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in Connecticut has surpassed 1,000, Gov. Ned Lamont said at a news conference Friday afternoon. 

April 17, 1:30 p.m. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo had a lengthy response after a reporter read him a tweet from President Donald Trump sent during the governor’s daily COVID-19 briefing. “First of all, if he’s sitting at home watching TV, maybe he should get up and go to work, right?” he began. “Let’s keep emotion and politics out of this, and personal ego, if we can.” Cuomo is set to issue an executive order directing public and private labs to prioritize diagnostic testing for COVID-19.

April 17, 10:54 a.m. - New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says we must be careful not to go too fast and create a "boomerang effect" where the virus comes back. "Everyone wants our freedom back, we all want our lives back... The question is always, 'when, when, when?'" The mayor says he will "move heaven and earth" to get the city there, but says there are steps that must be taken first, and that starts with continuing the measures already in place. "We have to be smart about what we do next to get back to normal."

April 17, 11:30 a.m. Organizers of Long Island Pride announced the postponement of the annual Long Island Pride Parade scheduled for Sunday, June 14 at Jones Beach due to the coronavirus.

 

April 16, 10:10 p.m., Rep. Max Rose, who represents parts of Southern Brooklyn and Staten Island, got back in uniform to fulfill his duty as a captain in the National Guard. Rose took part in setting up a hospital at South Beach Psychiatric Center on Staten Island in the fight against COVID-19. "We need to fight for more testing, not less, we need to fight for more PPE, we need to fight to support more people economically,” said Rose. "We have to have a plan to incrementally open this economy back up because people are suffering economically, but we just have to make sure that that plan is not done so quickly that it results in even more loss of life,” said Rose.

April 16, 6:58 p.m. Von Miller's agent says the NFL star has tested positive for the coronavirus and wanted to come forward with his diagnosis to show doubters how serious the disease is.

April 16, 4:40 p.m. New White House guidelines outline a phased approach to restoring normal commerce and services, but only for places with strong testing and seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases. President Donald Trump unveiled his administration's plans to ease social distancing requirements on a call Thursday with the nation's governors. The new guidelines are aimed at clearing the way for an easing of restrictions in areas with low transmission of the coronavirus, while keeping them in place in harder-hit places.

April 16, 3:15 p.m. Reps. Josh Gottheimer, Tom Suozzi and Lee Zeldin have been appointed to the White House Task Force on Reopening the Economy.

“It is positive that a bipartisan task force has been created and I am grateful for the opportunity to be a voice for New York and my constituents,” said Suozzi in a statement. "I continue to advocate that New York is the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic and as a result, we need special attention for our state government, our hospitals, and our local governments. When it comes to reopening the economy, ubiquitous testing, contact tracing, and heeding the advice of experts will be essential. We must also understand that opening the economy in New York is very different than reopening it in North Dakota.”

“Before the outbreak of coronavirus, our nation's economy was stronger than it had ever been,” said Zeldin. “We need to get our economy moving again, but we must do it smartly, precisely and carefully to also avoid another outbreak. Representing one of the areas hardest hit by coronavirus, I thank the President for this opportunity to make New Yorkers’ voices and needs heard as we work to emerge for this outbreak stronger than ever.”

April 16, 1:23 p.m. Gov. Phil Murphy announces New Jersey public schools will remain closed through at least May 15. 

 April 16, 12:21 p.m. The British government says a nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of COVID-19 will remain in place for at least three more weeks.

April 16, 12:05 p.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo says New York on PAUSE will be extended in coordination with others states through at least May 15.

 

April 16, 8:30 a.m. The wave of layoffs that has engulfed the U.S. economy since the coronavirus struck forced 5.2 million more people to seek unemployment benefits last week, the government reported Thursday.

April 15, 11:35 p.m. CNN anchor Chris Cuomo says his wife Cristina has coronavirus. Cuomo announced he tested positive for the virus late last month.

 April 15, 6:13 p.m. President Trump says he will hold briefing Thursday on guidelines for states to 'reopen' amid COVID-19 pandemic

April 15, 5:20 p.m. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced Wednesday that health insurers in the state will be waiving all costs for COVID-19 testing and treatment for those with insurance.

April 15, 4:45 p.m. Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. announced the cancellation of Bronx Week 2020.

April 15, 3:21 p.m. Westchester County Executive George Latimer announced that the county will be implementing a new program called Westchester Forward, which is meant to reduce spending in the county budget to help revitalize economy.

April 15, 2:30 p.m. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he is readying an executive order that will require New Yorkers to wear a mask or mouth/nose covering “where social distancing cannot be maintained.”

 

April 14, 6:37 p.m. The Treasury Department says the nation's major airlines have tentatively agreed to terms for $25 billion in federal aid to pay workers and keep them employed through September. The assistance will include a mix of cash and loans, with the government getting warrants that can be converted into small ownership stakes in the leading airlines. The nation's six biggest airlines - Delta, American, United, Southwest, Alaska and JetBlue - along with four smaller carriers have reached agreements in principle, and the Treasury Department said talks were continuing with others.

April 14, 6:25 p.m. President Trump is instructing his administration to halt funding to World Health Organization, saying it "severely mismanaged and covered up the spread of the coronavirus."

April 14, 2:38 p.m. New York Attorney General Letitia James is asking the Supreme Court to temporarily halt a Trump administration rule that seeks to prevent immigrants from seeking public benefits. Advocates say the so-called public charge rule is preventing some immigrants from seeking coronavirus treatment because it could count against them down the line when they seek a green card.

April 14, 12:40 p.m. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo responded to tweets from President Donald Trump that alluded to a mutiny by Democratic governors who say the president doesn’t have the broad authority to reopen state government during his daily COVID-19 news conference on Tuesday: “That is not an accurate statement."

 

April 14, 10:11 a.m. President Trump has called out Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a tweet, saying he's given the governor everything he's needed and vows that Cuomo seems to want independence.  'That won't happen!' Trump said in his tweet. 

April 13, 8:30 p.m. Number of confirmed coronavirus cases surpasses 2 million worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins tally.

April 13, 8:30 p.m. The U.S. Census Bureau wants to delay deadlines for the 2020 census of all U.S. residents because of the coronavirus outbreak.

April 13, 6:50 p.m. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin says more than 80 million Americans will receive COVID stimulus payments via direct deposit by Wednesday of this week.

April 13, 3 p.m. The governors of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and several other Northeast states announced a compact to coordinate one of their biggest challenges in the weeks to come: How to begin reopening society amid the coronavirus pandemic. The group said it would explore ways to reopen in the future together.

April 13, 12 p.m. Gov. Cuomo says he will meet later Monday with governors of New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Delaware to discuss a "reopening" plan for the regional area.

April 13, 11:45 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announces 671 new COVID-19 deaths, for a total of 10,056 in New York state.

 
April 12, 6:15 p.m. State officials say 60 more people have died after being diagnosed with COVID-19 in Connecticut, bringing the total statewide count to 554. Gov. Ned Lamont's office released figures Sunday showing 525 new positive cases, bringing the statewide total to 12,035. 

April 12, 6 p.m. Italy recorded the lowest number of new coronavirus deaths in three weeks, saying 431 people died in the past day to bring its total to 19,899. It was the lowest day-to-day toll since March 19.

April 12, 11:45 a.m. A additional 758 lives were lost in New York since yesterday due to coronavirus, Gov. Andrew Cuomo says. The New York death toll is now at 9,385.

April 12, 10:30 a.m. The IRS says it made the first wave of stimulus payments Saturday to eligible citizens. The agency says direct deposits will continue over the next several days. People who didn't use direct deposit to receive tax refunds will get checks by mail.

April 12, 8:45 a.m. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was discharged from the hospital to continue his recovery from COVID-19 at home. The prime minister was briefly treated in the ICU when his symptoms had worsened.

April 11, 1:10 p.m. Gov. Phil Murphy says he's directing New Jersey Transit and all private carriers to reduce capacity on all trains, buses, light rail vehicles, and paratransit vehicles to 50% of their maximum. He's also ordering all restaurant and bar patrons to wear face coverings as they pick up takeout orders from inside establishments.

April 11, 12:10 p.m. The U.S. has overtaken Italy for the highest death toll in the world from the novel coronavirus, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

April 11, 12 p.m. Gov. Cuomo says NYC's announcement on school closures for the rest of the year are Mayor de Blasio's 'opinion.' He says further coordination with the rest of the region is needed on possible city and statewide school closures for the rest of school year. "There has been no decision," Cuomo says.

April 11, 9:50 a.m. New York City public schools will stay closed for the remainder of the school year, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced at a Saturday morning news conference. He said it wasn't an easy decision, but one that the city believes will save lives.

April 11, 6 a.m. Apple and Google announced a joint effort to help public health agencies worldwide leverage smartphones to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. New software the companies plan to add to phones would make it easier to use Bluetooth wireless technology to track down people who may have been infected by coronavirus carriers. The technology works by harnessing short-range Bluetooth signals

April 10, 3:15 p.m. Gov. Phil Murphy says certain New Jersey prisoners could be moved to temporary home confinement or freed on parole because of the spread of COVID-19 under a new executive order, as state correctional institutions are seeing COVID-19 spread. People convicted of what Murphy called serious crimes like murder or rape would not be eligible for home confinement or parole.

April 10, 1:45 p.m. The worldwide COVID-19 death toll has surpassed 100,000, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

April 10, 12 p.m. Coronavirus deaths in New York jumped by 777 in one day, as the number of people hospitalized stayed relatively flat. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he's "cautiously optimistic" that the infection rate is slowing in the state.

  April 10, 10:57 a.m. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont extending social distancing guidelines for non-essential businesses through May 20. 

 

 

April 9, 6:56 p.m. More than 2 million people in the US have been tested for COVID-19. More than 100,000 people are being tested daily, according to VP Mike Pence.

April 9, 6 p.m. “Saturday Night Live” will be back on the air this weekend with a show that abides by social distancing rules. The material will be produced remotely, NBC said, in compliance with efforts to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

 

April 9, 2:43 p.m. Gov. Ned Lamont says Connecticut is delaying the reopening of classes at schools until May 20.

April 9, 1:17 p.m. A revised executive order from Gov. Cuomo has added golf courses to list of nonessential businesses. They will be closed through April 29.

April 9, 8:40 a.m. Labor Department says 10% of U.S. labor force now out of work since virus slammed economy as 6.6 million filed for jobless aid last week.

April 9, 8:30 a.m. JetBlue is temporarily suspending service to LaGuardia, Westchester and Stewart airports. 

 

April 9, 7:30 a.m. The suspension of all Broadway performances is extended through June 7. The Broadway League announced the decision yesterday.

April 8, 9:30 p.m. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued new guidelines for essential workers, such as those in the health care and food supply industries. The guidance is focused on when those workers can return to work after having been exposed to the new coronavirus.

April 8, 7:35 p.m. With golf's U.S. Open in Mamaroneck, New York postponed until September, News 12's Pete Ruf spoke to a USGA official about the decision:

April 8, 7:22 p.m. Vice President Mike Pence warned that Philadelphia was emerging as a potential hot spot and urged its residents to heed social distancing guidelines. 

April 8, 3:30: p.m. Former New York Assemblyman Richard Brodsky has died due to complications of COVID-19. He was 73.

April 8, 2 p.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo says 779 people died from COVID-19 on Tuesday, New York's greatest single-day toll yet. Cuomo directed flags to be flown at half-staff. Cuomo also said though that numbers are moving in the right direction in terms of hospitalizations and ICU patients.

April 8, 1:25 p.m. Gov. Phil Murphy is signing an executive order to move New Jersey primary elections to July 7. Murphy is also signing an executive order to cease nonessential construction.

April 8, 8 a.m.: New York City will be suspending the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) for Summer 2020 due to COVID-19.

April 7, 9:50 p.m. A representative for John Prine said the singer died Tuesday from complications of the coronavirus at 73.

April 7, 7:36 p.m. New York City’s death toll from the coronavirus has passed the number of those killed at the World Trade Center on 9/11. Health officials say more than 3,200 people have been killed in the city thus far.

April 7, 6:17 p.m. President Trump to 'look at' withholding funds to WHO after he says the organization 'missed the call' on COVID-19.

April 7, 5:18 p.m. Ulster County officials say they will run out of beds and ventilators by week's end, with coronavirus cases there are doubling every few days. Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan discussed those concerns in a Facebook town hall Tuesday, saying the county's COVID-19 cases are doubling every four to five days.

 

April 7, 1:41 p.m. The New York state Education Department canceled the June Regents Exams and released guidance on modifications to requirements for students to graduate and earn their high school diplomas, credentials and endorsements.  “In times of crisis difficult decisions must be made and the Board of Regents knows these are ultimately the right ones for New York’s students,” Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa said in a statement. “We are putting the safety of children, families and educators first, while ensuring that the hard work done by our students and teachers is honored. These are extraordinary decisions for an unprecedented time, and we thank our school communities for their support and continuing dedication during the statewide school closure.” Click HERE for more info.

April 7, 1:32 p.m. The statewide total number of coronavirus cases in New Jersey now stands at 44,416 cases, after Gov. Phil Murphy just announced 3,361 new cases. The governor also announced 232 additional deaths, bringing the statewide death toll to 1,232. Murphy is signing an executive order to close all state parks, state forests and county parks due to people gathering and not social distancing.

 

April 7, 1:25 p.m. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says that projections show that the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations are beginning to plateau despite the state seeing the single greatest increase in death in a 24-hour period. On Monday, there were 731 deaths in New York.

April 7, 11:05 a.m. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio is urging New Yorkers not to underestimate the problem of food. He says in the last three weeks alone, New York City has provided 2.6 million meals to those in need. He says with the growing rate of unemployment, many will be unsure of where there next meal will come from. The mayor named Kathryn Garcia New York City’s “food czar.” Together with OEM, DOE and the Department for the Aging, Garcia has established a plan to feed New Yorkers.

 

April 7, 10 a.m. The Pleasantville Music Festival has been canceled for 2020. Organizers expect the festival to return in 2021.

 

April 6, 9 p.m. Hours after Gov. Tony Evers issued an order postponing Wisconsin's presidential primary, the conservative-controlled state Supreme Court said he didn't have the authority to make such a move. The vote will go on as planned Tuesday.

April 6, 5:51 p.m. President Trump says the USNS Comfort will treat COVID patients from New York and New Jersey.

April 6, 3:30 p.m. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been moved to the intensive care unit of a London hospital after his coronavirus symptoms worsened. Johnson’s office says Johnson is conscious and does not require ventilation at the moment. The prime minister was admitted to the hospital late Sunday, 10 days after he was diagnosed with COVID-19.

April 6, 3:05 p.m. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy says the state's COVID-19 death toll has surpassed 1,000.

April 6, 2:12 p.m. Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone says if an apex is nearing, it shows social distancing and other regulations have been working. Bellone urged continued compliance with all the executive orders. "Now is not the time to be stepping back from what we are doing, now is the time to hunker down even more," he said.

April 6, 1:07 p.m. NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the daily number of deaths was 'effectively flat' for the last two days. Cuomo says there is a 'possible flattening of the curve.' Schools and non-essential businesses will remain closed until April 29.

April 6, 11 a.m. British Open won't be played this year for the first time since 1945; golf's oldest championship canceled until 2021.

 

April 6, 11 a.m. U.S. Open Championship at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, NY postponed from June to September.

April 5, 8:20 p.m. Europe saw signs of hope in the coronavirus outbreak Sunday as Italy's daily death toll was at its lowest in more than two weeks and its infection curve was finally on a downward slope. In Spain, new deaths dropped for the third straight day. But the optimism was tempered by Britain's jump in virus deaths, which outpaced the daily toll in Italy.

April 5, 7:22 p.m. President says full weight of the United States is working to beat the COVID-19 outbreak.  The president says Long Island is now a 'hot spot' and that the USNS Comfort may end up taking coronavirus patients. 

April 5, 6:10 p.m. NJ Gov. Phil Murphy appeared on CNN's 'The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer' and said that the COVID-19 apex is still 2-3 weeks away.  The governor urged everyone to continue practicing social distancing and said 'we are in the fight of our lives.' Gov. Murphy said he spoke with Vice President Pence and secured an additional 500 ventilators but that more were needed and that the state is in for difficult weeks again. When asked about COVID-19 potentially impacting the NFL season, Gov. Murphy said he didn't have an answer at this point.   

April 5, 5 p.m A tiger at the Bronx Zoo has tested positive for COVID-19, according to the zoo. It says a 4-year-old female Malayan tiger named Nadia tested positive. The zoo says that Nadia along with her sister Azul, plus two Amur tigers, and three African lions had "developed a dry cough and all are expected to recover."

April 5, 4:51 p.m. Queen Elizabeth II offered a message of support to Britain, which is locked down in the coronavirus pandemic, promising the nation that it would rise to the challenge and overcome the outbreak. In a rare address to the nation, the 93-year-old monarch acknowledged the suffering that many families have experienced because of the COVID-19 crisis, which has infected more than 47,806 people in the U.K. and killed at least 4,934 of them.

April 5, 4:45 p.m. - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was diagnosed with the coronavirus more than a week ago, has been admitted to a hospital for tests. Johnson’s office said he was hospitalized Sunday because he still has symptoms 10 days after testing positive for the virus.

April 5, 11:20 a.m. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says New York may have reached its apex of COVID-19 cases, but more examination of data is needed. State cases are now at 122,031 with 4,159 deaths. He cited a shift in cases to Long Island.

April 5, 9:59 a.m. U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams is bracing Americans for what he says is going to be "the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans’ lives’’ because of the coronavirus pandemic. Adams said in a television interview Sunday that "this is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment.’’

April 5, 9:00 a.m. A review of federal purchasing contracts by the Associated Press shows federal agencies waited until mid-March to begin placing bulk orders of N95 respirator masks, mechanical ventilators and other equipment needed by front-line health care workers. By that time, hospitals in several states were treating thousands of infected patients without adequate equipment and were pleading for shipments from the Strategic National Stockpile.

April 4, 4:40 p.m. President Trump says 1,000 military personnel are deploying to New York "to assist where they are needed the most" in the battle against COVID-19.

April 4, 1:25 p.m. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy says the state's total positive cases are now at 34,124. Another 200 residents have passed away, and the state total is now at 846 'precious lives lost.'  The governor calls the numbers 'particularly sobering,' and says New Jersey has lost about 100 more residents than it did from the Sept. 11 attacks. 

April 4, 10:45 a.m. Spain's prime minister says he will ask the county's Parliament to extend the current state of emergency for another two weeks to battle the new coronavirus outbreak. Spain has been under lockdown since March 14. The state of emergency is due to expire on April 11.

April 4, 9:15 a.m. Hobby Lobby says the ongoing threat of the coronavirus has forced it to close its stores until further notice. The Oklahoma City-based arts and crafts chain says it is furloughing all of its store employees and many of its corporate and distribution workers.

April 4, 7:05 a.m. The number of people infected has grown to more than 1.1 million worldwide, the Associated Press reports. The number of people infected in the U.S. has now exceeded a quarter-million, with the death toll climbing past 7,000.

April 3, 8:45 p.m. Mayor de Blasio has announced partnerships with JetBlue and United Airlines to provide free round-trip flights for medical volunteers traveling to New York City.

April 3, 7 p.m. The Mets have announced the establishment of a $1.2 million program that will provide coronavirus-related assistance to ballpark employees.

 

April 3, 5:38 p.m. The CDC is recommending Americans wear non-medical face coverings in public, President Trump says. The recommendation is voluntary and does not affect social-distancing guidelines. President Trump also said he is directing FEMA to prevent export of N95 masks under Defense Production Act.

April 3, 3:34 p.m. The Supreme Court announced it will postpone arguments scheduled for April because of the coronavirus pandemic, but the court didn't rule out hearing some arguments within months. The announcement means a total of 20 arguments scheduled for March and April, including fights over subpoenas for President Trump’s financial records, have now been postponed