This is CNBC’s live blog covering all the latest news on the coronavirus outbreak. This blog will be updated throughout the day as the news breaks.
- Global cases: More than 3.74 million
- Global deaths: At least 263,000
- Most cases reported: United States (1,227,430), Spain (220,325), Italy (214,457), United Kingdom (202,356), France (174,224).
The data above was compiled by Johns Hopkins University as of 8:20 a.m. Beijing time.
All times below are in Beijing time.
9:20 am: Los Angeles to open some non-essential businesses on Friday
Officials in Los Angeles county said that businesses including book shops, toy stores, clothing retailers and car dealerships will be allowed to start opening on Friday, though beaches will remain closed.
However, shoppers can only pick up their purchases curbside, with in-store purchases not allowed for the time being, according to officials.
County trails will also reopen, but those using them will have to wear face coverings and observe social distancing. GOld courses can also reopen. — Ari Levy, NBC News
8:20 am: American Airlines will require all employees to wear face masks
American Airlines will require all team members to wear face coverings while they are at work starting Friday, especially those interacting with customers. The airline previously required crew members and passengers to wear face masks.
A number of major U.S. airlines have said they will require travelers to wear face masks or coverings on board their planes as carriers take steps to try to protect the health of passengers and crew. Delta, United and others have made them mandatory for flight attendants. — Phil LeBeau
8:15 am: China reports 2 new cases, no deaths
China reported both its two new cases were imported, or attributed to travelers coming from overseas. There were no new deaths, with total fatalities remaining at 4,633, according to its National Health Commission.
Separately, there were six new asymptomatic cases, where people tested positive for the virus but did not show any symptoms. That brings its number of asymptomatic cases currently under medical observation to 880, the NHC said. — Weizhen Tan
8:00 am: Brazil reports record high for daily new cases, deaths
Brazil reported 10,503 new confirmed cases in the last 24 hours, a record high well above its previous high of 7,288 cases on April 30, according to Reuters, citing health ministry data. Fatalities rose by 615, also a new high compared with the 600 reported Tuesday.
That prompted Brazil’s health minister to warn that strict lockdowns could be imposed in badly-affected areas, the report said. While nonessential businesses are closed in most states in the country, a lockdown has so far been implemented in only one city — Sao Luis.
Brazil has reported a total of 125,218 cases and 8,536 deaths, according to Reuters. — Weizhen Tan
View of the popular shopping streets of downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 25, 2020, completely empty amid the pandemic of Coronavirus Covid-19.
Luiz Souza | NurPhoto via Getty Images
7:55 am: Wall Street is too optimistic as global economies start reopening, Stephen Roach warns
Yale University senior fellow Stephen Roach is worried Wall Street is miscalculating China’s efforts to reopen its economy.
He warned that demand is poor, and that’s a bad sign for the U.S. economy as it begins reopening.
“Chinese consumers remain fearful of going out in public, shopping, going to movies and enjoying activities that put them in close proximity with their neighbors,” the former Morgan Stanley Asia chairman told CNBC’s “Trading Nation” on Wednesday. “Consumer behavior is not all that dissimilar in populations subjected to an unprecedented shock in their health security.”
“This is not really going to be as easy an economic recovery as an optimistic market wants to presume at this point,” he said. — Stephanie Landsman