More than 7 million people worldwide – including at least 1.9 million in the United States – have been infected with the new coronavirus, and the number of deaths from the outbreak continues to rise. While efforts to contain the COVID-19 outbreak continue, states have begun to shift their focus toward reopening their economies.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking cases in the U.S. here.
Live updates for Monday, June 8, continue below:
California OKs movie theaters to reopen with limited seats
Update 10:10 p.m. EDT June 8: California movie theaters can begin opening later this week if they limit theater capacity to 25% or no more than 100 attendees, under state guidance released Monday.
The guidance adds movie theaters to a long list of other businesses that can start reopening as the nation’s most populous state relaxes its stay-at-home order. Restaurants, churches, hair salons and retail stores have already reopened in many counties.
Soon that reopening will expand vastly in counties that can meet certain metrics including number of cases, positive test rates and testing and tracing capabilities. Other entertainment venues that can reopen later include bowling alleys, mini golf courses and arcades.
Trump closer to resuming rallies that were halted by virus
Update 8:20 p.m. EDT June 8: President Donald Trump is aiming to resume campaign rallies in the coming weeks, though the locations and coronavirus precautions still are being worked out.
Trump’s rally schedule came to a sudden halt three months ago when the COVID-19 pandemic largely shuttered the nation, but the president has been eager to get back on the campaign trail and resume the rallies that have been the hallmark of his political career.
The president’s eagerness to resume rallies comes as internal and public surveys show his reelection campaign against Democrat Joe Biden is struggling. He’s also looking for a campaign reset as the nation tries to adjust to a new normal after contending with the virus, a teetering economy and weeks of nationwide protests against racial injustice.
“Americans are ready to get back to action and so is President Trump. The Great American Comeback is real and the rallies will be tremendous,” Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale said Monday in a statement. “You’ll again see the kind of crowds and enthusiasm that Sleepy Joe Biden can only dream of.”
Campaign officials said the precise format and locations for the rallies remain to be determined, as many states — and federal guidelines — still caution against holding mass gatherings, particularly in enclosed spaces. It was unclear what specific precautions would be implemented to protect the 73-year-old president and attendees from the potential spread of the coronavirus at rallies.
Trump rallies traditionally pack tens of thousands of people into arenas or outdoor amphitheaters in conditions that would not meet federal social distancing guidelines.
World leaders not coming to UN assembly debate
Update 7 p.m. EDT June 8: The president of the United Nations General Assembly says world leaders will not be coming to New York for their annual gathering in late September for the first time in the 75-year history of the United Nations because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tijjani Muhammad-Bande told a news conference Monday that he hopes to announce in the next two weeks how the 193 heads of state and government will give their speeches on pressing local and world issues during the assembly’s so-called General Debate.
He said “world leaders cannot come to New York because they cannot come simply as individuals and “it is impossible” to bring large delegations during the pandemic.
“We cannot have them in person as we used to — what happened in the last 74 years — but it will happen” Muhammad-Bande said of the annual gathering.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recommended last month that the meeting of world leaders, which was supposed to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, be dramatically scaled back because of the pandemic.
As business trickles back, hotels compete on cleanliness
Update 6 p.m. EDT June 8: Marriott, Hilton and other big hotel companies are used to competing on price or perks. Now they are competing on cleanliness.
From masked clerks at the front desk to shuttered buffets, hotels are making visible changes in the wake of the pandemic. Signage will tout new cleaning regimens: Red Roof Inns promise “RediClean,” while Hilton boasts of “CleanStay with Lysol.”
Hotels are still mostly empty; in the U.S., occupancy stood at 37% the week ending May 30, down 43% from the same period a year ago, according to STR, a data and consulting firm. But leisure travel is starting to pick up, and hotels see cleaning standards as a way to soothe jittery guests — and possibly win back business from rivals like home-sharing companies like Airbnb.
Despite hotels’ precautions, however, visiting them is still risky, said Dr. Albert Ko, a professor of epidemiology and medicine at the Yale School of Public Health. Hotels can bring together travelers from states or countries where transmission rates are higher, for example, and many carriers may not be showing symptoms.
“That’s the kind of thing we’re worried about in terms of public health,” he said. “Those settings can be the cause of outbreaks.”
ATP starts fundraiser to help idled coaches
Update 5 p.m. EDT June 8: Want a tennis lesson from coaches who work with Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer?
Or how about from a former coach and player such as Ivan Lendl, Boris Becker or Goran Ivanisevic?
Bidding is open from Monday through June 29 for a fundraising auction organized by the ATP and ATP Coach Programme to sell private coaching lessons.
The money will be used to help tennis coaches who lost the chance to work while the tours have been suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic. Some donations will be given to a global COVID-19 relief fund.
356 new cases of COVID-19 reported in New Jersey
Update 3:30 p.m. EDT June 8: Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey said Monday that 356 new coronavirus infections have been reported, raising the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 164,497.
Murphy said the falling number of new cases and hospitalizations across the state mean all of New Jersey can move into the second phase of reopening businesses shuttered by coronavirus pandemic beginning next week.
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Officials also reported 40 more deaths associated with the coronavirus pandemic. As of Friday, 12,214 people have died statewide of COVID-19.
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Death toll from COVID-19 tops 1,000 in North Carolina
Update 2:40 p.m. EDT June 8: Health officials in North Carolina said Monday that 10 more people have died of coronavirus, raising the statewide death toll from COVID-19 to 1,006, WSOC-TV reported.
Officials with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said 938 new coronavirus infections had been reported by Monday morning. So far, authorities said 36,484 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the state.
More than 43,000 coronavirus cases reported in Louisiana
Update 2:20 p.m. EDT June 8: Officials in Louisiana reported 234 new coronavirus infections Monday, raising the state’s total number of infections to 43,050.
Statewide, at least 2,831 people have died of COVID-19 and at least 33,904 people have recovered from the viral infection, officials said.
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UK officials report 1,205 new COVID-19 cases
Update 1:30 p.m. EDT June 8: Officials in the United Kingdom reported 1,205 new coronavirus infections Monday, raising the country’s total number of infections to 287,399.
Officials said that as of 5 p.m. local time Sunday, the most recent date for which data was available, 40,597 people had died nationwide of COVID-19.
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702 new COVID-19 cases reported in New York
Update 11:55 a.m. EDT June 8: Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York said Monday that 702 new COVID-19 cases have been reported statewide.
“Why are we reopening? Because the numbers say we can,” Cuomo said Monday at a news conference, noting that only 1.2% of COVID-19 tests administered in the state came back positive Sunday.
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Second phase of reopening begins in Massachusetts
Update 11:30 a.m. EDT June 8: The second phase of reopening businesses shuttered by the threat of the coronavirus pandemic begins Monday in Massachusetts, according to WFXT.
Gov. Charlie Baker on Saturday announced details of the planned reopening phase, which will be carried out in two steps, WFXT reported. Restaurants will first be allowed to host diners in outdoor seating, which must adhere to social distancing guidelines. Customers will be required to wear masks at all times, except once they’re seated at a table, according to WFXT.
>> Read more on Boston25News.com
St. Louis mayor: Residents will have access to free COVID-19 testing
Update 10:40 a.m. EDT June 8: Mayor Lyda Krewson of St. Louis on Monday announced plans to allow any of the city’s residents to get free testing for COVID-19, whether they are showing symptoms of having the viral infection or not.
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“This makes (St. Louis) the first jurisdiction in the state of Missouri to waive all criteria to (COVID-19) testing, which is so important to the health of our residents and to assisting our decision making process as we continue to slowly and responsibly recover and reopen,” Krewson said Monday in a statement posted on social media.
57 new cases of COVID-19 reported in DC
Update 10:20 a.m. EDT June 8: Health officials in Washington D.C. said Monday that 57 new coronavirus infections have been reported in the area, raising the total number of cases in the area to 9,389.
Officials also announced that two more people aged 78 and 84 have died of COVID-19 in Washington D.C., bringing the total number of deaths in the District to 491.
Dunkin’ Donuts to hire 25,000 employees as businesses closed by COVID-19 reopen
Update 10:15 a.m. EDT June 8: Officials with Dunkin’ Donuts announced Monday that its franchisees plan to hire 25,000 employees as businesses shuttered by the threat of the coronavirus pandemic begin to reopen nationwide.
In a statement obtained by Yahoo Finance, officials with the doughnut and coffee chain said franchisees will be looking to hire people in a variety of roles from behind the counter to management.
“Dunkin’ is committed to keeping America running and working,” Stephanie Lilak, senior vice president and chief human resources officer for Dunkin’ brands said in the statement, according to Yahoo Finance.
There are more than 8,500 Dunkin’ Donuts locations in 41 states.
Stocks open higher, extending a rally into its fourth week
Update 9:50 a.m. EDT June 8: Stocks opened higher Monday on Wall Street, extending a rally into its fourth week.
Banks and industrial companies had some of the biggest gains in the first few minutes of trading. The S&P 500 index rose 0.4%. Small-company stocks continued to outpace the rest of the market as investors upgraded their outlook for the economy.
The S&P 500 is back within 5.3% of its record set in February, as optimism strengthens that the worst of the coronavirus-induced recession may have already passed. Its rise follows up on modest moves made in Europe and Asia. Treasury yields were holding near their highest levels in months.
New York City begins to reopen today
Update 5:48 a.m. EDT June 8: New York City, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., will start to reopen Monday.
According to The Associated Press, the city’s wholesale, construction and manufacturing businesses can reopen with restrictions Monday. “Nonessential” retailers can reopen for delivery and pickup, as well, the news agency reported.
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New Zealand reports zero active coronavirus cases
Update 3:21 a.m. EDT June 8: New Zealand said Monday that it has zero active cases of the novel coronavirus, The Associated Press is reporting.
“We are confident we have eliminated transmission of the virus in New Zealand for now, but elimination is not a point in time; it is a sustained effort,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at a news conference Monday. “We almost certainly will see cases here again — and I do want to say that again, we will almost certainly see cases here again — and that is not a sign that we have failed; it is a reality of this virus.”
The country plans to end nearly all of its coronavirus-related restrictions Tuesday, although officials are still encouraging residents to practice social distancing, according to CNN. The border will still be closed to anyone except residents and citizens, the AP reported.
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US deaths top 110K, cases climb past 1.9M
Update 12:52 a.m. EDT June 8: The number of novel coronavirus cases in the United States continued to climb past 1.9 million early Monday across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
According to a Johns Hopkins University tally, there are at least 1,942,061 confirmed U.S. cases of the virus, which have resulted in at least 110,514 deaths.
The hardest-hit states remain New York, with 378,097 cases and 30,374 deaths, and New Jersey, with 164,164 cases and 12,176 deaths. Massachusetts, with 103,436 cases, has the third-highest number of deaths with 7,316, while California has the third-highest number of cases with 130,615. Only 14 states and territories have confirmed fewer than 5,000 cases each.
Seven other states have now confirmed at least 50,000 novel coronavirus cases each, including:
• Illinois: 127,757 cases, resulting in 5,904 deaths
• Pennsylvania: 79,908 cases, resulting in 5,943 deaths
• Texas: 75,408 cases, resulting in 1,841 deaths
• Michigan: 64,413 cases, resulting in 5,895 deaths
• Florida: 63,938 cases, resulting in 2,700 deaths
• Maryland: 57,973 cases, resulting in 2,749 deaths
• Georgia: 51,898 cases, resulting in 2,180 deaths
Meanwhile, Virginia, Connecticut and Louisiana each has confirmed at least 42,000 cases; Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina each has confirmed at least 35,000 cases; Colorado, Minnesota, Arizona, Tennessee, Washington, Iowa, Wisconsin and Alabama each has confirmed at least 20,000 cases, followed by Mississippi with 17,270; Nebraska, Rhode Island and Missouri each has confirmed at least 15,000 cases, followed by South Carolina with 14,286, Utah with 12,066 and Kentucky with 11,287; Kansas has confirmed at least 10,000 cases; Delaware, Nevada, Arkansas and the District of Columbia each has confirmed at least 9,000 cases; New Mexico has confirmed at least 8,000 cases, followed by Oklahoma with 7,150, South Dakota with 5,438 and New Hampshire with 5,043.
Click here to see CNN’s state-by-state breakdown.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
