Confirmed COVID-19 cases have surpassed 1 million worldwide, with 1,039,166 cases reported as of 10 a.m. CDT April 3. The U.S. has reported 245,646 COVID-19 cases and 6,068 deaths.
Globally, 55,092 COVID-19 deaths have been reported, while 219,019 people have recovered.
Four key updates:
1. The 1,000-bed Navy hospital ship in New York had 20 patients April 2, frustrating hospital executives, The New York Times reports. The ship arrived in New York City March 30 to treat ailments other than COVID-19 and ease pressure on local hospitals. However, military and bureaucratic protocols have prevented the Navy from accepting many patients.
"If I'm blunt about it, it's a joke," Michael Dowling, president and CEO of New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health, which operates several hospitals in the city, told The New York Times.
At least 49 medical conditions exclude patients from being admitted to the ship, and ambulances have to deliver patients to a city hospital for evaluation before transporting patients to the ship.
Mr. Dowling said there aren't a lot of non-coronavirus patients because shelter-in-place orders have led to fewer car accidents, gunshots and construction accidents. The pause on elective surgeries has also contributed to the drop in non-coronavirus patient admissions. With over 90,000 infections in New York state, dividing patients by those who have COVID-19 and those who don't is pointless, Mr. Dowling said.
2. Half the world is under lockdown orders, with about 4 billion people told to stay home amid the pandemic, according to The New York Times.
3. Strategies to optimize personal protective equipment supply are included in the CDC's updated infection control guidelines for COVID-19 patients. The update also includes guidance about limiting germs entering the facility, managing visitors and protecting healthcare workers.
4. The FDA revised blood donor eligibility as the U.S. faces a critical shortage. Recommended deferral periods have been changed from 12 to three months for men who have had sex with other men, women who have had sex with men who have had sex with other men, and individuals with recent tattoos or piercings.
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