Coronavirus updates: NY nursing home reports 98 deaths linked to coronavirus

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SALT LAKE CITY — Here are the latest coronavirus-related updates from Utah and around the world.

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Friday, 10:24pm

NY nursing home reports 98 deaths linked to coronavirus

A New York City nursing home on Friday reported the deaths of 98 residents believed to have had the coronavirus — a staggering death toll that shocked public officials. “It’s absolutely horrifying,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said. “It’s inestimable loss, and it’s just impossible to imagine so many people lost in one place.” It is hard to say whether the spate of deaths at the Isabella Geriatric Center, in Manhattan, is the worst nursing home outbreak yet in the U.S., because even within the city facilities have chosen to report fatalities in different ways. A state tally of nursing home deaths released Friday listed only 13 at the home. — Associated Press

Friday, 09:12pm

DEA agent accused of stealing PPE, TP from agency warehouse, AP reports

A U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent and a telecommunications specialist are accused of stealing personal protective equipment, toilet paper and other supplies from an agency warehouse in Florida amid shortages caused by the coronavirus pandemic, law enforcement officials told The Associated Press. The officials, who were not authorized to discuss the case and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity, say it was not clear exactly how much of the supplies the men took or what they intended to do with them but the matter was serious enough that both were suspended and the agent was asked to hand over his gun pending an internal review. — Associated Press

Friday, 09:08pm

Pandemic 'cannot quell our Aggie spirit of togetherness': USU confers more than 7,000 degrees

Public health restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic may have forced Utah State University to call off its 2020 commencement on the Logan campus this year, but USU President Noelle Cockett told graduates in a video message that they were “front and center in our minds and our hearts.” Cockett’s message was released on Thursday, the same day graduation rites to celebrate the university’s 7,000 graduates were originally scheduled. “Like many of you, I wish we were gathered today with family and friends in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on the USU Logan campus,” Cockett said. — Marjorie Cortez, KSL

Friday, 09:06pm

Mitt Romney proposes ‘patriot pay’ boost of $12 per hour for front-line workers

Workers who face a greater risk of COVID-19 could receive up to $12 an hour more for the next three months under a proposal Sen. Mitt Romney unveiled on Friday. The Utah Republican’s “patriot pay” plan calls for one-quarter of the bonus to be paid by the employer and three-quarters by the federal government through a refundable payroll tax credit. “I think this is a matter of fundamental fairness,” Romney told reporters in a video press conference. “These people are taking a health risk providing food for us at our grocery stores, driving our buses and transit vehicles, making sure we have the health care we need in hospitals and clinics, keeping our hospitals clean.” — Dennis Romboy, KSL

Friday, 09:03pm

'The world has lost its confidence': Qualtrics is trying to help companies and consumers feel safe again

According to a recent Qualtrics survey, 66% of people feel uncomfortable with the idea of going back to the workplace right now. In order to help businesses know how to quell those fears, Qualtrics has launched two solutions — The Return to Work Pulse and Back to Business — that will give companies the data from employees and patrons. Both will be free for a period of time. “Every business and organization needs to do their own consumer testing and pulsing,” Smith said. “Are people willing to come back to work? Are they willing to sit down at my restaurant? Are my employees willing to come back? And what actions do I need to take right now to make it so that people are comfortable and that the perception that we're prepared is actually real?” Because, as it turns out, the comfort level isn’t very high; which might be the reason why 48% of people surveyed didn't expect to return to work until August. — Ryan Miller, KSL.com

Friday, 03:12pm

FDA allows emergency use of drug for coronavirus

U.S. regulators on Friday allowed emergency use of an experimental drug that appears to help some coronavirus patients recover faster. It is the first drug shown to help fight COVID-19, which has killed more than 230,000 people worldwide. The FDA said in a statement that Gilead Science’s intravenous drug would be specifically indicated for hospitalized patients with “severe disease,” such as those experiencing breathing problems requiring supplemental oxygen or ventilators. — Associated Press

Friday, 03:12pm

Real Salt Lake, Utah Royals staging 'Light the RioT' event to benefit Utah healthcare workers

Real Salt Lake and Utah Royals will stage the "Light the RioT" light show at Rio Tinto Stadium that will benefit healthcare workers in Utah, according to a news release from RSL. The drive-through show will start May 5 and run through May 13 at the stadium in Sandy. A special free preview night for front-line healthcare workers will take place May 4. The show costs $30 and all proceeds will go to frontline relief during COVID-19, the release said. The show will be open from 8:30-11 p.m. each night. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit lighttheriot.com. — Jacob Klopfenstein, KSL.com

Friday, 02:40pm

Utah sees 156 new cases of COVID-19, no new deaths Friday

Utah’s number of COVID-19 cases has increased by 156 from Thursday with no new reported deaths, according to the Utah Department of Health. Friday’s totals give Utah 4,828 confirmed cases, with 403 total hospitalizations and 46 total deaths from the disease. Previously, there were 4,672 cases in the state. The new numbers indicate a 3.3% increase in positive cases since Thursday. Of the 112,558 people tested in Utah so far, 4.3% have tested positive for COVID-19. — Jacob Klopfenstein, KSL.com

Friday, 02:38pm

Arianne Brown: The weddings of the pandemic are the weddings of awesome

The weddings of the pandemic are the weddings of awesome. There's no worry over what the wedding party will be wearing for pictures. There's no fuss over refreshments for the reception or who is invited to the luncheon. There are no masses of people staring at you, no steady stream of people in a reception line, no trying to please people you don’t need to. There are no sore face muscles from maintaining an awkward smile all day long. No headache. No much ado about nothing. — Arianne Brown, KSL.com Contributor

Friday, 02:37pm

Mike Lee says senators who don’t want to return to D.C. should consider new line of work

Senators who don’t want to return to Washington amid the coronavirus pandemic should maybe get out of politics, Utah Sen. Mike Lee suggested Friday. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s decision to bring the Senate back next week with no immediate plans to consider additional coronavirus legislation has left some members uneasy about traveling when stay-at-home orders remain intact in most states and the congressional attending physician recommends Congress stay away for now, according to NBC News. “Legislate, or don’t legislate. But trying to legislate without convening is neither logical nor constitutional,” Lee wrote in a series of tweets. — Dennis Romboy, KSL

Friday, 02:35pm

DeVos not enforcing pause on student loan payments, lawsuit says

The U.S. Education Department has continued to garnish wages from workers who are behind on their student loan payments even after Congress ordered the agency to suspend the practice during the coronavirus pandemic, a new lawsuit charges. The complaint, filed Thursday in federal court in Washington, alleges that thousands of workers are getting up to 15% of their paychecks held back because the Education Department has failed to notify employers that they must stop withholding pay. It was filed by consumer and student advocacy groups on behalf of Elizabeth Barber, a home health aide in New York, and any others who have lost wages during the crisis. — Associated Press

Friday, 02:33pm

Restaurants considering when to reopen amid strict requirements

For the first time in more than six weeks, restaurants that meet strict requirements in Salt Lake County have the option to open their dining areas to customers. But check before you go, because not all restaurants are reopening as soon as possible. Hours before state and county officials planned to replace dine-in closures with strict requirements, Daniel Yuswadi, owner of MakanMakan in Sandy, was cautiously optimistic. “My gut is telling me ‘let’s open,’ but my brain is still thinking, ‘OK, is it safe?’” Yuswadi said. — Matt Rascon, KSL TV

Friday, 12:46pm

Trump administration announces additional hospital and PPP loan funding

As part of continuing coronavirus relief, President Trump’s new press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, who stood behind the podium for the first time Friday, announced $12 billion in federal funding to hospitals. $10 billion of those dollars will be sent to hospitals treating 100 or more COVID-19 patients, such as heavily affected areas in New York and New Jersey, McEnany said. McEnany also announced additional funding for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for small businesses. — Katie Workman, KSL.com

Friday, 09:46am

Smith's grocery stores to expand hours starting Sunday

Smith's grocery stores will be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. starting this Sunday, the company announced. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the store will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. for people ages 60 and over only, according to a news release. For the rest of the week, the stores will open at 6 a.m. for everyone. Previously, stores had been open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. so that employees could keep stores stocked and clean during the COVID-19 pandemic, the release said. Smith's provides masks for all its employees and encourages customers to wear them while in the store, the release said. Customers are also encouraged to allow senior citizens to move to the front of checkout lines throughout the day. — Jacob Klopfenstein, KSL.com

Friday, 09:44am

Draper plans to obtain 5,000 antibody tests to sell to businesses and individuals

Mayor Troy Walker is finalizing a plan to acquire 5,000 antibody tests in order to sell to businesses and citizens in Draper and five neighboring cities. The tests will come from Healgen Scientific, a U.S.-based subsidiary of a Chinese company, and will be administered by Utah-based company RapidScreen Solutions. "Draper City is cognizant of our economy and wants to make sure we get people back to work safely," Walker told KSL.com. "Increased testing is one method to help us track the virus and provide peace of mind for individuals and businesses." — Ryan Miller, KSL.com

Friday, 08:20am

KSL Investigates COVID-19’s impact on fighting crime in Utah

Many things have changed since COVID-19 forced stay-at-home orders and social distancing. Crime is one of them. Law enforcement officers have had to change how they handle criminals and fight crime to avoid exposure and spread of the virus. The KSL Investigators analyzed how those changes are affecting police, as well as victims of crime who are desperately seeking justice. — Brittany Glas and Cindy St. Clair, KSL TV

Friday, 08:19am

U Of U doctors treating COVID-19 patients in remdesivir trial

There was a surge of hope and excitement this week when Dr. Anthony Fauci said the drug remdesivir showed promise for some of the sickest patients with COVID-19. The drug is not FDA approved and is only given in clinical trials right now, but local researchers are eager to find out if it can safely help patients recover from the novel coronavirus. “This is really the first piece of evidence that we have of any drug that has worked for this infection,” said Dr. Emily Spivak, an infectious diseases doctor at the University of Utah School of Medicine, adding that there is statistical evidence that remdesivir is active against this virus. “There’s a lot of optimism I think,” she said. — Jed Boal, KSL TV

Friday, 07:39am

Grand County camping remains off-limits to out of county visitors

Not everything is opening up in Utah this weekend. Camping in and around Moab, for example, remains off-limits to visitors from outside of Grand County and is available to residents only and people deemed essential workers. The Grand County Attorneys Office reminded outdoor enthusiasts that all national parks in southeast Utah remain closed and dispersed camping is operating under the resident-only restrictions. — Amy Joi O'Donoghue, KSL

Friday, 06:58am

Utah officially moves from high to moderate risk, easing several coronavirus restrictions

At 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Utah officially moved from high risk to a moderate risk phase under the Utah Leads Together 2.0 plan. Along with the transition comes loosened COVID-19 restrictions. Gov. Gary Herbert said the state can now “cautiously relax some requirements” because of the strides made over the past month. “We aren’t returning to business as usual yet,” Herbert said in a prepared statement on Wednesday. “But Utahns' diligence over the past month has given us time to build our healthcare capacity and PPE stores.” — Lauren Bennett, KSL.com

Friday, 06:57am

Work safety strike, virus lockdown protest set for May Day

Some essential workers planned to strike nationwide on May Day to demand safer conditions during the coronavirus outbreak, while other groups plan rallies against tight stay-at-home orders they say are crippling the U.S. economy. Organizers say employees of Amazon, Whole Foods, Target, Fedex and other companies have become the unexpected frontline workers of the pandemic. Some employees planned to walk off the job or call out sick Friday on International Workers' Day in cities across the U.S. to demand unpaid time off work, hazard pay, sick leave, protective gear and cleaning supplies. — Associated Press

Friday, 06:43am

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

Utah’s number of COVID-19 cases increased by 177 from Wednesday, with one new reported death, according to the Utah Department of Health.

Salt Lake City officials announced two more streets would be designated for cyclists and pedestrians to recreate on. Starting on Friday the outside lanes of 900 South between 300 East and 700 East will be open for cyclists and pedestrians. Starting on Tuesday, 600 East from South Temple to 900 South will open for recreation as well.

The number of Utahns seeking unemployment benefits increased by 11,830 last week. Nationally, more than 3.8 million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits during the same time.

Read all of Thursday's coronavirus coverage here.

Coronavirus updates: NY nursing home reports 98 deaths linked to coronavirus

By KSL Staff | Updated - May 1, 2020 at 10:27 p.m. | Posted - May 1, 2020 at 7:05 a.m.

(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

NY nursing home reports 98 deaths linked to coronavirus

DEA agent accused of stealing PPE, TP from agency warehouse, AP reports

Pandemic 'cannot quell our Aggie spirit of togetherness': USU confers more than 7,000 degrees

Mitt Romney proposes ‘patriot pay’ boost of $12 per hour for front-line workers

'The world has lost its confidence': Qualtrics is trying to help companies and consumers feel safe again

FDA allows emergency use of drug for coronavirus

Real Salt Lake, Utah Royals staging 'Light the RioT' event to benefit Utah healthcare workers

Utah sees 156 new cases of COVID-19, no new deaths Friday

Arianne Brown: The weddings of the pandemic are the weddings of awesome

Mike Lee says senators who don’t want to return to D.C. should consider new line of work

DeVos not enforcing pause on student loan payments, lawsuit says

Restaurants considering when to reopen amid strict requirements

Trump administration announces additional hospital and PPP loan funding

Smith's grocery stores to expand hours starting Sunday

Draper plans to obtain 5,000 antibody tests to sell to businesses and individuals

KSL Investigates COVID-19’s impact on fighting crime in Utah

U Of U doctors treating COVID-19 patients in remdesivir trial

Grand County camping remains off-limits to out of county visitors

Utah officially moves from high to moderate risk, easing several coronavirus restrictions

Work safety strike, virus lockdown protest set for May Day

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

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Most recent Utah stories

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Wayne Vaught selected as interim president at Utah Valley University

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Coronavirus updates: NY nursing home reports 98 deaths linked to coronavirus

By KSL Staff | Updated - May 1, 2020 at 10:27 p.m. | Posted - May 1, 2020 at 7:05 a.m.

(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

NY nursing home reports 98 deaths linked to coronavirus

DEA agent accused of stealing PPE, TP from agency warehouse, AP reports

Pandemic 'cannot quell our Aggie spirit of togetherness': USU confers more than 7,000 degrees

Mitt Romney proposes ‘patriot pay’ boost of $12 per hour for front-line workers

'The world has lost its confidence': Qualtrics is trying to help companies and consumers feel safe again

FDA allows emergency use of drug for coronavirus

Real Salt Lake, Utah Royals staging 'Light the RioT' event to benefit Utah healthcare workers

Utah sees 156 new cases of COVID-19, no new deaths Friday

Arianne Brown: The weddings of the pandemic are the weddings of awesome

Mike Lee says senators who don’t want to return to D.C. should consider new line of work

DeVos not enforcing pause on student loan payments, lawsuit says

Restaurants considering when to reopen amid strict requirements

Trump administration announces additional hospital and PPP loan funding

Smith's grocery stores to expand hours starting Sunday

Draper plans to obtain 5,000 antibody tests to sell to businesses and individuals

KSL Investigates COVID-19’s impact on fighting crime in Utah

U Of U doctors treating COVID-19 patients in remdesivir trial

Grand County camping remains off-limits to out of county visitors

Utah officially moves from high to moderate risk, easing several coronavirus restrictions

Work safety strike, virus lockdown protest set for May Day

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

Related links

KSL.com coronavirus coverage

Most recent Utah stories

15-year-old girl killed in rollover crash in West Valley; 4 others injured

Wayne Vaught selected as interim president at Utah Valley University

Suspended student returned to Taylorsville High, pointed gun at students, police say

Related topics

More stories you may be interested in

Wayne Vaught selected as interim president at Utah Valley University

Suspended student returned to Taylorsville High, pointed gun at students, police say

Utah lawmakers reject 2 new potential state holidays

KSL Weather Forecast