Apr 13, 2020 - Health

Andrew Cuomo says he wants to reopen New York "as soon as possible"

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo during a press conference at the State Capitol. Photo: Michael Brochstein/Echoes Wire/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) told a briefing Sunday he's coordinating with the governors of New Jersey and Connecticut on when to ease coronavirus restrictions, adding he wants to reopen nonessential businesses and public places "as soon as possible."

The big picture: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told Cuomo via text message of plans to keep 1,800 public schools shut until the end of June, per the New York Times. But Cuomo said it's too early to make such a call. "That's his opinion, but he didn't close them, and he can't open them," he said.

  • "If you say the schools are closed through June, you are effectively saying businesses are closed through June," Cuomo added.
  • He said data and science would drive the decision on when to reopen the state's economy.

Where it stands: More than 188,000 New Yorkers have tested positive for the coronavirus and over 9,300 people have died in the state. New York has tested more than 461,600 people for the virus, per Johns Hopkins data.

Go deeper

U.S. coronavirus updates

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins; Map: Andrew Witherspoon/Axios. This graphic includes "probable deaths" that New York City began reporting on April 14.

California on Thursday projected a $54.3 billion deficit in its state budget as a result of the economic damage caused by the novel coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration said.

By the numbers: Jobless claims nationwide have swelled to roughly 33.5 million in the past seven weeks since coronavirus-driven lockdowns began — and, even as states begin to open back up, workers are still losing their jobs at a staggering rate.

Go deeper (2 min. read)ArrowUpdated 10 hours ago - Health

Black men and women in the U.K. twice as likely to die from coronavirus as white people

Applause for health care workers at Salford Royal Hospital on May 7 in Salford, England. Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Black people in England and Wales are roughly twice as likely to die from the novel coronavirus than white people, the U.K.'s Office for National Statistics reported in new data released Thursday.

The big picture: Health officials in the U.S. have outlined causes for the heightened coronavirus risks for people of color in America: chronic health conditions and the effects of economic inequality. The NHS analysis found that the disparity is partly caused by socioeconomic disadvantages.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow7 hours ago - Health

The U.S.' coronavirus recovery is way behind Europe's

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins; Chart: Naema Ahmed/Axios

Other countries — even some hit hard by the coronavirus — are beating back their outbreaks more successfully than the U.S.

Why it matters: The number of new cases every day is holding steady in the U.S., but it's not going down — a key benchmark many other countries achieved before loosening their lockdowns and social distancing measures.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow24 hours ago - Health