The White House announced on Sunday that the U.S. has sent 2 million doses of the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine to Brazil and that 1,000 ventilators will soon be delivered as well as the South American country becomes the new epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic.
The big picture: The situation in Brazil, which has reported over 498,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 28,000 deaths, is threatening to spiral out of control as far-right President Jair Bolsonaro faces mounting criticism for downplaying the severity of the virus.
Health experts fear that massive protests against police brutality in major cities around the United States could result in new coronavirus outbreaks due to the close proximity of demonstrators, AP reports.
Why it matters: The U.S. has already recorded more confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths than any other country in the world. A potential surge in cases stemming from the protests would come as many states are weeks into their phased reopening plans.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel does not plan to accept President Trump's invitation to attend an in-person G7 summit in Washington, D.C. at the end of June, the New York Times reports.
Why it matters: Deborah Birx, the lead White House coronavirus task force coordinator, told reporters last week that D.C., Maryland and Virginia have the highest percentage of coronavirus cases in the U.S.
The big picture: Although India's lockdown — which will now last until June 30 — has been extended three times, the country moved on Saturday to allow restaurants, hotels and churches outside of hotspots to begin resuming operations.
A Memorial Day partygoer who visited several Lake of the Ozarks bars in Missouri has tested positive for the coronavirus, the Camden County health department said.
Why it matters: As multiple outlets reported over Memorial Day weekend, some of those bars and nearby swimming pools were packed with people not social distancing and not wearing masks. The Missouri bars are also a popular vacation spot for many from Chicago, per AP.
A security group warns that the COVID-19 pandemic could inspire terrorists to turn to bioweapons.
Why it matters: New technologies like gene-editing have the potential to make future bioweapons deadlier and easier to create, while COVID-19 demonstrates just how vulnerable the world is to any kind of biological threat.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, without notice, removed specifics on choirs in its guidelines for houses of worship to reopen, the Washington Post reports.
Why it matters: The CDC's original long-form guidance for businesses to reopen included detailed guidance for churches and other religious institutions, which the White House requested be taken out, according to AP.
New York City will reopen on June 8, Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters on Saturday.
Why it matters: The city was the original epicenter of the novel coronavirus in the U.S. and has reported the most infections and deaths in the country, per Johns Hopkins data.
Safety costs, digitization and flexibility — a top consultant outlines what American workplaces may look like in the age of coronavirus.
Why it matters: As states gradually reopen, businesses will need to decide how much work can continue remotely, how much needs to be done in a workplace — and how those workplaces will need to be adapted.
