Food banks see surging demand across U.S.
Desperation is growing by the day for Americans who lost their jobs due to the coronavirus crisis. An estimated 17 million people could now be facing hunger, in addition to those who already battle it every day.
Feeding America, the national organization linking U.S. food banks, estimates it will need an additional $1.4 billion to meet increased needs over the next six months.
In New Orleans, Troy Riles and Caroline Caston went to a small church pantry after the couple became newly unemployed, CBS News’ Mireya Villarreal reports. They said they had saved up just enough to keep up with essential bills for a few months, are they are starting to ration their own food.
“Right now, it’s survival mode,” Riles said.
The National Guard has been deployed across the country to help with the increased demand in food banks.
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U.N. headquarters extends telecommuting for diplomats and staff until May 31
The U.N. Secretary General told all U.N. staff members in a letter this week that “the current telecommuting arrangements at United Nations Headquarters shall be extended through May 31, 2020.”
“We will continue to review such arrangements, as subsequent extensions may be necessary,” he said.
He said his decision was based on a “a conservative and pragmatic approach” in consultation with senior management and our medical services, after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the state’s shutdown will be extended to May 15.
The U.N. has been closed to visitors for several weeks, and the Security Council’s meetings and consultations have been conducted by video conference. But the U.N. chief has made regular visits to the U.N. building in New York for video messages.
New wave of infections threatens to collapse Japan’s hospitals
Hospitals in Japan are increasingly turning away sick people as the country struggles with surging coronavirus infections and its emergency medical system collapses.
In one recent case, an ambulance carrying a man with a fever and difficulty breathing was rejected by 80 hospitals and forced to search for hours for a hospital in downtown Tokyo that would treat him. Another feverish man finally reached a hospital after paramedics unsuccessfully contacted 40 clinics.
The Japanese Association for Acute Medicine and the Japanese Society for Emergency Medicine say many hospital emergency rooms are refusing to treat people including those suffering strokes, heart attacks and external injuries.
Japan initially seemed to have controlled the outbreak by going after clusters of infections in specific places, usually enclosed spaces such as clubs, gyms and meeting venues. But the spread of virus outpaced this approach and most new cases are untraceable.
The outbreak has highlighted underlying weaknesses in medical care in Japan, which has long been praised for its high quality insurance system and reasonable costs.
Apart from a general unwillingness to embrace social distancing, experts fault government incompetence and a widespread shortage of the protective gear and equipment medical workers need to do their jobs.
Beaches in Jacksonville, Florida, reopen with restrictions
Some beaches in Florida reopened Friday night, after Governor Ron DeSanits gave the green light as long as social distancing is put in place. Beaches in the north Florida counties of Duval, which includes Jacksonville, and St. John’s County opened beaches at 5 p.m. Friday, CBS Jacksonville affiliate WJAX reports.
Beaches in Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach and Atlantic beach will now be open from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Allowed under the guidelines are:
- Walking and running
- Biking
- Fishing
- Dog walking, which is allowed during all hours the beaches are open
- Swimming
- Surfing
- Participating in recreational activities consistent with social guidelines
“This can be the beginning of the pathway back to normal life,” said Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry. “Please respect and follow these limitations. Stay within the guidelines for your safety as well as for the safety of your neighbors.”
More than 450 federal inmates have coronavirus, BOP says
The Bureau of Prisons said Friday that 465 federal inmates and 296 staff members have coronavirus. More than 100 inmates and 25 staff members have recovered.
Eighteen inmates have died from the virus, according to the BOP.
The bureau also announced its first “potential” staff death from the virus on Friday night. Robin Grubbs, who was working at the United States Penitentiary in Atlanta, was found dead in her home on Tuesday night and posthumously tested positive for the virus, the BOP said. But since there wasn’t an autopsy, her cause of death has not been determined.
