Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the US – Latest State Updates – April 6, 2020

Connecticut

As of April 6th

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

Since the last update, an additional 399 Connecticut residents have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 5,675. To date, more than 23,270 tests have been conducted in Connecticut among both state and private laboratories. Approximately 1,142 patients have been hospitalized. The total statewide total number of COVID-19 associated fatalities is 189.

A county-by-county breakdown includes:

County	Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 Cases	Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 Hospitalizations	Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19-Associated Deaths
Fairfield County	3,050	531	96
Hartford County	751	189	29
Litchfield County	197	15	6
Middlesex County	110	19	5
New Haven County	1,162	372	36
New London County	57	10	4
Tolland County	94	3	11
Windham County	32	3	1
Pending address validation	222	0	1
Total	5,675	1,142	189

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality and data broken down by age, gender, race, and other factors, visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Governor Lamont signs 22^nd executive order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19

Governor Lamont yesterday signed another executive order – the 22^nd since he enacted the emergency declarations – that builds upon his efforts to encourage mitigation strategies that slow down transmission of the virus.

Governor Lamont’s Executive Order No. 7U enacts the following provisions:

• Protection from civil liability for actions or omissions in support of the state’s COVID-19 response: Protects health care professionals and health care facilities, including nursing homes and field hospitals, from lawsuits for acts or omissions undertaken in good faith in support of the state’s COVID-19 response. State statutes already provide similar protections for other first responders, including police, firefighters, and EMS.
• Financial protections for the uninsured and people covered by insurance who receive out-of-network health care services during the public health emergency: Protects those who are uninsured and those who are insured and are treated by an out-of-network emergency services health care provider from surprise bills and other significant costs. This will ensure that individuals receiving care are not being financially burdened.

Georgia

As of April 6th

• Daily State Public Health stats:
  • State cases are up to 7,314 at noon today as compared to 5,967 on Friday at 7p.m.  We are now up to 229 deaths up from 198 at 7 p.m. Friday.  1,332 confirmed patients are hospitalized as compared to 1,222 at 7 p.m. Friday.  Dougherty, Fulton and Cobb Counties have the most cases in Georgia. 

• Per covid19.healthdata.org, it is anticipated that Georgia will have a shortage of 594 beds and 755 ICU beds with a peak on April 22 with 84 deaths on April 23.

• Rockdale Sheriff Eric Levett on Friday declared that he tested positive for COVID-19.

• Georgia Tech is hosting a drive through test site for all who are pre-screened.  CVS is operating the site with Abbott lab’s test it, permitting a 30 minute test result.

Kansas

As of April 4th

• COVID-19
  • Charted number of COVID-19 cases in Kansas and projections.
  • Cases are doubling every 7-9 days; they were doubling every three days.
  • Anticipate peak of cases to occur between April 10-14. This is considered the infectious peak.
  • Cases will then last 14-21 more days, causing hospital admissions to ramp up until April 24.
  • Worst hasn’t arrived yet for Kansas hospitals. Anticipate 20 percent per week increase for hospital admissions.
  • Testing has expanded with several private companies, including Quest in Kansas.
  • KU has a new test, Avid that can be done very quickly as well. This will assist in saving on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and get people quarantined sooner.
  • President Trump has requested 3M ramp up production of gloves and mask.
  • Social Distancing Scoreboard. This website is not receiving information from the state of Kansas but is getting data from GPS data tracking on people’s phones. Can see reports on their website: unacast.com/covid19/social-distancing-scoreboard
• April Consensus Revenue Estimates
  • The April consensus revenue estimates to be down US$350 – US$481 million when they report – this is only an educated guess based on Denning’s calculations.
  • Kansas took the federal lead and extended tax filing date from April 15 to July 15. This will be in the new fiscal year and impact revenues for FY2020.
• Medicaid
  • Federal government increasing their Medicaid share by six percent. This is US$50 million quarterly for Kansas and US$200 million annually.
  • Kansas will be able to decrease their portion by the six percent.
  • Expect Medicaid applications to increase.
• Oil and Gas Prices
  • Crude oil prices have decreased impacting Kansas revenues.
  • April 1, 2018 US$55.25 per barrel
  • April 1, 2019 US$51.75 per barrel
  • April 1, 2020 US$10.50 per barrel
  • Major impact on Kansas producers.
• Unemployment Benefits
  • SB 27 had two major pieces impacting unemployment benefits.
    • Removed the one week waiting period.
    • Increased from 16 week to 26 weeks number of payments. Sunsets in April 2021.
  • Federal legislation removed the one week waiting period and federal government will cover the first week.
  • Governor Kelly Executive Order 20-17 has language that removes requirement to report weekly job search. This is because many employers furloughed employees and want to hire them back so don’t want them out job searching. Also, to follow social distancing guidelines. After emergency is declared over, report job search will be again required.
  • Kansas providing maximum of US$488 unemployment benefit a week based on prior income.
  • Federal government providing flat US$600 a week, through end of July.
  • Together that has the potential to be US$50,000 annually for someone on unemployment insurance.
• State Buildings
  • Governor Kelly announced Friday that State buildings will remain closed to the public but requesting certain agencies to bring staff back on April 6 for needed services.
• President Trump
  • On March 25 President Trump approved Kansas 1135 waiver.
  • This relaxes Medicaid pre-authorization requirements.
  • This is not Medicaid expansion.
• Governor Kelly is signing the transportation plan this afternoon
• Return of Legislature
  • Legislature is scheduled to return April 27. Doubt this will happen if we still in crisis. May be early May.
  • Sine Die is May 21 and that is a hard date.
  • If they don’t return prior to May 21 could be called back in a Special Session, if needed.

Minnesota

As of April 6th

The Minnesota Legislature will return tomorrow to quickly pass legislation related COVID-19. The bill will provide Worker’s Compensation to First Responders and Healthcare Providers who contract the Coronavirus while working. The House and Senate also announced a change to their Easter/Passover Break and numerous committees have scheduled remote hearings this week.

Missouri

As of April 3rd

Statewide Stay at Home Order

Governor Parson has just issued a Stay at Home Order for the entire State of Missouri through April 24. The order will begin on Monday. Missouri’s order is similar to one recently issued by Texas and uses the US Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Memorandum on Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers During COVID-19 Response as the basis for its list of essential businesses.

Stay at Home orders issued by local governments cannot be more lenient, but can be more restrictive than the state order. Businesses can appeal their “essential” designation with the Department of Economic Development. Essential retail stores of 10,000 square feet or less will be restricted to maximum occupancy of 25 percent of their fire code limit. Essential retail stores of 10,000 square feet or more will be restricted to maximum occupancy of 10 percent of their fire code limit.

North Carolina

As of April 6th

Coronavirus Update

North Carolina’s number of reported COVID-19 cases continued to increase Sunday as the state identified 183 new cases in 89 counties. North Carolina has at least 2,648 cases of coronavirus as of Sunday afternoon, and 38 people have died, according to public health officials. The state reported its biggest single-day surge in COVID-19 infections on Saturday — a nearly 15 percent increase from the day before. North Carolina DHHS reports 261 people hospitalized across the state.

Reported Coronavirus Cases in NC Jumped Nearly 15 Percent on Saturday (Raleigh News & Observer) The number of COVID-19 cases reported on Saturday morning jumped from 2,093 on Friday around 11 a.m. to 2,402 in 88 counties. The 309 new cases mark the largest one-day surge as the novel coronavirus spreads to more counties in the state.

Changes Underway After Jobless Claim Deluge Overwhelms NC System (NC Public Press) North Carolina was already in the midst of a historic surge in jobless claims when Gov. Roy Cooper closed all bars and restaurants to in-person service on March 18. Roughly two weeks later, an unprecedented number of North Carolinians have applied for unemployment. The torrent of unemployment applications has yet to cease, as numbers surged far beyond any other time in North Carolina history. Since March 16, more than 353,480 people have applied for unemployment benefits.

State Treasurer Released from Hospital After Treatment for COVID-19 (WRAL) State Treasurer Dale Folwell has been released from the hospital after five days treatment for COVID-19 symptoms, the Treasurer’s Office said Friday. He was never placed on a ventilator “or otherwise incapacitated,” the Treasurer’s Office said in a statement.

“We’ve Got to Do Better”. Cell Phone Data May Reveal Whether Stay at Home Order Works (Raleigh News & Observer) North Carolina and most of its counties aren’t seeing large enough reductions in social movements as the state attempts to restrict people’s mobility to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to data from a company that tracks human movements. Nearly a week into a statewide stay-at-home order, health officials say North Carolina residents need to do a much better job at heeding the statewide order halting most movements.

Chief Justice Beasley Postpones Court Proceedings Until June (North State Journal) North Caroline Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley issued an order to postpone court proceedings until June 1, 2020. The full order contains seven emergency directives. The order directs clerks of court to post notices at court facilities discouraging entry by those infected with COVID-19 and authorizes court proceedings to be conducted by remote audio and video transmissions.

Other News

US Sen. Richard Burr Stock Trade Probed by Justice Department, SEC (Winston Salem Journal) US Sen. Richard Burr is facing two potential federal probes into stock sales made a week before the stock market began its sharp coronavirus-related decline Feb. 20.

US Rep. Mark Meadows Resigns Seat, Starts at White House Tuesday (Blue Ridge Now) Rep. Mark Meadows is resigning his congressional seat effective 5 p.m. today as he assumes the post of White House chief of staff. Even while he held his House seat over the last several weeks, the North Carolina Republican has been the de facto chief of staff. Meadows represented Trump in Senate negotiations on the US$2.2 trillion economic rescue package to lessen the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and he has been a regular presence in the White House in recent weeks.

North Carolina Senate Race Emerges as 2020 Bellweather (The Hill) Sen. Thom Tillis’s (R-NC) seat has emerged as a bellwether in the race for control of the Senate. Over the past week, the two leading Democratic and Republican super PACs focusing on Senate campaigns have poured a combined US$47 million into fall advertising reservations in North Carolina, far more than they have invested in any other Senate battleground state.

Texas

As of April 6^th

This afternoon, Governor Abbott conducted a news conference at from a Texas DPS warehouse in Austin.  It was primarily an update on Texas PPE supplies.  Gov. Abbott was joined by Dr. John Hellerstedt, Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services, Chief Nim Kidd, head of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, and Dr. John Zerwas, Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs of the University of Texas System.  Current shelter-in-place and travel restrictions remain unchanged.  Texas DPS is enforcing the travel restrictions for flights from certain municipalities and states.

Gov. Abbott also mentioned that he’s recently participated in phone calls with VP Pence, other US Governors, HHS/CMS, FEMA and Treasury Secretary Mnuchin.

As of today, there are 7,276 positive COVID-19 cases in Texas, 140 fatalities, 85,357 people who have been tested and 1,153 hospitalizations.  For context, LAST SUNDAY/ March 29^th those numbers were 2,552 positives, 34 deaths, and 25,483 tests administered. 

Governor Abbott provided a region-by-region breakdown of supplies that have been distributed over the past week — including masks, face shields, gloves, gowns, and coveralls. The Governor also discussed the distribution process for PPE in Texas.  He cited 1.6 million masks, 209,000 face shields, 2.7m gloves, 160,000 gowns, 7,500 coveralls… and 2.5m masks on the way. 

On Sunday, Governor Greg Abbott temporarily waived certain regulations to expand the health care workforce to assist with Texas’ COVID-19 response. Under this waiver, Physician Assistants (PA), Medical Physicists, Perfusionists, and Respiratory Care candidates for licensure who have completed all other requirements may enter the workforce under a n emergency license working under supervision prior to taking the final licensure examination. The Governor’s waiver also provides for emergency licensees to undergo name-based background checks in place of fingerprint checks while fingerprint checks are unavailable due to the crisis.

Additionally, the Governor’s waiver allows more flexibility between physicians and the PAs and Advance Practice Registered Nurses they supervise including allowing for oral prescriptive delegation agreements to enable rapid deployment of those practitioners during the emergency.

On Saturday, Governor Abbott Conducted a Phone Call With Anthony Fauci, MD, Of White House Coronavirus Task Force.  The Governor and Dr. Fauci discussed the importance of adhering to federal guidelines to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The Governor then detailed the uniform standard among Texans to stay home unless performing an essential service or activity as well as other actions the state of Texas has taken to combat the virus. Dr. Fauci stated that this uniform standard, along with other actions implemented by Texas, will help achieve the goal of slowing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting public health. The Governor and Dr. Fauci discussed the trajectory of COVID-19 in Texas and the importance of continued social distancing through April 30th. The Governor and Dr. Fauci also discussed the expansion of testing in Texas. The Governor concluded the conversation by reiterating Texas’ commitment to working with the federal government during the COVID-19 response and by thanking Dr. Fauci for his leadership and advice.

On Friday, Governor Abbott held a press conference to provide an update on Texas hospital capacity. He and state experts explained the state’s preparations to bring additional facilities online to provide supplementary healthcare capacity if needed. Hospital bed availability in Texas has increased by more than 140 percent since March 18th. Click here for more information.

Actions Taken to Expand Hospital Capacity:

March 22nd: Governor Abbott issued an Executive Order to expand hospital bed capacity. Under this order, the Governor directed all licensed health care professionals and facilities to postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not immediately, medically necessary to correct a serious medical condition or to preserve the life of a patient. The order also suspends certain regulations to allow for increased occupancy of hospital rooms.

March 24th: Governor Abbott issued an Executive Order requiring Texas hospitals to submit daily reports of hospital bed capacity to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

March 25th: Governor Abbott temporarily waived certain hospital licensing rules and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) adopted an emergency rule to meet Texas’ need for additional hospital capacity.

March 29th: Governor Abbott announced a joint effort between the state, the Texas Military Department (TMD), and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to identify and equip additional locations to serve as health care facilities in the event that hospital capacity is exhausted. The Governor announced the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas as the first of these sites.

Wisconsin

As of April 6^th

Emergency Orders by the Governor

On Friday, Governor Tony Evers and Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm signed Emergency Orders #19, #20 and #21. Those emergency orders do the following:

Emergency Order #19, relates to allowing the disclosure of certain health information to first responders and other public safety workers if they are responding to an address of an individual that the Local Health Officer knows has tested positive for COVID-19.

Emergency Order #20, relates to modifying Emergency Order #16, to add some additional reporting and notification requirements regarding a provider who is operating under a temporary provider license.

Emergency Order #21, relating to suspending specific Administrative Rules at the Department of Health Services. Those rules were targeted at the following providers or services;

• Emergency Medical Services
• Home Health Agencies
• Hospices
• Nursing Homes
• Nurse Aide Training Programs
• Feeding Assistant Programs
• Community Based Residential Facilities
• Adult Family Homes
• Narcotic Treatment Service for Opiate Addiction

COVID-19 Media Briefing:

Governor Tony Evers, DHS Secretary-designee Andrea Palm and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ryan Westergaard will hold a briefing and media Q&A at 1:30 PM today. It can be viewed live at: youtu.be/Esli3blev7w

Assembly Republicans send letter to Governor Evers on priorities for CARES Act funding

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, and his Assembly Republican colleagues sent Governor Evers a letter over the weekend outlining how they hope the state’s share of the US$2.2 billion in federal funding from the CARES act will be distributed. Specifically highlighted in the letter are the following:

• They ask that federal resources should be prioritized for the needs of hospitals and healthcare facilities.
• They voice “strong opposition” to classifying abortion providers, such as Planned Parenthood, as an essential service and “firmly insist” that no federal stimulus money go directly or indirectly to abortion providers.
• They reiterate their support for repealing the one-week waiting period for unemployment and will look to take it up as soon as the Legislature convenes.
• They would like the Governor to consider building in unemployment assistance for business owners and direct any other resources available to help business owners and farmers stay afloat in these difficult times.
• They ask that the state provide assistance to our local governments, if allowed under the purview of the federal stimulus bill.
• For the homeless population they would like vouchers provided so that local governments can find alternate housing for those who lack shelter as well as finding ways to support food pantries.
• In looking ahead to the next biennial budget (State Agency budget requests are due to the Governor by September 15^th), the Assembly Republicans ask the Governor to “use every tool at your disposal, including the state offices of Inspector General within your administration, to be as mindful as possible in your spending decisions.” They also caution in their letter against considering tax increases or “other economically detrimental policies.”
• And they close by asking the Governor to “work with Wisconsin churches and temples to allow them to hold Easter or Passover services, even if it’s outside.”

Updated DHS testing numbers from the weekend:

*Note previous Negative Test Result data released by DHS may have contained duplicative data or data related to out of state patients. We will clean up the chart as soon as DHS releases the updated information.

STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH ALL OF OUR INSIGHTS AND GUIDANCE BY VISITING OUR US COVID-19 HUB HERE.