Immune To COVID? New Study Suggests Why

Deaths from COVID-19 in the U.S. surpassed 100,000 on Wednesday, as more communities moved to restart their economies and the nation turned its eyes toward a historic rocket launch in Florida, a welcome respite after months of gloom-and-doom headlines.

(MORE: Several Hundred Thousand People Could Descend on Florida's Space Coast For Historic Launch, Despite Coronavirus)

Nearly 1.7 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the U.S., and at least 100,047 people had died in the country because of the new coronavirus as of 6 p.m. EDT Wednesday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, more than 353,000 people have died and some 5.6 million people have been infected.

Latest Developments

United States:

-California became the fourth state to confirm at least 100,000 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday.

-Washington D.C. will ease stay-at-home orders on Friday, allowing restaurants and hair salons to reopen under strict guidelines. Restaurants can serve parties of six or fewer outside if outdoor seating is available; Gatherings of 10 or more are still against the rules, according to the New York Times.

-Despite fears of coronavirus, crowds gathered along Florida's Space Coast Wednesday afternoon for the much-anticipated SpaceX Crew Dragon launch, carrying two U.S. astronauts from Kennedy Space Center to the International Space Station. Local officials were welcoming space fans with open arms in the hopes of jumpstarting the coronavirus-stricken tourist economy. But the launch was scrubbing because of poor weather conditions.

-Disney has proposed to start reopening its Orlando theme parks on July 11; Sea World would like to open June 11, WFTV reported. Both companies presented their plans to local officials Wednesday. They will also have to be approved by the state, which has already given the go-ahead for Universal Orlando Resort to open June 5.

-New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Tuesday that restaurants in most parts of the state will be allowed to operate with outdoor seating at 50% capacity. New Mexico has confirmed 7,130 cases of COVID-19 and 325 deaths.

-Richmond, Virginia, Mayor Levar Stoney said his city will begin a gradual reopening on Friday. Richmond, along with two other areas of the state, had delayed reopening for two weeks beyond the rest of the state, according to the Associated Press.

-Amtrak is likely to cut up to 20% of its workforce, the Wall Street Journal reported. Ridership and revenue have dropped 95% in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

-Colleges in several states were making plans to host classes on campus in the fall, including in Massachusetts, where a panel of university presidents issued recommendations Wednesday that include widespread testing for COVID-19 and continued social distancing, the AP reported.

Worldwide:

-South Korea saw 40 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the biggest daily jump in almost 50 days. The news came on the same day that schools reopened and prompted calls to consider strengthening recently relaxed social distancing measures and restrictions. Nearly all the cases were reported in Seoul, and many were linked to nightclubs and bars.

-Mexico reported a new single-day high in coronavirus deaths, with 501, according to the AP. Overall, the country has confirmed more than 74,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 8,100 deaths.

For the latest coronavirus information in your county and a full list of important resources to help you make the smartest decisions regarding the disease, check out our dedicated COVID-19 page.

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