Immune To COVID? New Study Suggests Why

Worldwide deaths from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, inched toward 400,000 Friday morning amid news of theme parks and other attractions reopening and Americans returning to work.

More than 6.7 million people are known to have been infected with COVID-19, according to numbers tracked by Johns Hopkins University, and at least 393,383 people have died. The U.S. has recorded more than 1.8 million cases and at least 108,708 deaths.

Latest Developments

United States:

-San Diego County health officials are encouraging all residents to get tested for COVID-19. “Since we can’t be sure who is contagious, people should get tested even if they’re asymptomatic to make sure they’re not positive and infecting others,” county public health officer Dr. Wilma Wooten said in a news release. California has more than 123,000 confirmed cases, with at least 7,940 of those in San Diego County.

-New York on Thursday recorded its lowest number of daily coronavirus-related deaths since the pandemic began. About 40 people died from COVID-19 in New York on Thursday, compared to 800 in one day just eight weeks ago, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at his daily news briefing.

-A U.S. Labor Department report on Friday said employers added 2.5 million workers to their payrolls last month, The Associated Press reported. The unemployment rate dropped from 14.7% to 13.9%. Some economists cautioned the data could be giving false hope, while others say it's a sign recovery is well underway. The S&P 500 has rallied more than 40% since late March.

-A North Carolina second grader has died from the COVID-19. Aurea Soto Morales, from Durham, started feeling sick on May 28 and was later rushed to a hospital after having a seizure, WRAL-TV reported. Her father, mother and sister also contracted the virus.

-Some coronavirus testing centers in Louisiana are shutting down next week due to potential impacts from Cristobal, expected to be a tropical storm when it approaches the U.S. Gulf Coast Sunday. The latest forecast has the storm most likely making landfall in Louisiana. Drive-through and mobile testing sites run by the National Guard and the governor's office in some communities will be closed from Sunday through Friday, according to a news release. The release didn't specify how many testing centers are affected or where specifically they are located.

(MORE: Cristobal Could Be 'Test Run' For Hurricane Season in the Era of Coronavirus)

-Universal Orlando Resort is reopening its three theme parks today. Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay are the first major Florida theme parks to open after being shut down since mid-March. The parks have limited attendance and other precautionary measures in place. Sea World will open its gates again on Thursday, as will Tampa's Busch Gardens. Disney plans to begin reopening its Orlando-area parks on July 11. No date has been set for reopening of theme parks in California.

-Casinos on the Las Vegas strip opened their doors Thursday for the first time since March 17. Nevada has about 9,100 confirmed cases of COVID-19, nearly all in the Las Vegas area. Officials say cases have been declining for more than a month, as have coronavirus-related hospitalizations, according to the AP.

-Clocks in Hawaii were pushed forward several minutes, thanks to record low energy demand and generation after hotels and businesses closed down. The Maui News reported that several residents wondered why their electric clocks were running fast. Hawaiian Electric officials told the newspaper the problem was likely caused by fluctuations in the power grid related to less electricity use.

-Furniture maker La-Z-Boy Inc. announced it's closing a factory in Newton, Mississippi, that employs about 300 people, the AP reported.

Worldwide:

-The World Health Organization is expanding its advice on the use of masks, saying people should wear face coverings in areas where the virus is spreading and social distancing isn't possible for example when riding public transportation. WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu revealed the new recommendations during a press briefing on Friday.

-Police in France banned a protest planned for Saturday in Paris, citing restrictions on gatherings of more than 10 people. The protest was set to echo those in the U.S. against racism and police brutality in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.

-Switzerland is reopening its borders to travelers from all European Union countries, as well as Britain, on June 15.

-A Catholic priest who was involved in church services in several German towns has tested positive for COVID-19, prompting some churches to cancel services while dozens of people who came into contact with the priest are tested.

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.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.