U.S. Coronavirus Cases Top Two Million--Update

By WSJ Staff

-- The U.S. coronavirus death toll passed 112,000, while reported cases topped two million, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Cases world-wide exceeded 7.3 million, and deaths stood at more than 416,000. Experts say official totals likely understate the extent of the pandemic, in part because of different testing and reporting standards.

-- India reported 357 additional deaths from Covid-19, the country's highest single-day death toll.

-- The European Union has laid out the requirements that will allow people to visit the bloc beginning in July. It is not yet clear that the U.S. will pass the bar.

-- Walt DisneyCo. said it aims to begin a phased reopening of its Disneyland Resort in July.

U.S.

Economy: As businesses reopen and some recall workers who were furloughed, the labor market appears to be picking up after millions of jobs were lost in March and April. Initial unemployment claims fell to 1.5 million and the number of workers receiving benefits fell slightly to 20.9 million in the latest week, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

Testing: New York City officials are building a supply line of locally made coronavirus viral test kits, which they say is essential to safely reopening the economy. Two New York City companies and one college are on track to deliver 100,000 test kits a week by the end of June, according to the New York City Economic Development Corp., which is coordinating the effort.

Reopening: Walt Disney said it aims to begin a phased reopening of its Disneyland Resort in July. Under the plan, the Anaheim, Calif., theme park would open at roughly the same time as Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. The Downtown Disney retail area would open first, on July 9, followed by the Disneyland and California Adventure theme parks on July 17. The plan remains subject to approval by state and local governments, the company said.

Arkansas: Gov. Asa Hutchinson said his state would move into phase two of reopening on June 15. The governor attributed a rise in the state's coronavirus cases to an increase in testing, and not to the opening of businesses in phase one. Mr. Hutchinson, a Republican, said he would be extending an emergency order by another 45 days and encouraged people to wear masks and socially distance.

Vaccines: The federal government plans to fund and conduct the decisive studies of three experimental coronavirus vaccines starting this summer. These phase 3 trials are expected to involve tens of thousands of subjects at dozens of sites around the U.S., said John Mascola, director of the vaccine research center at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Meant to determine a vaccine's safety and effectiveness, they would mark the final stage of testing.

Events: The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and its country sibling, Stagecoach, were canceled by public health officials, the latest blow to a concert industry already suffering from months of canceled shows.

World

European Union: The EU's executive body said countries should remove borders within the block and some neighboring states on June 15, and allow visitors from outside the region to travel there from July 1. It is unclear whether travelers from the U.S., which currently imposes travel bans on a number of European countries, will qualify. The Commission wants member states to agree on and keep updating a list of permitted third countries, which would provide a boost to tourism in some of the worst-affected countries, including Italy and Spain.

India: India on Thursday reported 357 additional deaths from Covid-19, the country's highest single-day tally, bringing the total death toll to 8,102. Infections surged by 9,996 cases, another single-day record, to 286,579, data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare showed. India is the world's fifth worst-hit country in terms of total infections after the U.S., Brazil, Russia and the U.K., according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The state of Maharashtra continues to be the hardest hit, followed by the southern state of Tamil Nadu and Delhi.

Middle East: New daily infections in Saudi Arabia requiring intensive care and virus-related fatalities have surged since the end of May. The flouting of social distancing guidelines has caused rapid transmission within Saudi families while an increasing number of health-care workers are getting sick with the virus. Previously, coronavirus cases had been concentrated among foreign workers, especially those living in overcrowded dormitories. But now the virus is circulating among the older Saudi population, chronic conditions such as obesity and diabetes have led to more complications. Total cases now exceed 112,000 with 819 deaths. In Qatar, new daily cases haven't dropped below 1,500 while in the United Arab Emirates, new infections are still being recorded at above 500 a day. The U.A.E. capital Abu Dhabi shut down travel between cities in the emirate to slow infection rates.

France: The French economy shed 501,400 jobs during the three months to March 31, according to official data published Thursday. The private sector accounted for the vast majority of the losses, with 497,400 mostly temporary jobs lost during the period.

Australia: Health officials in Australia's Victoria state said that a person who attended a Black Lives Matter protest in Melbourne on Saturday was among eight new coronavirus infections in the state. The man, in his 30s, wasn't showing symptoms that day, but he may have been infectious, authorities said. People who attended the protest were urged to get tested and isolate at home if they had any coronavirus symptoms. Some 10,000 people joined Saturday's protest. Many wore masks, but the crowds were tightly packed, at odds with strict limits only allowing gatherings of up to 20 people. Health officials expressed concern ahead of the protests that they could lead to fresh outbreaks, even though new case numbers overall in the country have remained low in recent weeks.