U.S. stocks roared higher Tuesday amid optimism that national and global economies were slowly awakening from their slumber despite a WHO warning that the world remains in the “first wave” of the pandemic.

Still, states were beginning to open back up – although some large gatherings, such as a pool party at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri, drew ire from health officials.

The United States is inching closer to a devastating milestone as the virus will soon be blamed for the deaths of 100,000 Americans. There are more than 5.5 million confirmed cases around the globe, with more than 1.6 million in the United States alone, according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard. 

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What we’re talking about: A Michigan boy has recovered from a rare syndrome linked to the coronavirus with symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease. At least 33 children in the state have been diagnosed with the same condition.

Cuomo: NY state deaths ‘lowest level we have seen’

As New York continues to ramp up its reopening plan, two vital coronavirus metrics have dropped to the lowest levels since the outbreak began, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday. New coronavirus hospitalizations dropped to “the lowest level since this started, just about 200,” and the state reported 73 deaths Monday.

“In this absurd, new reality, that is good news,” Cuomo said.

Cuomo said he is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump on Wednesday in Washington to ask for funding to bolster the state’s infrastructure projects. To resurrect New York’s economy and to capitalize on lower ridership from commuters, Cuomo said he wants to fast-track construction projects, like those at LaGuardia Airport and Penn Station.

“You want to restart the economy, you want to reopen the economy, let’s do something creative, let’s do it fast, let’s put Americans to work and let’s make America better,” Cuomo said. “It is common sense.”

– Lorenzo Reyes

Broadway star Nick Cordero ‘doing slightly better’ in COVID battle

Amanda Kloots says her husband, Nick Cordero, is “doing slightly better” but added that he is “still very sick and battling a lot.”  In an Instagram post, Kloots explained that the Broadway star was rolled face down to open his airways. His medical team also cleaned his lungs out again to help fight the infection. Cordero has been COVID negative for weeks but has been dealing with fallout from the virus and from infections that arise from being in the ICU for so long.

Cordero was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles in late March. Cordero has since faced several coronavirus complications, including a leg amputation and the insertion of a temporary pacemaker.

– Sara M. Moniuszko

Pandemic tough on wallet for almost half of Americans 

Turns out being locked up at home isn’t always a moneysaver. Almost half of Americans (45%) say the pandemic has cost them financially, according to a TD Ameritrade survey that was given exclusively to USA TODAY. 

While they have saved by not going to restaurants (78%), going on vacation (75%) or buying clothes (73%), they have doled out more on groceries (57%), cleaning products (53%), takeout food (33%) and streaming services (32%), according to the survey of 1,008 Americans, aged 24 and older, from April 24 to May 4. Parents may have saved money on childcare, but 57% say work and homeschooling children was too much to manage.

“Some of the older generations are dealing with the realities of homeschooling and entertaining their children,” says Keith Denerstein, director of guidance product management at TD Ameritrade.

– Jessica Menton

Most parents say they likely would not sends kids to classrooms in fall

More than half of parents with at least one child in grades K-12 would be likely to pursue at-home learning options instead of sending their children back to schools if they reopen in the fall, according to an exclusive USA TODAY/Ipsos poll. Nearly a third of parents, 30%, say they are “very likely” to do that. And 1 in 5 teachers say they are unlikely to go back to school if their classrooms reopen, a potential massive wave of resignations.

“Though Americans are optimistic about a return to in-person learning, there is angst among teachers, parents and America at large about how to keep our schools safe if the virus isn’t fully contained,” said Cliff Young, president of Ipsos.

– Susan Page

US stocks rocket higher, global stocks boom amid COVID-19 optimism

U.S. stocks raced higher ahead of Tuesday’s opening following the three-day Memorial Day weekend break. The Dow was up more than 600 points in afternoon trading, and  S&P and Nasdaq indexes all rose sharply. Global stocks also jumped after Japan lifted its state of emergency and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled a plan to reopen schools next week and all stores June 15. Stephen Innes, global market strategist at AxiCorp, said stocks reacted to “re-opening optimism” among investors.

More coronavirus news and information 

Ozarks pool party-goers should self-quarantine, health official says

Anyone who failed to practice social distancing and other guidelines at a mega pool party in Missouri should self quarantine for 14 days “if they have any compassion for others,” Kansas City Health Department director Rex Archer said. The party Saturday in Lake of the Ozarks, about 130 miles southeast of the city, drew national attention after a video went viral showing hundreds of swimsuit-clad partygoers in extremely close quarters. 

St. Louis County Executive Sam Page asked his Public Health Department to issue a travel advisory as workers return to their jobs after ignoring social distance practices. Page said the “reckless behavior endangers countless people and risks setting us back substantially from the progress we have made in slowing the spread of COVID-19.”

Dire warning: ‘We’re in the middle of the first wave globally’

The risks of reigniting coronavirus outbreaks are complicating efforts to fend off further misery for the many millions who have lost jobs, with a top health expert warning that the world remains in the midst of a “first wave” of the pandemic.

“Right now, we’re not in the second wave. We’re right in the middle of the first wave globally,” said Dr. Mike Ryan, a World Health Organization executive director.

Ryan, speaking at a virtual news conference, pointed to South America, South Asia and other areas where the number of infections is still on the rise. For nations that appear to have peaked or plateaued, Ryan warned that a second wave is possible a few months later. He urged Europe and North America to continue with a “comprehensive strategy to ensure that we continue on a downward trajectory and we don’t have an immediate second peak.”

WHO drops hydroxychloroquine from global treatment study

The World Health Organization announced Monday a “temporary pause” on the inclusion of anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine in a global study on potential COVID-19 treatments. President Donald Trump claims he used the drug, which the FDA says is neither safe nor effective in treating the coronavirus, to help stave off the disease. 

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a news conference that the executive group overseeing the organization’s “Solidarity” trial of experimental treatments decided to suspend its use in light of a study published in The Lancet that found a lower survival rate among hospitalized COVID-19 patients using the drug. 

Hydroxychloroquine was one of four drugs and drug combinations included in the trial, which has enrolled more than 3,500 patients in 17 countries. Other potential treatments, including the experimental drug remdesivir and an HIV combination therapy, are still being tested.

– William Cummings

Brazil travel ban starts Tuesday

The Trump administration’s ban on travelers arriving from Brazil to help prevent the spread of the virus will now take effect late Tuesday, the White House announced. The ban had been previously planned to begin Thursday.

President Donald Trump announced the ban Sunday, prohibiting people who have been in Brazil within two weeks of attempting to enter the U.S.

Brazil is the second hardest-hit country worldwide, right behind the U.S.

– Courtney Subramanian

MLB teams honor veterans at empty stadiums as negotiations continue

Major League Baseball begins its most crucial week yet in hopes of salvaging a 2020 season. Tuesday, MLB is expected to extend an economic proposal to players in hopes of beginning the season in early July. The sides have already reviewed a 67-page document regarding health protocols, with players expected to respond to that soon.

More sports: Is there a better holiday on the sports calendar than Memorial Day?

Several MLB teams paid tributes to empty seats Monday to show their respect for military veterans. 

• The Boston Red Sox draped a giant American flag over Fenway Park’s iconic left-field wall, the Green Monster.
• In Los Angeles, the Dodgers placed red, white and blue lights on the outfield.
• The San Diego Padres paid tribute with a rendition of “Taps.” 
• The Cincinnati Reds featured a performance of “God Bless America” at Great American Ball Park.

– Steve Gardner and Gabe Lacques

Second ICE detainee dies of coronavirus

A 34-year-old Guatemalan detainee has become the second person reported to have died from COVID-19 while in federal immigration custody.

Santiago Baten-Oxlaj, who passed away Sunday in a Georgia hospital, had been awaiting his voluntary departure to his native country, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a news release.

Baten-Oxlaj had been held inside Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, where at least 16 detainees have tested positive for COVID-19, according to ICE.

New York to pay death benefits to families of essential workers

The state of New York will provide death benefits to the essential workers who died fighting the coronavirus, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday. 

“I feel a grave responsibility to our frontline workers, our essential workers, who understood the dangers of this COVID virus but went to work anyway because we needed them,” Cuomo said during his news briefing. “Today we’re saying we honor that service and we’re gonna make sure that every government in the state of New York provides death benefits to those public heroes.”

Cuomo also called on the federal government to do the same to honor essential workers across the U.S. by giving hazard pay.

California eases limits on religious gatherings, some retail

The California Department of Public Health issued statewide reopenings of religious institutions, subject to approval from specific county public health departments. Under the new guidelines, houses of worship can host in-person religious services, with attendance limits of 25% capacity levels, or a maximum capacity of 100 – whichever is lowest.

The retail guidelines for in-person shopping were already in place in some counties but became statewide on Monday. The state also issued guidelines for in-person protests and events designed for political expression, limiting capacity to 25% of an area’s maximum occupancy, or 100 – also whichever is lowest.

Travel websites see a spike in web traffic

While experts agree the tourism industry remains in flux, there are early signs of adaptation and resilience that are fueling consumer confidence.

While most Americans aren’t yet ready to book their next dream vacation, they are starting to browse. This past week, top booking sites have grown web traffic. Roughly 87% of American travelers are hoping to take a vacation by the end of 2021, according to a new customer poll by InsureMyTrip. 

There are safety challenges ahead, but there remains a strong desire to visit other parts of the world – eventually. 

Road trips and staycations will be first in line for a rebound. RVShare, a rental marketplace for travel trailers and motorhomes, is reporting a 650 percent rise in rental bookings since early April, as more families are considering drivable summer destinations.

– Julie Loffredi

NHL to reopen facilities, start training in small groups in early June

The National Hockey League and its players’ union have reached an agreement to return to the ice as restrictions begin to ease during the coronavirus pandemic. 

The league announced it will reopen team facilities and begin training in June, at a date to be determined. Once open, six players will be allowed in a facility at one time. They will be wearing masks when not on the ice, according to the league.

The NHL released details of the “Phase 2” transition back to on-ice activities on Monday. “We are now targeting a date in early June for a transition to Phase 2. However, it has not yet been determined when precisely Phase 2 will start or how long it may last,” the NHL stated.

– John Connolly, Bergen Record

More coronavirus news from USA TODAY

Contributing: Associated Press

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