BLOG: coronavirus updates from Thursday, April 30

FLORIDA – ABC Action News is committed to providing Tampa Bay area residents all of the updates on the coronavirus, COVID-19, and the impact it's having on our way of life. To help you stay on top of it all, we've compiled all the updates for Thursday, April 30. For today's updates, visit www.abcactionnews.com/virus. Don't forget we are in this together!

9:11 PM

• Dr. Anthony Fauci, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director and member of the White House’s coronavirus task force, said he is seeing signs a coronavirus vaccine could be ready by January.

8:23 PM

• Sarasota County announced it will reopen its county-owned beaches on Monday

7:30 PM

• Lakeland Wawa temporarily shuts down after an employee tests positive for coronavirus

6:12 PM

• Starting Monday, businesses will be able to choose if they’d like to start serving customers at their restaurants again. While some Tampa Bay area businesses tell ABC Action News they are anxious to reopen, others are apprehensive.

5:20 PM

• The NBA has pushed back the possible reopening date of some team practice facilities for at least a week until May 8 at the earliest.

4:33 PM

• This year’s Little League World Series and the championship tournaments in six other Little League divisions have been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

3:13 PM

• NASCAR announced season will resume May 17 with seven races in 10 days, including four in elite Cup Series.

2:11 PM

• 1 million people have now recovered from coronavirus around the world

1:25 PM

• Hillsborough County will open a majority of its nature preserves and the boat ramp at E.G. Simmons Conservation Park on May 2.

12:32 PM

• TSA: Over 500 employees have tested positive for COVID-19

12:05 PM

• New York City will halt subway service from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. during virus outbreak, citing need to disinfect trains.

11:22 AM

• US intel agencies: COVID-19 virus not man-made or altered, but still studying if outbreak began in China lab accident.

10:30 AM

• 50 new deaths, 497 new COVID-19 cases reported in Florida

8:41 AM

• 3.8 million Americans filed for unemployment last week, bringing 6-week total to 30 million.

8:07 AM

• California governor plans to order closure of all beaches, state parks.
• Russia reports record spike in new cases.
• China reports no new deaths.

5:00 AM

• US death toll nears 61,000.
• South Korea reports no new local cases for 1st time since February.

Important updates from Wednesday, April 29

• US economy shrunk at a 4.8% rate last quarter due to coronavirus shut downs.
• President Donald Trump says the federal government will not be extending its social distancing guidelines when they expire Thursday at the end of the month.
• First phase of reopening businesses will begin Monday, with restaurants and stores at 25% capacity, Gov. DeSantis said.
• To view more updates, click here.

Important updates from Tuesday, April 28

• New numbers bring Florida to 32,846 total cases and 1,171 deaths
• A pug in North Carolina has tested positive for the coronavirus and it may be the first instance the virus has been detected in a dog in the United States.
• Governor DeSantis says he will give an update on the safer-at-home order tomorrow.
• Pinellas County leaders vote to re-open beaches starting Monday
• Hillsborough extends county government closures through May 15
• To view more updates, click here.

Important updates from Monday, April 27

• Sarasota County public beaches open with limitations.
• Lakeland city leaders vote to reopen golf courses, parks, trails, boat ramps on May 1.
• Worldwide cases of the coronavirus top 3 million.
• Tampa General Chief of Staff, Dr. Tapan Padhya said the hospital is looking to start its full elective schedule Monday, May 11. The remarks were made during a press conference with Gov. DeSantis at the hospital.
• To view more updates, click here.

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