From The States: Is D.C. The Next Hot Spot?; Idaho Balks At Big Government Directives; Pandemic Shaming Takes Off In Small Towns

The Washington Post: Deaths In The DMV Increase As Officials Warn It Could Be Next Hot Spot
The District, Maryland and Virginia saw their biggest single-day increase in fatalities related to the novel coronavirus Monday, with deaths up to 169 as officials warned that the region could become one of the country’s next hot spots and hospitals prepared for a surge. Data released in the District — which for the first time Monday included a breakdown by race — showed that deaths are disproportionately concentrated among black residents, as has been the case elsewhere in the country. (Chason, Nirappil, Portnoy and Harden, 4/6)

The New York Times: A ‘Liberty’ Rebellion In Idaho Threatens To Undermine Coronavirus Orders
Inside an old factory building north of Boise, a few dozen people gathered last week to hear from Ammon Bundy, the man who once led an armed takeover of an Oregon wildlife refuge. The meeting, which appeared to violate orders by Gov. Brad Little of Idaho to avoid group gatherings, was an assertion of what Mr. Bundy said was a constitutional right to peacefully assemble. But Mr. Bundy said he also hoped to create a network of people ready to come to the aid of those facing closure of their businesses or other interference from the government as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. (Baker, 4/7)

The Wall Street Journal: Coronavirus Pandemic Leads To Shunning And Shaming In Small Towns
Last week, William Zordani and his large family took their Golden Retriever, Sunshine, for a walk near their home in this leafy suburb north of Chicago as they waited out the coronavirus shutdown. That evening, a woman who lives a few blocks away posted a photo of Mr. Zordani, his mother and five of his six siblings on their walk to the town’s Facebook news site, lambasting them for ignoring social-distancing rules and endangering the community. “Why are people so stupid,” one commenter wrote in the screed that followed. Another chimed in: “Where are parents?” A third indicated she had forwarded the photo to the mayor. (Beklin, 4/7)

Los Angeles Times: As L.A. Coronavirus Deaths Rise, Locals Should Stay Inside
As coronavirus cases and deaths continue to spike across Los Angeles County, health officials Monday urged residents to stay home this week, to limit time spent outside and to even avoid shopping if possible to slow the spread of the virus. “If you have enough supplies in your home, this would be the week to skip shopping altogether,” said public health department Director Barbara Ferrer. (4/6)

San Francisco Chronicle: Bay Area Restaurants Pivot To Feed The Homeless During Coronavirus Pandemic
When the Bay Area’s shelter-in-place order came down on March 16, Luka’s Taproom & Lounge owner Rick Mitchell watched his business drop 90% overnight, with a small boost when they created a takeout menu. But the Uptown Oakland restaurant and pub was bustling again Monday with a second name — Luka’s Community Kitchen — and a new mission, working under the umbrella of a nonprofit to feed the unsheltered and vulnerable. (Hartlaub, 4/7)

CNN: Los Angeles Crime Plunges During The Coronavirus Stay At Home Order
Los Angeles has seen a 23% drop in crime in the past month as California has been under a stay at home order to fight the spread of coronavirus, the city’s police chief said. “People staying home in their neighborhoods, watching out for each other, and exercising social distancing is allowing us to have a safer city,” Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore said. (Holcombe, 4/7)

San Francisco Chronicle: A Glimmer Of Hope In The Bay Area: New Coronavirus Cases Slowing 
Three weeks of sheltering in place have noticeably lessened the impact of the coronavirus in the Bay Area, where the number of new infections is already slowing down even as federal officials warn that other parts of the country may be facing their worst weeks. In other words: That dreaded curve is starting to flatten out, just a little. (Allday, 4/6)

KQED: ‘This Virus Is Horrible’: A Son’s Warning To Heed Public Health Authorities After Losing Dad To COVID-19 
The state reports 276 Californians have died as a result of the global pandemic. On the day of that airport pickup, there were none. Over this month, families and the health system that cares for COVID-19 patients are just beginning to make sense of what is happening. Among them are the Holdermans, who hope Kermit’s story motivates people to stay alert to the virus’ threat. (Peterson, 4/6)

KQED: As Coronavirus Crisis Deepens, SF Muni Forced To Cancel Service On Most Lines 
Bay Area transit, which has seen a series of sharp service reductions with most residents sheltering at home during the coronavirus crisis, will see its biggest cutbacks to date this week as San Francisco’s Muni dramatically curtails its remaining service. The Municipal Transportation Agency says as many as 40% of its bus operators will be off the job starting Monday due to coronavirus concerns. (Brekke, 4/6)

KQED: Bay Area COVID-19 Outbreaks Worsen, Spread In Long-Term Care Homes
In Contra Costa County, the Orinda Care Center now counts at least 51 cases of coronavirus, including a death.  Outbreaks have been reported in San Francisco and South Bay county senior care homes, too. Local health departments always advise these facilities about controlling infections; infectious disease like influenza is common. Now coronavirus is forcing them to adapt and challenging response. (Peterson, 4/6)

KQED: Amid Pandemic, Some California Sheriffs’ Departments Still Evicting Renters 
Nearly two weeks after Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered 40 million Californians to “shelter in place” to avoid spreading COVID-19, and just days after he issued an executive order declaring a “statewide eviction moratorium,” some sheriffs’ departments across California were still forcibly removing or planning to forcibly remove renters like Waldman. Their evictions are not protected by state or local emergency measures because they are not directly related to financial fallout from the coronavirus. (Levin, 4/6)

The Hill: Federal Judge Partially Blocks Oklahoma Abortion Ban 
A federal judge in Oklahoma granted a temporary restraining order Monday against the state’s ban on abortion during the coronavirus pandemic. United States District Judge Charles Goodwin, a Trump appointee, ruled the ban would cause “irreparable harm” to women unable to get abortions . Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signed an executive order last month directing medical providers to postpone all elective surgeries, including abortions, until April 30 in an effort to conserve medical supplies for health workers on the front lines of the pandemic. (Hellmann, 4/6)

Cincinnati Enquirer: Coronavirus In Ohio: Appeals Court Allows Some Surgical Abortions To Continue Amid COVID-19
A panel of appeals court judges allowed some surgical abortions to continue in Ohio. On Monday, a trio of judges from the Sixth Circuit decided not to interfere with a federal court judge’s decision to temporarily block a state health order halting abortions during coronavirus. Judge Michael Barrett had issued a temporary restraining order, blocking the state from banning all surgical abortions because of an Ohio Department of Health order blocking most elective surgeries. (Balmert, 4/6)

Cincinnati Enquirer: To Prevent Coronavirus Spread, Hamilton County Paying For Hotels For The Homeless
Homeless shelters can be cramped and crowded, not a good combination during a pandemic. That’s why area shelters have rented 330 hotel rooms in Hamilton County so the homeless can practice adequate social distancing and prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, said Denise Driehaus, president of the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners. (Wartman, 4/6)

WBUR: Boston Medical Center ICU Reaches Capacity Sunday, A First During COVID-19 Crisis 
In what appears to be the first time a Boston ICU has reached capacity in the coronavirus pandemic, Boston Medical Center was treating so many patients who needed intensive care on Sunday that it had to stop accepting new patients into the ICU during the overnight hours, the hospital says. The worrisome milestone comes at a time when state, federal and local officials are warning that the viral outbreak may be entering a surge period in Massachusetts and other states. (Goldberg, Bebinger and Harrison, 4/6)

WBUR: Mass. Community Health Centers Furlough Staffers, Fear More To Come 
Many of the 52 Community Health Centers in Massachusetts are placing staff on furlough amid a worsening coronavirus outbreak . Health center leaders say this is the first round of layoffs — with more potentially to follow — as health centers struggle with a loss of revenue from check-ups, dental care, elective tests and procedures that have been postponed during the coronavirus pandemic. (Bebinger, 4/6)

WBUR: Boston’s Homeless Population Experiencing ‘Significant Surge’ In Coronavirus Cases
Boston’s homeless population is seeing a major increase in coronavirus cases, according to the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program. “It’s hitting severely right now,” says Dr. Jessie Gaeta, the program’s chief medical officer. “We’re in about … day three of a significant surge that is more dramatic than we anticipated.” (Joliocoeur, 4/6)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Flu Hits Rural Georgia Hard, Data Shows. Will COVID-19 Do The Same?
Years of seasonal flu data in Georgia tell a clear story: the state’s most rural residents, who tend to be poorer, older, less educated and farther from health care, die at higher rates than those living in urban centers such as metro Atlanta. Experts are unsure if the same will hold true for COVID-19. (Joyner and Perry, 4/7)

New Orleans Times-Picayune: ‘It’s Horrendous’: Louisiana Coronavirus Patients’ Final Moments Are Often Without Loved Ones
Just weeks ago, a patient facing a medical procedure could rely on the bedside presence of a family member, squeezing their hand and wishing them well in the moments before they’re given anesthesia. But as New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana face a surge in coronavirus cases, hospitals statewide are placing strict limits on who can enter their facilities. The Louisiana Department of Health ordered the restrictions to limit the spread of the highly infectious coronavirus. That’s left many patients without the nearby comfort of a loved one. (Paterson, Gallo and Woodruff, 4/6)

Houston Chronicle: Drive-Thrus Explode In Popularity During Houston Area’s Stay-At-Home’ Order
Drive-thrus are no longer just for a No. 1 combo meal at Whataburger.As public health officials enact longer stay-at-home orders to slow the transmission of the new coronavirus, the usual sit-down and come-inside places — donation centers, churches and restaurants — are opting to distribute goods and services through car windows. (Wu, 4/5)

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Las Vegas Hiring For Quarantine Complex
The Cashman Isolation-Quarantine Complex, which is set to open this week, is hiring staff to help serve the homeless. The city of Las Vegas and Clark County said in a joint statement that they are looking for “qualified medical staff, health care para-professionals and support personnel” for temporary positions at the 24-hour facility. Training and operations are scheduled to begin Wednesday, according to the statement. (Egeland, 4/6)