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THE UPSTATE. GOOD AFTERNOON, I’M GEOFF HART. THANKS FOR JOINING US AT NOON. RIGHT NOW, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF COVID-19 CASES ACROSS THE GLOBE IS NEARING 2.5 MILLION, WHILE CASES IN THE U.S. NEAR T 800,000 MARK. THE FDA HAS JUST ISSUED AN EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE FIRST AT-HOME TEST FOR THE CORONAVIRUS. THE KIT IS MADE BY LABCORP, WHICH IS BASED IN BURLINGTON NORTH CAROLINA. MEANWHILE, PRESIDENT DONAL TRUMP IS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDING IMMIGRATION INTO THE U.S. BECAUSE OF COVID-19. HE TWEETED MONDAY NIGHT, HE WILL SIGN AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO PROTECT THE JOBS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS. AND SENATE MINORITY LEADER CHARLES SCHUMER SAYS A $500 BILLION CORONAVIRUS RELIEF BILL HAS BEEN AGREED TO. THIS COMING AS MANY STATES ARE WEIGHING HOW AND WHEN TO REOPEN FOR BUSINESS. MATT PRICHARD HAS MORE FROM WASHINGTON PRESIDENT TRUMP: THESE ARE ALL LOCATION MATT: PRESIDENT TRUMP PUTTING THE ONUS ON STATES, ENCOURAGING ADDED TESTING WITH THE GOAL OF AN ECONOMIC REOPENING. PRESIDENT TRUMP: WE WILL BE DOUBLING OUR NUMBER OF DAILY TESTS IF THE GOVERNORS BRING THEIR STATES FULLY ONLINE THROUGH THE CAPABILITY THEY HAVE MATT: A LIST OF FEDERAL AND PRIVATE LABS, ALONG WITH A REV-UP IN TEST PRODUCTION, WERE THE PRESIDENT’S FOCUS. BUT SOME STATES SAY IN TERMS OF OPENING -- WE’RE FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES THAT WERE JUST PUT OUT BY THE PRESIDENT ON THURSDAY EVENING, WHICH CALL FOR DOWNWARD NUMBERS OVER THE COURSE OF 1 DAYS, WHICH WE DON’T HAVE. MATT: OTHERS THOUGH HAVE PRESSED FORWARD. STATES LIKE TENNESSEE ANNOUNCING BUSINESSES ACROSS MUCH OF THE STATE COULD OPEN BY NEXT WEEK , AND GEORGIA SHOOTING FOR TH END OF THIS WEEK. >> WE WILL GET GEORGIANS BACK TO WORK SAFELY WITHOUT UNDERMININ THE PROGRESS WE ALL HAVE MADE IN THIS BATTLE AGAINST COVID-19 MATT: AND ALL THE WHILE ON CAPITOL HILL, TALKS ARE REPORTEDLY AT THE FINISH LINE FOR A $500 BILLION AIDE PACKAGE AIMED AT HOSPITALS, SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENHANCED TESTING CAPABILITIES >> THERE ARE STILL A FEW MORE I’S TO DOT AND T’S TO CROSS, BUT WE HAVE A DEAL AND I BELIEVE WE WILL PASS IT TODAY GEOFF: SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL HAD SCHEDULED A SENATE SESSION THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF A VOTE. AS OF NOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT WILL HAPPEN AT 4:00 P.M. IN SOUTH CAROLINA, DHEC IS REPORTING A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN NEW CASE MONDAY, THERE WERE 62 NEW CASES, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 4,43 FOUR MORE PEOPLE DIED FOR A STATEWIDE TOTAL OF 124. MORE THAN 36,000 PEOPLE HA TESTED NEGATIVE FOR THE VIRUS. HERE’S A LOOK AT THE DAILY CASE INCREASES IN THE LAST WEEK, WITH A LARGE PEAK ON THURSDAY AT 276 NEW CASE SOME RETAIL STORES AND BEACHES ARE NOW ALLOWED TO OPEN IN SOUTH CAROLINA AFTER BEING SHUT DOWN FOR WEEKS. DANA GRIFFIN IS LIVE IN DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE, WHERE ONE LOCAL BUSINESS REOPENED TODAY. DANA DANA: GOOD AFTERNOON. WE ARE AT VINTAGE NOW MODERN ON MAIN STREET. THIS HOME TO CORE STORE HAS BEEN HERE SINCE 2013 BUT HAD TO CLOSE OUT OF CONCERN FOR THE MARCH 16 CORONAVIRUS BUT NOW, CUSTOMERS CAN OFFICIALLY WALK THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR. LAST NIGHT, THE GOVERNOR GAVE THE GREEN LIGHT FOR SOME RETAIL BUSINESSES TO REOPEN. THE LIST INCLUDES DEPARTMENT, CLOTHING, FURNITURE AND CRAFT STORES. STORES MUST FOLLOW SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES AND LIMIT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE INSIDE. THIS BUSINESS HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 2013. THE OWNER PAINTED A MESSAGE OF SUPPORT FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES WHEN IT CLOSED NEARLY FIVE WEEKS AG THEY’VE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO SELL ITEMS ONLINE THE OWNER SHARED WITH US WHY HE’S EXCITED TO REOPEN THE DOOR >> THE PROSPECT OF SELLING MOR THAN JUST WHAT WE’RE SELLING ONLINE IS A GREAT FEELIN BECAUSE WE’RE NOT GONNA MAKE IF WE DON’T SELL A LITTLE BIT MORE. YOU KNOW, I THINK PEOPLE ARE SMARTER AND THEY’RE GONNA BE WISE ABOUT HOW THEY COME OUT AND HOW THEY INTERACT WITH OTHER PEOPLE. DANA: HE HAS REMOVED SOME ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR THAT PEOPLE TEND TO TOUCH HE HAS MADE A FEW CHANGES TO MINIMIZE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19. HE ALSO SUGGESTS THAT IF YOU DON’T FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING TO STORES, DON’T FEEL PRESSURED TO DO SO. ALSO HAPPENING WHEN IT NOON, BUT THAT IS LE UP TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. SOCIAL DISTANCING IS STILL IN EFFECT AND PEOPLE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GATHERED IN GROUPS OF THREE OR MORE. IN GREENVILLE, DANA GRIFFIN, WYFF NEWS 4. GEOFF: THANK YOU. TURNING TO THE WEATHER NOW AS WE TAKE A LIVE LOOK FROM OUR LAURENS SKYCAM THIS AFTERNOON. PARELLA LEWIS JOINS ME NOW. AND, PARELLA, A GOOD LOOKING DAY , RIGHT? PARELL JUST LOOK OUTSIDE OF OUR STUDIO WINDOWS. IT IS BEAUTIFUL. THIS IS A LOOK IN ASHEVILLE WITH PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES AND A BIT BREEZY AT TIMES. 62 DEGREES RIGHT NOW AND W CONTINUE TO GROW OUT - MOVE OUT. 71 DEGREES CLOSE TO THE SEASONAL AVERAGE TODAY. THERE IS A WIND ADVISORY IN ASHEVILLE AND BOONE UNTIL 10:00 TONIGHT WITH WIND GUSTS UPWARDS OF 40-50 MILES A HOUR AND A PARTICULAR SECTION WHERE WE HAVE A FROST ADVISO TONIGHT OR OVERNIGHT THROUGH TOMORROW MORNING. CULLOWHEE AND FRANKLIN, TEMPERATURES DROP TO THE MID-30’S OVERNIGHT. STILL SOME PATCHY FROST. EVER ALSO BE IN THE LOW TO MID-40’ AND THERE ARE THE WINDS TODAY. BREEZY AT TIMES AND GUSTY INTO MOTION. YOU CAN SEE INTO THE EVENING, 30-40 MILE AN HOUR WINDS FOR THE MOUNTAINS AND 20-30 MILE AN HOUR WINDS AT TIMES AND UPSTATE. SUNNY BUT WINDY TODAY. ALL OF THAT EASES TOMORROW. AS WE HEAD INTO THURSDAY, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER. AT LEAST A POSSIBILITY. WE WILL GET YOU CAUGHT UP ON THE LATEST IN A FEW MINUTES. GEOF THANK YOU. BREAKING NEW. IN NORTH CAROLINA, HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE REPORTING 34 NEW COVID-19 RELATED DEATHS. THAT BRINGS THE STATES TOTAL TO 213. RIGHT NOW, HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE REPORTING 6,951 CASES. THAT’S 187 NEW CASES SINCE THE LAST REPORT YESTERDAY. TRACKING THE DAILY CASE COUNT, FRIDAY AND SUNDAY SAW THE HIGHEST INCREASE IN CASE GOVERNOR ROY COOPER WILL HOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE TODAY AT 2:00. WE WILL AIR IT LIVE RIGHT HERE ON WYFF NEWS 4. AND BREAKING NEWS OUT OF GEORGIA, HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE REPORTING ALMOST 500 NEW COVID-19 CASES IN THE STATE. THAT BRINGS THE STATE TOTAL TO 19,881. 799 PEOPLE HAV DIED, AN INCREASE OF 24 SINCE THE LAST REPORT YESTERDAY. AS FOR THE DAILY COUNT, NUMBERS SPIKED THURSDAY AND FRIDAY OF LAST WEEK. GOVERNOR BRIAN KEMP ISSUED A EXECUTIVE ORDER TO RE-OPEN BUSINESSES IN GEORGIA THIS FRIDAY PLACES LIKE GYMS, BOWLING ALLEYS, MASSAGE THERAPISTS, AN NAIL AND HAIR SALONS. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CANNOT MODIFY THE ORDER. THERE ARE RESTRICTIONS, INCLUDING SCREENING WORKERS FOR SYMPTOMS, SANITIZING, WEARING GLOVES AND MASKS, AND KEEPING WORK SPACES SIX FEET APART. THE SHELTER IN PLACE ORDER LASTS UNTIL MAY 13 THIS AFTERNOON, OFFICIALS WITH THE ANDERSON FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, AND THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES NATIONAL RESPONSE TEAM GAVE AN UPDATE ON A FIRE AT A STRIP MALL IN ANDERSON OUR ALLEN DEVLIN JOINS US LIVE FROM CLEMSON BOULEVARD WITH THE DETAILS. ALLE ALLEN: THE FIRE HAPPENED SUNDAY MORNING AND IT LEFT PART OF THIS TRIP MOM ON CLEMSON BOULEVARD IN SHAMBLES. CREWS WERE OUT HERE CLEANING UP AND THEY ARE STILL WORKING T FIND THE CAUSE AND ORIGIN AND LOCATION OF THE FIRE. CALLS CAME IN AROUND 8:00 A.M. ON SUNDAY ACCORDING TO THE ANDERSON FIRE DEPARTMENT. IT WAS WELL INVOLVED WHEN CREWS ARRIVED ON SCENE. ATF OFFICIALS SAID NINE BUILDINGS HERE, INCLUDING A POST OFFICE, WERE AFFECTED. FIVE OF THE NINE, INCLUDING THE POST OFFICE, WERE DESTROYED. THEY STATED IT IS STILL EARLY IN THE INVESTIGATION, AND BEFORE CREWS CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT STARTED THE FIRE AND THE ORIGIN, THE SCENE NEEDS TO BE SECURE AND MADE SAFE. >> ON A SCENE LIKE THIS, THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS THE SAFETY OF THE INVESTIGATORS AND THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO PROCESS THE SCEN WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS SCENE IS SAFE BEFORE ANYBODY GOES INSIDE THE STRUCTURE THAT WAS DAMAGED BY THE FIRE ALLE TODAY, OFFICIALS WITH THE UNITED STATES POST OFFICE SAY ANYONE WHO BELIEVES THEY MAY HAVE H MAIL AND THE POST OFFICE DESTROYED, SHOULD GO TO TH MAIN OFFICE IN ANDERSON AND SPEAK WITH REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT THE NEXT STEPS. OFFICIALS SAY CREWS WILL BE HERE THE NEXT FEW DAYS CLEANING AND INVESTIGATING, LOOKING FOR THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. WE WILL BRING YOU UPDATES AS SOON AS THEY ARE MADE AVAILABLE. LIVE IN ANDERSON, ALLEN DEVLIN, WYFF NEWS 4. GEOFF: THANK YOU. RIGHT NOW, VACCINE TRIALS FOR THE CORONAVIRUS ARE GOING ON IN SEVERAL PLACES. IT NORMALLY TAKES YEARS DEVELOP AND TEST A VACCINE, BUT SCIENTISTS ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN 18 MONTHS. ONE OF THE TRIALS IS HAPPENING AT EMORY UNIVERSITY IN ATLAN GEORGIA, WHERE THE LEAD RESEARCHER SAYS SHE’S FEELING THE URGENCY FROM THIS PANDEMIC. >> IT’S HARD TO BE A PHYSICIAN AND NOT BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE A TREATMENT FOR THE PATIEN IT IS ALSO HARD NOT BE ABLE TO PROTECT MY FAMILY AND MY COMMUNITY. SO WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED DRUGS AND VACCINES RIGHT AWAY, I ALSO THINK THAT CANNOT RUSH CLINICAL TRIALS. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THA THINGS, THOSE THERAPEUTICS AND VACCINES ARE ACTUALLY WORKING AND SAFE. GEOFF: THE EMORY TRIAL USES THE GENETIC MATERIAL FROM THE VIRU TO ISOLATE ONE OF ITS PROTEINS. THE BODY THEN USES THAT PROTEIN TO STIMULATE AN IMMUNE RESPONSE. SOUTH CAROLINA’S STATE WIDE BURNING BAN HAS BEEN LIFTED. THE BAN WAS ISSUED APRIL 7 D TO CORONAVIRUS AND THE IMPACTS THE SMOKE COULD HAVE ON PATIENTS. OFFICIALS SAY CAMPFIRE FIRE PIT -- OFFICIALS SAY CAMPFIRES, FIRE PIT BURNS, YARD DEBRIS BURNS AND PRESCRIBED BURNS WILL ALL BE ALLOWED TO RESUME AS NORMAL. WYFF 4 AND HARVEST HOPE FOOD BANK ARE TEAMING UP TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS. TOMORROW, WE’RE HOLDING A PROJECT COMMUNITY DAY 4 GIVING VIRTUAL TELETHON. VIEWERS WILL BE ABLE TO DONATE MONEY VIRTUALLY THAT WILL BENEFIT HARVEST HOPE FOOD BANKS IN THE UPSTATE. YOU’LL FIND WAYS TO GIVE ON WYFF4.COM, THE WYFF 4 APP, AND WE’LL SCROLL IT ON A TICKER THROUGHOUT THE DAY WEDNE

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