Wednesday’s top story: Global travellers race home to beat border closures as California ‘shelters in place’. Plus, the surprising history of handwashing

This article is more than 6 months old

This article is more than 6 months old

Good morning, I’m Tim Walker with today’s essential stories.

US to offer citizens Covid-19 emergency financial aid

The Trump administration has ramped up its response to the coronavirus with plans to send cheques directly to US citizens left strapped by the crisis, part of a vast stimulus package intended to shore up an economy on a steep downward trajectory.

The latest isolation measures have left New York a virtual ghost town, with governor Andrew Cuomo predicting his state would see its coronavirus cases peak in 45 days’ time. Across the country in California, residents rushed to stock up after being ordered to “shelter in place”. But America’s national parks remain open and, in some cases, confoundingly crowded.

Play Video 2:15 Rooftop aerobics, singing and letters: how communities are coping in coronavirus quarantine – video

Abroad, the number of recorded Covid-19 cases worldwide is nearing 200,000, with deaths approaching 8,000. And as many countries close their borders and airports, travellers are racing to get home. The WHO has urged nations in south-east Asia to take aggressive action against the growing outbreak there. Among the glimmers of hope is a Japanese flu drug, which Chinese medical authorities say is “clearly effective” in treating the disease.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Travellers at a screening point at Suvarnabhumi Airport near Bangkok in Thailand, where 212 people are reported to be infected with coronavirus. Photograph: Narong Sangnak/EPA

In sports, NBA superstar Kevin Durant is one of four Brooklyn Nets players to have tested positive for the virus, as Uefa announced it was postponing the Euro 2020 soccer tournament for a year – the biggest sporting event to be affected so far. Meanwhile, the decision to delay the French Open to late September risks a boycott by Rafael Nadal, the king of Roland Garros.

As more celebrities reveal their Covid-19 diagnoses, Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson have left hospital in Australia. The Queen has quit London for Windsor Castle, while the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are taking “appropriate measures” after Harry’s potential exposure to the virus. And Bono has written a virus-themed song dedicated to Italy.

Amazon workers. Staff at Amazon and Whole Foods say the dramatic increase in their workload as Americans stockpile supplies could prove devastating for their mental and physical health.

Cancer treatment. Cancer specialists are preparing to use cargo planes, not couriers, to transport life-saving stem cells to international patients amid the “logistical nightmare” presented by widespread travel bans.

Fox News. Like Donald Trump, Fox News has at last changed its tune on coronavirus, declaring the situation a crisis after weeks of downplaying the threat.

Sanders facing pressure to quit after fresh Biden victories

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The primaries in Florida, Arizona and Illinois went ahead despite coronavirus concerns. Photograph: Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images

Joe Biden further cemented his lead in the Democratic presidential primary on Tuesday night, winning a clean sweep of Florida, Arizona and Illinois – and heaping fresh pressure on his rival Bernie Sanders to quit the race and unite the party against the twin threats of Trump and Covid-19. The effects of the coronavirus crisis led to confusion and chaos at some polling places, but the results were clear nonetheless.

Republican nominee. Following the Florida GOP primary, Trump now has all the delegates he needs to officially declare himself the party’s 2020 presidential nominee.

Expert verdict. Our panel of experts have varying takes on Tuesday’s results, but Richard Wolffe says the race is over – and only Biden can unify Democrats now.

And in other news …

Must-reads

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Harrison Ford and his CGI companion in the recent film adaptation of The Call of the Wild. Photograph: Courtesy 20th Century Fox

Will CGI put dog actors out of work?

The latest screen adaptation of Jack London’s classic novel The Call of the Wild stars Harrison Ford, acting opposite a St Bernard collie cross named Buck – a role performed by a fully-grown man named Terry wearing a mo-cap suit. Will all canine performances now be outsourced to CGI, asks Oscar Schwartz.

How doctors learned to wash their hands

Religious handwashing rituals have been around for thousands of years, but it was only in the mid-1800s that a Hungarian medic in Vienna realised doctors ought to do the same. But the discovery did not go down well with his colleagues, as Amy Fleming explains.

Why Canada’s cannabis black market is still thriving

Recreational marijuana was legalised across Canada in 2018, yet cannabis firms have been watching their market value fall ever since. Vancouver’s cannabis-based Reddit feed may explain why, says William Turvill: many users still prefer the black market alternative.

Is our destruction of nature responsible for Covid-19?

Some researchers believe humanity’s destruction of biodiversity is creating the conditions for a series of new diseases such as Covid-19. John Vidal, investigated an Ebola outbreak in Gabon, says if we continue to invade the natural world, the coronavirus may be the tip of the iceberg.

Opinion

After repeated assurances that its halls of residence would not close, NYU has now informed students that they will be evicted after all, writes politics undergraduate Noah Hopkins. In the middle of a pandemic, why is the university exacerbating anxieties?

This crisis will worst affect students who don’t have any home to return to, are not willing to risk their immigration status in the US to return home, or are unable to return home for fear that they might infect high-risk family members.

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