ABC News May 15, 2020

New York beaches to open, with restrictions, amid coronavirus pandemic

WATCH: Coronavirus explained

The novel coronavirus pandemic has now killed more than 307,000 people worldwide.

More than 4.5 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some governments are hiding the scope of their nations' outbreaks.

Since the first cases were detected in China in December, the United States has become the worst-affected country, with more than 1.4 million diagnosed cases and at least 87,493 deaths.

Today's biggest developments:

  • TSA screens most passengers since March 25
  • New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware agree to open state beaches
  • April retail sales plunge 16.4%
  • NYC releases age, race breakdown of cases of pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome
  • Editor's Picks

    Here's how the news developed Friday. All times Eastern. Please refresh this page for updates.

    8:20 p.m.: CDC director: Models project 100K COVID-19 deaths by June 1 /h3>

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield said in a tweet Friday evening that the models the agency follows project that there are likely to be at least 100,000 deaths from COVID-19 in the United States two weeks from now.

    "CDC tracks 12 different forecasting models of possible #COVID19 deaths in the US," he wrote. "As of May 11, all forecast an increase in deaths in the coming weeks and a cumulative total exceeding 100,000 by June 1."

    Over 87,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the United States as of today, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins, so that would be about 13,000 more deaths in the next 15 days.

    The University of Washington's IHME model, used by the White House, projects the U.S. death toll will surpass 100,000 on May 22.

    4:35 p.m.: 220 cases of Kawasaki-like illness in US

    There are at least 220 possible and confirmed cases of pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome linked to COVID-19, an inflammatory syndrome with features that overlap with Kawasaki disease.

    The illness affecting young people has been reported innearly half of all U.S. states.

    With over 200 possible cases, doctors warn reports of rare, coronavirus-linked child inflammatory illness likely to rise

    Some of these patients have tested positive for either COVID-19 or for COVID-19 antibodies, and some tested negative. Other cases are still under investigation.

    There are at least 119 cases of the rare disease in New York state, where three related fatalities also were reported.

    Mom of child with COVID-related disease speaks out: What parents should know

    New York is leading the national effort to combat the new syndrome, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said this week.

    Tune into ABC at 1 p.m. ET and ABC News Live at 4 p.m. ET every weekday for special coverage of the novel coronavirus with the full ABC News team, including the latest news, context and analysis.

    3:50 p.m.: Louisiana restaurants reopen at 25% occupancy

    Friday marks the first day restaurants, museums, malls, gyms, barbershops and hair and nail salons can open in Louisiana. However, all of those business must limit occupancy to just 25% and follow sanitation and physical distancing guidelines.

    Gerald Herbert/AP
    Waitress Gina Lauricella serves customers indoors, for the first time since the state shutdown, at Charles Seafood Restaurant in Harahan, La., May 15, 2020. Once a hot spot for coronavirus infections, Louisiana is officially easing up Friday on economically devastating business closures and public gathering restrictions that Gov. John Bel Edwards credits with slowing the spread of the virus.

    Restaurants already were allowed to conduct outdoor service.

    Claire Bangser/AFP via Getty Images, FILE
    Customers practice social distancing while waiting to buy seafood at Schaefer Seafood in New Orleans, April 11, 2020.

    Gov. John Bel Edwards said Friday he feels optimistic about residents complying with the rules.

    "The people of Louisiana took the stay-at-home order seriously. They were responsible, they were safe and we have greatly slowed the spread," he said.

    CDC releases new guidance on how states can safely reopen

    Louisiana has over 33,000 diagnosed cases.

    Kathleen Flynn/Reuters
    The New Orleans Health Department, LCMC Health, and LSU Health Sciences offer free coronavirus disease (COVID-19) walk-up testing at the Treme Recreation Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, May 12, 2020.

    2 p.m.: TSA screens most passengers since March 25

    Transportation Security Administration agents screened over 234,000 passengers across the country on Thursday, highest number of travelers seen since March 25.

    Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images
    Passengers, some wearing masks and protective gear, queue for their flight at Terminal 1 of John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) amid the novel coronavirus pandemic on May 13, 2020 in Queens, N.Y.
    With face coverings and social distancing, COVID-19 ushers in new age of air travel

    The pandemic has caused air travel to plunge. For comparison, this same time last year, 2,611,324 people were screened on one day across the U.S.

    1:30 p.m.: Slowing in number of cases at NJ long-term care facilities

    While New Jersey's long-term care facilities have seen an outsized proportion of the state's deaths -- 5,289, more than half the reported 10,138 -- Gov. Phil Murphy on Friday reported a slowing in the number of newly reported cases at those facilities.

    Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images, FILE
    Medical workers prepare to transport a patient from Andover Subacute and Rehabilitation Center while wearing masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) on April 16, 2020 in Andover, N.J.

    The state's nursing homes have been particularly hit hard by the virus. The New Jersey attorney general's office started investigating the state's long-term care facilities in April. The state has asked the public to report any misconduct anonymously through an online portal.

    Faces of the coronavirus pandemic: Remembering those who died

    The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs plans to provide five 10-person health care strike teams that will join staffs at long-term facilities until June 30, Murphy said Thursday.

    Meanwhile, Murphy said that elective surgery and other invasive procedures can resume on May 26, calling it a "big step forward for public health."

    Kevin Wexler/NorthJersey.com via USA Today Network
    People stand in line for to receive a free COVID-19 test on May 4, 2020 in Jersey City, N.J.

    12 p.m.: New York beaches will be open for Memorial Day

    As summer nears, officials in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware have agreed to open state beaches on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend -- with strict precautions, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday.

    Wayne Parry/AP
    Workers prepare the beach in Belmar, N.J. for the summer season amid the coronavirus pandemic, May 12, 2020.

    Cuomo said he agreed to open New York's state beaches because neighboring states were opening theirs, and if New York remained closed, New Yorkers would flock to the other states', overcrowding them.

    Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
    Surfers head to the beach in the early morning hours on April 25, 2020 in Long Beach, N.Y.

    Beaches must remain at 50% capacity, and masks will be required when social distancing isn't possible, Cuomo said.

    Picnic areas, playgrounds, arcades, amusement rides and concessions will remain closed. Playing sports on the beaches will be prohibited.

    Beaches run by local governments can also open if the local officials enforce rules. If rules aren't enforced, those beaches will close, Cuomo said.

    What's your state's coronavirus reopening plan?

    In New York state, 132 people succumbed to the virus on Thursday, but the number of cases is on the decline, Cuomo said.

    Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
    People wait on a long line to receive a food bank donation at the Barclays Center, May 15, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough in New York City. The event was organized by Food Bank for New York City and included dairy and meat items. The sports arena in downtown Brooklyn, now closed, saw lines wrap around the block as New Yorkers struggle with unemployment and other financial stresses brought on by the COVID-19 outbreak. Across America, cities and towns are dealing with some of the highest unemployment rates since the Great Depression.

    Five New York state regions have met stated benchmarks and can start to reopen Friday.

    In those regions -- North Country, Mohawk Valley, Central New York, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier -- retail can reopen for curbside pickup. Employees and patrons must wear masks, Cuomo said, and gloves are preferred.

    New York City's open streets policy could be permanent fixture, experts say

    For stores where curbside is not practical, customers can pick up their items inside, but stores must maintain an occupancy of no more than 50%. Employees and patrons must wear masks for these transactions, too, Cuomo said.

    For the state's remaining regions -- New York City, Long Island, Mid Hudson, Capital District and Western New York -- "New York PAUSE" is extended to May 28, Cuomo said.

    Frank Franklin Ii/AP
    Pedestrians wear protective masks during the coronavirus pandemic as the pass businesses that are closed on 42nd Street, May 15, 2020, N.Y.

    10:35 a.m.: NYC releases age, race breakdown of cases of pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome

    New York City has 110 cases of pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome associated with COVID-19, an inflammatory syndrome which has features that overlap with Kawasaki disease, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday.

    Of those 110 young people, 54% tested positive for the coronavirus or antibodies. One young person has died, the mayor said.

    MORE: Teen girl recovering in ICU with new coronavirus-related illness similar to Kawasaki disease

    De Blasio on Friday released a breakdown of the data by gender, race and age.

    New York City's cases are 57% male. African Americans make up 24% of the cases, with Hispanics constituting 14%, Asians 10% and whites 9%, de Blasio said.

    Children 4 or younger make up 35%, children 5 to 9 make up 25%, kids 10 to 14 make up 24% and ages 15 to 21 are 16%.

    There will be weekly webinars with up to 700 pediatric providers to discuss ways to combat the disease, the mayor said Thursday.

    Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
    Cyclists ride on the Queensboro Bridge on May 13, 2020 in New York City.
    Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images
    A Broadway sign is seen near the Theater District in Manhattan as theaters remain shuttered due to COVID-19 pandemic on May 13, 2020 in New York City.

    Meanwhile, the mayor said Friday that the New York Police Department will continue to enforce bans on non-essential gatherings, prioritizing dispersing groups of more than six adults.

    But absent a serious danger to the public, the NYPD won't take enforcement action for failing to wear a face covering.

    Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images
    A woman wearing a mask walks past a sing reading "I heart NY" at Terminal 5 of John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) amid the novel coronavirus pandemic on May 13, 2020 in Queens, N.Y.

    The city still plans to distribute face coverings and encourage New Yorkers to wear them, the mayor said.

    The mayor on Friday also introduced a plan to keep New Yorkers cool and safe during the summer heat, including giving air conditioners to all low-income seniors and creating non-traditional cooling centers like at auditoriums, libraries and gyms.

    Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images
    A couple enjoys the sun in a park in Queens on May 13, 2020 in New York City.

    9:30 a.m.: April retail sales plunge

    Retail sales in April fell a record 16.4%. The expectation was for sales to fall 12.3%.

    The biggest decline in spending happened in clothing and clothing accessories retailers, where sales fell 89.3% from the same period last year.

    MORE: Nearly 3 million Americans file for unemployment, bringing total to over 36 million

    Furniture stores got crushed, down 66.5%, as retailers of electronics and appliances saw sale decline 64.8%. Restaurants and bars fell 48.7%.

    The one bright spot was grocery stores: Americans ate at home more, spending 13.2% more there than they did last year.

    9 a.m.: Las Vegas airport offers PPE vending machines

    Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport is now offering PPE vending machines with items including hand sanitizer and gloves for purchase.

    Ethan Miller/Getty Images
    Alcohol disinfecting wipes and bottles of hand sanitizer are displayed in a personal protective equipment vending machine in the Terminal 1 ticketing area at McCarran International Airport on May 14, 2020 in Las Vegas.
    Ethan Miller/Getty Images
    Masks and gloves are displayed in a personal protective equipment vending machine in the Terminal 1 ticketing area at McCarran International Airport on May 14, 2020 in Las Vegas.

    McCarran said it was the first airport to install these vending machines.

    8:30 a..m.: Oprah to give commencement address on Facebook at 2 p.m. ET

    Oprah will broadcast a commencement address for the class of 2020 on Facebook and Instagram at 2 p.m. ET. on Friday.

    Steve Jennings/Getty Images, FILE
    Oprah Winfrey speaks during Oprah's 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus Tour presented by WW (Weight Watchers Reimagined) at Chase Center, Feb. 22, 2020, in San Francisco.

    Miley Cyrus will perform her song "The Climb," and other celebrities from Simone Biles to Jennifer Garner to Lil Nas X will share their messages for the graduates.

    6:38 a.m.: New York barber who gave haircuts despite closures tests positive for COVID-19

    A barber in New York who was secretly giving haircuts in defiance of coronavirus closures has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Ulster County health officials.

    "We are taking extraordinary measures to try and minimize the spread of this dangerous disease and learning that a barbershop has been operating illicitly for weeks with a COVID-10 positive employees is extraordinarily disheartening," Ulster County Health Commissioner Dr. Carol Smith said in a statement.

    The names of the barber and business were not released by officials, but said the establishment is on Broadway in Kingston, New York.

    What to know about coronavirus:

    The county health commissioner advised anyone who received a haircut in the past three weeks at a barbershop in the area to seek testing.

    New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's New York Pause directive says no barbershops, beauty salons and other "personal hygiene services" are allowed to be open at this time.

    "As much as we would all like to go out and get a professional haircut, this kind of direct contact has the potential to dramatically spread this virus throughout the community and beyond," Smith said in a statement Wednesday.

    Cuomo extended the state's stay-at-home order Thursday until June 13.

    In New York, there are more than 343,000 diagnosed cases of COVID-19 and at least 27,641 deaths.

    5:10 a.m.: Milwaukee order allows salons, malls, playgrounds to reopen

    In its new order, the city of Milwaukee announced Thursday how salons, malls and playgrounds can reopen.

    The Moving Milwaukee Forward plan allows for some businesses to open provided physical distancing and protective measure requirements are followed.

    Morry Gash/AP
    Owner Paul Furrer cuts the hair of Jeff Jones at Rich's Barber Shop on Thursday, May 14, 2020, in Waukesha, Wis. The store re-opened after the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Gov. Tony Evers' stay-at-home order Wednesday.

    Other businesses allowed to reopen include day spas, tattoo parlors, tanning facilities, most retail establishments, public beaches, nail salons and more.

    There are still limits and restrictions on many of these openings, including how many people can be inside establishments at a time and that beaches are only open for walking, biking or running.

    "A measured, phased in-approach that utilizes data-driven gating criteria and aligns with federal and state metrics is needed for Milwaukee County," the city said in a statement.

    Despite the Wisconsin Supreme Court order overturning the state's stay-at-home order, the city of Milwaukee said bars and restaurants must still remain closed.

    The city's plan continues to allow for delivery and takeout at restaurants and bars, but no seating is allowed and no food or drink is allowed to be consumed on-site.

    "To the residents of Milwaukee, we want things to be back to normal as much as you do, but the virus is still here and our normal has changed. We are all in this together and we will get through this together," a joint statement from Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic, chairwoman of the Public Safety and Health Committee and Common Council President Cavalier Johnson said.

    In Wisconsin there are more than 11,275 diagnosed cases of COVID-19 and at least 434 deaths.

    ABC News' Will Gretsky, Ahmad Hemingway, Josh Hoyos, Rebecca Jarvis, Rachel Katz, Amanda Maile and Olivia Rubin contributed to this report.