BACKLASH FOR BRAZIL’S BOLSONARO
S ÃOP A ULO» Brazil’s governors on Wednesday rebelled against President Jair Bolsonaro’s call for life to return to pre-coronavirus normalcy, saying his proposal to reopen schools and businesses runs counter to recommendations from health experts and endangers Latin America’s largest population.
State governors, many of whom have adopted strict measures to limit gatherings in their regions, defied the president’s instructions in a nationwide address Tuesday evening that they lift the restrictions and limit isolation only to the elderly and those with health problems.
The governors weren’t the only defiant ones. Virus plans challenged by Bolsonaro were upheld by the Supreme Court. The heads of both congressional houses criticized his televised speech. Companies donated supplies to state anti-virus efforts.
And even some of his staunch supporters joined his detractors.
Mormon Church suspends temple activities.
SALT LAKE CITY The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is suspending temple activity.
The Utah-based faith said Wednesday the temporary suspension would start at the end of the day, said Irene Caso, a spokeswoman. The church said the decision was made after consideration and “with a desire to be responsible global citizens .”
Meanwhile, a Utah county hard hit by the new coronavirus is telling residents to stay home except for essential errands and asking visitors to the skiresort community of Park City to stay away.
The shelter-in-place order issued Wednesday in Summit County is the first such declaration in the state. It has been a hot spot for cases statewide, and now has a similar number of cases per capita as hardhit New York City and parts of Italy, said Summit County Health Director Rich Bullough.
It starts Friday and will be in place at least until May 1. Visitors planning new trips to Park City are being asked not to come.
New Mexico marks first virus death, tries to stretch supplies. SANTA FE New Mexico has its first coronavirus death.
A man in his late 70s was hospitalized in Artesia on Sunday and died the same day, health officials said Wednesday. He had multiple underlying health issues, and his condition deteriorated rapidly, the state Health Department said. Infections have climbed to 112 in the state, with schools shut down and a stay-at-home order in effect.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said the death marked a tragic day and urged residents to take precautions to limit the spread of the virus and ensure the health care system won’t be overwhelmed.
Citing virus, Putin suspends vote on keeping him in power. MOSCOW» Calling for “discipline and responsibility” in the face of the coronavirus, President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Wednesday announced the postponement of a referendum next month on whether he can govern until 2036.
In a televised address to the nation from his country residence outside Moscow, Putin stopped short of imposing a nationwide lockdown — as India and several European countries have done — but ordered a week-long national holiday starting Saturday.
He warned that despite the relatively few confirmed infections so far in Russia — 658 as of Wednesday — it was “objectively impossible” to stop the virus from spreading.
The decision to postpone until further notice an April 22 vote on constitutional changes that would allow Putin to crash through term limits means that the virus has achieved a feat that has eluded the Kremlin’s largely powerless opponents: It has slowed the previously relentless march toward a coronation of Putin as president for life.
Army Corps of Engineers aids Arizona as virus surge looms. P
HO EN IX» Officials from Arizona’s health department and the Army Corps of Engineers spent hours Wednesday scouring a shuttered Phoenix hospital to see how quickly it could be running if an expected surge of coronavirus cases hits.
The state is looking to reopen two closed Phoenix hospitals and convert a specialty hospital. The review of the closed St. Luke’s Medical Center is part of an effort to nearly double hospital capacity from the current 16,900 to the nearly 30,000 that officials say might be needed by May.
The quickest way to boost capacity is if existing hospitals convert other areas to patient care, something they’re planning to do. Hospitals are planning to convert recovery rooms, unused surgical suites and other areas to boost capacity.
Montana expands mail ballot, early voting for primaries. .»
HELENA, MONT Counties and school districts will be able to conduct elections by mail and expand early voting for the June 2 primary elections and school elections this spring, Gov. Steve Bullock said Wednesday.
Bullock signed a directive that aims to allow the elections to proceed without risking the health and safety of voters and poll workers amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The governor’s order allows, but doesn’t require, counties to conduct primary elections by mail. Ballots would be available starting May 4. A postage stamp would not be required to mail a ballot.
The governor’s order gives school districts additional time to plan for allmail elections on school issues.
In-person voting would still be allowed, and polling places would be required to enforce at least 6 feet of separation between two people.
As virus cases surge, Kansas wants people home, feds to act. TOPEKA, KAN. The state’ s top public health official on Wednesday chided residents looking to “wriggle around” local stay-athome orders meant to check the spread of the novel coronavirus, and Gov. Laura Kelly said the U.S. government should require industries to manufacture medical supplies.
The state reported 126 confirmed cases, a jump of 28 cases in a day, but the total didn’t include three confirmed cases announced later Wednesday by hospitals and local health officials in Topeka. The state has had three COVID-19-related deaths in two weeks, all in the state’s portion of the Kansas City area.
Kelly said the federal government should invoke the Defense Production Act to address shortages of ventilators, protective masks and testing kits.