NPR's global health reporter answers listener questions about how the coronavirus is mutating.

And as summer nears, the question must be asked: Is it risky from a COVID-19 standpoint to go in a swimming pool?

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced new guidelines on easing coronavirus restrictions in the country. At a White House press conference, he presented the "Opening Up America Again" guidance, under which state governors are required to ease the lockdown in three phases, with each phase lasting at least 14 days. Trump made the announcement, which is aimed to help reopen the ailing U.S. e

President Donald Trump expressed optimism that the United States will develop a vaccine to treat coornavirus by the end of the year. Trump made the prediction at a Fox News virtual town hall on Sunday, which is contrary to public health experts' assessment that it will take at least another year to make a breakthrough in anti-coronavirus vaccine development. "I think we're going to have a vaccin

At a White House news conference on Wednesday, President Donald Trump described the coronavirus pandemic as the "worst attack" ever on the United States. "This is worse than Pearl Harbor, this is worse than the World Trade Center. There's never been an attack like this," he told reporters. Trump repeated pointing finger at China over the killer disease's global spread. "And it should have never

President Donald Trump said he will announce Thursday new guidelines on easing coronavirus restrictions in the country. The move, aimed to help reopen the ailing U.S. economy, is on the basis of his consultations with governors and business leaders. According to him, the United States has passed the peak of new coronavirus cases and predicted some states would reopen this month. "The data sugg

President Donald Trump voiced his disagreement with the Governor of Georgia's plan to reopen some of the state's businesses, saying it was "just too soon" to ease the lockdown. During his routine White House news conference on Wednesday, Trump said Governor Brian Kemp's decision to reopen bowling alleys, hair and beauty salons, tattoo parlors and other businesses on Friday is in violation of the federal guidelines he issued last week.

President Donald Trump announced that the Government was finalising a plan to reopen the U.S. economy, which has been paralyzed due to stay-at-home orders intended to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The social distancing guidelines that the Trump administration announced expire on April 30. At his routine news conference Monday, Trump said he remains determined to reopen the U.S. for bus

President Donald Trump announced his intention to suspend immigration into the United States concerned over the coronavirus pandemic. In a Twitter post late Monday, the President said he will sign an order halting all immigration to protect jobs as coronavirus spreads. "In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that requires meat processing plants in the country to remain open to ensure the continued supply of products like beef, pork, and poultry to the public. Signing the order Tuesday, Trump said, "We're working very hard to make sure our food supply chain is sound and plentiful." U.S. meat processing plants had become COVID hotspots, where more t

China's exports expanded in April despite the global outbreak of coronavirus, or covid-19, pandemic hurting global demand, data from the General Administration of Customs revealed Thursday. In dollar terms, exports grew 3.5 percent on a yearly basis in April, confounding expectations for a decline of 12.1 percent. Shipments had declined 6.6 percent in March.

The jobless rate in New Zealand came in at a seasonally adjusted 4.2 percent in the first quarter of 2020, Statistics New Zealand said on Wednesday.

Private sector employment nosedived in the month of April, according to a report released by payroll processor ADP on Wednesday. The report said private sector employment plunged by 20.236 million jobs in April after slumping by a revised 149,000 jobs in May.

Canadian cannabis company Fire and Flower Holdings Corp. said Thursday that it will close three locations in Alberta under a restructuring plan, enabling it to deploy resources and allocate capital to locations with higher profit potential. The company also reported a net loss for the fourth quarter that widened from last year.

Canadian security regulators halted trading in shares of iAnthus Capital Holdings Inc. on Wednesday for nearly four hours amid reports about the cannabis company's difficult financial situation.

Disinfectant manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser issued a strong warning against administering its products such as Lysol and Dettol to the human body after President Donald Trump suggested researchers try putting disinfectants into coronavirus infected patients' bodies as potential treatment for the killer disease. "Under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human

On Monday, coronavirus deaths in the United States crossed 67000, a figure still short of the 100,000 mark that US President Donald Trump has warned of the other day. "We're going to lose anywhere from 75, 80 to 100,000 people," Trump said at a two-hour Fox News virtual "town hall" Sunday. This figure is a significant increase from his previous estimate of 60,000. Trump claimed that without his

Cresco Labs Inc. on Monday reported a net loss for the fourth quarter that widened from last year as higher costs and expenses offset strong revenue growth.

President Donald Trump says all parts of the country are either in good shape or getting better based on reports that the infection rate has dropped significantly in several hotspots, including New York. Some states such as Texas, Alaska, Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee and South Carolina are taking their first steps toward reopening. At a routine White House news conference on Monday, the President

Shares of Camping World Holdings, Inc. (CWH), an outdoor and camping retailer, are gaining more than 22 percent or $2.45 in Friday's morning trade at $13.26, after the company reported a loss for the first quarter that narrowed from last year.

While reporting financial results for the first quarter on Thursday, tire maker Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. (CTB) said it is withdrawing its previously announced financial guidance issued on February 24 for the full-year 2020, due to the rapidly evolving environment and continued uncertainties resulting from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Uber Technologies, Inc. (UBER) reported a first quarter loss per share of $1.70 compared to a loss of $2.26, previous year. On average, 31 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report a loss per share of $0.83, for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. Net loss attributable to Uber Technologies, Inc. excluding the impairment write-downs, net of the tax benefit would have been $1.1 billion. Adjusted EBITDA was negative at $612 million, up $257 million year-over-year.

Trade groups expect the British government to roll out new coronavirus travel restrictions on Sunday, including a quarantine for out-of-country arrivals. And they're already pushing back publicly.

NPR's Scott Simon talks with economist William Rodgers about the spiraling U.S. job losses due to the pandemic. The unemployment rate is now the worst since the Great Depression.

Christine Maccarone of New Jersey styles hair in nursing homes and hospitals. She's worried about her business surviving the state lockdown, and the well-being of her elderly clients.

Cornhole is making a comeback on ESPN. And NASCAR is slated to return to TV, but questions still remain about football, baseball, basketball and football.

Reflecting the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and efforts to contain it, the Labor Department released a report on Friday showing a record nosedive in employment in the U.S. in the month of April.

Most of the German companies expect decline in sales in the whole year of 2020 as coronavirus related crisis is expected to last longer, a survey from the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, or DIHK, showed Friday.

Reflecting the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and efforts to contain it, the Labor Department released a report on Friday showing a record nosedive in employment in the U.S. in the month of April. The report said non-farm payroll employment plummeted by 20.5 million jobs in April after tumbling by a revised 870,000 jobs in March.

A report released by the Commerce Department on Friday showed wholesale inventories in the U.S. decreased by slightly less than expected in the month of March. The Commerce Department said wholesale inventories slumped by 0.8 percent in March after falling by 0.7 percent in February. Economists had expected inventories to tumble by 1.0 percent.

A report released by the Labor Department on Thursday showed U.S. labor productivity pulled back by much less than expected in the first quarter. The Labor Department said labor productivity slumped by 2.5 percent in the first quarter after jumping by 1.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019. Economists had expected productivity to plunge by 5.5 percent.

Reflecting a steep drop in revolving credit, the Federal Reserve released a report on Thursday showing an unexpected decrease in U.S. consumer credit in the month of March.