Coronavirus: Nevada polls close; long waits reported in Vegas

More than 7.1 million people worldwide – including nearly 2 million in the United States – have been infected with the new coronavirus, and the number of deaths from the outbreak continues to rise. While efforts to contain the COVID-19 outbreak continue, states have begun to shift their focus toward reopening their economies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking cases in the U.S. here.

Live updates for Tuesday, June 9, continue below:

Nevada polls close; long waits reported in Vegas

Update 11:15 p.m. EDT June 9: Primary polls are closing across Nevada and elections officials are cutting off any voters from joining long lines at polling places. Election officials say any voter in line before the 7 p.m. cutoff will get to cast a ballot.

The secretary of state’s office says no election results will be released in Nevada until every one of those voters has been able to vote.

Voters were waiting in lines for three hours and more Tuesday at limited polling places in Las Vegas despite Nevada officials encouraging people to cast their primary election ballots by mail because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Nevada Deputy Secretary of State for Elections Wayne Thorley said his office had received a report of a three-hour wait at one Clark County polling place.

Voters waiting to cast ballots at the Clark County Election Department office told The Associated Press they had been waiting in line for four and five hours.

Hawaii resident arrested in traveler quarantine violation

Update 9:55 p.m. EDT June 9: A Hawaii woman has been arrested and accused of violating the state’s mandatory 14-day quarantine for travelers arriving to the islands.

Patricia L. Pian, 48, is the first returning Hawaii resident to be arrested over the quarantine by state attorney general investigators, the Hawaii COVID-19 Joint Information Center announced Tuesday.

Witnesses reported seeing her swimming in the ocean a few hours after she returned to Honolulu from San Diego on May 31, the state said.

“She was also seen sunbathing with her husband and walking their dog,” the state’s news release said.

Pian was arrested Tuesday in the hallway of her Waikiki condominium building and charged with violating quarantine. Her bail was set at $2,000.

She couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

MLB players cut to 89 games, want prorated money

Update 8:55 p.m. EDT June 9: Baseball players have moved toward teams but remained far apart economically in their latest proposal for starting the pandemic-delayed season, adamant they receive full prorated salaries while offering to cut the regular season to 89.

The proposal by the players’ association, given to Major League Baseball electronically Tuesday evening without a negotiating session, was detailed to The Associated Press by a pair of people familiar with the negotiations. They spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcements were authorized.

MLB did not appear to view the proposal as productive but made no comment. MLB has said that absent an agreement it could go ahead with a shorter schedule of perhaps 50 games.

North Carolina speedway ordered shut because of large crowds

Update 7:45 p.m. EDT June 9: The administration of North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has ordered the closure of a small stock-car track that’s allowed large crowds to gather repeatedly for weekend races, declaring it an “imminent hazard” for the spread of COVID-19.

The order signed by Cooper’s health secretary says Ace Speedway in Alamance County, 65 miles (105 kilometers) northwest of Raleigh, is violating the governor’s executive order limiting outside mass assemblies to 25 people.

Media outlets have reported crowds at the speedway exceeding 2,000 people, including a gathering last Saturday even after the Democratic governor’s office wrote a letter stating the speedway’s actions were in “open defiance” of the health restrictions. Media reports indicated many attendees at three weekend races since late May sat and stood near each other, and few wore masks.

The action came after Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson announced on Monday he wouldn’t issue a misdemeanor citation to the speedway. He questioned the legality of Cooper’s restrictions and said local tracks elsewhere weren’t being punished for opening. Cooper had said he would act if Alamance County officials wouldn’t.

“North Carolinians are making huge sacrifices to protect their families and neighbors. This virus is highly contagious and very dangerous,” Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen said in a news release Tuesday. “Bad actors who flagrantly violate public health orders put all of our families and loved ones at risk.”

An email sent through the speedway’s web site seeking comment from father-and-son owners Robert and Jason Turner wasn’t immediately returned Tuesday. A message at the speedway’s main phone number said the voice mail was full.

Chicago cancels Lollapalooza, other festivals due to virus

Update 6:45 p.m. EDT June 9: Chicago officials on Tuesday canceled Lollapalooza and other summer festivals through Labor Day, citing concerns about the spread of coronavirus as the pandemic’s financial toll worsened.

Lollapalooza draws hundreds of thousands of people over four days to a lakefront park, generating more than $5 million for Chicago, but city officials said it was too risky with crowds packed close together.

“Bringing that many people from all over the country downtown in Grant Park every single day, we might as well just light ourselves on fire,” said Mayor Lori Lightfoot. “It makes no sense given what we know about how this disease spreads.”

The financial cost of the coronavirus crisis continued to climb with Lightfoot estimating a $700 million budget shortfall. The first-term mayor said Chicago will try to delay some projects, but all options to address the budget hole remain on the table, including a property tax increase.

Since the pandemic began, Illinois has reported 129,212 cases of COVID-19 and 6,018 deaths, including 797 cases and 95 deaths announced Tuesday. In Chicago, there were 48,585 cases and 2,306 deaths as of Tuesday.

New Orleans to let good times roll in casinos and bars again

Update 5:55 p.m. EDT June 9: New Orleans will let the good times roll in casinos and bars again beginning Saturday, with restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said Tuesday.

The city was once a major hot spot for the disease caused by the new coronavirus, and that led to the closure of entertainment venues.

But the city began easing restrictions on restaurants and other businesses in May. On a Tuesday radio broadcast, Cantrel outlined plans to lift more restrictions this weekend.

That means bars and casinos in the city can open — although only at 25 percent capacity, Cantrell said during a “Town Hall” broadcast on WBOK. Food-serving establishments, churches and movie theaters, which are already allowed to open at 25 percent capacity, can move to 50 percent capacity in the city beginning Saturday, although with a cap of 250 people.

Gatherings of 100 will be allowed for weddings and funerals, Cantrell said. And tattoo parlors will be allowed to open.

However, another New Orleans cultural touchstone — live music in bars and music halls — will remain off limits. And churches will have to meet without choirs. City health director Jennifer Avegno explained that exhaling one’s breath during singing could help spread the virus.

Also remaining off limits for now: Festivals, fairs, amusement parks and arcades.

Chicago cancels summer festivals amid virus

Update 4:55 p.m. EDT June 9: Chicago officials have canceled summer festivals through Labor Day including Lollapalooza over coronavirus concerns.

The city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events announced Tuesday that it had scrapped all permitted special events including the Taste of Chicago, the Chicago Air and Water Show and the Chicago Jazz Festival through Sept. 7.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot says allowing massive crowds to congregate in downtown “’makes no sense” given how COVID-19 spreads. She acknowledges that it means a big revenue loss for the city, which now projects a $700 million budget shortfall.

Meanwhile, another major trade show has also been canceled.

375 new cases of COVID-19 reported in New Jersey

Update 3:55 p.m. EDT June 9: Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey said Tuesday that 375 new coronavirus infections have been reported, raising the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 164,796.

Murphy also announced Tuesday plans to lift the stay-at-home order he issued March 21, though he urged people to continue to wear face coverings and practice social distancing while in public.

Officials reported 91 more deaths associated with the coronavirus pandemic. As of Tuesday, 12,303 people have died statewide of COVID-19.

3 UCF football players who returned to school for voluntary workouts test positive for COVID-19

Update 3:35 p.m. EDT June 9: Officials with the University of Central Florida announced Tuesday that three of the school’s football players have tested positive for COVID-19 after returning to campus for voluntary workouts, according to WFTV.

The students who tested positive were ordered to remain in isolation for two weeks, WFTV reported. Officials said the students would be monitored daily.

“Our top priority is to ensure the health and safety of our student-athletes,” said UCF vice president and director of athletics Danny White in a statement. “We will do everything necessary to support the student-athletes under our care on campus.”

>> Read more on WFTV.com

New Jersey governor lifts state’s stay-at-home order

Update 2:50 p.m. EDT June 9: Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey announced Tuesday that he plans to sign an executive order lifting the state’s stay-at-home order.

“Please continue to be responsible and safe,” the governor wrote in an announcement on Twitter. “Wear facial coverings and keep a social distance from others when out in public.”

Murphy issued the stay-at-home order March 21.

562 more coronavirus cases reported in Louisiana

Update 2:25 p.m. EDT June 9: Officials in Louisiana reported 562 new coronavirus infections Tuesday, raising the state’s total number of infections to 43,612.

Officials with the Louisiana Department of Health said 155 of the newly reported case shad previously been reported but had been backlogged.

Statewide, at least 2,844 people have died of COVID-19 and at least 33,904 people have recovered from the viral infection, officials said.

North Carolina officials report record-high number of COVID-19 hospitalizations again

Update 1:45 p.m. EDT June 9: Health officials in North Carolina on Tuesday announced a new high-record for COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state with 774 people getting treatment for severe symptoms of the viral infection, according to WSOC-TV.

The report marked the fourth time so far this month that the number of hospitalizations in the state have hit a record-high, WSOC-TV reported.

Officials with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday that 676 new coronavirus infections had been reported in the state, raising the total number of cases in North Carolina to 37,160.

Officials also reported 23 more deadly coronavirus cases, raising the statewide death toll related to the coronavirus pandemic to 1,029.

>> Read more on WSOCTV.com

UK officials report 1,741 new COVID-19 cases

Update 1:05 p.m. EDT June 9: Officials in the United Kingdom reported 1,205 new coronavirus infections Tuesday, raising the country’s total number of infections to 289,140.

Officials said that as of 5 p.m. local time Sunday, the most recent date for which data was available, 40,883 people had died nationwide of COVID-19.

Eiffel Tower to reopen June 25

Update 12:25 p.m. EDT June 9: Officials in Paris announced Tuesday that the Eiffel Tower will reopen to visitors beginning June 25, months after the historic landmark was closed due to the threat of the coronavirus pandemic.

The three-month closure of the Tower was the longest since World War II, according to management.

Visitors over the age of 11 will be required to wear face masks and all will be required to use the Tower’s stairs.

85 new cases of COVID-19 reported in DC

Update 10:25 a.m. EDT June 9: Health officials in Washington D.C. said Tuesday that 85 new coronavirus infections have been reported in the area, raising the total number of cases in the area to 9,474.

Officials also announced that four more people between the ages of 51 and 86 have died of COVID-19 in Washington D.C., bringing the total number of deaths in the District to 495.

US stock indexes open lower as weekslong rally loses steam

Update 9:45 a.m. EDT June 9: Stocks opened broadly lower Tuesday on Wall Street as a rally that drove the market higher over the past three weeks began to lose steam.

The S&P 500 fell 1.1% in early trading Tuesday. If it ends the day that much lower it will be the worst decline in three weeks.

Banks, industrial and energy stocks led the declines. Those sectors had been doing the best in recent days. They’re among the ones that would stand to benefit most from a recovery in the economy.

A day earlier, the S&P 500 turned positive for the year and the Nasdaq hit a record.

Schools to reopen in Massachusetts with desks 6 feet apart, masks for everyone

Update 9 a.m. EDT June 9: State officials have provided guidance to allow for Massachusetts schools to reopen in the fall, including requirements for safety supplies and social distancing guidelines to protect against coronavirus, WFXT reported.

Desks will need to be at least six feet apart and students and staff will need to keep six feet of distance from one another, requiring class sizes to shrink, Jeffrey Riley, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, said in a memorandum to superintendents obtained by WFXT.

All students and staff will also be required face masks or coverings, unless they cannot due to age or a condition, a measure Lynnefield mother Amie Geary called impractical, according to WFXT.

Geary is one of more than 30,000 parents who have signed a petition on Change.org, urging Gov. Charlie Baker to allow students to return to schools without masks or social distancing. She cites data indicating children are less vulnerable to the virus, according to WFXT.

“I want to see them go back to school as normal. Go back to school the way it was before,” Geary said. “Life is about calculated risks. And I am a parent. I am willing to take the calculated risk to send my children to school so that they can get an education.”

>> Read more on Boston25News.com

Worldwide cases surpass 7.1M as global deaths top 407,000

Update 7:50 a.m. EDT June 9: The global death toll attributed to the novel coronavirus surpassed 407,000 early Tuesday, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally.

In the four months since the virus was first identified in Wuhan, China, it has infected at least 7,142,462 people worldwide and killed at least 407,009 people.

The 10 nations with the highest number of infections recorded to date are as follows:

• The United States has reported 1,897,838 cases, resulting in 111,017 deaths.

• Brazil has recorded 707,412 cases, resulting in 37,134 deaths.

• Russia has confirmed 484,630 cases, resulting in 6,133 deaths.

• The United Kingdom has reported 288,834 cases, resulting in 40,680 deaths.

• India has reported 267,614 cases, resulting in 7,481 deaths.

• Spain has confirmed 241,717 cases, resulting in 27,136 deaths.

• Italy has reported 235,278 cases, resulting in 33,964 deaths.

• Peru has reported 199,696 cases, resulting in 5,571 deaths.

• France has confirmed 191,313 cases, resulting in 29,212 deaths.

• Germany has reported 186,233 cases, resulting in 8,727 deaths.

UN General Assembly nixes in-person meeting for 1st time in 75-year history amid coronavirus

Update 7:05 a.m. EDT June 9: For the first time in its 75-year history, the United Nations will forego its annual U.N. General Assembly in New York, slated for September, due to the novel coronavirus.

According to The Washington Post, U.N. General Assembly President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande said Monday that the typically large entourages of aides and security personnel accompanying world leaders would make the gathering too large to adhere to crowd size recommended to maintain safe social distancing amid an ongoing pandemic.

“A president doesn’t travel alone, leaders don’t travel alone,” he said.

Although no details were provided, Muhammad-Bande told the Post session will instead be conducted remotely.

COVID-19 hospitalizations in Texas spike as state reopens

Update 6:13 a.m. EDT June 9: As Texas Gov. Greg Abbott moves forward with plans to reopen the state, COVID-19 hospitalizations spiked Monday to a new single-day record.

According to NPR, figures provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services show 1,935 people were admitted to hospitals Monday for coronavirus-related treatment. The prior single-day hospitalization record since the pandemic began was set May 5, when 1,888 virus-related hospitalizations were recorded.

The latest figures were released as Abbott prepares to reopen bars, restaurants, amusement parks and other businesses at 50% capacity.

Texas, on May 1, became one of the first states in the nation to resume at least partial activity after the novel coronavirus forced lockdowns from coast to coast.

Read more here.

14 states, Puerto Rico hit record-high 7-day averages for new coronavirus cases

Update 5:37 a.m. EDT June 9: COVID-19 infections might be tapering off in states such as New York and New Jersey, where the novel coronavirus hit hardest in the first few weeks of the U.S. outbreak, but less-affected states are watching their rates skyrocket as the pandemic lingers.

According to The Washington Post, parts of the country that appeared to avoid initial outbreaks have seen record-setting seven-day averages in the past week.

The states affected include Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Kentucky, New Mexico, North Carolina, Mississippi, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah, the Post reported.

Brazil’s Health Ministry tweaks COVID-19 data after reporting criticism

Update 4:40 a.m. EDT June 9: Brazil’s total novel coronavirus count eclipsed 700,000 Monday after the nation’s health ministry adjusted reporting protocol and added 15,654 new cases to the total.

According to the ministry, Brazil has now confirmed 707,412 infections, which have resulted in 37,134 deaths.

Yosemite National Park to resume day-use visits at half capacity Thursday

Update 4:21 a.m. EDT June 9: Yosemite National Park reopens to the public Thursday, but new safety measures intended to help limit the spread of the novel coronavirus are expected to keep crowds away.

In a Monday statement, Yosemite officials said day-use reservations will be required of anyone entering the park, and only about 1,700 vehicles will be admitted each day, or roughly half of the park’s pre-pandemic traffic.

“It’s going to be a different kind of summer, and we will continue to work hand in hand with our gateway communities to protect community health and restore access to Yosemite National Park,” Acting Superintendent Cicely Muldoon said in the statement.

California set to receive millions of N95 masks from China

Update 3:55 a.m. EDT June 9: Despite a certification delay, California will soon receive an overseas shipment of 150 million N95 respirator masks, Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed Monday.

In the early days of the novel coronavirus pandemic, California negotiated with BYD, a Chinese car and battery maker, for the procurement of the protective equipment.

The contract, worth $1 billion, will also provide masks for Washington state and Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp., The Wall Street Journal reported.

Citing coronavirus impact, BP to slash 14% of workforce

Update 2:38 a.m. EDT June 9: Oil giant BP PLC plans to cut nearly 10,000 jobs in a bid to reshape the company after the novel coronavirus pandemic gutted global oil prices, The Wall Street Journal reported.

In addition to the roughly 14% cut to its workforce, BP also plans to freeze pay increases for senior-level managers, and the measures are part of recently appointed CEO Bernard Looney’s attempt to reshape the company for a “low-carbon future.” The reorganization plan Looney has been crafting since taking the helm in February has been “accelerated and amplified” by the virus-induced need to reduce costs amid volatile market conditions, the Journal reported.

“It was always part of the plan to make BP a leaner, faster-moving and lower carbon company,” Looney wrote in an email to employees.

“Then the Covid-19 pandemic took hold…The oil price has plunged well below the level we need to turn a profit. We are spending much, much more than we make—I am talking millions of dollars, every day,” he added.

US coronavirus cases near 2M, deaths top 111K

Update 12:48 a.m. EDT June 9: The number of novel coronavirus cases in the United States continued to climb toward 2 million early Tuesday across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

According to a Johns Hopkins University tally, there are at least 1,961,185 confirmed U.S. cases of the virus, which have resulted in at least 111,007 deaths.

The hardest-hit states remain New York with 378,799 cases and 30,417 deaths and New Jersey with 164,497 cases and 12,214 deaths. California with 102,557 cases, Illinois with 128,415 and Massachusetts with 103,626 round out the top five.

Four other states have now confirmed at least 64,000 novel coronavirus cases each, including:

• Pennsylvania: 80,339 cases, resulting in 5,953 deaths

• Texas: 76,463 cases, resulting in 1,848 deaths

• Florida: 64,904 cases, resulting in 2,712 deaths

• Michigan: 64,413 cases, resulting in 5,895 deaths

Meanwhile, Maryland, Georgia and Virginia each has confirmed at least 51,000 cases; Connecticut and Louisiana each has confirmed at least 43,000 cases; Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina each has confirmed at least 36,000 cases; Minnesota, Colorado, Arizona, Tennessee, Washington, Iowa, Wisconsin and Alabama each has confirmed at least 20,000 cases, followed by Mississippi with 17,768; Nebraska, Rhode Island and Missouri each has confirmed at least 15,000 cases, followed by South Carolina with 14,800; Utah, Kentucky and Kansas each has confirmed at least 10,000 cases; Delaware, Arkansas, the District of Columbia and New Mexico each has confirmed at least 9,000 cases, followed by Oklahoma with 7,205; South Dakota, New Hampshire and Puerto Rico each has confirmed at least 5,000 cases.

Only 13 states and territories have confirmed fewer than 5,000 cases each.

Click here to see CNN’s state-by-state breakdown.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Cox Media Group