Coronavirus: Massive stimulus bill stalls in Senate as Trump activates National Guard

Petra Cahill
·6 min read

Good morning, NBC News readers.

A coronavirus stimulus bill failed in the Senate, Canada and Australia have pulled out of the Olympics and despite draconian measures to prevent the spread, COVID-19 cases continue to soar in Europe.

Here's what we're watching this Monday morning.

Democrats block GOP coronavirus stimulus bill

A vote to advance a massive coronavirus stimulus bill failed Sunday night in the Senate as negotiations so far had yet to produce a deal on the more than $1 trillion aid package.

Democrats said that they were dissatisfied with worker protections in the bill, which was written by Republicans, and that the rules on corporate bailouts are too lax.

The stalemate means no federal aid will flow to the economy — including checks to individuals, help for small businesses and bailouts for big corporations — until a deal is reached.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases around the globe surged past 340,000, while the death toll rose to over 14,000, as of early Monday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Here are some of the other major coronavirus updates:

  • Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., on Sunday became the first senator known to test positive for COVID-19.

  • Sens. Mitt Romney and Mike Lee, both Utah Republicans, said they would be self-quarantining after having had "extended" interactions with Paul and would have to miss floor votes.

  • “I want America to understand this week, it's going to get bad,” U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams warned in an interview on the “TODAY” show Monday.

  • Canada and Australia announced they won’t be sending athletes to the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo this year if the games aren't delayed because of the global pandemic.

  • The International Olympic Committee said cancellation "would not solve any problems" and is "therefore it is not on our agenda.

  • Italy, the hardest hit country in Europe, with over 59,000 confirmed cases, banned travel within the country on Sunday.

  • Images from the packed London Tube are flooding social media. The government is coming under pressure to impose the same strict rules as its European neighbors as it became clear many people were simply ignoring government advice to avoid social contact.

  • President Donald Trump announced that he's activated the National Guard in New York, California and Washington. He said large quantities of masks, respirators and other medical supplies are due to arrive in the three states within days.

  • New York is the worst hit state in the country with over 15,000 confirmed as of late Sunday. See a map of cases in the U.S.

  • Dr. Anthony Fauci said U.S. health officials are "looking very closely" at reports that a much higher percentage of younger Americans than expected are suffering from severe coronavirus symptoms requiringhospitalization.

  • Get all the latest updates in our live blog.

Act now, Italian doctor at epicenter of global outbreak warns the world

An Italian doctor treating patients at the center of the worst coronavirus outbreak in Europe has issued a stark warning to other countries yet to be hit by the full force of the pandemic: lock down.

"We know what happens," Dr. Emanuela Catenacci told British broadcaster Sky News as she took a break from treating patients in an intensive care ward in Cremona Hospital in Lombardy. "Don't think it is happening here and it can't happen everywhere else ... because it will."

The death toll in Italy was over 5,000, as of Monday morning. It jumped by 793 on Saturday, by the largest daily rise since the contagion emerged in the country a month ago.

While Lombardy, the center of the Italian outbreak, has been under lockdown for weeks, the central government has been criticized for not having acted quickly or forcefully enough to stem the outbreak.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte described the crisis as the worst the country has faced since the end of World War II.

'A slow burn': Coronavirus symptoms often linger before worsening

As physicians across the country diagnose and care for a growing number of people with COVID-19, distinct patterns are emerging, giving clues about how the illness manifests itself in patients.

Very often, people start off with minor physical complaints — slight cough, headache, low-grade fever — that gradually worsen.

"Patients tend to have symptoms for about a week before either getting better, or getting really sick," said Dr. Joshua Denson, a pulmonary medicine and critical care physician at Tulane Medical Center in New Orleans.

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Plus

THINK about it

Don't blame Gen Z for going to beaches. Blame the leaders who said not to worry, writer Michael Arceneaux argues in an opinion piece.

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Stuck at home and stress eating? Follow this routine to get back on track.

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Quote of the day

"This is not solely about athlete health — this is about public health."

— The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committee calling for organizers to postpone the Olympic games this year.

One fun thing

At least we've got one reason to smile.

With major sports competitions canceled or postponed during the coronavirus pandemic, ESPN revived "The Ocho" on Sunday.

"The Ocho" began in 2017 as an homage to the fictional ESPN 8 channel featured in the 2004 movie "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story." The network transforms its ESPN 2 channel to air a slew of real but obscure competitions for 24 hours.

Although "The Ocho" usually airs in August, ESPN said it was reviving the special programming using past events just "when you needed it most," according to its news release.

Viewers stuck at home have been riveted with stone skipping, sign spinning and marble racing.

"If you’re not watching stone skipping on #TheOcho what are you even doing," tweeted one viewer.

Image: Ben Stiller in
Image: Ben Stiller in

Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown.

I hope you are holding up. Please send me any comments or questions you have on our coronavirus coverage: petra@nbcuni.com

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Be safe and stay healthy, Petra Cahill