May 17 coronavirus news

Kevin Harvick won The Real Heroes 400 at Darlington on Sunday in NASCAR’s first race back since the season was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This was Harvick's 50th career NASCAR Cup Series victory, making him the 14th driver to accomplish that milestone, NASCAR said.

With the win, Harvick broke a tie with Tony Stewart, and is now tied with Junior Johnson and Ned Jarrett for 12th place on the all-time list. 

No fans were in attendance to abide by health and safety guidelines.

The event honored health care workers as part of the The Real Heroes Project, a collaborative initiative among more than a dozen sports leagues to recognize and pay tribute to medical professionals on the front lines fighting Covid-19. 

NASCAR is one of the first professional sports leagues to resume competition amid the pandemic.

Nearly half of the doctors in the United Kingdom working during the coronavirus pandemic fear for their health, according to a new survey by the Royal College of Physicians.

The survey found 48% of the 1,582 respondents reported feeling concerned or very concerned for their health.

This figure rose to 76% among doctors from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

The results, released on Monday, come amid ongoing issues surrounding the supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the UK.

South Africa saw its highest single-day jump of reported coronavirus cases on Sunday with an increase of 1,160 infections, according to South Africa’s National Department of Health.

Sunday’s new positives brings the total number of cases to 15,515, with the Western Cape province accounting for nearly 60% of the national figures.

As of Sunday, 5,457 members of the New York Police Department have returned to work full time after recovering from coronavirus, according to the daily NYPD coronavirus report.

In total, 5,648 NYPD members have tested positive for coronavirus. About 149 members (111 uniformed and 38 civilian) are still out sick with the virus, the NYPD said.

On Sunday, 1,045 uniformed members were out sick, accounting for about 2.9% of the NYPD’s uniformed workforce.

As far as enforcing social distancing, the NYPD said there were seven summonses issued Saturday.

Officers continue to visit restaurants, bars, supermarkets, salons and public spaces to remind individuals of the ban on congregating in public spaces and to practice social distancing, according to the NYPD.

There are at least 1,482,916 cases of coronavirus in the US and at least 89,318 people have died from the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University's tally of cases in the United States.

The totals includes cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases.

CNN has an interactive map tracking coronavirus cases across the country.

A working draft of Major League Baseball's health and safety manual for the shortened 2020 season contains rigorous rules aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19 as well as protocols for frequent testing and screening, according to a copy first obtained by The Athletic and later by ESPN. 

The 67-page document, according to The Athletic and ESPN, is a draft and is subject to change.

Coronavirus testing measures outlined in the document would include frequent testing for players, and those who regularly come in close proximity to players, such as managers, coaches, and umpires. 

The MLB would strive to use the least invasive and fastest commercially available testing methods without impacting public health needs. Asymptomatic individuals would be screened at least twice a day, required to self-screen at home each morning and tested multiple times a week. Any individual testing positive or displaying symptoms would be required to immediately self-isolate and consult with medical staff.

Many of the rules proposed in the document would alter some traditional baseball norms. To name a few, teams would not physically exchange lineup cards and players would be prohibited from spitting, chewing tobacco or sunflower seeds, high-fiving, or throwing the ball "around the horn." 

Social distancing would also be encouraged in the dugout and during the national anthem, and non-playing personnel must wear masks in the dugout.

Italy’s Health Minister Roberto Speranza has called on citizens to “remain prudent” as the country prepares to relax its coronavirus lockdown on Monday, warning that the “hard part” will begin tomorrow.

Speaking during a televised interview on the eve of Italy’s reopening, Speranza acknowledged that while he had been reluctant to reopen the country too quickly, Italy’s economy and society “need to relaunch again” after 10 weeks of confinement.

Additionally, Speranza announced that the Italian government will increase its intensive care capacity by 115%, investing more than 3 billion Euros in creating more than 11,000 ICU beds.

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It's almost 3 p.m. in New York and 8 p.m. in London. Here are some of the top coronavirus headlines you may have missed.

Gyms and fitness center in the state of Georgia have begun to reopen adhering to social distancing guidelines set by Gov. Brian Kemp.

Although Kemp allowed for gyms to reopen their doors on April 24, many gyms opted to remain closed.

LA Fitness says that Georgia is one of their first markets to reopen. All of their Atlanta locations are offering a staggered start to their full services, with no group fitness classes until June 1, and limited hours between then and their opening date of May 22. 

Temporarily, the spa, sauna, basketball court and Kids Klub will be closed.  

Other changes they have made include checking in one by one, limiting building occupancy and removing or making some equipment unavailable. There is also contactless check-in and hand sanitizing upon entry.

There is additional staff dedicated to sanitizing equipment and frequent-touch areas and pre-shift screening, masks and gloves required for all employees.

Popular chain Planet Fitness is opening many of their locations on either May 15 or May 16, and sent word to their clients via email that “the safety of our team and members is our top priority."

Atlanta-area Crunch Fitness gyms were one of the first to open last week.

“Our gym is open and we’re waiting for you! We have disinfectant wipes and/or sprays to clean off machines immediately following a workout and cleaning crews that thoroughly clean every day," the Roswell facility posted on Facebook on May 15.