US coronavirus death toll surpasses 60,000 and 100 bodies found in trucks outside NYC funeral home
The U.S. has more than 1 million diagnosed cases.
A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 227,000 people worldwide.
More than 3.1 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some governments are hiding the scope of their nations' outbreaks.
The United States has become the worst-affected country, with more than 1 million diagnosed cases and at least 60,966 deaths.
Today's biggest developments:
Here's how the news is developing today. All times Eastern. Please refresh this page for updates.
12:14 a.m.: Michigan stay-at-home order doesn’t infringe on constitutional rights, court says
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer scored a legal victory Wednesday after the Michigan Court of Claims ruled that the state's stay-at-home order does not infringe on the constitutional rights of residents.
The plaintiffs had claimed that the mandatory quarantine imposed by Whitmer's Stay Home, Stay Safe order violated their rights. The judge disagreed, saying the governor has the right to act in the interested of public health.
"Although the Court is painfully aware of the difficulties of living under the restrictions of these executive orders, those difficulties are temporary, while to those who contract the virus and cannot recover (and to their family members and friends), it is all too permanent," Judge Christopher Murray wrote in his decision. "That is not to say that every new virus will require the action taken here, but given the authority of the Governor to do so in the face of these circumstances, the Court must conclude issuing injunctive relief would not serve the public interest, despite the temporary harm to plaintiffs’ constitutional rights."
Michigan has more than 40,000 diagnosed cases of COVID-19 and at least 3,670 deaths.
"I am pleased with the court’s decision,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement Wednesday night. "The primary goal of the Stay Home, Stay Safe order has always been to protect human life.”
8:44 p.m.: Los Angeles offering free testing for all residents
Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that Los Angeles County, including the city of LA, is now the first to offer COVID-19 testing to all of its residents with or without symptoms, at no cost.
"Making testing available to anyone who wants it is essential," the mayor said in making the announcement.
Los Angeles currently has 34 testing sites with the capacity to test 18,000 people per day, according to officials.
A new health department report shows that the city's working class and poor neighborhoods have a disproportionate rate of infection, and a disproportionate rate of death, Garcetti said.
The COVID-19 fatality rate in some lower-income neighborhoods in Central Los Angeles is four times higher than the national average, the report says.
Los Angeles County has 22,485 coronavirus cases, up 1,541 from yesterday for an increase of 7%.
7:37 p.m.: 100 bodies found in trucks outside funeral home
One hundred bodies have been found in two unrefrigerated trucks outside of a Brooklyn, New York, funeral home after neighbors complained about a stench from bodies being stored in trailers.
"The Department has been notified of storage issues of decedents and alternate arrangements are being made by the funeral home," the New York State Health Department said in a statement provided to ABC News.
ABC’s Aaron Katersky reports for ABC News Radio:
ABC News' Mark Crudele, Ibtissem Guenfoud, Mina Kaji, Aaron Katersky, William Mansell, Rachel Katz, Whitney Lloyd, Josh Margolin, Phoebe Natanson, Cammeron Parrish, Jordyn Phelps, Adia Robinson and Joseph Simonetti contributed to this report.
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