(Bloomberg) -- New York City has hired 1,700 contact tracers who will be working by June 1, and Governor Andrew Cuomo said he would now focus on reopening the most populous U.S. city, the only region still under state-ordered lockdown.

Wuhan, the hub of China’s coronavirus outbreak, said it tested almost 7 million people in 12 days, after several infections prompted worries about a second wave.

A U.K. government minister resigned in protest after Boris Johnson’s most senior aide refused to apologize for allegedly breaching lockdown rules, piling further pressure on the prime minister. The British government is planning to start lifting restrictions in June.

Key Developments:

• Virus Tracker: Cases top 5.5 million; deaths over 348,000
• Federal workers see risks to them in Trump’s push to reopen
• Singapore faces worst contraction in decades, unveils more aid
• Virus cracks Germany’s defense against unemployment surge
• Indonesia deploys army, Thailand extends emergency
• Hedge funds plan extreme lengths after lockdown

Subscribe to a daily update on the virus from Bloomberg’s Prognosis team here. Click VRUS on the terminal for news and data on the coronavirus. For a look back at this week’s top stories from QuickTake, click here.

Biden Waiting on Delaware to Resume Campaign Events (6:45 a.m. HK)

Joe Biden said Tuesday he hopes to resume in-person events after spending more than two months campaigning virtually from his Delaware home. Biden told CNN he’s following his state’s stay-at-home orders, but he hopes to resume a public schedule once that is lifted.

Biden and his wife, wearing masks, made their first public appearance on Monday, when they laid a wreath at a veterans memorial in New Castle, Delaware.

Disney, SeaWorld Plan Florida Reopenings (5:20 p.m. NY)

Walt Disney Co. and SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. will be the next two theme-park operators to present their reopening plans to the Florida task force charged with bringing the region’s tourist economy back following a more than two-month closing.

Comcast Corp.’s Universal Studios parks have already requested and won the right to reopen to the general public on June 5. Legoland, a unit of Merlin Entertainments Ltd., said it will open June 1. Disney and Universal have already opened the malls outside their resorts, much as Disney did in Shanghai before its theme park there reopened.

Chicago Trading Floor to Open June 8 (5:10 p.m. NY)

Cboe Global Markets Inc. plans to open its Chicago options-trading floor on June 8. Activity on the exchange has been electronic-only since March 16.

Half of the floor’s participants are expected to return to the reconfigured space next month, Cboe said. “Rigorous precautionary measures” to limit exposure to the coronavirus include a different layout to allow for social distancing and capacity limits, the wearing of masks and medical screening at entrances.

Merck’s Gerberding Warns on Vaccine Timing (4:55 p.m. NY)

Hopes to quickly launch a safe and effective vaccine may be unrealistic, Julie Gerberding, chief patient officer at Merck & Co., said the day Merck announced it’s working on two vaccines and an anti-viral medication in pill form. Her caution stems from the company’s experience fighting Ebola as it took until last year for that vaccine to win regulatory approval in the U.S.

“I hope the people who are predicting a faster timeline than we have ever imagined are right, but we are talking about vaccinating the world,” she said during an online discussion hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. “Many of the lessons learned are partly why we are not over-promising on delivery times, because we have a basis in reality for understanding the complexities of trying to do this in an international manner.”

It’s impossible to say how quickly a vaccine may be available, even taking into account the vast financial resources and scientific power that governments and industry are putting toward the effort, she said. While a vaccine can be crafted faster than one ever has been previously, extra effort needs to be made to ensure they are safe. “We have to be absolutely sure before we vaccinate the population that we are protecting people from the virus and more importantly not harming them through an unproven vaccine,” she said.

California Opens Salons, Barbershops (4:35 p.m. NY)

Barbershops and hair salons in California counties already restarting their economies can open as early as Tuesday, Governor Gavin Newsom said, adding that his family had just subjected him to a home haircut. Forty-seven of the state’s 58 counties meet criteria for such reopenings, though major population centers including Los Angeles and San Francisco still have tighter restrictions.

The most-populous U.S. state relaxed rules for church gatherings and allowed in-store shopping at retailers on Monday. Guidelines for restarting the entertainment industry had been expected Monday but may not come until later in the week or the weekend, Newsom said.

“The industry and labor asked for a little bit more time as they work through some issues,” Newsom said at his daily briefing. “We thought that was a very healthy thing, and I was very encouraged by that.”

U.S. Cases Rise 1.1%, Slowest Since March (4 p.m. NY)

Coronavirus cases in the U.S. increased 1.1% as compared to the same time yesterday, to 1.67 million, the slowest daily increase since March, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg News. That’s lower than Monday’s 1.3% rate and below the average of 1.4% in the past seven days. Deaths rose 0.7% to 98,584.

• New York saw its fewest new hospitalizations and fatalities since the outbreak began, according to Cuomo. About 200 people were admitted to hospitals, down from a peak of more than 3,400. There were 73 deaths, down from a high last month of nearly 800.
• Florida reported 52,255 cases, up slightly less than 1% from a day earlier, compared with an average increase of 1.6% in the previous seven days, according to the state’s health department. Deaths reached 2,259, an increase of 0.3%.
• New Jersey had 703 new cases and 54 deaths over 24 hours, according to Governor Phil Murphy. Hospitalizations, at 2,723, were down by about 1,500 over the past two weeks.

U.S. Aims to Boost Tests Sharply (3:20 p.m. NY)

The Trump administration has released coronavirus testing targets for May, an aggressive expansion that would have some states doubling, quadrupling and even, in the case of Puerto Rico, completing 5.6 times the number they had done through late April.

The White House announced on May 11 that states had set the goals in partnership with the Trump administration, but didn’t release specifics. The breakdown of targets by state was released Sunday as part of a testing plan outlined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in a report to Congress.

The HHS plan calls for about 12.9 million tests this month. States are nearly two-thirds of the way to meeting that goal, with roughly 8.3 million administered as of Monday, according to the Covid Tracking Project, a volunteer initiative to track virus data.

Chicago to Hire Contact Tracers (3 p.m. NY)

Chicago is seeking to recruit 600 people for a Covid-19 initiative that can trace 4,500 new contacts per day, according to Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

The city has allocated $56 million in funding to hire and train a workforce of contact tracers, supervisors and referral coordinators, Lightfoot said in a statement Tuesday.

“Thanks to our close community partnerships, our work to expand our contact tracing workforce will also empower these same individuals to apply their new skills towards long-term career opportunities,” Lightfoot said.

Cuomo Turns Focus to Reopening NYC (12:51 p.m. NY)

Governor Andrew Cuomo said his administration will now focus on reopening its economic engine, New York City, the only state region still on lockdown.

The Mid-Hudson region, which includes Westchester County, will restart beginning Tuesday, and Long Island will take steps Wednesday. New York City was hardest hit by the novel coronavirus, and its recovery has been the toughest, Cuomo said Tuesday at a press briefing.

The economy will need government help to bounce back, Cuomo said, so the state plans to fast-track its plan to rebuild Penn Station. It will also accelerate LaGuardia Airport renovations. The state will need federal approval for some projects, and Cuomo said that is one of the issues he will discuss when he meets Wednesday with President Donald Trump in Washington.

New York reported its fewest new hospitalizations and fatalities since the outbreak began. About 200 people were admitted for Covid-19, down from a peak of more than 3,400. There were 73 deaths reported on May 25, down from a high of nearly 800.

BofA Staff to Return in Phases (12:15 p.m. NY)

Bank of America Corp. is making plans for employees to return to their offices in phases.

The moves will vary by role, department and location, and workers will be notified at least 30 days before they’re scheduled to return, according to a memo seen by Bloomberg. A bank spokeswoman confirmed the contents of the memo.

“We will move slowly and carefully, driven by business need, with safety as our highest priority,” the bank said in the memo.

Italy Deaths Below 100 for Third Day (12:03 p.m. NY)

Italy reported 397 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday as daily fatalities stayed below 100 for a third consecutive day. Civil protection authorities had reported 300 cases a day earlier, the fewest since late February. Daily deaths fell to 78 from 92 on Monday; a total of 32,955 fatalities have been reported since the start of the pandemic

N.J. Graduations to Start July 6 (11:54 a.m. NY)

New Jersey schools can hold outdoor graduation ceremonies starting July 6, with participants required to follow social-distancing rules, Governor Phil Murphy announced.

He also said professional sports teams may “return to training and even competition -- if their leagues choose to move in that direction.” The National Football League’s New York Jets and New York Giants both practice and play in New Jersey.

New Jersey reported 703 new cases and 54 additional deaths over 24 hours.The holiday weekend probably kept the reports artificially low, he said, but the trend in recent days has been “way down from our peak.”

Florida’s New Cases Slow (11:43 a.m. NY)

Florida’s total Covid-19 cases rose less than 1% on Tuesday from a day earlier, compared with an average of 1.6% in the previous seven days. Deaths among Florida residents reached 2,259, an increase of 0.3%.

In separate parts of its website, Florida updated the number of total cases Tuesday to 52,255 and 52,170, and it wasn’t clear which would stand. The Florida Department of Health didn’t immediately respond to an email, text message and phone call. But in both cases, the increase was less than 1% and marked a deceleration.

NYC Hires 1,700 Contact Tracers (10:44 a.m. NY)

New York City has hired more than 1,700 so-called contact tracers, who will be trained and in action by June 1, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

The city had set out to hire 1,000 but surpassed that goal, de Blasio said during a press briefing Tuesday. Tracers are key to stemming the spread of the coronavirus by identifying who people infected have come into contact with.

“This is a huge new piece of the puzzle,” de Blasio said. “This is when we go on the offensive.”

McLaren to Cut 1,200 Jobs to Reduce Costs (8:25 a.m. NY)

The move will impact the applied technologies, automotive and racing businesses, as well as support and back-office functions, the British supercar maker said. The temporary closure of factories and showrooms, as well as the cancellation of motorsport events, abruptly cut off valuable revenue streams. Having already trimmed costs across the group, management is having to dig deeper for additional savings to help counter the financial impact of the pandemic.

U.K. Clears Gilead Drug in Early-Access Program (8:05 a.m. NY)

The U.K. approved using Gilead Sciences Inc.’s antiviral drug remdesivir for some patients hospitalized with Covid-19 after a study showed it can speed recovery. The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency cleared remdesivir under an early-access program. The drug was approved earlier this month in the U.S. under a similar emergency-use program.

Xi Says China Security Affected by Virus (7:59 a.m. NY)

The coronavirus has had a “profound impact” on China’s national security and development, President Xi Jinping said in an address to military delegates during the National People’s Congress in Beijing, state-run China Central Television reported. Xi reiterated that the military needs to strengthen training of troops and war preparations. The military and armed police must achieve targets in improving national defense, he said.

Rare Blood Disorder Probed in South Korean Kids (7:52 a.m. NY)

South Korean health authorities are investigating if two minors are suffering from a serious and rare inflammatory pediatric disease linked to the novel coronavirus. If confirmed, these could be the first reported cases in Asia of the blood disorder that has afflicted children in Italy and the U.S.

One child is younger than 10 years old and the other is a teenager, Korea’s Center for Disease Control said. South Korea recently stepped up surveillance for this pediatric ailment after about 100 such cases were reported across Italy, New York and England. An Italian study earlier this month said the deadly pathogen may have triggered a 30-fold jump in the pediatric condition.

Mexico Economy Slumps Most Since 2009 (7:34 a.m. NY)

Mexico is on track for its worst recession in nearly a century even after data showed the economy contracted a little less than estimated in the first quarter. Gross domestic product in the three months through March fell 1.2% compared with the previous quarter. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg and and preliminary data released last month both had estimated a 1.6% drop in the period.

On an annual, non-seasonally adjusted basis, GDP declined 1.4% during the quarter, compared with a 1.6% drop expected by economists. The slump captured only the beginning of the impact of a nationwide quarantine implemented to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. Economists estimate activity will plunge 7.6% this year, the most since the Great Depression.

Hospital Staff With Covid-19 Had Antibodies (7:20 a.m. NY)

Almost all doctors and nurses who got mild forms of Covid-19 produced antibodies that could prevent reinfection, according to a study in northeastern France. The study of 160 volunteers shows all but one developed antibodies within 15 days after the start of infection, Institut Pasteur and university hospitals in Strasbourg said in an early version of their findings released before peer review. Almost all staff tested had antibodies capable of neutralizing the virus within 41 days of developing symptoms.

The research addresses a crucial question regarding the new coronavirus: whether people who had Covid-19, and especially those who didn’t get severely ill, develop antibodies capable of protecting them against reinfection. The World Health Organization said on April 24 that there’s no evidence yet that people who have recovered and have antibodies are protected from a second infection.

“This finding supports the use of serologic testing for the diagnosis of individuals who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection,” Institut Pasteur’s Arnaud Fontanet and colleagues wrote in the paper.

Almost 96% of Fatalities in Italy Had Other Illnesses (7:10 a.m. NY)

The coronavirus outbreak in Italy has struck overwhelmingly among the nation’s older population and those with preexisting medical conditions, according to the national health authority. Almost 96% of the country’s virus fatalities had previous medical conditions, data from Italy’s ISS health institute show.

The ISS, which publishes a range of studies on the outbreak including a detailed weekly report, confirms a trend seen since the beginning of the emergency, with the average age of Italians who’ve died from the virus at around 80. “The latest numbers show that new cases and fatalities have a common profile: mostly elderly people with previous illnesses,” ISS chief Silvio Brusaferro said on Friday.

Merck Advances Vaccine Candidates (6:45 a.m. NY)

Merck & Co. moved to bolster the global fight against the coronavirus, unveiling development plans for a pill to the treat the infection and two vaccines to prevent it. The U.S. drugmaker bought rights to develop a promising antiviral discovered at Emory University and will work with partners to advance candidate vaccines based on the technology behind Ebola and measles immunizations.

“This is a global pandemic. No one country can solve it, and we can’t put borders around any one country,” Chief Executive Office Kenneth Frazier said by phone. “If we’re successful, we want to ensure broad, supportable access for whoever needs it, wherever they are.” Merck, which over the past century has pioneered inoculations to stop diseases from diphtheria to Ebola, started researching ways to thwart Covid-19 and has evaluated hundreds of potential vaccines, Frazier said.

Malaysia Cases Jump (6:24 a.m. NY)

Malaysia recorded the biggest daily jump in new coronavirus cases since April 3 as it increased testing on migrant workers. The country confirmed 187 new cases on Tuesday, of which 173 are from immigration detention centers, according to the health ministry. That raised the total to 7,604 infections while the number of deaths remained at 115.

The jump in cases comes three weeks after Malaysia relaxed lockdown measures and sparks concern of a surge in cases among migrant workers which many industries rely on for cheaper labor, including construction, restaurants and plantations. The country reported 172 new cases on Monday, after daily increases stayed below 100 for more than three weeks.

U.K. Retail Sales Plunge (6 a.m. NY)

Sales at clothing and furniture shops, as well as car showrooms, plunged again in May, according to the Confederation of British Industry. Its survey also revealed that 80% of firms are having cash-flow difficulties, and about half of retailers have temporarily laid off staff. The figures come a day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson laid out a timetable for the reopening of stores over the coming weeks.

Outdoor markets and car showrooms will be able to reopen from June 1, as soon as they are able to meet the coronavirus guidelines to protect shoppers and workers. All other non-essential retail outlets including shops selling clothes, furniture, books, and electronics, will be expected to be able to reopen from June 15 if the government can control the spread of the virus.

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