The U.S. reached a “plateau” in new coronavirus cases this weekend as the number of confirmed cases neared 1 million Monday morning, but Dr. Deborah Birx warned that social distancing “will be with us through the summer.”

While some areas of the U.S. have reached their peak of cases and since come down, social distancing will be needed to “protect one another,” the White House coronavirus task force coordinator said Sunday on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”

Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, also said the outbreak will probably not ease much before Memorial Day. The Center for Disease Control also added six new symptoms attributed to the coronavirus, including chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and a loss of taste or smell.

As more U.S. states continue to slowly reopen this week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday that New York, the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak, will start in phases with construction and some manufacturing part of its first wave.

Across the country in California, photos showed thousands flocking to beaches amid warm weather. Some counties have kept their beaches and parks closed while others began gradual reopenings. Experts still strongly encourage social distancing, even outdoors.

In the U.K., Prime Minister Boris Johnson returned to work Monday after recovering from coronavirus and spending a week at a London hospital, including three nights in intensive care. 

The virus has killed more than 206,000 people globally, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Almost 3 million confirmed cases have been reported, including 965,000 in the U.S. More than 54,000 have died in the U.S. from the virus, a number approaching the 58,220 Americans killed in the Vietnam War from 1955 to 1975. 

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US reached new case ‘plateau,’ but social distancing ‘with us through summer’

The U.S. COVID-19 outbreak has reached a plateau in new cases but probably will not ease much before Memorial Day, said Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. Inglesby told Fox News Sunday the U.S. is “near the end of the beginning” of the coronavirus pandemic but was skeptical of Vice President Mike Pence’s claim that the U.S. would “largely have this coronavirus epidemic behind us” by Memorial Day.

“I mean, trends can change over time, but at this point we have a plateau in new cases per day,” Inglesby said. “More importantly, wherever we are in the epidemic, this virus is going to be with us until we have a vaccine.”

When asked about Pence’s comment, White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said, “Social distancing will be with us through the summer to really ensure that we protect one another.”

Cuomo reveals plans for reopening NY; last USNS Comfort patient discharged

New York’s statewide daily death toll dipped to 367, the lowest one-day total in weeks and continuing a trend of decline, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday. He said hospitalization and testing numbers continue to show improvement and that the state agrees with federal guidelines for 14 days of declines before reopening begins. The state will reopen in phases, he said, with construction and some manufacturing part of the first wave.

The USNS Comfort, docked at a Manhattan pier since March 30, will soon leave for its home port in Norfolk, Virginia, after the final patient was discharged.

In a separate news conference, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said his city’s economic reopening might not be completed until 2022.

British PM Boris Johnson returns to work after beating coronavirus

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson returned to work Monday, appearing in public for the first time in three weeks since recovering from a bout of coronavirus that landed him in intensive care. 

Standing outside his central London office and residence at No. 10 Downing Street, Britain’s leader apologized for being “away from my desk for much longer than I would’ve liked” and said the country was on the brink of victory in the first phase of its fight with COVID-19 even if it was too early to end Britain’s five-week national lockdown.

Johnson, 55, is the first major world leader known to have contracted coronavirus – and now also to have beaten it. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 on March 26 and hospitalized 10 days later. He spent several days in an intensive care unit. 

– Kim Hjelmgaard

Last patient leaves hospital in COVID-19 epicenter of Wuhan, China

The number of hospitalized coronavirus patients in Wuhan, the central China city hardest hit by the epidemic, reached zero after the last patient was released Friday, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported. In Hubei province – Wuhan is the capital – the number of existing COVID-19 cases has dropped below 50 for the first time. No new confirmed cases of the disease have been reported for over 20 days in the province, Xinhua said.

The coronavirus, which is believed to have originated in a wet market in Wuhan, first emerged there in December before spreading worldwide. Wuhan and the province of Hubei were locked down at the end of January. China has reported a death toll of more than 4,600 people but is seeing very few new cases.

California heat draws crowds out to beaches

As the weather warmed in California over the weekend, people headed outside to enjoy the sun on beaches, golf courses and trails.

Photos from Huntington Beach and Newport Beach, in Orange County, showed large crowds out on the beach on Saturday as Los Angeles County beaches remained closed. Many people appeared to keep their distance from others and some wore masks

In Encinitas, in San Diego County, three people were arrested Saturday while protesting closed beaches. San Diego County plans to reopen beaches Monday for limited activities like swimming, surfing, running and walking. Sitting and sunbathing are still not allowed there.

– Ryan Miller and Joel Shannon

Many Georgia churches stay shut

Churches in Georgia did not exactly rush to open their doors Sunday even after Gov. Brian Kemp gave his approval to resuming in-person services if “done in accordance with strict social distancing protocols.” Most churches remained relegated to video streaming or drive-in services.

One exception was the Redeeming Love Church of God the Bible Way in Statesboro, which held two services Sunday, according to its Facebook page. Both were livestreamed and each appeared to have at least 20 parishioners in attendance. This was the same church whose members recorded video on April 10 of police ordering a service to be broken up.

– Lorenzo Reyes

Amazon, Apple release earnings this week amid coronavirus unease

The U.S. stock market looks to continue the positive momentum of gains from Friday after a bumpy week that saw the Dow Jones and S&P 500 lose ground. This week will be one of the busiest of this earnings season, with several high-profile companies – including Alphabet, Amazon and Apple – set to reveal how much they made during the first quarter amid the economic unrest created by the coronavirus. 

Early futures in the U.S. were mixed. Asian markets showed promise in early trading Monday after Japan’s central bank promised more asset purchases to shore up financial markets as investors look to central bankers to support the struggling global economy.

Tokyo’s benchmark surged 2.4% and Shanghai, Hong Kong and Sydney also gained.

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Spain’s children celebrate, New Zealand eases lockdown: World news

In New Zealand, some businesses like construction could reopen and people could buy takeout restaurant food Monday. Australia is set to resume non-urgent surgeries this week.

Children under 14 could leave their homes in Spain for the first time in six weeks on Sunday. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez plans to announce a “de-escalation” of the country’s lockdown Tuesday, along with France and Greece.

In Italy, where more than 26,000 people have died from the virus, Premier Giuseppe Conte detailed his plan Sunday for a gradual reopening. Some businesses like factories and construction sites could reopen once they implement safety measures. Next week, parks can reopen, people can travel within their region to visit family and funerals can be held.

Blue Angels, Thunderbirds plan Tuesday flyover for health care workers

A joint flyover by the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, and the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, is planned for Tuesday in the New York area to honor front line and essential workers.

The team will fly over New York and Newark around noon Tuesday, then head to Trenton and onto Philadelphia, according to a news release on the Navy’s website.

“We hope to give Americans a touching display of American resolve that honors those serving on the frontline of our fight with COVID-19,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. John Caldwell.

Two sources familiar with the plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity said nearly three dozen major American cities could see flyovers. The sources told USA TODAY that some other cities would see a joint flyover and then the two squadrons would fly separately over others.

– Savannah Behrmann and John Fritze

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan to Trump: Stick to the facts

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican who has butted heads with President Trump over his messages about the coronavirus, urged the nation’s chief executive to use “fact-based” information in his media briefings. On Thursday, Trump pondered the possibility of introducing disinfectants or ultraviolet light into the human body to kill the coronavirus, which Hogan said prompted hundreds of calls into his state’s emergency hotline inquiring about ingesting Clorox or cleaning products as a treatment.

“They certainly pay attention when the president of the United States is standing there giving a press conference about something as serious as this worldwide pandemic,” Hogan said. “And I think when misinformation comes out or you just say something that pops in your head, it does send a wrong message.” 

– William Cummings

Brad Pitt gives us a hunky Dr. Fauci on ‘SNL’

It took a while, but America’s favorite gravelly-voiced, bespectacled infectious disease specialist has finally gotten the “Saturday Night Live” treatment — from Brad Pitt, no less. The newly-minted Oscar winner donned a gray wig and glasses to portray Dr. Anthony Fauci.

“First, I’d like to thank all the older women in America who have sent me inspiring — and sometimes graphic  — emails,” he began in the show’s cold open segment.

Fauci had joked recently that he would want Pitt to portray him in an “SNL” skit.

– Jayme Deerwester

Contributing: The Associated Press