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Coronavirus Watch: Stimulus money starts hitting bank accounts

Jay Cannon   | Paste BN

British Prime minister Boris Johnson was released from the hospital, while Pope Francis and churches around the world virtually celebrated an unprecedented Easter. Plus, the Internal Revenue Service announced it has started sending stimulus money to Americans.

This is an Easter Sunday rendition of Coronavirus Watch, from the Paste BN Network. Here's the latest news, as of 2 p.m. ET. 

  • Boris Johnson was released from the hospital Sunday after being treated for coronavirus symptoms. The 55-year-old, who was hospitalized a week earlier and spent three days in intensive care, will not immediately be returning to prime minister duties as he recovers, No. 10 Downing Street said in a statement. 
  • Pope Francis celebrated in near solitude in one of the most remarkable Easter Sunday services in Vatican history. As people around the world tuned in via livestream, Francis gave special mention to those directly impacted by the virus. Last year, an estimated 75,000 people flocked to St. Peter's Square on Easter.
  • Many U.S. churches held virtual services as well. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence each planned to attend Easter services remotely.
  • The IRS announced Saturday that distribution of stimulus money to Americans had begun, starting with a wave of direct deposits. For more financial information, Paste BN reporters are answering your coronavirus money questions here.
  • Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in an interview with CNN that reopening the country was "not going to be a light switch" and would depend on the severity of the outbreak in different areas.
  • The U.S. had more than 542,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 21,000 deaths, per the Johns Hopkins coronavirus database. 
  • Worldwide, there are more than 1.8 million confirmed cases and 113,000 deaths.
  • Hilton and American Express plan to donate 1 million hotel rooms to front-line medical workers, starting Monday. 
  • "Saturday Night Live" returned in abnormal form with an opening skit of 17 cast members in boxes on a Zoom screen. 

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– Jay Cannon, Paste BN Network, Wires Editor, @JayTCannon on Twitter

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