Coronavirus Watch: Thousands of health care workers are sick

More than 9,000 health care workers across the U.S. have contracted COVID-19 as of last week and at least 27 have died, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

And that's likely an underestimate, the CDC says.

It's Tuesday, and this is Coronavirus Watch from the Paste BN Network.

Here's the latest news, as of 2 p.m. ET:

• The number of new U.S. coronavirus deaths and confirmed cases are down slightly for a third consecutive day. Monday recorded 1,509 deaths, down 48 from Sunday. The toll peaked Friday at more than 2,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
• As the number of confirmed cases in the U.S. nears 600,000, there's been almost 25,000 deaths nationwide. See a map here.
• After nearly two weeks without a fatality, Wyoming became the last state to report a death from the coronavirus.
• A new coronavirus saliva test developed at Rutgers University could dramatically accelerate the rate of collections and limit exposure to health care workers. It may be rolled out as soon as Wednesday.
• The governors of states in the Northeast and West Coast hit early by the coronavirus announced they're creating their own working groups to develop a coordinated response to gradually lifting stay-at-home orders.
• President Donald Trump is expected to announce a new task force this evening that will develop plans for reopening the country.
• Dr. Anthony Fauci called a May 1 target date for reopening the nation's economy "a bit optimistic" due to the lack of critical testing and tracing procedures.
• Lawmakers are still fighting over $250 billion for small business relief.
• Some shops have reopened in Italy after the government slightly eased its coronavirus lockdown.
• A Virginia bishop who vowed he would continue preaching "unless I’m in jail or the hospital" has died after contracting the coronavirus, his family said. 
• U.S. stocks rose more than 2% in early trading Tuesday, erasing Monday's losses and showing more signs of recovery after last week's historic gains. Sign up for The Daily Money newsletter. 

Keep sending us your coronavirus questions through this form and we'll continue to answer them in our reader Q&A. Donna from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, asks: I have an adult dependent that I claim. Will I get a stimulus payment for her?

No. The new law that set up the stimulus check program says that individuals who are claimed as dependents by someone else are not eligible for a stimulus check.

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— Grace Hauck, Breaking News Reporter, @grace_hauck