The Senate was taking up the $2 trillion stimulus deal, the mayor of New York said more than half his city could face coronavirus infection, and Britain revealed Wednesday that Prince Charles tested positive for the virus.

The stimulus deal was revealed at about 1 a.m. following five days of talks. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it a “bipartisan agreement on the largest rescue package in history.” The Senate will hold a vote to end debate and clear the way for final Senate passage, likely later Wednesday.

After its expected passage, the bill goes to the House for a vote before heading to President Donald Trump’s desk. The deal comes as confirmed cases in America, now over 55,000, have been climbing at an exponential rate – more are expected as the U.S. increases testing.

The U.S. death toll was at 802 early Wednesday after eclipsing 600 on Tuesday.  Globally, more than 19,600 people have been killed by the virus according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard.

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• President Donald Trump wants to scale back restrictions by Easter. Is it all up to him?
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Most Americans to get $1,200 checks

People earning less than $75,000 per year will get $1,200 checks under the stimulus agreement. Married couples earning less than $150,000 will get $2,400 and children will be worth another $500 each under the deal. The final language is still being crafted, but the package includes $367 billion for small businesses, $500 billion for loans to larger industries, $100 billion for hospitals and the health care system and $600 more per week in unemployment benefits for those out of work.

Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer said the goal is to ensure that every worker who is laid off or furloughed can pay their bills.

“And because so many of them will be furloughed rather than fired, if they have benefits, they can continue, and – extremely important – they can stay with the company or small business,” he said.

Mayor: Half of NYC will be infected

More than half of New York City’s population can expect to be infected by the coronavirus, Mayor Bill de Blasio said. Most will suffer only a “mild experience,” but many will become very sick, and “we are going to lose some people,” he said. April will be tough and May tougher before the virus crisis eases, he said. The city has seen 192 deaths so far, and there are more than 17,000 confirmed cases of the virus.

“The world we knew is gone,” de Blasio said in a social media post. “And it’s not coming back, not for the next few months. That’s the blunt truth.” 

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said some city streets will be closed to cars, opened to pedestrians. He also said that social distancing has helped slow the rate of hospitalizations, although the state still will need 140,000 hospital beds, almost three times the existing capacity. Cuomo also said the state has sufficient masks and other protective equipment to last several days, but that the race to acquire respirators remained critical.

Prince Charles tests positive, displays ‘mild symptoms’

Britain’s Prince Charles, heir to the throne, has tested positive for the coronavirus, his official royal residence said in a statement. The statement said Prince Charles, 71, has “been displaying mild symptoms but otherwise remains in good health.” His wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, does not have the virus, a test showed. 

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth has canceled a number of diary events “as a sensible precaution”  amid the outbreak, but as late as last week she was still holding “audiences” with members of the public. Britain’s monarch is 93.

– Kim Hjelmgaard

Italy, Iran see spike in deaths; Spain passes China

Italy saw a jump in its daily death toll following two straight days of declines, the nation’s civil protection chief said Wednesday. Tuesday saw 743 deaths, up from 601 on Monday and 653 on Sunday. More than 6,800 have died since the outbreak swept into Italy last month. In Spain, where an ice rink has been converted into a morgue, 738 more deaths were reported for a total of 3,434 overall, surpassing China’s total.

Iran reported 122 deaths, bringing the total there to more than 2,000. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet warned that U.S.  sanctions are impeding Iran’s efforts to fight coronavirus – and are putting the entire world in danger. “In a context of global pandemic, impeding medical efforts in one country heightens the risk for all of us,” Bachelet said.

US stocks down slightly, Asian stocks leap Dow Jones’ historic surge

U.S stock were slightly in the red Wednesday following the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s biggest surge since 1933. Global markets roared, however, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 index jumping 5.3%, Hong Kong adding 3% and Sydney climbing 3.6%. Tokyo share prices were also boosted by the decision to postpone the 2020 Olympics to July 2021 in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

All that followed a stunning 11.4% surge Tuesday in the Dow. The S&P 500 index leaped 9.4% as a wave of buying around the world interrupted what has been a brutal month of nearly nonstop selling.

Hundreds of Waffle House restaurants go dark

Waffle House, known for weathering many a natural disaster, said it’s closing 365 of its restaurants. The chain posted a map on social media showing the closed restaurants, while another 1,627 across the southeastern U.S. remained open. The posts also featured the hashtag “#WaffleHouseIndexRed. The Facebook Post drew almost 1,000 comments, most of the reflecting alarm, such as “Oh geez, now we can worry” and “It’s getting real sir.”

The chain has its own “Waffle House Index” used during natural disasters to assess damage. If a store is closed, it’s likely in an area with significant damage.

As colleges send students home, Liberty University invites them back

Most of them won’t attend classes in person, but thousands of Liberty University students will return to the evangelical Virginia campus amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Most of the students are not at-risk because of their age, President Jerry Falwell Jr. argued in an interview with the News and Advance in Lynchburg. The president of the private, Christian college is a prominent supporter of President Donald Trump. 

Liberty’s move is remarkable as the coronavirus spreads across the United States. Hundreds of universities have closed their campuses and asked students to leave crowded dorms. Some have allowed students who can’t move back home – international students or those without secure housing – but most campuses are becoming emptier, not fuller. 

– Chris Quintana

Fever charting shows social distancing is slowing the spread of coronavirus

Early evidence suggests closing bars, restaurants and other businesses to keep people apart in places including New York City, has slowed the incidence of fevers that are an early indicator of coronavirus, according to a new analysis of fevers and symptoms across the U.S.

Data from health technology company Kinsa, which did the analysis using its digital thermometers, show the number of people with flu-like illness – atypical fever and symptoms – began dropping almost immediately after mandatory social distancing measures were implemented in some areas.

The company downloads fever readings from more than 1 million thermometers in use around the U.S. It predicted the 2018 spread of the flu and bad colds that were often mistaken for the flu last winter.

“When you shut down schools and businesses, you are breaking the chain of infections,” said Kinsa CEO Inder Singh. “The data are showing it is working and the clusters of fever we were seeing are leveling off and diminishing within days.”

– Jayne O’Donnell

More coronavirus news, tips and information from USA TODAY:

• Need a refund on those tickets to NBA, NHL or baseball games?Hold that thought.

• Coronavirus lockdowns:These states are ordering residents to stay home or shelter in place.

• There’s a new symptom of coronavirus, doctors say: Sudden loss of smell or taste

If you get coronavirus, this is everything to know about the infection process.

• How to keep your pets safe and happy during the coronavirus pandemic: Keep them entertained and don’t forget the treats.

• Grocery stores like Walmart, Albertsons and Kroger are adding sneeze guards in stores.

• Fact check: COVID-19 crisis has not created decreased long-term human environmental impact

• Sen. Rand Paul explains why he did not self-quarantine.

We want to help. Gannett launches website to help local small businesses. 

Contributing: The Associated Press.

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