Coronavirus Update: Trump must weigh Americans' health, financial security in deciding reopening

The number of coronavirus cases worldwide as of Friday morning is more than 1.6 million, with the number of related deaths at 96,787.

The United States has the highest number of cases, at 466,299. The number of deaths is the country, 16,686, is exceeded only by the 18,279 in Italy, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center.  

New York remains the epicenter of the virus, with 5,150 deaths, but declining rates in hospital visits has sparked optimism that the infection will soon peak – with at least one forecast projecting Easter Sunday as the turning point. 

New York’s numbers are being closely watched and analyzed by President Trump along with other U.S. leaders, health experts and economists – as they try to figure out how soon they can ease social-distancing measures to get Americans back to work and restart the economy, amid fears of a recession. 

The Labor Department on Thursday reported 6.6 million more Americans filed first-time unemployment claims last week, with some economists saying the real U.S. unemployment rate is higher than 10 percent, matching numbers in the 2008 recession.

U.S. financial markets are closed on Good Friday.