Europe crosses 100,000 deaths as some U.S. cities protest to end lockdowns

Shake Shack to return $10 million in small-business loan money

Shake Shack, one of several large restaurant chains that secured federal loans through the coronavirus stimulus law meant to help small businesses, said Sunday night that it is giving all $10 million back.

The New York-based hipster-favorite burger company is among more than a dozen companies with revenues in the hundreds of millions that are reported to have received money from the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, which set aside $349 billion in the stimulus law called the CARES Act to help small businesses keep their workers on the payroll.

Less than two weeks after it started, the program has already run out of money.

In a statement Sunday night on LinkedIn, Danny Meyer, Shake Shack's founder and CEO of its parent company, CEO Union Square Hospitality Group, and Randy Garutti, Shake Shack's CEO, said they had no idea the money would dry up so quickly, and after they were able to secure separate funding last week, "we've decided to immediately return the entire $10 million" so restaurants that "need it most can get it now."

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Nursing home transparency rules announced

The federal agency that oversees nursing homes announced new transparency measures Sunday requiring the disclosure of coronavirus cases to patients' families and public health officials.

Speaking at a White House briefing, Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, called the new policies "important" and said they will support a nationwide effort to track the virus and slow its spread.

"As we reopen the United States, our surveillance effort around the virus will begin in nursing homes," Verma said.

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Las Vegas Strip could reopen next month with extensive safety measures, Wynn Resorts CEO says

Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox said Sunday that the Las Vegas Strip could reopen late next month with extensive safety measures in place, including thermal cameras and social distancing requirements at the company’s hotels.

In a report published on the company’s website, Maddox said parts of the state’s economy could reopen earlier in May with reduced occupancy, mask requirements, temperature checks and a ban on large gatherings.

If virus-related benchmarks like increased testing capacity are met, he said, the Las Vegas Strip could potentially reopen in mid to late May.

“I understand that if we incrementally reopen, we might have to pull back if a spike in cases occurs that jeopardizes our healthcare system capacity,” he said. “However, the only way to cross this river is one stone at a time.”

David Bowie bassist Matthew Seligman dies of virus complications at 64

Matthew Seligman, who played bass for David Bowie, died of coronavirus complications on Friday. He was 64.

His longtime friend and fellow musician Thomas Dolby shared details about Seligman's death in a Facebook post, saying he suffered a severe hemorrhagic stroke on Friday. He had also been in an induced coma for two weeks after testing positive for coronavirus in St. George's University Hospital in London.

Dolby posted a photo of Seligman with lyrics from his song "I Love You Goodbye."

Seligman joined Bowie during his 1985 Live Aid performance and played bass on the soundtrack for his 1986 film "Labyrinth." He was also a member of the '70s rock band the Soft Boys.

Reese Loggins, a 10-year-old boy from High Point, North Carolina, who's battling leukemia at Duke University Hospital, looked outside his window and found a surprise birthday gift hanging in mid-air.

Because of visiting restrictions and social distancing guidelines, his parents wanted to make the day extra special for Reese. It was the second birthday he would spend in the hospital.

“It’s been really tough,” said his mother, Michelle Loggins. “The closer his birthday got, the more he was talking about biking, how much he misses biking around.” 

The morning of Reese's birthday last Wednesday, construction crews used a crane to lift a bicycle gift up to his fifth-floor window, sang "Happy Birthday" and displayed a banner atop a nearby building that read, "Happy 10th Birthday Reese.” Then nurses and other staff entered Reese’s room and sang "Happy birthday." 

Coronavirus cases in Peru top 15,000, second highest in Latin America

LIMA — Peru reported over 15,000 cases of coronavirus Sunday, the second-highest tally in Latin America, as the disease continues to ravage the economy of the world's No. 2 copper producer.

The crisis has paralyzed Peru and left millions without jobs. The central bank has said the economy had been "severely affected" temporarily by simultaneous supply and demand shocks.

Peru recorded its first coronavirus case on March 6 and took 25 days to reach 1,000 cases. It took only 14 more days to reach 10,000 cases on April 14, according to a Reuters tally. Peru has reported a total of 15,628 cases and 400 deaths, the health ministry said.

In Latin America, only Brazil has more cases.

Photo: The scene at Coney Island

Broadway star Nick Cordero has leg amputated

Tony Award-nominated actor Nick Cordero has had his his right leg amputated after suffering complications from the coronavirus, his wife says.

Amanda Kloots on Instagram wrote late Saturday that Cordero “made it out of surgery alive and is headed to his room to rest and recover.”

Cordero had been treated with blood thinners to help with clotting in his leg, but his doctors had to stop the treatment because it was causing internal bleeding.

Kloots on Sunday posted an Instagram promising that the couple "WILL dance again."