13 things to know about coronavirus for today

President Trump on Tuesday said that he was halting funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) and conducting a review over how it handled the coronavirus outbreak. The move comes after Trump has stepped up his criticism of the health body in recent days, accusing it of favorable treatment to China.

Also today, Trump received backlash from lawmakers in his own party over comments that he has “total” power to reopen the country. Republican lawmakers cautioned Trump against overreaching and warned him that under the Constitution he does not have unlimited powers.

Over in Congress, House Democrats introduced a bill aimed at preserving health insurance for workers losing their jobs, as jockeying intensifies over the next phase of relief. 

And, several key states are projected to have passed their peaks in coronavirus cases, but the large disparities in mortality rates between those states have experts baffled.

Here are 13 things to know today on the coronavirus.

• Trump is halting funding to the WHO as his administration reviews its handling of the coronavirus outbreak. Brett Samuels reports.
• The president sparked a backlash among GOP lawmakers including Sens. Rand Paul (Ky.) and Marco Rubio (Fla.) with his comments that he has “total” authority on reopening the country. Jordain Carney reports.
• The governors of California and Oregon outlined plans to reopen the economy, but California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) warned there will not be a full return to normal until there is a vaccine. Nathaniel Weixel reports.
• Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Tuesday that “we’re not there yet” on setting up a sufficient system of testing and contact tracing to start reopening the economy. Peter Sullivan reports.
• President Trump announced a new initiative for hospitals to lend unused ventilators to areas that need them more. Morgan Chalfant reports.
• House Democrats introduced a bill aimed at helping people losing their jobs to stay on employer health insurance plans through the program known as COBRA. Cristina Marcos reports.
• The coronavirus is killing people at vastly different rates in different states, leading to some bafflement among scientists studying the disease. Reid Wilson reports.
• Worries about the safety of the food supply chain are growing after Smithfield Foods shut down a plant because of workers getting infected. Alex Gangitano reports.
• More than 9,000 health workers in the U.S. have gotten coronavirus, leading to 27 deaths, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Jessie Hellmann reports.
• Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser said the city’s coronavirus peak could come in May instead of June as the city originally projected, and that worst-case projections won’t be realized. Justine Coleman reports.
• Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline are teaming up to work on a coronavirus vaccine, though it won’t be until the second half of 2021 that they plan to be able to seek regulatory approval. Read more here.
• Health insurers are warning that they will have to raise premiums next year without financial help from Congress. Read more here.
• Members of the Illinois congressional delegation wrote to Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar calling for action to address racial disparities in coronavirus deaths. J. Edward Moreno reports.