country will ease restrictions demonstrators continue to push for even greater freedom this, as a number of states are facing their worst days ever >> we are very confident that we're going to have a vaccine at the end of the year. by the end of the year, have a vaccine. >> president trump, optimistic about a vaccine, while his secretary of state says he believes he knows how, and where, the vaccine originated. in a chinese lab. >> an all-out brawl aboard a spirit airlines flight forces an emergency landing. we'll tell you what happened and how growing crowds aboard jets

are coping. >> americans donating their government stimulus checks to help those in need "early today" starts right now good morning, i'm phillip mena. >> and i'm cori coffin it's the start of a new week of the coronavirus pandemic, and more states are lifting, at least some, of their lockdown restrictions as testing increases, we're still seeing surges in the number of infections, though confirmed cases to the u.s. is now over 1.1 million and more than 68,000 lives have been lost and, according to tracking by johns hopkins university, at least 180,000 people in the u.s. have recovered and new york governor andrew cuomo announced a coalition to purchase medical supplies. seven states in the northeast are merging their resources and buying power the goal is to cut cost by reducing competition and price gouging. this is also part of a unified reopening strategy new york, also, paid tribute to paramedic paul kari, who died at the age of 66 due to

coronavirus. kari traveled from colorado to new york, volunteering to help transport patients after three weeks of helping, he became sick with the virus, himself. >> meanwhile, uber plans to increase its safety precautions over the coming weeks. as more states open back up, the company will soon require both drivers and passengers to wear face coverings and the parks and rec cast came together for a good cause the reunion special that aired thursday night has raised nearly $3 million for feeding america's covid-19 response fund contributions are still being accepted right now in the feeding america website. >> as labs around the world race to create a vaccine for the virus, the origins of the pandemic are under new scrutiny this morning one of the president's closest advisers, laid the blame squarely on a chinese lab. but he stopped short of providing any proof. kelly o'donnell has the details. >> reporter: while science looks for a cure, u.s. intelligence pursues a different course assessing china's culpability. >> a lot of things are happening with respect to china. we're not happy.

>> the secretary of state accelerated the pressure. >> i can tell you that there is a significant amount of evidence that this came from that laboratory in wuhan. >> giving theories new oxygen. the president was pressed to explain what evidence ties the outbreak to the chinese lab. but held back. >> i can't tell you that i'm not allowed to tell you that. >> some consensus but many questions. the director of national intelligence contends covid-19 virus was not manmade or genetically modified so not considered a biological weapon but officials say they need more proof to determine if the outbreak began through contact with infected animals at china's wet markets, an accident at the wuhan lab, or another unproven theory was this an intentional act? >> i don't have anything to say about that. >> however, pompeo pointedly blames china's communist party for blocking access to its labs. >> we still need to get in there. we, still, don't have the virus

samples we need. this is an ongoing tlaets. >> a chinese state-run news agency released a video, notably in english, that mocks american reaction to what they claim were china's warnings but the administration is not in a joking mood. >> president trump is very clear, we're going to hold those responsible accountable and will do so on a timeline that is our own. >> and the associated press reports it obtained a four-page memo from the department of homeland security that asserts china intentionally concealed the severity of the outbreak in early january. in part, so china could amass more medical equipment, supplies, and protective gear. and, at the same time, reduce its exports of that equipment that other countries would, soon, need as the outbreak spread phillip. >> all right kelly, thank you. >> as states begin to relax restrictions, there's a new warning that covid cases and deaths will only get worse across a big part of the country. nbc's kathy park has

>> cori, good morning. as the u.s. begins to ease some of its restrictions, some health experts are coming out with a warning talking about the reach of the virus here, in new york, the numbers continue to trend downward and doctors are seeing progress, too. troubling data from the world health organization. the u.s. marked its deadliest 24 hours last week, with more than 2,900 lives lost to covid-19 >> the number of deaths that are accruing on a daily basis tell you what was happening maybe three or four weeks ago in terms of new infection so we're going to see deaths continue to rise, even as the epidemic starts to peak and decline. >> the former fda commissioner warning that when you take the new york tristate out of the equation, the spread is more persistent >> there is about 20 states with a number of new cases on a daily basis is increasing and the actual overall trend, nationally, is towards more hospitalizations and more new cases. >> the virus has a firm grip on

gallup, new mexico it's so bad the governor closed all roads in and out of the city >> they're turning people around. >> but this resident got through. >> i did make it through the roadblocks so i -- you do have to have some proof of residency. >> the death toll in michigan now tops 4,000, and has the highest fatality rate in the country. data showing detroit the hardest hit. in wooster, massachusetts, a top doctor at umass memorial reported 107 patients in his icu friday calling it the worst day we've ever had cases continue to climb in new jersey, but hospitalizations are down the garden state, now joining new york and a northeast consortium to boost purchasing power for ppe, ventilators, and medical equipment. governor andrew cuomo announcing hospitalizations dropped below 10,000 for the first time since mid-march. during the height of new york

oyork's outbreak, we met doctors fighting to save lives. >> what can i say? it's the end of the shift. saturday, april 4th. just a horrendous, horrendous shift. we have, right now, i think 20, 21 ventilators running here in this emergency department. in the hospital, we have roughly 90 ventilators running and we only have a few left to spare. >> i just got out of my ten-hour shift, and it feels like playing dominos. every single minute, over ten hours straight, feeling like any one of your patients is about to fall and collapse. >> a month later, they're seeing progress but the victims, still, weigh heavy on their hearts. >> i can recall a few who were -- who were dying and the last person that was with them, when they died, was me. >> dr. ernest paddy, sharing lessons learned. >> can't take anything for granted. >> and three reasons for staying motivated. >> they're the reason why i'm so happy. i can tell you that. >> and with hospitalizations starting to stabilize here, in

new york, the temporary field hospital behind me, here, in central park, will stop accepting new patients starting today. and we're also told that, in total, 191 patients were treated for covid-19 since april 1st cori. >> kathy, thank you. >> as more stategrim, new predin from president trump this morning. during a virtual town hall with fox news, the president says he believes as many as 100,000 americans could die in the pandemic our capitol hill correspondent tracie potts has the latest. tracie, the president also defended his administration's response to the outbreak. >> yeah. phillip, he's defending his response and the administration's response, despite this rising death toll, now at 66,000, which is more than dr. anthony fauci said. but less than the original trump administration prediction. the president, also, now saying that we can do both, at the same time protect people from the virus and protect the economy. by starting to reopen for

business that, of course, is up to the states and the president is predicting we could see, both, an economic bounceback, a recovery, and a vaccine by the end of the year. >> certain states are going to have to take a little more time in getting open. and they're doing that some states, i think, frankly, aren't going fast enough we are very confident that we're going to have a vaccine at the end of the year. by the end of the year, have a vaccine. i just want to get a vaccine that works i really don't care. if it's another country, i'll take my hat off to them. >> and a bit of a mea culpa by vice president pence saying he should have worn a mask when he visited the mayo clinic. he, noticeably, did not. even though it was the procedure and the protocol at the clinic he said, at the time, he'd been repeatedly tested and was sure he didn't have the virus phillip. >> all right now he's saying sorry. thank you, tracie, so much for the update. >> we've got a precious father and son moment, caught on

camera the boy's first home run watch this video here. the kid cracks the shot off his father's pitch and dad goes wild once the kid actually realizes he hit it out of the park, he celebrates as much as his father and after rounding the bases, of course, he gets a big, ole celebratory hug from dad i think starting to think about what they are going to negotiate for his contract. >> i like it it's time now to get a check of our monday weather with nbc meteorologi meteorologist janessa webb hey, janessa, good morning. >> he mailed thanailed that one? hopefully, you guys got outside and enjoyed all the weather we saw across the northeast just an abundance of sunshine from the midatlantic to the northeast. finally, hit 80 degrees the first time this year in new york city and we're still seeing temperatures, this morning, in the upper 60s to lower 70s. we are dealing with a little burst of rain making its way offshore across washington, d.c.

it should continue to flow out of here, but then we are watching our next severe weather risk so it's going to impact the southern plains all the way into tennessee where now we are under enhanced risk of some storms the potential for threat is going to be damaging wind dwugu. ghf , large hail throu sunshine for the northeast, into ohio this afternoon. but temperatures, they're split in half back in the upper 60s. so temperatures a lot cooler today. but hopefully, you got to enjoy this weekend phillip, belated happy birthday. so hopefully you got outside. >> i sure did. appreciate that. thank you. busted out my shorts and everything in today's quick hits, the national rifle association has cut staff and salaries amid the

pandemic in recent weeks, the organization laid off dozens of employees, imposed a four-day work week for some and cut salaries across the board. >> the first time in history, the supreme court will begin he will be broadcast live by the news dia. another first. >> a man arrested in walt disney world's discovery island the guy said - and it continuously eliminates odors in the air and on soft surfaces. for 45 days.

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insight on who democratic voters want to see joe biden pick for his running mate according to a cbs news poll, 36% of registered democrats said elizabeth warren should be on the ticket with biden. kamala harris came in second followed by stacey abrams and amy klobuchar. meanwhile, new developments this morning concerning an allegation made against the apparent democratic nominee biden's accuser spoke to our ali vitali about what she did and did not report when she says the incident occurred. >> former senate staffer tara reade, who alleges that former vice president joe biden sexually assaulted her when he was a senator, reiterating to nbc news this weekend that she never used the word sexual assault in a complaint reade said she filed back in 1993. biden has flatly denied her allegation. >> i am saying, unequivocally, it never happened, period. >> reade cancelled an interview with fox news sunday citing threats fence again threats against her and her family she is not sure what words she might have used in the

27-year-old complaint that was filed. not the alleged sexual assault she also told the associated press she was, quote, too scared to write about the sexual assault. biden has asked for those documents to be released >> and if that document existed, it would be stored in the national archives. >> there is also mounting pressure for biden to open his sealed documents, stored at the university of delaware. >> this is, like, the hillary e-mails because there was nothing there. >> several obama administration alumni say no allegations like re reade's ever surfaced during biden's extensive vetting for the 2008 ticket. meanwhile, conservatives point out the response to reade stands in stark contrast to the way democrats and biden rallied around supreme court nominee brett cavanaugh's accusing christine ford. >> there should be a presumption of innocence across the board. however, you can't just apply it, only, to people who you agree with, politically. that's -- that's a problem. >> during the kavanaugh

hearings, biden said dr. ford should be given the benefit of the doubt. ali vitali, nbc news, washington. >> up next, hiding behind the front lines. the search for a pair of thieves posing as nurses. >> and fists fly on a flight t y s .a. to detroit buwhwano one arrested for this brutal beatdown ter what i d someone might see see my bladder leak underwear. so i was constantly double-checking. know what i mean? so, i switched. to always discreet boutique. it's shape-hugging elastic threads smooth out the area that people notice most. so it fits better than depend. and, the super absorbent core turns liquid to gel. so i get secure protection, in a fit that no one notices. always protected. always discreet. and all the big things here'sthey add up to.things like a shower enriched with a little bit of goodness. like this, and that, and even that, to leave skin looking healthy and feeling nourished. new nivea body wash with nourishing serum.

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passengers on a spirit airlines flight, from los angeles to detroit. you see that brawl breaking out. it was brutal. according to an airline official, two passengers, they started punching each other after a noise complaint. the flight had to make an emergency landing in des moines, iowa police were called to the scene but airport officials say no arrests were made because the brawl happened over nebraska. >> let's head to south carolina, where a woman is facing multiple charges after a food-licking incident at a grocery store. yeah police say they arrested 38-year-old shanir gibson holiday after she was caught allegedly licking her hands and coughing before pulling freezer doors and touching food items. holiday has been charged with aggravated breach of peace and food tampering. >> police in washington state are on the hunt for a pair of alleged porch package thievesmethieves. investigators are looking for two women dressed as nurses.

wearing scrubs, rub you aber gls and what appear to be i.d. badges in that post, police say we do not believe they are actual l actual nursesme the nurses we are fortunate vit patients, not their property. >> people trying to take advantage. all right. check out this incredible sendoff for first responders, from across the country, who have been helping out in new jersey for the past two weeks. this video here showing emergency workers from across the garden state cheering them on as they prepare to leave met life stadium. >> beautiful to see that up next here on aerlt"early tode will have a progress report on how parts of the country are flattening the coronavirus curve. lu americans donating their own government stimulus checks to help others bounce back noooo... nooooo... yeeeesss... quick, the quicker picker upper!

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discover what's good - pantene nutrient blends hi, everyone our frontline workers continue to get the job done. and you can see that dramatically across the northeast, down to 1.7%. we haven't seen that since early april. we do have some spots that we're really watching. the midwest to the south they are now up to 3%. but we did have a record amount of case on friday and throughout the weekend so potentially a slight increase for today that we have continued to see throughout the last few weeks. so we'll watch this closely, but we continue really to be on that downward trend guys. >> not unexpected. more testing, more positive cases. but we're doing it and that is a good thing janessa, thank you when we come back, the hoff breaks out his red, white, and

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♪ land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ that is david hasselhoff singing the national anthem before a virtual nascar race on sunday you can see the hoff showing off why he has so many gold and platinum albums behind him still a big deal musically i know, right? the germans love them a little hoff. >> all right now, to paying it forward in

these tough economic times so many americans are taking that stimulus check they received, and doing something rather surprising with it. here's nbc's kristen dahlgren. >> hey, everyone i pledge to share my check. >> across the country. >> i have pledged to donate. >> i will be donating. >> a new campaign in kindness. >> i'm going to pay it forward. >> americans donating their stimulus checks to those in need >> it's just good. just the right thing to do. >>and colleen, texas, ron carny, a carpenter by trade, spent his money on groceries to feed over 160 hungry neighbors. >> it's worth my stimulus check. believe me just to make all them people smile at least one day. >> people out here need the help. >> in texas, it was this scene thousands of cars lined up at the san antonio food bank that inspired elaine huvy to donate her entire $1,200 check. >> i wanted to pass it on to someone that it could help. >> at this arkansas steakhouse, workers got a big surprise from

some regulars. a $1,200 tip. >> came at a time that most of our staff really needed that. >> enough for every employees to get $100 even those in the medical community, promising to keep giving dr. jess friedman, who qualified for a check based on her residency status last year, plans to give some money away. >> but there's also this part of just, like, seeing and recognizing people but i say like i see you, i see your suffering and it matters to me is a really important thing that i think can affect a person's emotional and physical health, as well. >> at the heart of the american spirit, a sense of duty. >> i'm gonna take care of my neighborhood if everybody takes care of their neighborhood, we're going to be okay >> a gift of hope to so many, who need it most kristen dahlgren nbc news. >> and these are folks that are already struggling so the fact that they're willing to give up those much-needed funds is incredible. >> the empathy and generosity so many people are showing right now, it's so inspiring

love to see it. >> and thank you for waking up with us. i'm cori coffin. >> and i'm phillip mena. before we go, quick reminder coming up on the today show, dylan dreyer is back she is returning from her maternity leave. keep it right here we will see you right ckba

on this first monday of may, more than 146 million americans will see an easing of coronavirus restrictions and over two dozen states. this as some places continue to see a rise in cases. we have new developments this morning involving joe biden. his accuser says what was reported when she says the incident occurred. take a look at this. that's a giant carnivorous murder hornet. these critters are now a threat to american alture the rush t