Coronavirus

The United Kingdom's coronavirus lockdown is baaahd for humans who want to play a round of golf, but it's good for flocks of sheep ... the animals are taking over a golf course!!!

Check out this huge flock of sheep roaming free at the Avington Park Golf Course in Winchester, England ... there's about 100 sheep setting up shop on the links, roaming and grazing on grass at the prestigious 32-acre golf course.

The UK is under a strict coronavirus lockdown, and the restrictions bar people from taking hacks on a golf course.

But these sheep are making a case as essential workers, because they're pretty much taking over the role of greenskeepers!

We've seen animals starting to take over the world as humans shelter in place due to the outbreak of COVID-19 ... and this scene is eerily similar to the goats that took over a town in Wales.

It's even happening in the United States ... Santa Monica's parks are being overrun with squirrels.

Officials in California are so sick and tired of skaters violating stay-at-home orders ... they straight-up dumped 37 TONS OF SAND into a popular park to stop the illegal boarding.

The skate-place-turned-sand-box is down in San Clemente, Calif. -- and witnesses in the area say despite "no trespassing" signs during COVID-19 lockdown ... people still skated the park.

So, officials decided to take matters into their own hands ... with CBS Los Angeles reporting authorities dropped thousands of pounds of sand this week to make sure people adhere to the orders.

Of course, California residents have been urged to self-isolate as much as possible since mid-March ... with government officials closing down just about everything in the state to slow the spread of coronavirus.

In fact, other skate parks in the Los Angeles area are already following San Clemente's lead ... with a popular skate place in Venice filling up with sand Thursday as well.

When NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Andrew Morgan began their missions more than 6 months ago, nobody had ever heard of COVID-19 -- now they're back, and a whole lot has changed.

The 2 astronauts -- along with Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka -- just touched down back on Earth safe and sound. They landed in Kazakhstan in a Soyuz spacecraft at 1:16 AM ET.

The successful touchdown came after Meir spent 205 days living in space onboard the International Space Station, while Morgan did it for 272 days. It was the first mission for both of them.

Obviously, NASA's elated to get its bold travelers back home safely, but it's gotta be a bit strange and surreal for the astronauts. As soon as they returned they came face-to-face mask with the coronavirus pandemic.

As you can see ... all of the members of the recovery crew were wearing masks as a health precaution while carrying the astronauts and cosmonaut after they landed.

Plus, with all of the social distancing and stay-at-home orders across the globe, it's probably going to make it more difficult for Meir, Morgan and Skripochka to see all of their friends and loved ones in person again.

Pandemic insurance will likely be a top priority for music festivals, concerts and all other major events once the coronavirus subsides ... but it's going to be a while before coverage is even possible.

This type of insurance is out of the question for festivals like Coachella, Stagecoach and EDC Las Vegas ... at least in the foreseeable future, according to numerous people we spoke with in the insurance biz. The folks with whom we checked said they want to see some data on the likely resurgence and mutations of the virus. They have no data on COVID-19 and no way to price the insurance policy.

As you know ... these fests were all scheduled for the spring, but have been postponed to October, and that's just the dream. As you know, the mayors of L.A. and NYC have already said large crowds are going to probably be a thing of the past, at least for the balance of the year.

We surveyed the people throwing these events and they all say currently they aren't covered for pandemics, but it's definitely on their priority lists now. Problem is ... if this year's events tank, the organizers may have to eat the losses.

Steve Howell, a media & music insurance broker in the UK, breaks it down this way -- you can't buy home insurance when your house is on fire. In other words, good luck getting pandemic insurance now.

Kevin Lyman, who organized the Warped Tour, agrees ... there's no way to get COVID-19 coverage currently ... period.

If these concerts are sidelined for what could be a year, everyone agrees ... the financial blow will be devastating.

YNW Melly's request for jail release was denied, but not because his COVID-19 condition is improving ... we've learned the rapper is still feeling effects of the virus.

Sources familiar with Melly's situation behind bars tell us he continues to have labored breathing, body aches and headaches while in Broward County Jail, awaiting trial for double murder. We're told he still has a high temperature and chills, particularly at night -- and is getting Gatorade and Tylenol to ease the virus' effects.

While our sources say Melly's been isolated from his cellmate, who also tested positive, we're told jail staff is not checking on Melly every hour as they're supposed to be.

We broke the story ... the judge in Melly's case denied his request for release. He wanted to be able to get COVID-19 treatment on his own, but the judge said he must request special medical treatment from the Broward Sheriff's Office if needed.

It's unclear if he's done that. We reached out to Melly's attorney, Bradford Cohen, who declined to comment.

The Broward County Sheriff's Office wouldn't speak to Melly specifically, due to privacy laws, but did say ... if an inmate shows acute COVID-19 symptoms, they will be transferred to a hospital.

Translation: That's not YNW Melly at this point.

Pastor Tony Spell's lawyer has pneumonia in both lungs and is hooked up to oxygen after contracting COVID-19 ... TMZ has learned.

Jeff Wittenbrink tells TMZ he was admitted Tuesday to Baton Rouge Medical Center with the virus after his condition worsened over the weekend. In addition to pneumonia, he's battling a high fever and persistent cough.

Wittenbrink attended two services at Pastor Spell's Life Tabernacle Church ... on April 2 and April 5, which was Palm Sunday. He tells us he shook hands with the controversial pastor that day, but added Spell sanitized his hands immediately afterward. Wittenbrink says Spell does that after he shakes hands with everyone.

He also says he did NOT go to Easter Sunday service and his wife decided not to attend either ... given his condition. That being said, he doesn't think he contracted the virus while attending church.

Instead, Wittenbrink thinks he picked it up the previous week while doing his daily business and going to drug stores, grocery stores and hardware stores.

The Baton Rouge lawyer is repping Spell's Life Tabernacle Church in its fight to defy the state's stay-at-home order. All of this as Louisiana approaches nearly 2,000 hospitalizations due to the coronavirus.

As we first reported ... Spell said his parishioners are true Christians who wouldn't mind dying from the virus because they'd be doing so in the name of God and freedom.

Spell's church was packed on Easter Sunday ... and it seems nothing will stop him from continuing to do so. He's already been arrested once, and the police say they're working with the D.A. to build a case against him.

NFL superstar Von Miller -- one of the biggest stars in the league -- has tested positive for the coronavirus, his agent says.

Unclear when the 31-year-old Denver Broncos pass rusher was diagnosed but his agent Joby Branion tells NFL Network's Ian Rapoport he's "at home resting and in good spirits."

Miller -- the MVP of Super Bowl 50 -- is expected to speak publicly on Friday.

Miller's announcement comes one day after L.A. Rams center Brian Allen revealed that he was also diagnosed with COVID-19.

Allen said he became concerned once he lost his sense of smell and taste. He is also on the mend.

The NFL has made adjustments in the wake of the pandemic -- choosing to hold a virtual NFL Draft next weekend, where players, coaches and execs will all participate from home.

Miller's diagnosis, once again, proves even the healthiest people on Earth are vulnerable to COVID-19 ... after it already struck other top athletes including Kevin Durant, Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and others.

Miller is a stud on the field -- he's an 8-time NFL Pro Bowler, 3-time All-Pro and is currently in the middle of a 6-year, $114 million contract.

Ex-boxing champ Mia St. John says authorities in L.A. have repeatedly shut down her Alcoholic's Anonymous meetings due to COVID-19 ... but she claims it's now becoming a matter of life and death.

Besides being a 5-time world boxing champ, St. John has also struggled with substance abuse ... and now runs AA meetings in Los Angeles.

But, Mia says officials have told her to stop to the gatherings as a part of California's tough stance on coronavirus.

We spoke with St. John who says the situation is "absolutely ridiculous" because she's been following strict social distancing guidelines.

"We are abiding by the rules and regulations which is 6-feet apart. We're all wearing masks and I don't see a problem with it."

She adds, "It's interesting because in a grocery store, you're right on top of each other. People are much closer together, it's much more dangerous. So what we're doing is actually a lot safer."

Mia says AA meetings -- in person -- are "essential" ... saying face-to-face gatherings are simply more effective than virtual meetings one Zoom.

"I've spoken to so many people at these meetings that tell me they relapsed. I relapsed! I relapsed and I'm not blaming anyone but myself."

"I'm just here to say that people like me rely on our meeting to get us by. We rely on our sober friends to help us through and its a very difficult time I realize for everyone. If we're conducting our meetings safely, I don't see a problem with it."

R. Kelly's first attempt to get out of jail due to coronavirus fears didn't work, but he's going back to the well -- claiming his medical crisis is even worse now, and insisting he won't skip town.

The disgraced singer filed a renewed emergency motion obtained by TMZ asking to get released from lockup based on changed circumstances.

Kelly and his legal team say when he last asked to get out, the court noted there were no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the Chicago jail where he's currently locked up. According to the docs ... that is no longer the case.

Kelly says the Chicago MCC admits there are at least 6 confirmed positive cases now among inmates -- along with 7 staff members -- and argues it's predictably going to get worse. He claims if he doesn't get out soon, it's an "absolute probability" he "will be infected with this deadly disease."

As we reported ... the judge denied his first release request earlier this month, saying the singer failed to explain how he wasn't still a flight risk.

Kelly's got a retort for that now, too -- he claims if he tried to run he would be "the most obvious and recognizable person on the streets of Chicago, or anywhere else in the country, in light of the severe stay-at-home restrictions."

Further, Kelly says there are no flights for him, he's afraid to fly, and he doesn't have a passport or the means to fly.

According to the docs ... he'd also agree to 24/7 surveillance and GPS monitoring to make sure he doesn't go anywhere other than home or meet with anyone other than his lawyers.

The judge has yet to make a decision.

NBA player Bismack Biyombo is stepping up in a BIG way for his home country ... donating $1 MILLION in supplies to help DR Congo fight the coronavirus.

"We have never experienced a crisis of this magnitude," the Charlotte Hornets forward said ... "Seeing my home country suffer in this capacity is devastating."

"I've spent the last few weeks trying to figure out a way to help those suffering in the DRC. I am pleased to announce that The Bismack Biyombo Foundation delivered over 10,000 masks and 780 hazmat suits to the DRC this week."

Altogether, the masks and suits are expected to add up to an impressive $1 million worth of supplies to help his countrymen battle the pandemic.

Biyombo's foundation points out the area has been riddled with deadly diseases for years -- from malaria to Ebola and more -- leaving the country in danger as it faces COVID-19.

TMZ Sports has obtained pictures and video of the supplies ... and the visuals show how far Biyombo's gesture will go for his country.

Biyombo hopes the gesture can slow down the virus from spreading so the country has a greater chance to fight

Dogs sporting medical-grade snout masks would have turned heads 2 months ago -- now it's becoming a common sight amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

These shots aren't just from pet-crazed USA ... the gallery shows dog owners all around the world -- countries in Asia, South and North America -- want to make sure their pets do NOT have a nose for COVID-19.

There is reason for some concern. As we reported, researchers at the National Institutes of Health have seen evidence of humans transmitting the virus to their pets -- cats and dogs.

So far, there have been 2 known cases of dogs testing positive ... both in Hong Kong. The masks on dogs couldn't hurt ... plus, most of 'em look kinda cute. Think Doggie Howser, M.D.

One of the most famous Philadelphia Eagles fans in team history has tested positive for the coronavirus ... and now he's fighting for his life.

Monty G -- AKA the "Babay Babay" hype man -- is well-known for his signature wing-flappin' Eagles hat ... and went viral in a local news report following a blowout loss to the Cowboys.

The famous Eagles backer is in desperate need of support now ... as family friends have reported Monty has been at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for the past 3 weeks.

According to a GoFundMe set up to help with medical bills, Monty was placed in an induced coma and required a tracheotomy surgery.

Monty is now out of the coma, but the fight continues ... and now Eagles fans are hoping to raise enough money to help him continue his fight.

So far ... the fundraiser has collected $3,300 and the number continues to rise.