Marouane Fellaini -- one of the most famous soccer players in the world -- was discharged from a hospital in China after battling COVID-19.
The 32-year-old Belgian star has been playing in China's Super League since 2019 -- and back in March, he tested positive for coronavirus.
Things got so bad, he was hospitalized for the past 3 WEEKS -- but good news, doctors cleared him to finally go home.
"The time has come for me to thank from the bottom of my heart, the medical staff of the hospital, their nursing staff as well as my Club and its medical staff for taking such good care of me with so much kindness and for ensuring my comfort whilst there," Fellaini said.
"The hardest part is behind me! Let's keep fighting, it's important!"
Now, Fellaini has been ordered to quarantine himself for the next 14 days to minimize the chances of spreading the virus to others.
Fellaini has been a staple on the Belgium national team for years -- and also played for both Everton and Manchester United.
He signed a deal to play for Shandong Luneng in China back in January 2019 ... and he's been there ever since.
The Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard is now taking stricter steps to protect its workers from COVID-19 -- including temperature checks -- after a civilian employee tested positive in late March.
According to a federal doc, obtained by TMZ, the Naval shipyard in Hawaii began executing wellness and temperature screenings in "high-traffic areas" on April 13 to ensure the health and safety of its staff.
The Pearl Harbor screenings are random and consist of one question ... "Are you experiencing flu-like symptoms?" ... along with a temperature scan, for which a reading of 100 degrees or higher constitutes a positive screening.
According to the new guidelines, a worker with a positive screening is required to leave the shipyard immediately and let their supervisor know.
All Pearl Harbor employees have been required to wear face coverings since April 8 if they're unable to maintain the 6-foot social distancing rule. They are required to lower masks to verify ID at access points or CIA gates.
This all comes after the Navy recently confirmed a worker on the base tested positive for the virus on March 29. He's reportedly been quarantined since then while health officials conducted an investigation to determine if anyone else may have been exposed.
There's an obvious gap between that positive test and the April 8 face mask rule -- and another 5 days past that for the temperature screenings to begin.
The good news is the base has only had the one positive test, so far ... and there's now a more proactive plan. Statewide, BTW, Hawaii's had 504 COVID-19 cases and 9 fatalities.
Hockey fans, brace yourselves ... L.A. Kings star Drew Doughtydoesn't see how the NHL will pick back up again this summer -- saying, "It seems like it's pretty tough to resume."
"I don't see how this season is going to return," Doughty told reporters on a conference call Monday. "I really don't."
The NHL, like every other U.S. sport, halted play back in early March ... and shortly after, the league revealed several of its players had been diagnosed with coronavirus.
Since that time, players have returned to their homes and have been ordered to self-isolate... and it's all got Doughty wondering, how the hell are they going to finish this season??
"We have no idea when this virus is going to be over,” Doughty said. “We’re just sitting here waiting, working out, getting ready to hopefully return at any point."
Doughty continued: "I would think the NHL or whoever has to make a decision will make some type of decision on that soon. It seems like it’s going to be pretty tough to return, to resume the season or the playoffs."
Of course, Doughty's Kings have ZERO chance of making any noise in a resumed season ... they were one of the worst teams in the league at 29-35 when play paused.
But, that's clearly allowed Doughty -- who says he doesn't even have his hockey gear with him at his current place -- to be more open about his opinion on a potential comeback.
"I know they so badly want to give out the Stanley Cup this year," Doughty said. "But in all seriousness, it wouldn't even be like winning a real Stanley Cup if the season wasn’t finished, if teams couldn’t get in the playoffs."
"I'm assuming they’d have to come up with a different playoff format, so it'd be a little different. I'm not a huge fan of it, as much as I want to play."
Gavin Newsom's clueless to think churches are not as essential as burger joints and coffee shops ... so claim a group of church leaders suing him over the lockdown.
A group of pastors and church members filed the suit claiming religious services are "essential for the spiritual health of the congregation so that the congregants can exhort one another during these difficult times."
In the docs, obtained by TMZ, one pastor believes they can hold services so long as they abide by social distancing tips recommended by the CDC ... like keeping congregants at least 6 feet apart and requiring they wear masks and gloves.
The leaders claim California's "shelter-at-home" mandate coupled with its "essential workforce" criteria has denied religious groups their fundamental right to continue congregating.
In fact, one pastor claims he was fined $1,000 for holding service on Palm Sunday. The church leaders are pissed they can't hold services ... even after they disinfect churches and practice social distancing.
According to the suit, they're also pissed baristas, burger flippers and laundromat technicians are considered "essential" ... while attending church is NOT.
The Cali church leaders are suing to get Governor Newsom's lockdown order declared unconstitutional for infringing on their right to freely assemble and exercise their religions.
Pro wrestling is "essential" to the State of Florida -- says the state governor which has allowed WWE to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic.
No joke. This is real.
Jerry Demings -- mayor of Orange County, Florida -- was asked Monday how the WWE Performance Center in Orlando has been allowed to stay in business while non-essential companies have been forced to close their doors.
As we previously reported, WWE has been taping at the Performance Center and plans to shoot "Raw" later today.
So, why exactly?
"I think initially there was a review that was done and they were not initially deemed an essential business,” Demings said.
"With some conversation with the Governor’s office regarding the Governor’s order, they were deemed an essential business. And so, therefore, they were allowed to remain open."
Demings did not go into detail about why the Governor's office changed its stance on WWE.
For their part, WWE tells us the health and safety of talent and staff is their top priority, saying ... “We believe it is now more important than ever to provide people with a diversion from these hard times."
"We are producing content on a closed set with only essential personnel in attendance following appropriate guidelines while taking additional precautions to ensure the health and wellness of our performers and staff. As a brand that has been woven into the fabric of society, WWE and its Superstars bring families together and deliver a sense of hope, determination and perseverance.”
Remember, WWE confirmed a performer hastested positive for COVID-19 -- but they believe that person caught it from medical workers. WWE also says the performer has recovered and they do not believe he or she spread it to other WWE personnel.
Demings addressed that situation on Monday.
“In terms of the specifics associated with the wrestling personality who tested positive, I don’t know any of the details of that obviously because of HIPAA laws," Demings said.
"But, that’s like a little family. A small family of professional athletes that wrestle. And, if one of my family members tested positive in my house, that would be concerning to me."
"We would have to make some provisions in our house to make sure that the rest of us not get infected. So, I would assume that, from a business perspective, the WWE is doing that type of analysis of its own family."
3:50 PM PT -- Dr. Fauci just addressed the reported head-butting that's supposedly been going on behind closed doors with himself and the President's administration, and the guy sure seemed to be trying to put out the fire with a clear and concise timeline of events.
UPDATE
The good doctor was at the podium Monday in the White House Press Briefing Room, where he laid exactly when he and his CDC/NIAID colleagues told DT they strongly suggested shutting stuff down, and how the Prez responded. Sounds like Trump wasn't going rogue or ignoring the advice of the scientists -- he acted on their recommendations when they told him he should ... at least that's what Fauci seems to be saying here.
UPDATE
He DID clarify something he recently said in the press regarding some "pushback" he claimed was taking place among cabinet officials when Fauci and co. first recommended closing up shop for an extended period of time. DF says he used a poor choice of words, and insists Trump officials only raised concerns about ramifications of such an action -- like crippling the economy, job loss, etc. He says NO ONE in Trump's administration told him they shouldn't do it -- which is what many took away from his remarks this past week.
UPDATE
Bottom line ... Fauci says each and every time he and his cohorts suggested the President do something, the answer was yes. When a reporter asked if he was making these clarifications voluntarily, he got a little snippy ... telling her not to even insinuate he wasn't.
UPDATE
Sounds like Dr. Fauci wanted to put any perceived bad blood between him and 45 to bed.
UPDATE
10:57 AM PT -- Trump is not firing Fauci -- even if his retweet suggested he's thinking about it -- and the White House says, "This media chatter is ridiculous."
UPDATE
Hogan Gidley, a spokesman for the Trump administration, insists ... "Dr. Fauci has been and remains a trusted advisor to President Trump."
President Trump hit the retweet button on a call to fire Dr. Anthony Fauci -- which seems to indicate a growing rift between Trump and his pandemic right-hand man.
Trump's promotion of a #FireFauci tweet comes in response to the infectious disease expert's CNN interview Sunday ... where he said the U.S might have prevented deaths if it had put mitigation efforts in place in February, instead of mid-March.
Fauci's comments weren't necessarily a direct shot at Trump -- he told Tapper "what goes into those decisions is complicated" -- but the retweet seems to indicate the Prez took it as one.
Trump retweeted a woman claiming Fauci himself told people "there was nothing to worry about and [COVID-19] posed no threat to the US public at large" on February 29. She then wrote, "Time to #FireFauci..."
The President added ... "Sorry Fake News, it’s all on tape. I banned China long before people spoke up."
If you haven't been paying attention, Trump has been touting his China travel restrictions for saving lives -- something Fauci's praised him for as well -- while ignoring his other missteps.
Trump's next coronavirus task force briefing -- typically attended by Fauci -- is gonna be interesting.
The evangelical pastor who vowed to keep preaching unless he was "in jail or the hospital" has died of COVID-19 ... only weeks after defiantly opening his church doors.
Bishop Gerald Glenn showed off his jam-packed congregation back on March 22 at the New Deliverance Evangelistic Church in Richmond, VA ... telling followers to stand up and prove their numbers ... despite social distancing guidelines and warnings against large gatherings in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
His church announced that Glenn died on, of all days, Easter Sunday from COVID-19 a week after testing positive for the novel coronavirus.
During that infamous in-person service, the Bishop said he firmly believed God was larger than the virus and said he was proud of being "controversial" for violating safety protocols. The Bishop also claimed he was an "essential" worker, saying he's a preacher and he talks to God.
The Bishop's wife, Marcietia Glenn, is also infected with COVID-19.
The couple's daughter, Mar-Gerie Crawley, reportedly said her father dismissed his symptoms at first because he has a health condition that often results in fevers and infections. Now, she's urging everyone to stay home, saying the virus has become very real to her.
Tragic news ... Karl-Anthony Towns' mother, Jacqueline Towns, has died after a lengthy battle with coronavirus.
The Minnesota Timberwolves star announced last month his mom contracted the disease in mid-March ... and was put in a medically induced coma shortly after because of complications.
"The Towns family is heartbroken by the untimely passing of Jacqueline Towns, due to complications as a result of COVID-19," the team said in a statement.
"Jackie, as she was affectionately known among family and friends, has been battling the virus for more than a month when she succumbed on April 13th."
The statement continued, "Jackie was many things to many people - a wife, mother, daughter, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. The matriarch of the Towns family, she was an incredible source of strength; a fiery, caring, and extremely loving person, who touched everyone she met. Her passion was palpable and her energy will never be replaced."
Towns' father, Karl Towns Sr., had also been infected by the virus ... but made a full recovery.
"The Towns family is extremely grateful for the outpouring of love and support they have received during this very difficult time," the T-Wolves said. "They would like to thank the medical warriors at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and JFK Medical Center, who fought for Jackie day in and day out, and helped Karl Sr. recover from the same virus that took Jackie's life."
"The family is devastated by their tremendous loss, and respectfully requests privacy at this time of great mourning."
Dr. Anthony Fauci fills our minds with crucial knowledge about the coronavirus, and now he can fill you up with a tangy brew, too -- he's got his own beer down South.
Check out this new line that Wild Heaven Beer just rolled out, called Fauci Spring. The Georgia microbrewery decided to make a pale ale made with acai -- the super-hip superfood that's supposed to be good for your health. So, yeah ... Fauci works.
Fauci's can is a deep sea blue, and they've also rolled out a companion lager ... Don't Stand So Close to Me. Clever and refreshing ... if you're looking for a laugh to go with your buzz.
You've probably heard, or experienced, beer sales have spiked during quarantine, and now Fauci can get in on the action ... in spirit. Or rather, malt. As for how these new brews taste ... the jury's still out. If you're a fruity beer guy or gal, it'll probably be right up your alley.
And, perhaps more pressing of a question ... how are people supposed to get their hands on these??? Presumably, Wild Heaven will get 'em into local grocery stores ASAP. Warm weather is coming, and people are trapped inside ... perfect time to roll out a summery brew. Just sayin' ...
Howie Mandel is back judging "America's Got Talent" ... and while it's gonna be much different, he's hoping everyone is getting on his level when it comes to getting touchy-feely!!!
The comedian and famed germaphobe joined us Monday on "TMZ Live" to talk about 'AGT' getting back to work, shooting the show remotely. That seems to suit Howie just fine, considering the coronavirus scare they had on set last month.
You gotta see his description of the moment Heidi Klum coughed, throwing Howie into a tailspin. As we reported, 'AGT' lost its studio audience shortly after that, and then shut down altogether.
You'll recall, that was around the time Howie showed up in a hazmat suit to shoot the show. We all laughed, but he says the fear was real for him ... although, thankfully, Heidi ended up testing negative for COVID-19.
As for adjusting to life in the middle of a pandemic -- he's taking social distancing to the extreme, and has one major takeaway. The man who quit handshaking many years ago, says it's time everyone else realizes, "There's no reason to touch anybody!"
Howie and his wife just celebrated their 40th anniversary, but check out his prediction for making it to 41 ... if this lockdown continues much longer.😅
A Florida man coughed on cops during his arrest, wishing them death from the novel coronavirus ... and it's all on police bodycam video.
The Volusia County Sheriff's Office says deputies were responding to a domestic violence disturbance Saturday after the suspect, Brent Smith, allegedly came home drunk and threatened his mother with a butter knife, leading to his arrest and some nasty threats towards cops.
In the video, Smith is sitting handcuffed in the back of the patrol car when he tells a deputy, "I hope you die. I hope you catch corona. I hope the coronavirus, I hope it latches on to you, I hope it makes you puke." Then the guy starts coughing again.
During his arrest, cops also say Smith started coughing and threatened to bash "their f***ing brains in."
Smith was booked with a slew of crimes ... threatening and assaulting a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery on a person 65 or older, tampering with a witness, robbery by sudden snatching, grand theft and violation of probation on an original charge of aggravated battery on a pregnant person.
As if threatening your own mother, allegedly, wasn't bad enough -- this guy had to go throw coronavirus in the mix, as Florida is reeling. The state has at least 19,895 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and over 460 people have died.
Doctors are firing back at critics who are questioning the safety of Robert Kraft's PPE mask donations this month ... slamming the hate and straight-up calling the charity "a godsend."
If you missed it ... after Kraft got his Patriots plane to deliver over 1 MILLION masks from China to the U.S. -- some questioned the effectiveness of the pieces.
The Boston Globe -- citing several medical professionals -- claimed there was concern that a version of the N95 mask -- known as the KN95 mask -- that Kraft negotiated for wouldn't be good enough to protect medical personnel in the States.
But, MA General Hospital President Peter L. Slavin M.D. shot all of that talk down Monday ... saying Kraft's donation could not have been more appreciated -- and will be used effectively.
"KN95s and N95s are similar products that must meet the same high standards of filtration, and they function the same way," Slavin said.
"The purchase and delivery of these respirators to Massachusetts and New York were a godsend to frontline healthcare workers in hospitals and nursing homes who have been fearful and concerned about the dire shortage of personal protective equipment."
Slavin continued, "The governor and the Kraft family have done a great service to the state and have made caring for patients with COVID-19 safer. They deserve our heartfelt thanks."
George Stephanopoulos says he's tested positive for coronavirus -- a few weeks after his wife contracted it -- but says, so far, he's not suffering.
The 'GMA' anchor made the revelation Monday morning ... telling his cohosts, Robin Roberts and Michael Strahan, that his spouse, Ali Wentworth, was on the mend and getting better after a recent bout with COVID-19 that left her with a high fever and other symptoms.
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In the same breath, George -- who is working from home -- said he too had recently tested positive. The somewhat good news is GS says his case of coronavirus appears to be asymptomatic ... he says he hasn't shown any of the typical signs of illness.
In fact, George even goes so far as to say he's feeling great. It also sounds like George is gonna keep working. He shares two daughters with Ali, and he's been their primary caretaker while his wife has been under the weather.
As we've reported ... NBC, CBS and CNN -- all based in NYC -- have had staffers test positive, including Chris Cuomo ... who has been battling symptoms.
That's more a sign of how badly NY has been hit by the pandemic, than anything else.
Jerry "The King" Lawler is on his way to Orlando, Florida for Monday's episode of 'Raw' ... despite having serious health issues in the past.
The 70-year-old legend is a staple on 'Raw' -- but considering his age and the fact he had a heart attack on the air in 2012, you wouldn't think he'd be game for shooting a live ep during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But, alas, Lawler packed his stuff and got on the plane Monday morning -- and even cracked jokes about being the only traveler at the airport.
"Not many people flying today," Lawler tweeted ... "I called the airline and said, "What time does your flight to Orlando leave?" They said, 'What time can you be here?'"
WWE says they are taking all sorts of precautions to keep everyone safe -- including medical screenings for everyone who enters the WWE Performance Center in Orlando.
As we previously reported, a WWE on-air talent tested positive for coronavirus after WrestleMania 36 but the org. says they believe the person caught it from frontline medical workers AFTER the taping.
WWE has said the individual has since made a complete recovery and they "believe the matter is low risk to WWE talent and staff."
Jonny Fairplay -- one of the most notorious "Survivor" contestants -- is pimping hard-to-get BUFFs for hardcore fans, who can use 'em as protection from the coronavirus.
The BUFFs were already for sale on Amazon and CBS' website but they've been sold out. Enter Jonny, who already has a well-earned rep as a scoundrel, with a stockpile of the merch that's signed by some of the show's biggest stars.
Check out the video ... Jonny says season 34 winner Sarah Lacina and "Arrow" star Stephen Amellare some of the signed BUFFs in his possession. He's selling them for $150 to $200.
We know what you're thinking, but Jonny swears 100% of the proceeds are going to a charity that builds Christian schools in South Africa.
As you know by now ... the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is recommending the use of cloth face coverings to help slow the spread of COVID-19. It should be noted ... on CBS' website it explicitly says BUFFs "are not intended to be used as medical-grade face masks or as effective measures to prevent disease, illness, or the spread of viruses."
But, Jonny says something is better than nothing. 🤷🏽♂️
3:26 PM PT -- Derek Jeterjust wrote an emotional message after learning of Causi's death ... saying on his social media page, "Anthony was an amazingly talented photographer, and he was an even better person."
UPDATE
"The sports world feels his loss. My condolences to his family. He will truly be missed."
Anthony Causi -- a sports photographer who gained fame for shooting MLB games -- died Sunday after he was diagnosed with COVID-19 shortly after working Mets spring training.
He was 48 years old.
Friends and family of the longtime NY Post photog say he contracted coronavirus in March after spending 2 months in Florida covering NY Mets preseason workouts.
Tragically, they say Causi passed away over the weekend after a lengthy fight with the disease.
"After days of struggling, he was hospitalized," Causi's family and friends wrote, "Anthony was a fighter, he kicked ass, and did his very best, but after weeks of intubation, he lost the fight."
Causi had worked for The Post for nearly 26 years ... and was described as having "a heart of ACTUAL GOLD."
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"Anthony ALWAYS had his camera with him, capturing moments, photobombing pictures, and making everyone around him laugh," his friends and family said.
"The irony of his life long photography career, is that moments like this is what these photos are all about. So years later, family and friends can look at his gorgeous pictures and cry, smile, laugh, and appreciate the memories.
He left behind a wife and two children. A GoFundme page for Causi has already raised more than $30,000.
