By Howard Fischer
Capitol Media Services
PHOENIX -- Gov. Doug Ducey said Thursday evening he is weighing additional measures to help curb the spread of COVID-19.

Job losses for the first time in nearly a decade. A slightly higher unemployment rate. Bad news, yes. But the Labor Department report coming out Friday will be just a hint of the economic misery that's hitting Americans as the U.S. shuts down to fight the coronavirus.

The monthly report for March is based on surveys conducted three weeks ago, before the widespread closing of restaurants, retail shops and other businesses began.

During his Thursday night briefing with the coronavirus task force, President Trump repeated a claim that the United States has done more testing for the contagion on a per-capita basis than any other country.

Vice President Mike Pence said the White House may ask hospitals to use some of their federal aid to cover the medical costs of COVID-19 treatment for people who have lost their health insurance in recent weeks, along with their jobs.

Some medical experts have called on the administration to allow newly uninsured people to sign up for health insurance under Obamacare. But at a White House briefing on Thursday, President Trump rejected that idea, saying that "we're doing better than that" with what he called "a cash payment."

Amazon Prime Video will be hosting some of the movies that never got screen time at this year's cancelled SXSW Film Festival. Amazon and SXSW announced today that the online film festival will be free to all audiences for 10 days — but you will need an Amazon account.