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By Dan Donahue, NBC Nightly News

Good Wednesday afternoon.

The death toll from COVID-19 in the U.S. has risen to nearly 73,000 and President Trump is changing his mind about disbanding the White House coronavirus task force. Here’s what in our Nightly Rundown:

64 children in New York found with rare illness linked to COVID-19

Kristen Dahlgren is reporting tonight on the alarming rise in cases of a rare, mysterious illness in children that has been linked to COVID-19.

A New York State Department of Health survey found at least 64 children with the new pediatric multi-symptom inflammatory syndrome.

The illness has presented in 15 children hospitalized in New York City between April 17 to May 1, health officials said.

Symptoms include persistent fever, rash, red eyes, or an upset stomach. Doctors say some children react with an inflammatory response similar to toxic shock or Kawasaki disease.

Growing concern over children with rare condition linked to coronavirus

Most states partially reopened as cases continue to rise

More than 35 states have begun to reopen their economies, and by Sunday, that number will rise to 43 — even as the number of daily coronavirus cases continues to climb across the country.

Miguel Almaguer is reporting tonight on states trying to strike a balance between kickstarting their economies, and avoiding further risk of infection.

In Tennessee, barber shops and hair salons can resume operations beginning today. Recreational facilities like bowling alleys and mini-golf courses may reopen Friday.

In Missouri, plans are moving forward to hold a youth baseball tournament this weekend.

California, the first state to order a lockdown, will allow retailers like clothing stores and florists to reopen with curbside pickup on Friday.

A New York Times analysis found the number of cases in the U.S., excluding New York, is still steadily climbing.

Illinois, which has a stay-at-home order in effect until May 30, reported its deadliest day on Monday with another 176 deaths.

As more states loosen restrictions, President Trump said in an interview on Tuesday that “there’ll be more death” but that the “virus will pass with, or without, a vaccine.”

Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized the president’s remarks, telling our Andrea Mitchell today that “death is not an economic motivator."

Visit our state-by-state map for the latest on reopenings.

Trump reverses course on winding down “popular” task force

President Trump tweeted today that the White House coronavirus task force will “continue on indefinitely,” a day after casting doubt on the future of the team.

On Tuesday, Trump told reporters that “we’ll have a different group probably” that would be focused on safety and reopening.

Today at the White House, however, he changed his tune. “I thought we could wind it down sooner, but I had no idea how popular the task force is,” he said in the Oval Office.

Vice President Mike Pence, who leads the task force, told NBC News on Tuesday there is no set date for the task force to complete its work, but he expected it to wind down in late May or early June.

Trump discusses changing his opinion to continue the coronavirus task force

Newly released video shows deadly shooting of unarmed jogger

Disturbing new video has emerged of the fatal shooting of an unarmed, 25-year-old black man, after he was chased down by two armed white men in a South Georgia town.

The family of Ahmaud Arbery says he was merely out for a jog when he was accosted by former police officer Gregory McMichael, 64, and McMichael’s son Travis, 34, in Brunswick on Feb. 23.

Gregory McMichael told police he thought Arbery was a suspect in a series of burglaries, and that he and his son, armed with a handgun and a shotgun, began to pursue Arbery in a pickup truck.

When the two men confronted Arbery along the road, Gregory McMichael told police Arbery struggled with his son over the shotgun.

Police said Travis McMichael shot twice, and Arbery collapsed onto the ground and died from his injuries.

No charges have been filed.

Besides being a former law enforcement officer, Gregory McMichael also worked for Brunswick district attorney’s office. Two district attorneys— Jackie Johnson and George Barnhill — have recused themselves from the case.

Barnhill told police there was not probable cause to arrest the McMichaels, saying they acted legally under the state’s citizen arrest and self-defense laws, the New York Times reported.

Outrage has been mounting among civil rights activists, with the Georgia NAACP demanding the McMichaels be arrested for murder.

The McMichaels have not commented publicly.

As the video spread on social media, a Georgia prosecutor said he would present the case to a grand jury — but courts are currently unable to convene a grand jury due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Kate Snow is on the story for us tonight.

Video allegedly shows moment unarmed black jogger Ahmaud Arbery is killed

Here’s what else is happening:

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg participated in oral arguments over the phone today from Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she is being treated for a gallbladder condition.
U.S. businesses slashed a record 20.2 million jobs in April amid the pandemic, according to the payroll company ADP.
Where are all the Clorox wipes? Blayne Alexander will ask the company’s CEO tonight, and has an exclusive inside look inside a Clorox factory in Georgia.
Gap announced plans to reopen 800 stores by the end of May with new safety measures.
Uber is laying off 3,700 employees, almost 14 percent of its workforce. Chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi will also waive his salary for the rest of the year.
A new study finds1 in 5 young children is not getting enough to eat, as the pandemic causes food insecurity to rise in the U.S.
A JBS pork plant in Worthington, Minnesota partially reopened today. The plant, where at least 490 workers tested positive, had been shut down for two weeks.
A “shocking” two-thirds of patients recently hospitalized for coronavirus in New York became infected despite staying home, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today.
Visit the NBC News live coronavirus blog for the latest updates.

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