While there are sad stories coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are also many positive ones. AccuWeather's Lincoln Riddle takes a look at a few of them.
Here are the latest updates, listed in eastern time, and the most important things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded its list of potentially deadly hand sanitizers this week and the list included many companies that are using unsafe alcohols in their products. According to CNN, the FDA warned a company based in Mexico about using the ingredient methanol, a form of alcohol that can poison people. The FDA reported four deaths from earlier this month caused by people drinking hand sanitizer in New Mexico, as ingestion of methanol can prove fatal. Over 75 different hand sanitizer products were included in the FDA list for containing methanol and the administration is urging people to avoid using products from the manufacturers.
One death per minute. That was the grisly pace at which the United States saw COVID-19 fatalities climb on Wednesday, a day that saw the U.S. move past the threshold of 150,000 fatalities since the beginning of the outbreak, the highest in the world. Wednesday saw a total of 1,461 deaths, its most since late May according to Reuters, and represents the clear resurgence of the virus and its fatal impacts throughout the country. The weekly fatality total has risen for three consecutive weeks in the nation.
Here are the latest updated totals from around the world, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University.
Confirmed cases: 17,053,700
Fatalities: 667,688
Recoveries: 9,974,949
The global case total moved past the 17 million mark on Thursday morning, about eight months after the world was made. aware of a cluster of cases in Wuhan, China. Three different countries have seen at least 1.5 million cases as the United States leads the way with over 4.4 million infections.
On Wednesday, the U.S. recorded its fifth day of at least 70,000 new positive cases reported. All five such days have occurred in the past two weeks.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) announced a couple of COVID-19 testing sites in Florida will temporarily close in anticipation of a potential tropical storm. The agency said drive-thru and walk-up coronavirus testing sites will temporarily close at 5 p.m. on Thursday in anticipation of impacts from Potential Tropical Storm Nine. “Out of an abundance of caution to keep individuals operating and attending the sites safe. All sites have free standing structures including tents and other equipment, which cannot withstand tropical storm force winds, and could cause damage to people and property if not secured,” The FDEM said it made the decision. The storm is expected to hit South Florida with heavy rains and strong winds beginning as early as Friday.
The 120th US Open Championship will take place without spectators, the United States Golf Association announced on Wednesday. The championship is scheduled for September 17-20 at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York. “Following months of consultation and scenario planning with local and state health officials, we have jointly decided that hosting the US Open without spectators will provide the best opportunity to conduct the championship safely for all involved,” said Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA, in the press release. “We will miss the excitement of the fans and what their presence brings to the championship. We look forward to welcoming them again to future U.S. Opens.” The championship was originally scheduled to be held June 18-21 on Winged Foot’s West Course but it was postponed to September due to coronavirus. In June, the organization said that the championship would be conducted without traditional qualifying.
Denver Public Schools will be 100% remote instruction from the start of the school year, which was delayed a week to Aug. 24, until the end of the first quarter which is through at least Oct. 16, a statement on the district’s website announced Wednesday. “We’ll be working hard to safely and gradually welcome all students back into schools, when health conditions allow,” District Superintendent Susana Cordova wrote in the statement. The district said that it will be working toward bringing back small groups of students for in-person learning around Sept. 8. “We expect we will return to this option during the year in response to coronavirus,” said DPS Superintendent Susana Cordova during a live news conference. According to the district, most classes will be live and services will continue for English Language Learners as well as those who need social-emotional support.
With NFL training camp set to kick off, unhygienic habits have become top of mind as an issue in need of addressing while teams are trying to keep spaces as clean as possible. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who has traditionally licked his fingers before every snap, mentioned how hard it was going to be for quarterbacks to be hygienic. Brees said the act is going to be hard habit to break, especially since it helps how he plays, according to ESPN. “The whole point is to help give your hands a little tackiness so you get better grip on the ball,” Brees told ESPN. “I’ve actually been thinking about it a lot lately as I’ve started throwing again. Trying to avoid it, but it has been so habitual for so long. You don’t realize how much you touch your face and lick your fingers until COVID hit.” Former NFL tackle Ryan Harris said he didn’t need a pandemic to notice some of the unhygienic habits that happen in sports. “It’s so gross, even when there isn’t COVID,” Harris said. “And just look where he puts his hands the play before, the play after, and the play he’s running when he licks his fingers. Do the math. Honestly, there are a lot of every-day, don’t-give-it-a-second-thought things people are going to have to give a second thought about.”
The United States passed another bleak milestone on Wednesday afternoon as the nation's death toll exceeded 150,000. As AccuWeather reported about six weeks ago, the death toll is the worst of any pandemic in American history apart from the flu pandemic in 1918, which was blamed for an estimated 650,000 American fatalities. As of Wednesday, the global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic stood at more than 662,000, according to Johns Hopkins University, and more than 9.8 million worldwide have recovered.
Global coronavirus death toll and recovery numbers along with a breakdown of countries with the most fatalities and recoveries. (Johns Hopkins University)
The largest state fair in Pennsylvania was canceled on Tuesday. Organizers of the annual Bloomsburg Fair announced their decision in a Facebook post, saying that the health and safety of the community outweighed the desire to host the fair. This year’s fair would have been the 165th edition of the event, which attracts thousands of vendors and thousands of exhibitors and local artists, according to the Times Leader. “So, although many in our community will miss the fair, we look forward to providing a safe, secure and healthy even next year,” the post read. This year marks only the second year ever that the fair had to be shut down, with flooding from Tropical Storm Lee in 2011 causing the other cancelation.
Florida’s Department of Health confirmed 9,446 new cases and 216 fatalities on Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases to 451,423, with 6,333 reported deaths. According to The Miami Herald, the death toll reported on Tuesday marks the highest single-day increase in fatalities in the state. Previously, the highest single-day death toll was on Tuesday, with 186 deaths. This number does not represent every person that has died in the past 24 hours, but rather the number of fatalities reported. According to the Miami Herald, the deaths announced on a given day could be from several days earlier because the state information does not include the exact date of death.
Authorities in Bolivia declared a state of public calamity on Monday night due the economic impacts from COVID-19. The country, which has seen over 72,000 cases according to Johns Hopkins University, will now be able to lend more money from the Central Bank to divert funds toward pandemic relief efforts. “Public calamity has been declared throughout the territory of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to address the unavoidable needs of an economic nature caused by the negative effects of the coronavirus,” announced the decree published in the Official Gazette, according to Web24.news. The move was approved by interim president Jeanine Áñez, who herself is recovering from COVID-19.
After continuously refusing to wear a mask, Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert has tested positive for the coronavirus. The news come as Gohmert said that he would not wearing a mask because he was being tested regularly for the virus. “If I get it, you’ll never see me without a mask,” Gohmert told CNN in June, according to Politico. Prior to testing positive, Gohmert had been walking around the Capitol without a mask on. Chairman Jerry Nadler has expressed his concern over the violations of social distancing and safety guidelines at the Capitol, as he urged Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs and Louisiana Rep, Mike Johnson “to stop violating the safety of the members of the committee. To stop themselves out as not caring by refusing to wear their masks.”
Officials have sent a disaster team to Melbourne’s nursing homes as Australia’s second-largest city continues to deal with a COVID-19 outbreak. The response came as Victoria state, where Melbourne is located, reported 295 new cases and nine deaths, seven of these fatalities being at nursing homes. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said 13 Melbourne nursing homes were in a “critical” situation, after several staff members tested positive for the virus and were asked to self-isolate. Authorities warned that more deaths are “inevitable” among nursing home residents as the virus continues to spread in the city. Although Australia has been one of the most successful countries at containing the pandemic, Melbourne is the exception, as the city has reported thousands of infections since mid-June. As of right now, Australia has recorded about 15,600 COVID-19 cases and 176 deaths.
The coronavirus vaccine was tested on monkeys that had been deliberately infected by the coronavirus. According to a report released by researchers, the monkeys were able to quickly fight off the virus after they received the vaccine. While the vaccine did not prevent infection, it kept the virus from propagating greatly, which can result in reduced transmission according to researchers. “If you get a little infection that is cleared rapidly and doesn’t shed very long, it reduces the likelihood of transmission,” Dr. Barney S, Graham, the deputy director of the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told The New York Times. Although the findings do not guarantee that the vaccine will work on humans, the results are considered a big milestone in the struggle against the coronavirus pandemic. “I think we have a chance of having some protection from this vaccine, but we have to do the Phase 3 trial to find out,” Dr. Graham said. On Monday, the clinics around the country began a Phase 3 trial of the vaccine, in which they will be testing it on 30,000 people.
With a tropical storm threat brewing over the Caribbean and a potential storm track that could take what is expected to become Tropical Storm Isaias into Florida, some COVID-19 testing sites will be closed down. Health officials in Collier County, which encompasses Naples on the state's Gulf Coast, announced Tuesday that two testing clinics would be shut down ahead of any storm that may arrive. A walk-up testing site in Immokalee will close down on Thursday and one in Naples will be shuttered on Friday, officials said on Twitter. Stay tuned to AccuWeather.com for the latest on the developing tropical system, which is poised to become the ninth named storm of the 2020 hurricane season.
On Tuesday, New Jersey expanded its travel advisory to 34 states, as the virus continues to spread across the U.S. The list, which mandates travelers to voluntarily self-quarantine for 14 days if they plan to stay in the state for more than 24 hours, includes any state with a positive test rate of 10% or higher over a 7-day rolling average. People arriving from those states, including New Jersey residents, are encouraged to self-isolate and to seek a coronavirus test. The 15 states that are not included on the quarantine list are:
Colorado
Connecticut
Hawaii
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
New Hampshire
New York
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Vermont
West Virginia
Wyoming
In a massively scaled-down event, about 10,000 Muslims are set to begin the annual Hajj pilgrimage today. In a normal year, about 2 million Muslims from around the world make the visit to Saudi Arabia, but foreigners were banned this year to curb the pandemic. Coronavirus tests and temperature checks were administered to visitors arriving in Mecca, according to BBC, while the pilgrims will have to quarantine before and after the visit and wear face masks at all times. According to statistics from Johns Hopkins University researchers, Saudi Arabia has seen 270,831 cases, the 13th most of any country. Temperatures are expected to actually be slightly below their historical averages, but for the desert nation, that will still mean consistent triple-digits.
The AccuWeather forecast for Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for July 29 - Aug. 1. (AccuWeather)
Hong Kong officials say they are on the verge of a “large-scale” coronavirus outbreak as new daily infections have surpassed 100 cases for the last eight days. On Wednesday, Chief Executive Carrie Lam warned all citizens of the severity of the pandemic, as she implemented tougher social distancing measures. “We are on the verge of a large-scale community outbreak, which may lead to a collapse of our hospital system and cost lives, especially of the elderly,” Lam said in a statement, according to AFP. Starting Wednesday, all Hong Kong residents are required to wear masks when they leave their homes and restaurants will only be available for takeout. Additionally, if more than two people from different households gather in public, they can face fines of up to $625. The financial hub, which was one of the first places to be hit by the virus when it first emerged in China earlier this year, had reported a halt in local transmission by June. After reaching halting transmission by June, spread reignited in recent weeks, as more than 1,000 cases have been reported since early July.
While many have worried about the short-term economic ramifications made by policymakers in Washington D.C., decisions made by American couples in their bedrooms may have even more long-term consequences. As reported by Bloomberg, U.S. couples aren’t having as many babies as they used to. According to results from the Guttmacher Institute, about 34% of surveyed American women wanted to delay pregnancy or have fewer children as a result of the pandemic, as factors such as affordable child care, college costs, income and job security have diminished the benefits of parenthood for many. The current U.S. birthrate is below 1.7 children per woman, close to what demographers call the replacement rate of 1.5. Below 1.5, demographers warn that nations can fall into a fertility trap, in which smaller families become normative and a smaller population reduces economic growth, further suppressing future birthrates.
Here are the latest updated totals from around the world, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University.
Confirmed cases: 16,756,275
Fatalities: 660,748
Recoveries: 9,767,016
At 149,258 fatalities, the United States is set to become the first country to record 150,000 coronavirus-related deaths from the pandemic. Only one other country, Brazil, has recorded more than 50,000. New York remains the leading state for COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. with 32,653 fatalities, a mark that would rank seventh in the world if it were its own country.
The antiviral medication remdesivir, which was used to help treat Ebola, has been approved to help treat Canadians with severe symptomsof coronavirus. An antiviral medication originally used to help treat Ebola has been approved by Health Canada for treatment of COVID-19. Health Canada announced that patients with severe symptoms such as pneumonia, or those who require extra oxygen to breathe are allowed to use the drug. "Remdesivir is the first drug that Health Canada has authorized for the treatment of COVID-19," the health ministry said. The drug has also been granted emergency or conditional authorization in the United States, Europe, Japan, Singapore and Australia. "This is a medication that works to inhibit the virus itself; many of the other therapeutics we've seen used or attempted for use in the treatment of COVID related disease have been around the immune system," infectious disease expert Dr. Lisa Barrett of Dalhousie University in Halifax explained to CTV News Channel. "However, this one is designed to directly inhibit the virus itself, and has been used or tested for use in other viral infections previously." At least two major U.S. studies have shown that remdesivir can reduce the duration of hospital stays for coronavirus patients.
Police in New Jersey broke up a party with more than 700 people who were not wearing masks or social distancing at an Airbnb over the weekend. Officers responded around 8:30 p.m. Sunday to a report of a suspicious incident, ABC News reported. Upon arrival, officers spoke with residents of the neighborhood who claimed that the party appeared to be in violation of Gov. Phil Murphy's executive order regarding the number of attendees. Officers contacted the homeowner who advised officers he had rented out the residence on Airbnb. Police then cleared the crowd and were authorized to press charges against the homeowner and party organizer. "We're not saying you can't gather, but it is literally irresponsible. You're playing with fire if you gather indoors without face coverings, without social distance in close proximity," Murphy said. "There's no good that will come from that, and we've now got examples, to say 'multiple' understates, and up and down the state, where that has led to outbreaks ... So please, I'm asking parents, we're asking kids themselves, it's OK to gather. Behave yourselves." State Police Superintendent Colonel Patrick Callahan commented on on the issue by saying, ”The fact that bars and restaurants are closed then create this quote-unquote underground situation, which is certainly not one that we want.”
Coronavirus restrictions have pushed regions suffering from hunger over the edge all over the world. Villages have been cut off from food, medical aid, and meager farms due to the spread of the virus. It is estimated that 10,000 more children a month have died due to hunger because of the coronavirus, the United Nations shared with The Associated Press. Five-hundred fifty-thousand additional children each month are stuck in 'wasting', a malnutrition that thrives in spindly limbs and distended stomachs. Wasting and stunting have the ability to permanently damage children both physically and mentally. World Health Organization head of nutrition, Dr. Francesco Branca, said, "The food security effects of the COVID crisis are going to reflect many years from now." Places with extreme hunger such as Burkina Faso have had food prices spike to record highs due to the pandemic.
Coronavirus cases and floodwaters both rise in India.The monsoon has caused floods in two of India’s poorest states, which have displaced or affected 8 million people and killed 111 since May, which is straining health resources. The Brahmaputra river in the northeastern state of Assam is flowing above the “danger level” in many places, according to Reuters. Since the start of the monsoon season on June 1, the state has received 15% more rainfall than a 50-year average, according to the country’s weather department. The floods in Assam, where at least nine one-horned rhinos have drowned in an inundated national park, have so far affected 5.7 million people, while coronavirus has reportedly killed 33,408 people in India, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Gov. Roy Cooper announced restaurants in North Carolina must stop selling alcohol after 11 p.m. starting Friday. Bars will remain closed because Cooper wants “to prevent restaurants from turning into bars after hours." The order will not apply to convenience stores, grocery stores or other entities permitted to sell alcohol for off-premises consumption. “Slowing the spread of this virus requires targeted strategies that help lower the risk of transmission,” Cooper said in a statement. “This will be particularly important as colleges and universities are scheduled to start, bringing people all over the country to our state. We have seen case numbers increase among younger people, and prevention is critical to slowing the spread of the virus.” North Carolina has seen 116,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,840 deaths.
A vast majority of Washington Nationals players have voted against going to Miami to play a series against the Marlins. Following news of a coronavirus outbreak among the Miami Marlins, players for the Nationals conducted a team vote that found most players are not in favor of playing the scheduled three-game series in Miami this weekend, according to The Athletic. However, the decision whether to play the game will come down to the MLB. Multiple games have been postponed due to the outbreak, including a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees scheduled for Tuesday. The Phillies played the Miami Marlins earlier this week.
At least 17 residents at a premier university hospital in Florida have tested positive for COVID-19 following a private party attended together.The party took place at a private home in Florida, the residents were from University of Florida Health, according to WJCT. Earlier this month, chairman of anesthesiology at the University of Florida College of Medicine, Timothy E. Morey, sent an email to staff informing them about 18 positive cases of the virus at the hospital system's anesthesiology department. Those infected included 14 junior residents, two senior residents, a fellow and an administrative employee, according to the email. UF Health operates many Health facilities around Florida including the UF Health Jacksonville medical center. The house party details are conflicting with one person describing it as a going away party for a resident while another said it was organized by second-year residents for incoming first year residents.
Police in Miami have set up 'Mask Traps' to catch those not wearing masks properly.Almost two weeks ago, Miami-Dade county announced plans to fine people who were not wearing masks in public. Since then, 162 citations have been issued for violating the county's mandatory mask ordinance. The penalty costs $100 and has been cited to people who have removed their masks or don't have one. However, some residents have felt they are being set up, such as Johanna Gianni of North Miami Beach who took her mask off at a Publix parking lot and was cited by police, even though the parking lot was nearly empty. Other Miami-Dade county residents have reported similar stories, such as Dean Gonzalez who told WPLG that he was fined for his mask not covering his nose and threatened arrest if he didn't sign the ticket. One customer was cited for lowering their mask to take a sip of water, according to The Herald. Miami-Dade County is the most aggressive in enforcing the mandate, followed by San Francisco which has 26 mask related citations.
Airlines in China have launched an 'all you can fly' pass in order to help revive the air travel market. China Southern Airlines became the latest company to introduce the promotion and is now one of at least eight airlines in China offering a similar deal. The deal is often priced around $500 and gives travelers unlimited flights in some cases. The promotion ranges from unrestricted flights to an array of terms and conditions, according to transportation analyst at BOCOM International, Luya You. China Eastern Airline's deal only applies to weekend travel while Hainan Airlines' is limited to flights only to or from the Hainan province. Empty seats are starting to be filled again across the country as daily flights have recovered roughly 80% of pre-coronavirus levels, according to Reuters. Aviation companies around the world are closely watching China's air travel recovery trends in order to see how they may be able to recover to pre-coronavirus levels.
The World Health Organization warned that the COVID-19 pandemic is “one big wave,” and not seasonal. Unlike the influenza, the coronavirus does not appear to follow a seasonal trend. “People are still thinking about seasons. What we all need to get our heads around is this is a new virus and… this one is behaving differently,” WHO Spokesperson Margaret Harris said, according to Reuters. She then added that the virus will be a big wave that constantly fluctuates, as opposed to many different ones. “It’s going to up and down a bit. The best thing is to flatten it and turn it into just something lapping at your feet.”
According to The Financial Times, McDonald's second quarter was its worst quarter in 13 years. The fast-food company suffered a 68% decrease in profits due to the closures and drop in sales during the first months of the coronavirus pandemic. Although sales tumbled in most major markets for the company, the U.S. outperformed other regions due to the drive-through and takeaway service. “Our strong drive-thru and the investments we’ve made in delivery and digital over the past few years have served us well through these uncertain times,” said Chief Executive Chris Kempczinski, according to Barron’s. “We saw continued improvement in our results throughout the second quarter as markets reopened around the world.” As multiple locations of the fast food chain resume indoor dining across the U.S., they will now require all customers to wear face masks starting Aug. 1. According to The Financial Times, the fast food giant's second quarter was its worst quarter in 13 years.
At least 17 residents at a premier university hospital in Florida have tested positive for COVID-19 following a private party attended together. The party took place at a private home in Florida, the residents were from University of Florida Health, according to WJCT. Earlier this month, chairman of anesthesiology at the University of Florida College of Medicine, Timothy E. Morey, sent an email to staff informing them about 18 positive cases of the virus at the hospital system's anesthesiology department. Those infected included 14 junior residents, two senior residents, a fellow and an administrative employee, according to the email. UF Health operates many Health facilities around Florida including the UF Health Jacksonville medical center. The house party details are conflicting with one person describing it as a going away party for a resident while another said it was organized by second-year residents for incoming first year residents.
Less than one week after North Korea publicly announced its first suspected coronavirus case, the Red Cross said its shipment of protective equipment has arrived in the isolated country. In a statement from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the shipment includes infrared thermometers, protective goggles, face shields, masks, gloves and 10,000 testing kits, according to CNN. North Korea’s state-run news network, KCNA, had previously reported on Saturday that a defector returned to the country from South Korea with symptoms of COVID-19.
Two gym owners in New Jersey have been arrested after defying a state coronavirus order. Bellmawr New Jersey's Atilis Gym owners Ian Smith and Frank Trumbetti were arrested Monday morning after refusing to leave the gym, according to CNBC. Both owners were charged with fourth-degree contempt, obstruction and violation of a disaster-control act, according to the office of Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer. Gyms were ordered close in the state on March 21 as the coronavirus spread. Since then, many businesses have been allowed to resume operations, including one-on-one coaching at gyms. But regular gym operations continued to be banned. Atilis Gym also refused a contempt of court order issued Friday. The gym has gained attention all over the country for defying state orders and have gained a following from many and even had interviews on talk shows, including "Fox and Friends". The gym was first reopened on May 18.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are now offering a way to bring your pet safely to the ballpark. Starting today, fans can purchase cardboard cutouts of their furry friend to be displayed at Dodgers Stadium.. The cost to have your pet in a cutout is $149 with all proceeds going towards the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. Fans will have the opportunity to receive their cardboard cutout along with an authentication of game use following the end of the season. The Dodgers are one of many teams to offer cardboard cutouts for purchase amid fans being banned from stadiums across the MLB. The Texas Rangers, New York Mets, and Oakland Athletics are some of many teams also featuring cutouts in their stadiums.
Germany’s rapid spread of the coronavirus is blamed on “negligence,” as the head of a state-funded researcher body says that it is unclear if a second wave is underway. Lothar Wieler, of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases, expressed his worry about the new developments of the virus in the country. According to Reuters, the number of daily new cases almost doubled on Tuesday to 633 and, according to the RKI, this number is linked to increased contact at parties and at the workplace. As of Tuesday, Germany has confirmed 206,000 cases and 9,000 COVID-19-related deaths.
Dr. Anthony Fauci said he doesn't believe baseball games need to be canceled, even after at least 14 members of the Miami Marlins organization tested positive for the coronavirus. Speaking to "Good Morning America" on Tuesday morning, Dr. Fauci said the situation should be analyzed on a day-to-day basis, but added that he still trusts the sanitary efforts put in place by MLB teams, according to ESPN.
"Obviously, we don't want any player to get exposed. It's not a positive thing," MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said on MLB.com. "But I don't see it as a nightmare. ... We think we can keep people safe and continue to play."
The University of Notre Dame will not host the first presidential debate of 2020. The university announced its withdrawal as host on Monday, almost two months prior to the debate that would have taken place on Sept. 29. According to a release, the decision was made after a discussion with St. Joseph County Deputy Health Officer Dr. Mark Fox, who agreed with the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees to withdraw Notre Dame as the host site. “The inevitable reduction in student attendance in the debate hall, volunteer opportunities and ancillary educational events undermined the primary benefit of hosting – to provide our students with a meaningful opportunity to engage in the American political process,” Notre Dame President Fr. John Jenkins wrote in a letter to the Notre Dame Community, according to WSBT 22. The debate between President Donald Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden will now be held at the Health Education Campus at the Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic.
New evidence suggests that mask-wearing may reduce viral dose, The New York Times reported. For a while now, scientists have said that masks can reduce infection, as they prevent people from spreading airway germs to others. However, an array of new evidence suggests that masks also protect the people wearing them, as they lessen the severity of symptoms and, in some cases, can prevent infection entirely. Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease physician at the University of California, San Francisco, said that different kinds of masks “block the virus to a different degree, but they all block the virus from getting in.” A study conducted by Dr. Gandhi and her colleagues -- which draws its evidence from animal experiments and observations of the pandemic -- suggests that people who wear masks tend to take in fewer coronavirus particles, making symptoms milder, or even non-existent. Dr. Gandhi also mentioned that mask-wearing is a simpler, more sustainable option of slowing down the spread of the virus, as compared to imposing lockdowns. She added that it “is as simple as covering up two holes in your face that shed the virus.”
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday that the state's health department will conduct an investigation into a large concert held in the Hamptons over the past weekend. The concert, headlined by The Chainsmokers, took place on Saturday as a planned "drive-in" show that was supposed to be held for charity, The New York Post reported. About 3,000 people reportedly attended the performance. Many of those that were in attendance were out of their vehicles and not adhering to social distancing guidelines. Cuomo said he was "appalled" by the concert footage that had surfaced. "We have no tolerance for the illegal & reckless endangerment of public health," he said.
Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman, who also had a band perform at the show, received criticism from New York Health Commissioner Howard Zucker who wrote a letter to Schneiderman saying, “I am at a loss as to how the Town of Southampton could have issued a permit for such an event, how they believed it was legal and not an obvious public health threat,” the Post reported. Scheneiderman responded in an interview with the Post saying the concert organizers violated the conditions of the permit. The cars were supposed to be parked in designated squares, sort of like how a checkerboard would be set up. “The organizer was supposed to make sure that people stayed in their square – they didn’t have enough security,” he said.
The recent spike in Florida coronavirus cases has continued surging in recent weeks, asone in every 50 Florida residents has now tested positive. Withthe state total now at 432,747 positive cases, the Sunshine State has seen the second-most cases in the United States behind California. Despite having nearly 20 million fewer residents than their West Coast counterparts, Florida has seen 93% as many infections as California since the outbreak began.
This past week, the state saw its most fatal Sunday to Sunday period with 872 new deaths, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Here are the latest updated totals from around the world, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University.
Confirmed cases: 16,495,309
Fatalities: 654,327
Recoveries: 9,590,929
In South America, both Peru and Colombia set a new record for most new daily cases on Monday. Peru recorded 13,000 new cases after having previously never topped 9,000 while Colombia tallied 16,300 new cases, nearly double the previous daily high.
During a game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, Pirates manager Derek Shelton made sure to put on a mask first before he had an argument with plate umpire Jordan Baker. Shelton was unhappy in the third inning following an ejection, leading to the verbal clash with Baker. Later in an interview, Shelton gave Baker a compliment in terms of how they handled their socially-distanced argument: "Jordan did a really good job of it. We were trying to stay distant, which we were both aware of. Then his mask broke midway through [our argument] so I wanted to make sure that my mask stayed up and he was great."
A small Italian island was spared from the COVID-19 outbreak, leaving scientists to question whether genetics played a role or if they were simply lucky. Giglio Island, with a population of 800 closely-knit islander, reported one case in February and three cases in March, four days before the national lockdown was declared. Although doctors suspected that the infections would lead to an outbreak across the island, no other cases were reported after. In April, 723 out of the 800 islanders got tested and they all tested negative for the virus. Massimo Andreoni, head of infectious diseases at Rome’s tor Vergata Hospital, noted that some patients are less capable of spreading the disease, and this might’ve been the case in the island. Daniel Altmann, a professor of immunology at Imperial College in London said that “nobody got infected because through good luck there was little contact.” However, Paola Muti, a cancer researcher, said that she is looking to obtain funding to do a genetic study on the people of Gigliesi, to determine a scientific reason for the lack of infections in the island.
Target announced on Monday that it will be closing stores on Thanksgiving, following a growing trend of retailers, including Walmart, closing doors on the jumpstart of Black Friday. “Historically, deal hunting and holiday shopping can mean crowded events, and this isn’t a year for crowds," the company said in a statement. The first time Target opened stores on Thanksgiving Day was 2011, ABC News reported. In addition to Target and Walmart, Macy's CEO Jeff Gennette announced in early July that the retailer would shift focus on Black Friday sales to become predominantly online this year.
The CEOs of Hilton, Marriott International, and Hyatt Hotels are urging President Trump and Congress to make COVID-19 testing faster and more effective. The travel industry has taken a big financial hit during the pandemic, and 14 CEOs from U.S. travel companies think more efficient testing is crucial to a sustained economic recovery, according to a letter addressed to Trump and Congressional leaders. The group stated in the letter that test results should be available within 24-48 hours, and is asking that provisions to improve testing methods be incorporated in the next legislative package. Several travel brands, including Hyatt and Hilton, have announced major company-wide layoffs. Hotel stays have fallen nearly 40% from this time last year.
Dolce & Gabbana and Etro held the first physical fashion show in months, with various safety measure put into place. The fashion show, a celebration of Milan's menswear fashion week, was conducted with social distancing and face masks de rigueur, according to Reuters. The front row to the show was also distanced more than usual in order to promote safety from the coronavirus. Air-kissing was also banned from the event. This was the first time since a Louis Vuitton fashion show in March that a major company held an event with a live audience and photographers.
On Saturday Dr. Joseph Costa, the chief of the critical care division at Mercy Medical Center died from coronavirus, The Baltimore Sun reports. Costa “dedicated his life and career to caring for the sickest patients,” Mercy officials wrote in a statement. “When the global pandemic came down upon us, Joe selflessly continued his work on the front lines—deeply committed to serving our patients and our City during this time of great need,” officials said in the statement. “His memory will live on as an example to us all.” David Hart, Costa’s husband of 28 years said he placed his cheek next to Costa’s and held his husband in his arms until he died around 4:45 a.m. “I keep thinking, now there is one less ICU doctor to care for pandemic patients in Baltimore,” Hart said. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 576 healthcare workers have died from complications caused by coronavirus.More than 3,000 people in Maryland have died due to the disease or related complications since officials began tracking the virus in March. On Monday, the state reported 536 people are hospitalized due to complications from the virus.
Doctors now understand why some COVID-19 patients experience anosmia, or loss of smell, and the discovery suggests the symptom is only temporary. According to USA Today, cells in the nose remain unharmed during the loss of smell. In the paper, which was published in the journal in Science Advances, researchers say the virus attacks the cells that support smell-detecting neurons, rather than the actual neurons. “The novel coronavirus changes the sense of smell in patients not by directly infecting neurons but by affecting the function of supporting cells,” Sandeep Robert Datta, a professor of neurobiology at Harvard Medical School and a co-author on the paper, said.
The face mask debate is still creating tensions in the U.S. as the virus continues to spread throughout the country. On Thursday, an elderly woman sprayed a man and his wife with mace because they were not wearing masks while eating lunch outdoors, according to DISRN. A passerby who caught the event on video, can be heard saying the macing was “not OK” and asks, “What is wrong with you?” In a Facebook post, the woman shared that she and her husband “want justice” and plan to press charges.
Coronavirus is disrupting professional athletes, whose livelihoods depend on them performing at peak physical condition. The Boston Red Sox shut down pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez's throwing program this week, with hopes that his heart inflammation goes away following a bout with coronavirus. On Sunday, Rodriguez confirmed that his "complication" is myocarditis, or "an inflammation of the heart muscle," as defined by the Mayo Clinic. Rodriguez told reporters he doesn't intend to opt out of playing at some point this season, but he was "still scared" about the condition after learning more about it. "I want to be pitching yesterday, the day before, or today," he said, according to WEEI. "I want to be out there every time I can, so I'm never thinking of getting out of the season. I feel bad every time I see a game happening and I'm not even in the dugout." The pitcher will undergoing another MRI so doctors can determine if the inflammation has subsided. Otherwise, Rodriguez may not get his wish of pitching in a game anytime soon. According to the Mayo Clinic, myocarditis can affect the "heart's ability to pump and causing rapid or abnormal heart rhythms," and is usually caused by a viral infection. CBS Sports reports that although COVID-19 is considered a respiratory disease, it has been linked to myocarditis.
Travel bans that countries have implemented have left many families, even those with terminal illnesses, separated despite exemptions. Canadian Danielle Larocque was diagnosed with terminal uterine cancer and her fiancé, Charles Emch, lives in Florida. Larocque's one wish has been to reunite with her American fiancé before she dies. She told the CBC that doctors have given her a year to live at most. But border restrictions have prevented the couple from reuniting, according to CBC. The revised rules added by the Canadian government in June allowed for only spouses and common-law partners to be able to reunite, leaving unmarried couples like Larocque, 67, and Emch, 81, out of the exemptions. Advocates have been pressing the Canadian government to add exemptions for unmarried committed couples to cross the border. Some countries have already added exemptions for unmarried couples, including Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, and The Netherlands. The ban keeping Larocque and Emch apart is one example of the difficult times the coronavirus has foisted on people around the world. And the topic of travel bans came up Monday in Geneva, Switzerland. Bans on international travel cannot be indefinite, the World Health Organization said on Monday. WHO emergencies programme head Mike Ryan said it is impossible for countries to keep borders closed for the foreseeable future and added that countries are going to have to do more to reduce the spread of the coronavirus within their own borders.
New infections continue to rise in France as people disregard social distancing guidelines. Last week, 120 hotspots were identified across the country as the daily number of infections rose by more than a thousand -- a 26% increase from the previous week. According to France 24, the majority of patients being admitted to the hospital are young, many of whom who chose not to follow the recommended social distancing guidelines. “Respecting the one-meter distance isn’t very sociable, so we’ve decided not to do it,” a young French woman who was sitting in the park with her friends, told France 24. Authorities have expressed concern over the increase in cases, saying that people should still be careful when traveling. “Many people have gone on holiday and could be carrying the virus,” said Éric Caumes, head of infectious diseases at Pitié-Salpétriére Hospital. “We must remain very vigilant, notably with the celebration of Eid at the end of the week.”
Vietnam goes on coronavirus alert after medical officials in the city of Da Nang detected the country’s first locally transmitted infection in 100 days. The total number of reported infections is now at 417, after the Health Ministry reported on Friday that a 57-year-old man from Da Nang, a tourist hot spot, had tested positive for the virus. According to authorities, 50 people who had come in close contact with him have been isolated. Vietnam has enforced strict quarantine measures since the start of the pandemic, and currently more than 11,800 people are being quarantined throughout the country, according to Reuters. The Associated Press reported that some 80,000 people -- most of whom are tourists -- are being evacuated from Da Nang. Watch the video below for more.
Google informed employees they should continue working from home for at least another year. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, the pandemic has led to the company to extend its work from home order through at least July 2021. The company is the first major company to push back returning to office plans this late. Nearly all of the roughly 200,000 employees will be affected by the extension. Previously, Google told employees to expect to return to the offices as early as January.
The U.K. has added a 14-day quarantine for anyone arriving from Spain. Those who come from, or return from Spain will have to self-isolate for two weeks once in the U.K. This comes after a dramatic increase of nearly 1,000 new cases were reported in Spain in the last two days. Spain was originally on the country's list of places it is safe to travel from, but was removed due to the increase, according to The Guardian. The Foreign Office also recommended against all but essential travel to Spain. The quarantine requirement was put into place 11 p.m. Saturday and anyone who returned to the U.K. before then does not have to quarantine.
U.S. health experts sent a dire warning urging a second shutdown or else "the consequences will be measured in widespread suffering and death." The CDC warned that the U.S. could see 175,000 deaths relating to the coronavirus by August 15. In response, more than 150 doctors endorsed an open letter to lawmakers that urges them to hit the restart button and shut down the country again, according to WLS. The letter put blame for the COVID-19 resurgence on the push to reopen the economy despite the worsening spread of the virus across the country, and also called for all nonessential businesses to close again. The letter was published on the United States Public Interest Research Group's website. Health experts also fear unenforced social distancing policies and the rally against wearing masks will have devastating effects.
The Miami Marlins home opener scheduled for tonight has been postponed amid an outbreak of coronavirus on the team, according to ESPN. The team, which was scheduled to play the Baltimore Orioles tonight in Miami, is still in Philadelphia where it just finished a three-game series. Eight more players and two coaches have tested positive, bringing the team-wide total to at least 14 members. This is the first game postponement since the truncated MLB season began last week. Shortly after news of the cancellation of the game in Florida emerged, reports surfaced that the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees scheduled for Monday night was also postponed. In light of the news, the Philadelphia Phillies are quarantining staff members who worked inside the visiting team's clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Gelb noted that the Yankees brought their own clubhouse staff to Philadelphia on Sunday night in anticipation of the game being played.
Miami Marlins president of baseball operations, Michael Hill, left, talks with manager Don Mattingly during a baseball workout at Marlins Park, Sunday, July 5, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
The much-anticipated Phase Three clinical trial for Moderna's developmental coronavirus vaccine begins Monday, with some 30,000 Americans volunteering to be test subjects. The U.S. government has announced plans to invest nearly $1 billion to push the vaccine across the finish line. Noubar Afeyan, the biotech company's CEO, appeared on Good Morning America on Monday to discuss what hurdles the vaccine must still overcome. So far, trials have shown the vaccine produced antibodies in all of its test subjects, though the number of people tested has been small. Afeyan said that if all goes well with the third phase of testing, the FDA could end up giving the drug approval sometime late this year or in early 2021. He added that testing data has shown that the vaccine "certainly can protect against getting the virus altogether," but that testing in the third phase will provide a clearer picture of how the vaccine is working in the human body. Watch the full interview below.
White House National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to multiple reports citing unnamed administration officials. He is the most high-profile person in President Donald Trump's inner circle to test positive. According to Bloomberg, O'Brien has been out of the office since last week, but still working. Due to his proximity to the president -- his office is down the hall from the Oval Office, O'Brien is tested daily for COVID-19. Bloomberg reported O'Brien's positive test came in the wake of a family event, but that it's unclear exactly where he was exposed to the virus.
White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien arrives before an event with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and President Donald Trump at the White House, Wednesday, July 8, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
United Kingdom Health Minister Helen Whately said people should eat less to avoid health risks associated with COVID-19. Whately said obesity increases the risk of dying from the coronavirus. Specifically, people with a body mass index of over 40 had double the risk of dying from COVID-19, Reuters reported. The U.K. has the third-most coronavirus deaths in the world with more than 45,837 and has seen over 300,000 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Heavy rain from Hurricane Hanna inundated communities across southern Texas that were already dealing with a surge in coronavirus cases. The Associated Press reported that water was flowing through the vent and into the floor in one hospital room in Hildalgo County, Texas. The vent had been retrofitted "with a fan to create negative pressure and prevent the virus spreading through the hospital," according to The AP's report. Dr. Ivan Melandez had been treating a patient in the room when the water started to trickle in. After returning home, which eventually lost power, Menandez become trapped inside due to downed trees on Sunday. He told The AP he had to make a decision over the phone about whether to put a 58-year-old woman on a ventilator, rather than see her in person. “You look at the people’s eyes,” he said. “You’ll know if they’re in despair.”Hanna's impacts caused officials to delay new numbers on COVID-19 deaths and cases in Hidalgo County until Monday, according to The Monitor. Floodwaters were too intense for officials to travel to their offices over the weekend, Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez told The Monitor. “I’ve been out here and it’s not pretty,” Cortez said. More than 450 fatalities and more than 15,000 cases have been reported in the county due to the coronavirus.
A second wave of infections has forced countries throughout Asia to reinforce previously lifted lockdown restrictions and containment efforts. Mainland China, home to the original COVID-19 epicenter, saw 57 new locally transmitted cases on Sunday, the most since early March, according to Reuters. On Monday, Hong Kong is expected to mandate outdoor mask wearing and a ban on restaurant dining. In Japan, a spike in cases in Tokyo has urged business leaders to return to the telecommuting rates from earlier in the year. Vietnam also saw its first community infections in over three months, as three reported cases in Danang led to 80,000 people being evacuated from the city. South Korea reported 113 new cases on Saturday, its highest daily total since March, while Indonesia recently surpassed China with the highest total cases and deaths in the East Asian region.
Here are the latest updated totals from around the world, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University.
Confirmed cases: 16,264,048
Fatalities: 648,966
Recoveries: 9,407,977
India, which has seen the third-most cases in the world behind the United States and Brazil, has seen its daily new cases total rise steadily in recent weeks. On Sunday, the country saw its first day with 50,000 or more new cases, becoming the third country to reach that threshold. Also on Sunday, the U.S. recorded 55,000 new cases, its fewest new daily cases in nearly three weeks.
Moderna Inc. received an additional $472 million on Sunday from the U.S. government's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to further the development of a vaccine for COVID-19. In April, Moderna received $483 million toward the vaccine development during early stages of trial. "Encouraged by the Phase 1 data, we believe that our mRNA vaccine may aid in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and preventing future outbreaks," Chief Executive Officer Stéphane Bancel said, according to Reuters.
A 9-year-old girl with no known underlying health issues died from coronavirus complications, making her the youngest person in Florida to die from the virus yet. Kimora Lynum, the 9-year-old girl who died, was taken to the hospital with a high fever by her mother. After being discharged, she collapsed in her home. "She was always happy and made everybody happy. She was phenomenal," family spokesperson and cousin of Lynum Dejeon Cain said. The family does not know how Lynum was infected as she appeared healthy and spent the summer at home without attending any camps or school programs, CNN reported. She is the fifth minor to die from coronavirus complications in Florida.
Kaesong, North Korea, was placed on lockdown by leader Kim Jong Un after the city reported the first suspected case of coronavirus for the country, NPR reported. Anyone that has been to Kaesong in the last five days, as well as any person who has come in contact with the infected individual, is now under quarantine. Kim declared a state of emergency, calling the suspected case a "critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country." The individual who is suspected to have been infected with the virus allegedly traveled from South Korea, as Kaesong is very close to the border between the countries. If the case is confirmed to be COVID-19, it will be the first reported case in the country, however the claim that no cases have popped un in North Korea previously is doubted by many experts.
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is still to urging residents from Massachusetts and Connecticut to refrain from visiting the state’s beaches amid the COVID-19 outbreak. “When you run beaches and you’re trying to ensure room for physical distancing, high tide is the enemy. The higher the water comes up, the less room there is on the sand and the more people must bunch up. Coupled with the very minimal mask wearing we had been seeing when our beaches were at 75% capacity, that’s a bad combination,” DEM spokesman Michael Healey said in an email to CNN. “By keeping crowds down and allowing for physical distancing on the sand, we are trying to protect public health and safety – in Rhode Island and other states," DEM Director Janet Coit said in the release.
U.S. Health and Human Service Secretary Alex Azar said each community should make their own determination on reopening schools. “We don’t believe that there are uniform thresholds for school reopenings,” Azar said on Sunday, when asked why there wasn’t a benchmark that indicates when schools should shut down. Azar explained communities with 5% positive testing as yellow communities and 10% positive testing as red communities, according to CNN. “That’s an epidemiological early warning sign of potential spread of disease,” Azar continued. “Each community is going to have to make the determination about the circumstances for reopening, and what steps they take for reopening,” Azar said. “But the presumption should be that we get out kids back to school and figure out how to make that happen.”
As people across the world step up to create masks during the coronavirus pandemic, Brussels-based stylist Aude De Wolf has created a new style of masks. Her “scarf mask” uses linen, cashmere and other high-quality materials to combine masks with shawls. The price for the fashion statement? Seventy-five to 160 euros, or $87 to $185. “I was inspired by my mother because she doesn’t like her neck,” De Wolf told Reuters. “You can slip the mask off when you’re in the car and slip it back on in the shops … You could say it’s a luxury product.” Clothing and accessory maker Olivia Hainaut also turned her designer skills to creating masks with sequins jewels and other details. Her masks sell for around 75 euros. “These are not masks for everyday wear, perhaps for a party or a wedding…the idea is to bring some joy to something that is very said,” Hainaut told Reuters.
Here are the latest global COVID-19 numbers, provided by researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
Confirmed cases: 16,055,909
Fatalities: 644,661
Recoveries: 9,267,601
On Friday, the U.S. reported 1,019 new coronavirus-related deaths, making it the fourth consecutive day over 1,000 deaths have been reported across the country. According to Reuters, the surge in deaths mainly comes from infection outbreaks in Arizona, California, Florida, Texas and California. Deborah Birx, Coronavirus Response Coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force, however, said the worst in now in the past. "We're already starting to see some plateauing in these critically four states that have really suffered under the last four weeks, so Texas, California, Arizona and Florida, those major metros and throughout their counties,"
Florida has now reported more cases of COVID-19 than the state of New York, making it the state with the second-highest coronavirus case count, following California with more than 440,000 cases. On Friday alone, Florida reported at least 12,444 new cases, with over 414,000 total confirmed cases for the state. According to CNBC, the case count in Florida, while it did spike for a few weeks, is now on a downward trend, with the daily new case average down 9% on Friday. “We’re definitely trending in a better direction,” Florida Gov Ron DeSantis said. “We’re trending much better today than we were two weeks ago.” Despite the lowering number of cases, death and hospitalizations due to the virus have been rising steadily.
Luis Negron, a Miami Beach code compliance officer, walks along Ocean Drive amid the coronavirus pandemic, Friday, July 24, 2020, in Miami Beach, Fla. Masks are mandated both indoors and outdoors in Miami Beach. People found not wearing a mask are subject to a civil fine of $50. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Amid the global coronavirus vaccine race, 30 employees of the state-owned Chinese company SinoPharm received experimental shots before the government could approve testing in people. The group included company leaders who were helping to “pre-test” the vaccine. “Getting a COIVD-19 vaccine is the new Holy Grail,” Lawrence Gostin, a global public health law expert at Georgetown University told The Associated Press. “The political competition to be the first its no less consequential than the race for the moon between the United States and Russia.” Sino-Pharm has invested in a coronavirus vaccine similar to the polio vaccine — made by growing the virus in a lab and then killing it. Many Western competitors are using less proven and newer technology to target the “spike” protein that coats the virus, according to the AP.
Phew! Mosquitoes are unable to transmit coronavirus, study finds. Researchers from Kansas State University determined that SARS-CoV-2 is unable to duplicate in three common species of mosquito. When the virus is unable to duplicate and sustain itself in the insect, it make is unable to be spread to humans, according to Study Finds. This was the first research project done regarding the coronavirus and mosquitos. Scientists have been researching ways in which the coronavirus may spread from animal to human. Many have warned that it's only a matter of time before a new virus or disease will go from animals to humans.
Fans of the highly-anticipated summer blockbuster Tenet, the latest sci-fi thriller from director Christopher Nolan, must wait a bit longer. The film was pushed back for a third-time recently since uncertainty persists about when movie theaters worldwide can reopen, Variety reported. The movie was initially scheduled for July 17, then delayed to July 31 and most recently Aug.12. We will share a new 2020 release date imminently for ‘Tenet,’ Christopher Nolan’s wholly original and mind-blowing feature,” said Warner Bros. chairman Toby Emmerich in a statement, according to Variety. The studio could end up releasing the film overseas before it distributes it in the U.S., but that could pose problems with regard to piracy and spoilers, which could impact demand to see the film, Variety explained.
Eight robots, also called collaborative robots or ‘cobots,’ have kept business running smoothly for All Axis Machining’s metal fabrication facility in Dallas even amid a resurgence in coronavirus cases. With the robots humming away, no progress was lost when all of the workers from one shift went into self-quarantine. “I have not lost any spindle time because of the pandemic,” Gary Kuzmin, the owner of the company, told Reuters. The robots perform multiple jobs, tending to machines, sanding, demurring, part inspection and laser marking. The company has used robots since 2018, though the pandemic still changed things for them. “The cost of operating without a robot today in a factory is higher than it was pre-COVID,” Kuzmin said.
Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers, provided by researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
Confirmed cases: 15,759,651
Fatalities: 640,253
Recoveries: 9,062,409
A stark contrast can be seen between Ontario and New York at Niagara Falls as the border remains closed. The United States continues to have growing numbers of COVID-19 cases, while Canada has mostly contained the spread of the virus. The ferries at Niagara Falls on the Canada side are limited to just six passengers, down from the usual 700, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, on the U.S. side, the ferries are operating at 50% capacity. The vastly different capacity limits have resulted in stunning images that capture the different methods being used to combat the coronavirus. The boats do feature social distancing markers and face coverings are mandatory to board. The United States had nearly 58,000 new cases on Tuesday while Canada had only 786.
One of the oldest people known to have tested positive for COVID-19 has recovered from the virus. Aziz Abdul Alim, a 103-year-old man who resides in the district of Chitral in Pakistan, has been released from the hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus in early July, Reuters reported. Alim overcame the odds while being treated at a makeshift facility, the only one in his area that has the ability to help those with COVID-19. “We were worried for him given his age, but he wasn’t worried at all,” Alim’s son Sohail Ahmed told Reuters. Pakistan has reported over 270,000 cases and 5,763 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Alim joins a growing list of a handful of people around the globe that are over 100 years old and have recovered from the coronavirus. In April, a 102-year-old ‘super human’ won the battle against COVID-19. Angeline Scales of Italy survived not only the coronavirus, but also the Spanish flu and cancer. “She is not human. She has super human DNA,” Sciales' daughter told Fox 8. The oldest-known person to have recovered from COVID-19 was a 113-year-old woman in Spain, who is also the oldest living person in the county.
Florida nursing homes are at risk as the state experiences a surge in COVID-19 cases. In the past three weeks, cases have gone from about 2,000 to 4,800 at Florida nursing homes and COVID-19-related deaths in nursing homes now account for about 45% of all virus deaths in the state. “Where you see COVID hot spots, our anxiety level un our centers automatically goes up. Our vigilance goes through the roof,” Luke Neumann, vice president at Palm Garden, told The Associated Press. Florida recorded 173 new COVID-19-related deaths on Thursday, pushing the toll to more than 5,500 deaths. Deaths at nursing homes have also increased, with an average of about 40 per day in the last week.
The entire Michigan State University football team is in quarantine after a player and two staff members tested positive for COVID-19. “All members of the football team will quarantine or isolate, while awaiting completion of a 14-day quarantine,” the University said in a statement on Friday. “As part of the athletic department's return to campus policy, student-athletes quarantine when coming into close contact with an individual who tests positive for COVID-19.” The school did not disclose the names of the individuals who tested positive, but the results have put a halt on preseason meetings and workouts, NBC News said. The coronavirus has already reshaped the 2020 season with teams in the Big Ten only playing other conference teams; however, there are still some doubts that the season could ultimately be canceled.
Researchers in Germany may have discovered a new way to identify people who have the coronavirus with a little help from man’s best friend. A study conducted by the University Veterinary Medicine Hannover was published in BMC Infectious Diseases on Thursday with surprising results. “Eight detection dogs were trained for 1 week to detect saliva or tracheobronchial secretions of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients in a randomised, double-blinded and controlled study,” the study stated. Of the 1012 samples that were presented to the dogs, they were able to correctly identify the healthy and infected samples with a 94% success rate.
More work is needed for this method to be used on a larger scale, but it has the potential to help increase the ability to test for the coronavirus. Dogs that can correctly identify SARS-CoV-2 could “provide an effective and reliable infection detection technology in various settings like public facilities and function as an alternative or addition to regular RT-PCR screening,” the study said. They can also be used in countries that do not have the ability to conduct lab tests.
There were some things the U.K. “could have done differently” in terms of coronavirus response, according to Prime Minister Borris Johnson. The U.K. reported more than 300,000 cases and 45,000 deaths. While Johnson previously said he made the "right decisions at the right time," he has recently come forward to say the country did not “understand” the virus in the early months of the pandemic. "We didn't understand [the virus] in the way that we would have liked in the first few weeks and months,” Johnson told The BBC. "And I think, probably, the single thing that we didn't see at the beginning was the extent to which it was being transmitted asymptomatically from person to person.”
Former Food and Drug Administration chief Dr. Scott Gottlieb warns 300,000 people in the U.S. could die by the end of the year due to the coronavirus. In an interview with CNBC, Gottlieb said the U.S. may see over double the amount of current deaths by 2021 if the current trend continues. Currently, more than 142,000 people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19, the most of any country in the world. With rising cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks, deaths from the virus started to rise again. Tuesday marked the first time the death toll rose above 1,000 since May 29. While the current death rate is 3.6 percent, The Wall Street Journal reported the actual death rate may be lower due to the amount of cases being greatly underreported by six to 24 times.
At least 20 teenagers in New Jersey tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a house party earlier this month. The cases are now being looked into by the Middletown Township Department of Health and Human Services for contact tracing as the teens, between the ages of 15 and 19, might have been infected at a party that took place around July 11. Officials are also asking everyone who came into contact with the teenagers to self-quarantine for 14 days. “It is imperative that everyone cooperate in this potentially serious matter as we continue to fight this virus,” the department said in a statement, according to The Hill. As coronavirus cases continue to spike across the country, Dr. Anthony Fauci said that “young people are driving this new surge” in cases by “not caring” if they get infected. “They’re not going to get very sick. They know that. So what I think is happening is that, understandably, innocently, but not correctly, the younger individuals are saying, ‘Well, if I get infected, so the chances of it is that I won’t even have any symptoms, so who cares?’ That’s a big mistake,” Fauci said.
On this week's edition of Everything Under the Sun, AccuWeather Meteorologist Dean DeVore is joined by AccuWeather Founder and CEO Dr. Joel Myers to share his take on some of the recent developments concerning the coronavirus, including if air conditioning is helping it spread.
For those that have picked up gardening as a habit during quarantine, AccuWeather Radio Broadcaster Bryon May shares tips on how to protect your plants and vegetables from the summer heat. Give it a listen below.
Florida nursing homes are at risk as the state experiences a surge in COVID-19 cases. In the past three weeks, cases have gone from about 2,000 to 4,800 at Florida nursing homes and COVID-19-related deaths in nursing homes now account for about 45% of all virus deaths in the state. “Where you see COVID hot spots, our anxiety level in our centers automatically goes up. Our vigilance goes through the roof,” Luke Neumann, vice president at Palm Garden Healthcare, told The Associated Press. Florida recorded 173 new COVID-19-related deaths on Thursday, pushing the toll to more than 5,500 deaths. Deaths at nursing homes have also increased, with an average of about 40 per day in the last week.
Three European countries are considering new lockdown measures amid a resurgence in cases. France has advised against travel to the region of Catalonia to prevent the spread of the virus. Meanwhile, Norway has announced it will be reimposing a 10-day quarantine for anyone arriving from Spain. Thursday had 971 new COVID-19 cases in Spain which is the highest daily toll since emergency measures were lifted in June, according to The Guardian. Community transmission is still present in northeastern areas of the country. Deputy head of Spain's centre for health emergencies said that the incidence of the virus has tripled in the last two weeks, jumping from 8.76 cases per 100,000 people to 27.39 per 100,000. As bars and restaurants are reopening, there is fear that the new surge in cases could be coming from those reopening.
Dozens of passengers from various countries queue at the Centogene test center for a Covid-19 test at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, July 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
"Right now the virus is controlling us in many parts of the world," Dr. Maria VanKerkhove, one of World's Health Organization's leading experts on COVID-19, told Good Morning America Friday. VanKerkhove noted that the Americas are "in the thick of it" and intense transmission of the virus is underway. However, she noted that there are signs of hope. "This virus is controllable with the steps that are outlined with this whole comprehensive approach that we've been talking about since the beginning of this pandemic," she said. "Even countries that are really overwhelmed right now can turn this around," she said. "They can and they will turn this around." Watch the interview below.
"I certainly don't think we're near the end of this.' Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and member of the White House coronavirus task force, told MarketWatch that the current pandemic is a "cut above" previous health emergencies because of how intense it is.
Fauci noted during the interview that he wouldn't get on a flight at this time in part due to his age, and being in the high risk category for contracting the virus. "I don’t fancy seeing myself getting infected, which is a risk when you’re getting on a plane, particularly with the amount of infection that’s going on right now," Fauci said. He also noted that he is avoiding eating at restaurants, and urged people to use outdoor dining as much as possible where there is proper spacing between the tables. When it comes to how long the pandemic could last, he noted that there is still a ways for the U.S. to go. “I certainly don’t think we’re near the end of this if you look at what’s going on in the United States, that’s for sure," Fauci said.
Arizona will not be going forward with its plan to resume in-person instruction on Aug.17, as COVID-19 test positivity rates remain high in the state. After teachers expressed concern over the early start date, Gov. Doug Ducey said that school districts can now decide when to resume in-person learning. However, no specific dates have been set yet, as state schools superintendent Kathy Hoffman said that it is still too early to set a date. “We don’t know what that date is, it’s not reasonable to set a day,” Hoffman said, according to Reuters.
The U.S. reported more then 1,100 COVID-19-related deaths for the third day in a row on Thursday, as the virus continues to spread across the country. This is the first time since late May that the U.S. has reported a death toll of more than 1,100 on back-to-back days, according to Reuters. In July, 17 states have broken one-day records for increases in COVID-19 deaths. Among the states with the highest death tolls on Thursday were Texas, with 174 reported deaths, Florida with 173, California with 152 and Arizona with 89.
Pedestrians wear masks as they walk in front of a sign reminding the public to take steps to stop the spread of coronavirus, Thursday, July 23, 2020, in Glendale, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers, provided by researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
Confirmed cases: 15,526,057
Fatalities: 633,656
Recoveries: 8,873,385
AMC Theatres said Thursday it would postpone the reopening of domestic cinemas from the end of July to “mid to late” August due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “The new timing reflects currently expected release dates for much anticipated blockbusters like Warmer Bros.’ Tenet and Disney’s Mulan, as well as release dates for several other new movies coming to AMC’s big screens,” the company said in a statement. The company had originally planned to reopen the majority of its locations on July 15 and to be completely reopened by July 24, which was then pushed back to the end of July and early August. About one third of the company’s theaters are already reopened in Europe and the Middle East.
Infectious disease experts are warning against the reopening of schools in states like Texas and Florida where coronavirus cases are continuing to surge. “The simple answer is no,” Dr. Tina Tan, a professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University said. “When you have such surges of disease in the community, you’re basically asking for trouble if you open schools because you’re bringing in individuals from all across the community that potentially may be exposed to it.” Tan said the rate of infection will be a determining factor in whether or not it is safe to reopen schools, CNBC reported. Schools should have a plan in place of how to handle students testing positive, and should have a plan to close again in the event of an outbreak, professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine Wendy Armstrong said. “Schools are a microcosm of their communities. They don’t operate in a vacuum,” Armstrong said. “And so in order for schools to open safely, communities’ spread must be controlled and must not be explosive.”
President Donald Trump announced Thursday afternoon at a press briefing that there will not be Republican National Convention activities in Jacksonville, Florida, amid the coronavirus. “I told my team it’s time to cancel the Jacksonville, Florida, component of the GOP convention,” Trump said. The delegates will still be going to Charlotte, North Carolina, however, and there would be telerallies. “We won’t do a big crowded convention per se, it’s just not the right time for that,” Trump said.
Watch the announcement here:
Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto tested positive for the coronavirus before Thursday’s MBL opening season game against the New York Yankees and will be sitting out, general manager Mike Rizzo told ESPN. Soto was asymptomatic, Rizzo added, and no one else on the roster had been deemed ineligible following contact tracing. “We’re going to have to learn how to adjust to these things,” Rizzo said on a conference call. “The team that does the best job of keeping their star players on the field and healthy has a better chance of winning.”
On July 23, 2021, athletes from around the world are set to gather in Tokyo for the Summer Olympics, which have been postponed due to the coronavirus. Originally, the Olympics were set to start on July 24, 2020, but they were ultimately delayed due to the risk of thousands of athletes and fans from around the globe converging into one centralized location. However, there is still some concern about whether the Olympics will be able to take place in 2021. “I’m afraid about the situation even next year,” a Tokyo department store employee told AFP.
Others seem more optimistic about the odds of the Summer Games taking place next year as scheduled. "Think of the coming year not simply as a one-year postponement, but a plus-one," Japanese swimmer Rikako Ikee said, according to AFP. "For athletes around the world and for all those they inspire, I have faith that one year from now the flame of hope will light these very grounds.”
The U.S. surpassed 4 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday afternoon, according to Johns Hopkins University. Of the 4 million confirmed cases, over 1.2 have reportedly since recovered, and more than 143,000 died from the virus. According to CNN, one quarter of the total U.S. cases were reported in the past 15 days. On Wednesday, the national seven-day average for new cases was 67,429. "Masks will help, but I think we need a lot more than masks to contain this epidemic that's running through our country like a freight train," William Haseltine, chair and president of ACCESS Health International, said. "Until we see major changes of behavior and until we see the public health services here stepping forward with many more resources, we aren't sure of containing this."
A new scientific study could provide proof of the possibility of airborne coronavirus transmission. The study, led by scientists at the University of Nebraska, has shown for the first time that SARS-CoV-2 taken from microdroplets can replicate in lab conditions. The scientists carried out the study by collecting air samples from five rooms of COVID-19 patients. The patients were talking, so they were able to collect microdroplets, and found that three out of the 18 samples of microdroplets they collected had the ability to replicate. “It is replicated in cell culture and therefore infectious,” Joshua Santarpia, an associate professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center told AFP. This new discovery could solidify the hypothesis that the virus could linger and travel in the air, causing infections even if social distancing measures are being enforced. However, the results are still considered preliminary and are yet to be reviewed by a scientific journal.
Tokyo sets virus case record after 366 new daily coronavirus cases were announced on Thursday, the first time the city has exceeded 300 daily cases. This report comes as Japan begins a four-day weekend, with the government pushing a tourism promotion campaign, despite concerns for a second wave of infections in the country. Although the number of cases had decreased in May, it has been increasing again since late June, and authorities have voiced their concern. “Please be mindful of your actions and do your utmost not to get infected, and not to infect others,” Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said on Thursday, according to The Associated Press. Additionally, Koike asked Tokyo residents to stay home as much as possible during the long weekend.
People wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus take an escalator at Yokohama station near Tokyo, Wednesday, July 22, 2020.(AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
The abbreviated Major League Baseball season begins Thursday night in the nation's capital, and while fans aren't going to be in the stands this year, one TV network is doing its part to replicate their appearance. Fox announced Thursday that it will include virtual fans in its broadcasts starting on Saturday, The Associated Press reported. Those games will include the Milwaukee Brewers at the Chicago Cubs, the San Francisco Giants at the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees at the Washington Nationals. “We believe that what we’re doing is creating a natural viewing experience,” Fox Sports vice president Brad Zager said to The AP. “Sports is supposed to be an escape and when people have that escape we want it to feel as normal as possible when there’s very little normalcy, like a crowd at a baseball game on a Saturday. “We’re not looking to fool everyone. We know it is a virtual crowd. But we also know how jarring watching a game in an empty stadium is on TV.” Watch the video in the tweet below to see how the virtual fans will look.
Jobless claims in the U.S. increase for the first time since March as new COVID-19 cases surge in the country. As of July 18, another 1.42 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits as the virus continues to spread in the country at a rapid rate. The number of unemployment applications is up from 1.3 million the previous week. Before the pandemic, the number had never exceeded 700,000. After two sharp hiring gains had raised hope for a potential recovery of the economy, the recent decline in the labor market re-instills fears among officials. “The labor market remains in a precarious place as COVID-19 cases surge in some parts of the country and fresh lockdown measures are adopted in response,” Nancy Vanden Houten, lead economist at Oxford Economics, told The Associated Press.
COVID-19 test results might take longer to be processed as laboratories across the U.S. struggle to cope with a testing surge. With nearly 4 million confirmed cases in the U.S. as of Wednesday and more cases surging on a daily basis, people have to wait weeks to get their test results back as lab workers deal with the overload. “There’s been this obsession with, “’How many tests are we doing per day?’” said Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to The Associated Press. “The question is how many tests are being done with results coming back within a day, where the individual tested is promptly isolated and their contacts are promptly warned.” Workers, who have to isolate while testing results return, have voiced their concern over having to miss work. Zachrey Warner, a 30-year-old waiter from Columbus, Ohio told the AP that it was “frustrating that I’ve missed so much work due to testing taking forever. It is what it is … (but) I’m glad I’m negative and happy to be able to get back to work this week.” Currently, the U.S. is testing 700,000 people per day, up from 100,000 in March, and health experts say that by the fall, roughly 30 million Americans will have to be tested each week as the reopening of schools and the flu season are expected to accelerate the spread of the virus.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said that people could need multiple doses of a potential coronavirus vaccine to immunize themselves from COVID-19. If multiple doses are needed, that could require more than 7 billion vaccinations to be administered worldwide, according to CBS News. "None of the vaccines at this point appear like they'll work with a single dose," Gates told CBS News in an interview. "That was the hope at the very beginning." The billionaire has spent $300 million towards finding a vaccine for the global effort to combat COVID-19 through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CBS reported. Hear from Gates below.
A vendor wearing a mask to protect against COVID-19 arranges merchandise at his business in San Antonio, Monday, July 20, 2020. Cases of COVID-19 continue to spike in Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Texas is being forced to store bodies in refrigerated trucks as a result of continued spike in COVID-19 deaths and cases. The state set a new single-day record on Wednesday with 10,893 hospitalizations and 197 deaths, Reuters reported. In Hildalgo County, located near the U.S. border with Mexico, cases have risen 60 percent in the last week, with the death toll doubling to 360, Reuters reported. “We’ve got to lasso this virus, this stallion, bring the numbers back down and get control of this thing,” Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez told Reuters. “Because our hospitals – they’re war zones, they are really struggling right now.”Cortez has issued a shelter-in-place order for county residents, which differs from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott who has said that local authorities can't make residents stay home.
The health crisis could be compounded by a looming tropical threat that will bring a significant flood risk to southern Texas this weekend. Tropical Depression Eight formed late Wednesday and is expected to develop into Tropical Storm Hanna before the weekend. Around 4 to 8 inches is forecast to fall across a large portion of southern Texas with around 1-2 inches expected along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Pfizer and BioNTech announced a $1.95 billion deal with the U.S. for 100 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Although the vaccines are still at an experimental phase, the companies plan to begin final Phase 2 testing and Phase 3 clinical trials by the end of the month, according to a statement released on Wednesday. However, the deal hasn’t been finalized as the vaccines have to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration before the federal government can take the next steps. In the statement, the companies said that they hope to get a vaccine licensed by the FDA as early as October. The agreement would also give the U.S. an option to buy an additional 500 million doses and all Americans will receive the vaccines for free.
The financial fallout for the pandemic-ravaged airline industry continues to become clearer. Southwest Airlines posts a $915 million loss for the second quarter and warned that demand for air travel will remain weak without the introduction of a coronavirus vaccine, CNBC reported. “We were encouraged by improvements in May and June leisure passenger traffic trends, compared with March and April; however, the improving trends in revenue and bookings have recently stalled in July with the rise in COVID-19 cases,” Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly said. “We expect air travel demand to remain depressed until a vaccine or therapeutics are available to combat the infection and spread of COVID-19.” In 2019, Southwest reported $741 million in net income in the second quarter, according to CNBC.
The airline also updated its policy for wearing a mask on flights. According to Reuters, all Southwest passengers with the exception of children under 2 years old will be required to wear a mask. The airline said that if someone is unable to wear a mask, even for medical reasons, it "regrets that we will be unable to transport the individual."
A Southwest Airlines jet takes off from Love Field in Dallas, Wednesday, June 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
China’s health commission reported 22 new cases of the coronavirus in the mainland on Wednesday, up from 14 cases a day earlier. According to Reuters, 18 of the new infections were in the far western region of Xinjiang and one was in the city of Dalian in the northeastern Liaoning province. Additionally, three of the reported infections were imported cases. As of Wednesday, mainland China has reported 83,729 COVID-19 cases, with a death toll of 4,634.
On Wednesday night, White House staff were notified that two cafeterias on the campus were shut down after someone on the staff tested positive for coronavirus, ABC News reported.The two cafeterias were in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and New Executive Office Building, not within the White House itself. The White House has had staff members test positive in the past, including Katie Miller, the press secretary for Vice President Mike Pence. "There's no reason for panic or alarm," the email said, according to ABC News. The email reportedly said that the White House Medical Unit performed contact tracing and sees no need for any White House campus staff to self-quarantine.
Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers, provided by researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
Confirmed cases: 15,255,093
Fatalities: 624,131
Recoveries: 8,670,684
As coronavirus lockdowns were gradually eased in May across the country, data compiled by Yelp, the website that tracks customer reviews and recommendations for bars, restaurants and other establishments, showed a surge in traffic for social activities, according to Reuters. This was particularly evident in states that had high spikes of COVID-19 cases in June such as Florida and South Carolina. However, consumer interest in northeastern states such as New York remained more flat, Reuters said.
“Correlation and causation are not equivalent,” Yelp Vice President of Data Science Justin Norman said, according to Reuters. But “increasing consumer interest... is a good general indicator of consumer behavior reverting to the norm and a state being more active economically and socially. This general reversion toward pre-pandemic consumer behavior in the month of May could very plausibly result in a spike in COVID-19 cases in June.”
Fans will be allowed at NFL games this season, but only if they are wearing masks throughout the game,Brian McCarthy, the NFL's vice president of communications, tweeted Wednesday. This news comes less than eight weeks before the 2020 season officially kicks off. However, the number of fans allowed at each game will be decided by each team, ESPN said. McCarthy added, "The NFL has not announced a league wide policy on allowing fans at games, leaving it up to teams to make the decision based on local mandates." On Monday, the New York Giants and New York Jets announced they will play in front of empty stands at MetLife Stadium "until further notice." New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy recently issued an order limiting the number of people who could attend outdoor gatherings in the state to 500.
Texas governor on Wednesday urged "Texans to remain vigilant and closely monitor weather conditions" as a tropical system begins to take shape over the Gulf of Mexico. AccuWeather forecasters say the system could develop into a tropical storm by as soon as Thursday afternoon. If it reaches tropical storm strength, it will be given the name Hanna -- and will break a record for the earliest "H" named storm in Atlantic basin history. Impacts on the Texas Gulf Coast could begin Friday and last into the weekend. Texas is also facing a surge of coronavirus cases, with more than 10,000 new infections reported for the last five consecutive days. Tropical activity has been brisk across the Atlantic basin in recent days, with Tropical Storm Gonzalo forming earlier on Wednesday. Stay up to date with everything hurricane-related by visiting the AccuWeather Hurricane Center.
The superintendent of Seattle Public Schools is recommending starting the 2020-21school year remotely, a statement on the school district website said. “We will follow the remote instruction model until the risk of significant transmission of Covid-19 has decreased enough to resume in-person instruction,” the statement said. According to the Seattle Public Schools website, it has an enrollment of more than 50,000 students and is the largest K-12 school system in Washington state. “We can't imagine a way to open schools without the risk of significant transmission of Covid-19 based on the current trajectory of infections in King County,” the statement said, but it continued by stating that it “will adapt and respond as quickly as possible” as the COVID-19 outbreak evolves. The school board will vote on August 12 for the recommendation and an associated plan for fall 2020.
Although most doctors and scientists have agreed that wearing a mask reduces the transmission of the coronavirus, some politicians and citizens have held fast against wearing them. But while the push against masks feels like a relatively new occurrence, it happened in America a century ago during the Spanish Influenza as well. “The history of mask wearing really begins in the second wave of the 1918 Influenza Pandemic,” J. Alexander Navarro, the assistant director of the Center for the History of Medicine at The University of Michigan, told NBC News. The second wave was the deadliest wave and when mask ordinances began in the United States, though they were only mandatory in western cities like San Francisco, Seattle and Denver. The common mask back then was made up of four to to six plies of surgical gauze. “There were definitely significant numbers of people who pushed back and who refused to wear their masks or who were caught without masks temporarily,” Navarro said. It got to the point, Navarro said, that the city police chief of San Francisco had to notify the health officer and the mayor that they needed to stop enforcing the mandatory mask ordinance because his jail cells were filling up with people who were caught without their masks as they were waiting arraignment before a judge.
“When something is being imposed by the government, that touches deep feelings about individual freedom that roots in some of the founding ideas of the United States,” Jordan Sand, professor of Japanese History and Culture at Georgetown University told NBC News. Japan, alternatively, had embraced wearing masks as a sign of modernity, which has since evolved into a matter of personal space as well as style, according to Sand. He added that masks in Japan had been taken for granted as a sensible protective measure with little encouragement from the government. Japan has had one of the lowest COVID-19 mortality rates of developed nations, according to Johns Hopkins. “I think that we need to get past that rugged American individualism in this pandemic because we’re all in this together,” Navarro said. “It’s not just about protecting yourself, it’s about protecting all of society.”
On Wednesday, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro told CNN that his latest coronavirus test result, the third test taken since July 7, was positive. This third positive test comes roughly two weeks after he contracted the virus, according to Yahoo. "The test carried out on the president yesterday, on the 21st, showed a positive result," a statement from the Communications Ministry said, per Reuters. "President Bolsonaro is still in good condition, accompanied by the presidency's medical team." Last week when Bolsonaro said his second coronavirus test was positive, he said, "I hope that in the coming days I will do another test and, God willing, everything will be all right to return soon to activity."
Authorities in Mumbai are turning to “smart helmets” as COVID-19 cases continue to increase in India’s largest city. The portable thermoscanners, which were previously deployed in Dubai, Italy and China, allow workers to record the temperatures of dozens of residents per minute. This makes it more cost-effective and convenient to detect people that might be infected with the virus in a city of more than 18 million people. “Traditional screening methods take a lot of time. You go to a slum with 20,000 people and it takes you three hours to screen 300 people,” said Neelu Jain, a medical volunteer affiliated with the non-profit group Bharatiya Jain Sanhatana, according to AFP. “When you use these helmets, all you have to do is ask people to come out of their homes, face them and you can screen 6,000 people in two-and-a-half hours.” Watch NDTV's video below to learn more about the helmets.
🚨 Global cases of COVID-19 topped 15 million on Wednesday, data compiled from Johns Hopkins University showed. The dizzying statistics of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to grow larger almost seven months after the first cases were reported in Wuhan, China. Three countries, the United States, Brazil and India are all over 1 million cases, with the U.S. closing in on the 4 million mark. In the U.S., labs are buckling under the surge of coronavirus tests, The Associated Press reports. The lag in testing is causing fears that asymptomatic people could spread the virus while they wait for test results The AP said. “The question is how many tests are being done with results coming back within a day, where the individual tested is promptly isolated and their contacts are promptly warned,” Dr. Tom Frieden, a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told the AP. Frieden and other health experts are urging states to publicly reveal testing turnaround times.
Fifty-nine National Football League (NFL) players have tested positive for COVID-19. According to a statement released by the NFL Players’ Association on Monday, all players were tested for the virus on a daily basis for two weeks starting July 28, when the training camps started. “Our union has been pushing for the strongest testing, tracing and treatment protocols to keep our players safe,” the NFLPA said in the statement, according to Reuters. “The testing protocols we agreed to are one critical factor that will help us return to work safely and gives us the best chance to play and finish the season.” The league is hoping for a Sept. 10 kickoff for the 2020 season, with attendance likely limited at stadiums to encourage social distancing. Fans that do attend any games this year will be required to wear a mask while in attendance, according to Brian McCarthy, a league spokesperson
CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said he is “absolutely” comfortable with his grandchildren returning to school in the fall amid the coronavirus pandemic. Although Redfield said he only had reservations about one of his grandsons returning because he has cystic fibrosis, he said that all of his other grandchildren can return to school safely. “My other 10 grandchildren, eight of those are school-aged, 100% they can get back to school,” Redfield told ABC's Good Morning America on Wednesday. While many states are still debating whether or not it is safe to reopen schools, Redfield insists that it is possible to resume in-person education while still maintaining the safety regulations recommended by the CDC. “I think it’s very important to get our schools open. As I’ve said, it’s not public health vs. opening the schools or the economy. It’s public health vs. public health,” he said. “It’s so important now to work together with school districts to figure out how they can take our guidelines and operationalize them in a practical way – and do it in a way that’s safe for those that are vulnerable.” Watch the full interview below.
A COVID-19 outbreak was reported at a federal medical prison in Texas after more than 500 women tested positive for the virus. According to a statement released by the Bureau of Prisons, the outbreak at the Federal Medical Center-Carswell in Fort Worth is one of the largest confirmed outbreaks at a federal prison. The only federal prison to report more cases is in Seagoville -- also located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area -- with more than 1,156 confirmed cases as of Tuesday. “We’re like a whole bunch of hamsters in a cage chasing our own tails,” said Carswell inmate Holli Chapman, according to the Midland Reporter-Telegram. Three weeks ago, FMC-Carswell had only confirmed three cases of the virus among inmates. The prison, which holds female inmates with medical and mental health issues, has also reported three deaths related to the virus.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, attending soccer matches is not possible, which saddens thousands of soccer fans worldwide. However, Polish soccer fans have found a new way to attend live matches, while still maintaining social distancing guidelines. A group of Motor Lublin Club fans rented cranes and bought them outside of the stadium to watch their team. Some pictures posted on social media show around 20 cranes, with no more than five people per crane. Check out the photos in this tweet below.
According to Johns Hopkins University data, California on Wednesday topped New York to become the state with the most COVID-19 cases across the country. Total cases in California roared past 409,000 putting it ahead of New York by about 1,200 cases. New York, however, has recorded about four times as many fatalities, more than 32,000, as California has. California is the country's most populous state with almost 40 million residents. New York has about half the population with nearly 20 million residents. California has recorded more than 9,000 new coronavirus cases on each of the last two days, according to Johns Hopkins University research.
A graphic showing the rise in California COVID-19 cases since the onset of the outbreak. (Johns Hopkins University)
Students at West Virginia University can expect to pay a fine if they don't comply with the schools new COVID-19 procedures. Specifically, the university is requiring the students to take a COVID-19 test and also complete an educational course about the disease, The Associated Press reports. "All students and employees must be tested, and students must also complete a virus education course prior to returning to campus, Dean of Students Corey Farris said in a letter to students, The AP reported. "Students who fail to do so will be fined $250 and referred to the Office of Student Conduct." Additionally, masks will be required when on campus and students could be reprimanded if they don't follow those procedures either. “This academic year will be different from what you — and all of our faculty and staff — have previously experienced,” Farris said in the letter. “Please be patient with us and your fellow students as we navigate these new processes together.” Nearly 27,000 students attend classes at the Morgantown campus. The full letter from Farris can be read here.
The Nobel Foundation canceled its traditional December banquet for the first time in more than 60 years due to the coronavirus pandemic. The lavish banquet, hosted by the foundation that manages the Nobel Prizes, marks the end of the ‘Nobel Week’ when the year’s prize-winners are invited to Stockholm for an award ceremony and a banquet. “The Nobel week will not be as it usually is due to the current pandemic. This is a very special year when everyone needs to make sacrifices and adapt to completely news circumstances,” Lars Heikensten, director of the Nobel Foundation, said in a statement, according to AFP. Traditionally, all prize-winners join the Swedish royal family and about 1,300 guests for a banquet at Stockholm’s City Hall after the awards ceremony on Dec. 10. However, this year, Heikensten said that the laureates and their work will be celebrated in a “different way,” as they will receive their awards in their home countries or at embassies.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump resumed his daily virus briefing at the White House following a three-month hiatus and warned that the virus "will probably unfortunately get worse before it gets better." At the briefing, he discussed the importance of mask-wearing as cases continue to rise across the country. “Whether you like the mask or not, they have an impact,” he said. “I’m getting used to the mask.” He then talked about a possible vaccine, saying that it might be coming soon. As early as next week, the first possible U.S. vaccine is set to begin its final state of testing to see if it will be safe and effective for use. “The vaccines are coming, and they’re coming a lot sooner than anybody thought possible,” he said
President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at the White House, Tuesday, July 21, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Since the early days of the outbreak, the CDC has advised those who contract COVID-19 remain isolated for 14 days after testing positive. In recent days, The Washington Post reported, the federal agency has modified that guideline and now calls for COVD-19 patients to remain isolated for 10 days after learning of the infection. The change comes after multiple studies have shown that people who are COVID-19 positive are typically contagious for a period of four to nine days. CDC officials caution that some people who develop especially severe cases may still need to isolate for longer -- up to 20 days. For those who test positive for COVID-19 but show no symptoms, the CDC recommends the same isolation period: 10 days. And for those who have been exposed to a COVID-19 patient, the CDC still recommends remaining quarantined for 14 days.
On Tuesday, the U.S. reported 1,000 COVID-19-related deaths, bringing the total number to nearly 142,000. This is the first time since June 10 that the country has surpassed this daily milestone, as the virus continues to spread across many states. California, in particular, has seen a spike in infections over the last few weeks. The state is closing in on passing New York in total infections, with more than 400,000 confirmed cases as of Tuesday.
Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers, provided by researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
Confirmed cases: 14,969,649
Fatalities: 616,990
Recoveries: 8,486,041
The University of California, Berkeley will begin the fall semester with “fully remote instruction,” the university announced in a statement to its faculty and staff on Tuesday. The university said a “dramatic reversal in the public health situation” is unlikely before the semester begins on August 26. “We continue our preparations to implement hybrid and/or flexible modes of instruction as soon as public health conditions allow,” UC Berkeley announced. Remote education will continue after Thanksgiving, even if some in-person instruction becomes available.
Thousands of state staff members have been trained and are ready to be deployed to counties, as high levels of transmission have made contract tracing "impractical and difficult to do," California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said Tuesday. "At the level of transmission that we're seeing across the state, even a very, very robust contact tracing program in every single county will have a hard time reaching out to every single case," Ghaly said. While the state's contact tracing program is operational, there are still issues, according to Ghaly. "High levels of transmission have made traditional contact tracing impractical and difficult to do," Ghaly said. According to ABC News, he said that the hope is that combining reducing transmission with continuing to scale up the program will let contact tracing be more doable on a wider scale. It takes time and money for counties to onboard contract tracing staff into their own local systems. It's "not realistic" to trace every single case, Ghaly said, but that he thinks it's smart that some counties are targeting their contact tracing.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper requested Congress to extend the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program on Tuesday, which gives an additional $600 a week to people receiving unemployment benefits due to coronavirus. “This program has been a lifeline for families and their communities, giving people the ability to pay their rent or utilities, to put food on the table, and to make ends meet,” Cooper said at a news conference in Raleigh. “I'm urging Congress to act quickly to extend this benefit.” Currently, federal funding is due to expire at the end of this month. North Carolina is giving “over 900,000 masks and other supplies to farmworkers” across the state. “We must keep food in our grocery stores and on our tables. To do that, we must help protect the farmers and their families from this virus," Cooper said.
Airline passengers heading for China must first provide negative COVID-19 test results before boarding, China’s aviation authority said Tuesday. Among the requirements, a nucleic acid test must be completed within five days of traveling and should be conducted at facilities designated or recognized by Chinese embassies in host countries, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). Testing speed and availability comes as a hurdle to these requirements in some countries, such as in parts of the U.S. where a test result can take up to two weeks, according to Reuters.
A heartwarming event took place in Tennessee as a woman who nearly died due to COVID-19 got to meet her newborn son, one month after his birth.Jessica Rowlett, 35, have birth to her second child, Rowdy, on May 31 in an emergency C-section that took place while she battling COVID-19 and receiving breathing assistance from a ventilator. “Honestly I was kind of numb,” Rowlett told Good Morning America, as she recalled the moment she saw her son for the first time. “I just looked at him from across the room and he didn’t feel like he was mine. I just didn’t feel like normal.” Rowlett felt that not much in her life has felt normal since she was diagnosed with COVID-19 in mid-May – she was 31 weeks pregnant at the time. “I had a very hard time breathing and kept falling asleep and wasn’t making any sense when I was talking to my husband,” Rowlett said. After two weeks of complications, as Rowlett battled with the virus while pregnant, Rowdy was born at 33 weeks, weighing 4 pounds, 15 ounces. He tested negative for COVID-19, but was taken to the NICU and placed on a feeding tube because he was too tiny to feed from the bottle. After a month of recovery, Rowlett is now home with her husband and two children, all of whom are healthy and virus-free. However, Rowlett still continues on her road to recovery, as the illness can take an emotional toll on patients. “Everybody fears that ultimate outcome [of death], but for the ones that survive, it’s a very emotional and taxing toll to recovery,” said Dr. Paul Bryant, an infectious disease specialist who treated Rowlett.
A study published by South Korean epidemiologists found that people are more likely to contract COVID-19 at home from family members than from non-household contacts. The study, published on July 16, looked at 5,706 “index patients” who had tested positive for the coronavirus, as well as more than 59,000 people who had come in contact with them, according to Reuters. The findings showed two out of 100 infected people had caught the virus from people outside of their household while one in 10 had contracted it from their own families. Looking at age groups, the infection rates in households was higher when the first confirmed cases were teenagers or people in their 60s or 70s. “This is probably because these age groups are more likely to be in close contact with family members as the group is in more need of protection or support,” Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) and one of the authors of the study, said at a briefing.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy advised on Tuesday that people traveling to New Jersey from additional states that have significant community spread of COVID-19 quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the other state. The criteria applies to states with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents or a state with 10% or higher positivity rate over a seven-day rolling average. As of Tuesday, July 21, 31 states now meet this criteria after 10 additional states were added to the list. “It is critically important that all New Jerseyans remain committed to beating COVID-19 by remaining vigilant and continuing our collective efforts to reduce new cases and the rate of transmission throughout the state,” Murphy said. “In order to prevent additional outbreaks across New Jersey and continue with our responsive restart and recovery process, I strongly encourage all individuals arriving from these hotspots to proactively get a COVID-19 test and self-quarantine.”New York adopted similar orders, adding the visitors from the same 10 additional states to quarantine for 14 days, according to Reuters. Those 10 new states are:
Alaska
Delaware
Indiana
Maryland
Missouri
Montana
North Dakota
Nebraska
Virginia
Washington
Juan Manuel Ballestero sailed from Portugal across the Atlantic Ocean to Argentina to get back home to his parents amid the coronavirus pandemic. New details are emerging on his epic voyage that made global headlines. Ballestero spoke out about the journey in an interview with the BBC.“I thought the best way was to just reach home sailing in a straight line in the middle of the ocean, so I avoid the possibility getting infected in another country,” Ballestero told BBC.He wasn’t alone though, occasionally accompanied by pods of dolphins or a broadcast from the radio, his only connection to the rest of the world, when it was able to pick up channels. “We are sailors,” he told BBC when they asked what his parents thought of his journey. He has since reunited with his family in Mar Del Plata in Argentina. Watch below to hear Ballestero describe the odyssey in his own words.
With concern growing that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is airborne, attention has turned to air conditioning and improper ventilation as a threat for spread of the virus. United Airlines announced Monday that it's taking steps to improve ventilation on its fleet of planes. The major change is that the air carrier will now maximize air filtration while passengers are boarding and leaving the plane at the terminal. While in flight, the airline said, its planes' high-efficiency particulate air filtration system is able to remove 99% of particles, including pathogens, from the air. "The quality of the air, combined with a strict mask policy and regularly disinfected surfaces, are the building blocks towards preventing the spread of COVID-19 on an airplane," United CEO Scott Kirby said in a statement. "We expect that air travel is not likely to get back to normal until we're closer to a widely administered vaccine – so we're in this for the long haul." The airline released a short animated video that explains how the air filtration system works. Watch below.
With the NBA season nearing its long-awaited resumption in Disney World, good news emerged from the league's bubble following the latest round of COVID-19 testing. The league announced Monday that zero positive tests were reported, and only two positive tests of 322 players tested have been reported since July 7, Yahoo Sports said. On Tuesday, let's tweak this just a tiny bit: some media members who are in Orlando covering the NBA got a first glimpse at the court where the league will tip-off on July 30. Check out a video below.
"It's a little eerie not having people around." That was the assessment made by Nicole Hughs, a first responder from Georgia, who was among the few people who were able to visit Liberty Island in New York Harbor after it reopened to tourists on Monday. The island has been closed for months due to the pandemic and the statue itself remains closed, but tourists can now enjoy a close-up view of it. Hughes, 42, added, "It's very cool that I'm basically experiencing this by myself. And it's neat. I like it." Earlier this month, AccuWeather's Adriana Navarro profiled the changing face of Lady Liberty, exploring how weather changed her look over the years and the passage of time changed her intended symbolism.
The heat wave that is currently baking the Northeast is also making COVID-19 testing and other pandemic-related safety efforts more difficult. Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser closed outdoor public testing sites in the city after she enacted a heat emergency over the past weekend. "The temperatures would be too dangerous for our staff and volunteers at the public testing sites," Bowser said, according to ABC News. Cooling centers that were opened around the city required masks to be worn and were enforcing social distancing, ABC News reported. Temperatures just fell short of reaching the century mark on Monday in D.C., topping out at 99 degrees Fahrenheit. On Tuesday, the temperatures will again climb into the upper 90s, but AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will soar to around 107 F. The heat wave can be particularly dangerous for people already suffering from respiratory problems, which are common symptoms of COVID-19. The World Health Organization says the stifling heat can trigger high levels of pollen, which can worsen conditions such as asthma, ABC News reported.
Leanora Rodriguez receives a COVID-19 test from Nurse Meiko Rollins at the Whittier Street Health Center's mobile test site, Wednesday, July 15, 2020, in Boston's Dorchester section. The health center has administered free COVID-19 tests to over 5,000 people. The tests, administered since April 13, have been a popular service in Boston's low-income communities that have experienced high rates of infection. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Sonia Ramírez, who tested positive for the coronavirus, was shocked after she was not asked by health officials about anyone who she had come in close contact with recently. “They didn’t ask me who I had been with,” Ramírez, a 21-year-old cleaner in the greater Barcelona area, told The Associated Press. “They didn’t even ask if I had been to work recently, which of course I had.” Like her, an unknown number of Spaniards in the Catalonia region are also left alone to warn their family and close friends that they could have been exposed to the virus. As the virus continues to spread in Catalonia, with 9,600 new cases reported since May 10, health officials question the region’s efficiency in fighting the virus. “We are seeing a rise in cases and community contagion that worries us,” said Dr. Jacobo Mendioroz, the epidemiologist in charge of Catalonia’s virus response. “The system of contract tracers can still be improved. Now we have 300 tracers and we are going to add another 600 shortly.”
People walk along the Ramblas of Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, July 16, 2020. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
When the Washington Nationals take on the New York Yankees on Thursday to kick off the Major League Baseball season, NIAID director Anthony Fauci will take the mound to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Fauci, the longtime infectious disease expert, is known for being a Nationals "super fan" and was seen testifying on Capitol Hill last month and showing a little "Natitude" by wearing a Nationals face mask for the occasion. The team, which won the World Series last year, made the announcement on Twitter Monday and said the organization was thrilled to have Fauci handling the task. “Dr. Fauci has been a true champion for our country during the COVID-19 pandemic and throughout his distinguished career, so it is only fitting that we honor him as we kick off the 2020 season and defend our World Series Championship title,” the Nationals said in a statement. Game time is 7 p.m. and the weather will be hot at Nationals Park on Thursday -- as it has been in D.C. lately -- with a chance of a heavy thunderstorm in the afternoon.
The AccuWeather forecast for Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., on July 23, 2020. (AccuWeather)
Hidalgo County, Texas residents who test positive for COVID-19 must stay home or face prosecution. In a statement released on Sunday via Twitter, the county specified that those who test positive for the virus should not leave their homes for 14 days. Additionally, those who live with someone who tested positive for the virus should also stay home. On Sunday, Hidalgo County reported 1,320 new COVID-19 cases and 17 deaths, which raised concern for the exponential growth of the pandemic and incited officials to issue the new mandate. “Who would ever think back in March 21 when we had the first incident of someone testing positive, that Hidalgo County would be caught in this pandemic with such tragic numbers,” Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez said, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers, provided by researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
Confirmed cases: 14,727,753
Fatalities: 610,560
Recoveries: 8,322,171
Some cities in China allowed people back into movie theaters on Monday following months of closure. The cities that lifted restrictions were areas where the risk of virus infection is considered low, such as Shanghai, Hanzhou and Guilin, The Associated Press reported. The moviegoers left open seats between each other, wore masks and obeyed other safety precautions. Beijing may be the next place to lift cinema restrictions after workers were disinfecting theaters after the city downgraded its emergency response level after seeing no new cases of local infection in 14 days.
After coronavirus delayed the start of the Major League Baseball season to July 23, players are now adjusting to the hot summer weather as the season starts. Some players are happy to start the season later since northern teams travel south to Florida for spring training. “It's definitely a big change for me personally, coming from California being a little more dry to coming over here to the east coast being more humid,” New York Mets third baseman J.D. Davis told AccuWeather Field Reporter Dexter Henry in an interview. The Mets training staff is extremely focused on making sure the athletes are adjusting well to the hotter conditions. “Trainers have made an effort to tell us to make sure we hydrate, especially these longs days of getting ready getting prepped. They constantly give us snacks bananas making sure we hydrated and eating good foods,” Davis said. Watch all of Henry's interview with Davis here.
The conflict over whether to reopen schools during the pandemic escalated on Monday as the top teachers' union in Florida filed a lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis in a bid to halt plans to require students and teachers to physically be in classrooms when school resumes. The suit was brought by the Florida Education Association (FEA) and alleges DeSantis is violating the state's constitution by insisting that schools' must reopen for the fall semester even as COVID-19 cases have been surging throughout the Sunshine State. Florida health officials have reported at least 10,000 new coronavirus cases on each of the last five consecutive days, and the case number was headed in a similar direction on Monday. "The governor needs to accept the reality of the situation here in Florida, where the virus is surging out of control," FEA President Fedrick Ingram said in a statement, according to NBC News.
High school sports in California will be delayed until December or January, a decision that impacts more than 800,000 athletes.As most California public and private schools plan to begin the academic year with online classes, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) announced the sports season will also face adjustment amid COVID-19. The CIF will allow athletes to participate on club teams at the same time as their high school seasons in a temporary suspension of CIF rules. “This is the best possible plan we have with what’s going on to give students an opportunity to participate,” said Vicky Lagos, the Los Angeles City Section commissioner. “There are going to be issues in terms of facilities and multiple-sport athletes, but this is the best scenario for the most people. I have confidence the schools and coaches will work it out among themselves. My take from coaches is they want the opportunity to participate and be with the kids.” Local school officials are expected to meet with their coaches this week to devise a plan for each of their schools, KTLA reported.
Symptoms listed by the CDC include fever, cough, aches and difficulty breathing, among others, however, they have not added mouth lesions or skin rashes. Enanthems, skin rash-like lesions inside a person's mouth, were observed in 6 out of 21 patients who tested positive for coronavirus by the research published in JAMA Dermatology notes. "This work describes preliminary observations and is limited by the small number of cases and the absence of a control group," researchers from Ramon y Cajal University Hospital in Madrid wrote in the study. "Despite the increasing reports of skin rashes in patients with COVID-19, establishing an etiological diagnosis is challenging. However, the presence of enanthem is a strong clue that suggests a viral etiology rather than a drug reaction, especially when a petechial pattern is observed." The researchers noted that “many patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 do not have their oral cavity examined," due to safety concerns. Given the fact that patients are wearing masks and the mouth is not examined, it's possible additional coronavirus patients may have these symptoms, Fox News reports.
According to Variety, several Disney fan blogs noticed a change in the theme park's mask-wearing guidance over the weekend. "Face coverings are required for all Guests (ages 2 and up) and Cast Members," Disney World's website states. "Please bring your own face coverings and wear them at all times, except when dining or swimming. You may remove your face covering while actively eating or drinking, but you should be stationary and maintain appropriate physical distancing." Initially people were allowed to eat and drink while walking around the theme park, but it soon became a way for people to avoid wearing masks, Variety said.
Park guests enter the Magic Kingdom during the reopening of Walt Disney World Saturday, July 11, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
"Our current situation demands decisive action if we are to avoid being overrun and defeated by this virus," Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said. "We cannot allow our hospitals to be overrun." New cases have tripled since the Bahamas began reopening on July 1, NBC News reported. Many of the cases were from residents returning to the Bahamas. The new travel restrictions will go into effect on Wednesday.
President Trump said he will resume daily coronavirus press briefings this week after stopping them back in April. "We had very successful briefings. I was doing them and we had a lot of people watching, record numbers watching. In the history of cable television, there's never been anything like it," Trump told reporters at the White House Monday, according to Axios. Trump said the decision to bring the briefings back is in part due to the surge in cases going on across the country. "But we have had this big flareup within Florida, Texas, couple of other places, and so I think what we are going to do is I'll get involved and we'll start doing briefings." The president also addressed progress being made on vaccines. Watch a video clip embedded in the Tweet below.
Masks are now required for people in public areas in 23 of 82 counties across Mississippi. This mandate is focused on the counties where the transmission of COVID-19 has been the highest, The Associated Press said. “I, for one, am very grateful that there seems to be an emerging consensus around masks,” Gov. Tate Reeves said on Twitter. “We believe the benefit of wearing masks is pretty high. Nothing's perfect, but it's good. And the societal cost—compared to shuttering schools and businesses—is infinitely lighter.” The 23 counties also have stricter guidelines on social gatherings than the other 59 counties across Mississippi. "The only solution is for all of us to make some effort. Wash your hands. Avoid that large gathering. Wear a mask as often as you can. You won’t be perfect—none of us are. Please just try, because the impact of mass apathy or overconfidence is widespread death,” Reeves said.
Patients are being moved into hallways as hospitals in some parts of the U.S. are experiencing a surge of new coronavirus cases. Dr. Alison Haddock of the Baylor College of Medicine told The Associated Press the situation in Texas is worse than it was after Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Haddock said she’s “never seen anything like this COVID surge.” Seattle, the first hotspot for the virus in the U.S., is also seeing a surge in new cases that has taken a toll on hospital workers. “What’s really frustrating from my side of it is when a patient comes into the emergency department, and is not really having symptoms of COVID, but they feel like they need that testing,” Mike Hastings, who works at an area hospital and is president of the Emergency Nurses Association, said. “Sometimes we’re not able to test them because we don’t have enough test supplies, so we’re only testing a certain set of patients.”
As COVID-19 cases surpass 1 million in India, doctors are struggling as hot temperatures make working difficult. Almost 100 Indian doctors have died since the start of the pandemic as they have to work long hours in temperatures that can top 105 F, with no air conditioning. “Wearing this PPE kit at the temperature of 40 degrees (C), it’s very difficult, I can say because you are drenched in sweat. Still, (we try) to do our best to save the lives of patients,” Wani, a resident doctor at the private Sharda Hospital in Greater Noida outside New Delhi, told AFP. “It feels very hot and suffocating. But we have to wear it for our won safety.” Sharda Hospital, which has been providing free treatment for COVID-19 patients, has very basic facilities and nurses and doctors are quickly drenched in sweat after stepping in.Since they have to wear protective gear, that consists of heat-to-foot plastic, the sweat can’t evaporate for them to cool down, so they often feel nausea and dizziness, which can result in long-term organ damage. Despite poor working conditions, doctors are trying to stay positive, as a lot of people need them right now. “We are trying to do our best, we don’t have any other option,” Abhishek Deshwal, who leads the hospital’s ICU, said.
The nightlife in Tokyo is about to change to help bars and clubs remain open while keeping patrons safe and healthy. Recent testing in Tokyo shows that younger people in their 20s and 30s make up a majority of the new cases, Reuters reported. In response, new measures are being taken at bars across the city to specifically target the nightlife, including no kissing. “As much as possible, kiss only with your partner, and avoid deep kissing,” said Shinya Iwamuro, a public health advocate in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district. By following proper ‘kissing etiquette,’ as well as other guidelines such as not sharing plates of food, it can help reduce the number of new COVID-19 among the city’s younger population.
The spread of COVID-19 in Hong Kong is "out of control" as a record 100 new cases were confirmed on Sunday. The territory’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced new social distancing measures to help slow the spread of the virus. Although the financial hub had been successful at tackling the virus, infections have spiked in the last two weeks.Hong Kong has now reported 1,886 cases of the virus, and more than 500 of these infections were reported in the past two weeks. “I think the situation is really critical and there is no sign the situation is being brought under control,” Lam said, according to AFP. In addition to enforcing stricter social distancing guidelines, Lam also issued the closure of bars, gyms nightclubs and ordered everyone at indoor, public places and public transport to wear masks.
Golf legend Jack Nicklaus revealed that he and his wife tested positive for the coronavirus. He shared the news on Sunday, during the CBS telecast of the PGA’S Memorial Tournament. Nicklaus and his wife Barbara were first diagnosed on March 13 and by April 20 they had both fully recovered. While Nicklaus’ wife didn’t suffer from any symptoms, the golfer said he had a sore throat and a cough. “It didn’t last very long, we were very, very fortunate, very lucky,” Nicklaus said, according to The Associated Press. “Barbara and I are both of the age, both of us 80 years old, that is an at-risk age. Our hearts go out to the people who did lose their lives and their families. We were just a couple of lucky ones.” Tiger Woods, a five-time winner of the Memorial, said he had known for a while that Nicklaus had tested positive for the virus. “The fact that they got through it and they’re safe and here and healthy, it’s all good news for all of us who are a part of gold and who looked up to Jack and (have) been around Barbara all these years,” Woods said.
A COVID-19 symptom-tracking app reveals that there are six distinct types of infections, each distinguished by different symptoms. A team of British scientists at King’s College in London found that the six types of infection also correlate to the severity of an infection and the likelihood of the patient needing hospitalization and breathing aid. This new finding could help doctors predict which patients are at risk and likely to need more hospital care. “If you can predict who these people are at Day Five, you have time to give them support and early interventions such as monitoring blood and oxygen and sugar levels, and ensuring they are properly hydrated,” Claire Steves, a doctor who co-led the study, told Reuters. The six types of infections are described as:
‘Flu-like’ with no fever: Headache, loss of smell, muscle pains, cough, sore throat, chest pain, no fever.
‘Flu-like’ with fever: Headache, loss of smell, cough, sore throat, hoarseness, fever, loss of appetite.
Gastrointestinal: Headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, diarrhea, sore throat, chest pain, no cough.
Severe level one, fatigue: Headache, loss of smell, cough, fever, hoarseness, chest pain, fatigue.
Severe level two, confusion: Headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, cough, fever, hoarseness, sore throat, chest pain, fatigue, confusion, muscle pain.
Severe level three, abdominal and respiratory: Headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, cough, fever, hoarseness, sore throat, chest pain, fatigue, confusion, muscle pain, shortness of breath, diarrhea, abdominal pain.
Patients with symptoms that match those of levels 4, 5 and 6 are more likely to need hospital care.
Izzy Galvan, 20, wears a mask while visiting the Griffith Observatory overlooking downtown Los Angeles Wednesday, July 15, 2020, in Los Angeles. Coronavirus cases have surged to record levels in the Los Angeles area, putting the nation’s largest county in “an alarming and dangerous phase” that if not reversed could overwhelm intensive care units and usher in more sweeping closures, health officials said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is “on the brink” of issuing a new stay-at-home order. Garcetti made the announcement on Sunday as he criticized the rapid reopening of California and the impact it had on the spread of the virus in the state and in the L.A. area. “I think a lot of people don’t understand mayors often have no control what opens up and doesn’t – that’s either at a state or country level,” Garcetti said, according to The Los Angeles Times. “And I do agree that those things happened too quickly.” Although local leaders like Garcetti are not allowed to decide what opens up and what doesn’t, they are allowed to issue closures and stay-at-home restrictions. Garcetti has previously said that he is in charge of deciding when L.A. should reopen. “Our timing on opening may vary from other parts of the state,” Garcetti said in early May. “I will reopen our city with careful consideration, guided by public health professionals.” Despite the increase in cases in the L.A. area, Garcetti added that the city is in good shape and hospitals are yet to reach capacity. “Cases have gone up, but we also have the most aggressive testing,” he said. “We’re the first city to offer testing to people without symptoms. And 30% of what we’re catching thankfully is those folks.” Below, watch Garcetti's remarks on CNN.
25 million Iranians may be infected with the coronavirus, according to Iran President Hassan Rouhani. The official count of confirmed cases in Iran as of Monday sits at a little more than 270,000 and global cases have just hit 14 million, about 11 million lower than the number Rouhani suggested for Iran alone. More than 200,000 have been hospitalized with COVID-19 in Iran. Medical officials said the unreported cases likely come from those who experienced mild cases and did not seek out medical attention, Reuters reported. “Our estimate is that so far 25 million Iranians have been infected with this virus and about 14,000 have lost their lives,” Rouhani said. “There is the possibility that between 30 and 35 million more people will be at risk.”
Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers, provided by researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
Confirmed cases: 14,508,892
Fatalities: 606,206
Recoveries: 8,134,747
Florida reported 12,523 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, making it the fifth consecutive day the Sunshine State reported more than 10,000 new cases. The average numbers are up 28.85% from a week ago, according to CNBC. According to The Florida Department of Health, more than 350,000 people in the state have been infected with COVID-19 and nearly 5,000 have died from it. “The residents here are terrified and I’m terrified, for the first time in my career because there’s a lack of leadership,” Florida Rep. Donna Shalala said about the growing numbers. “It’s terrible. We have community spread, which means the virus is out of control.”
Anecdotal reports from various countries show evidence that premature births have drastically decreased amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The reasons for the drop in premature births is unknown, although doctors can speculate that it may be linked to lockdown factors, but the new finding has the potential to further research on the causes of premature births and how to prevent them, The New York Times reported. “For years, nothing has advanced in this very important area,” Michael Christiansen of the Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen said, “and it seems it took a virus attack to help us get on track.”
New York responded to the coronavirus pandemic “correctly,” according to Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci. "We know that, when you do it properly, you bring down those cases. We have done it. We have done it in New York," Fauci said. New York was at one point the epicenter of the outbreak in the U.S., reaching 10,000 new cases a day during its peak. According to CNBC, the state has dramatically decreased its daily case count to 776 on Thursday. "I'm so proud of what New Yorkers have done. But we must continue to be on alert," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
Older children spread the coronavirus as much as adults do, a new study finds. The study, which was conducted in South Korea, shows that children under the age of 10 spread the virus much less frequently than adults. Children between the ages of 10 and 19 spread the virus just as frequently as adults. “I fear that there has been this sense that kids just won’t get infected or don’t get infected in the same way as adults and that, therefore, they’re almost like a bubbled population,” Michael Osterholm, infectious diseases expert at the University of Minnesota, told The New York Times. The findings of the study suggest that as schools begin to reopen, clusters of outbreaks will occur in the communities. Dr. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, called the study “one of the best studies we’ve had to date on this issue.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced that five U.S. Navy teams will be deployed Sunday "to help combat the spread of Covid-19." The teams will go toareas in South and Southwest Texas and will assist at various hospitals in the cities of Eagle Pass, Harlingen, Del Rio and Rio Grande City, according to a governor's office press release. "These teams consist of medical and support professionals which are being deployed to help meet medical needs in hospitals throughout the state," the press release says. “The support from our federal partners is crucial in our work to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our communities throughout Texas," said Governor Abbott. "I am grateful for this ongoing partnership with the Department of Defense and the U.S. Navy, and the State of Texas will continue to utilize every resource available to protect public health and keep Texans in every community safe."
US Navy personnel wearing surgical masks to protect against the coronavirus, arrive at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Tuesday, April 7, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
President Donald Trump doesn't think U.S. needs a national mask mandate in an interview with Fox. When asked if he would consider instituting a mandate, Trump responded, "No, I want people to have a certain freedom, and I don't believe in that, no." Trump also said he disagrees with the assessment by Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the CDC, that "if all of us would put on a face-covering now for the next four weeks, six weeks, we could drive this epidemic to the ground” CNN reported. "I don't agree with the statement that if everybody wears a mask everything disappears," Trump said. "Dr. Fauci said don't wear a mask, our Surgeon General, terrific guy, said don't wear a mask. Everybody was saying don't wear a mask. All of a sudden everybody's got to wear a mask, and as you know, masks cause problems too, with that being said, I'm a believer in masks. I think masks are good." During the start of the pandemic, public health officials asked people to not wear masks to save supplies for frontline workers, but now both Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, and US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams, have repeatedly called upon Americans to wear masks in public.
A COVID-19 outbreak has spread through a federal law enforcement training facility in South Carolina, prompting the national employees union to call for a halt to training. At least 23 students and staff have tested positive at the Charleston facility, where Customs and Border Protection personnel were training, according to the National Treasury Employees Union. The union officially requested on Friday that the agency immediately send home any employees in training, as well as test employees for coronavirus prior to the departure. "The FLETC Charleston facility is no longer safe for trainees under the current circumstances," said union National President Tony Reardon in a statement to CNN, adding that the union learned of the "alarming outbreak" earlier this week.
England's coronavirus death toll data is under "urgent review" after it was revealed that officials may have included those who tested positive long before their death. The U.K. government's daily coronavirus death toll update was “paused” by the Department of Health after Health Secretary Matt Hancock called for an “urgent review” into how coronavirus deaths are counted in England, CNN reported. “Currently the daily deaths measure counts all people who have tested positive for coronavirus and since died, with no cut-off between time of testing and date of death,” an update on the Department’s website said. “There have been claims that the lack of cut-off may distort the current daily deaths number,” the update announced. Ian Diamond, the UK's National Statistician at the Office for National Statistics told Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "It's really, really important to recognize that different statistics are used for different things." The BBC's Health Editor Hugh Pym said it had emerged that "Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, have been recording deaths in one way -- everybody who tested positive and died within 28 days of the test was said to be part of the daily reported deaths figures from Covid." But England through Public Health England was saying anyone who tested positive, maybe going back a couple of months, and subsequently died -- even if it was from another cause -- was included in these daily reported figures." According to CNN, when asked by Sky News' whether the government's gradual easing of lockdown restrictions had led to an uptick of people testing positive, Diamond said: "No we haven't -- we're basically flat over the last few weeks."
Here are the latest global COVID-19 numbers, provided by researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
Confirmed cases: 14,311,886
Fatalities: 602,757
Recoveries: 8,044,178
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