Updated 08/08 at 3:36 PM UTC
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.
Princeton University’s fall 2020 semester will now be virtual for all undergraduates, the school announced on Friday. The university previously stated it would stagger its semesters, with freshmen and juniors returning in the fall and sophomores and seniors in the spring. However, the new announcement cites a rise in cases for the change from the original plan. “With deep regret and sadness, I write to update you about our plans for the fall, and, in particular, to explain why Princeton has decided that its undergraduate program must be fully remote in the coming semester,” Princeton President Christopher L. Eisgruber said in a release. “In brief, the pandemic’s impact in New Jersey has led us to conclude that we cannot provide a genuinely meaningful on-campus experience for our undergraduate students this fall in a manner that is respectful of public health concerns and consistent with state regulations,” Eisgruber wrote. Eisgruber cited the virus’s spread around the country, even as things have improved in New Jersey, as a reason for the reversal, according to NJ.com. “When I last communicated with you, just over a month ago, we anticipated welcoming undergraduates from the Classes of 2022 and 2024 to campus in late August. We noted at the time, however, that we would continue to monitor the course of the pandemic, and that we might have to change our plans if it worsened,” Eisgruber said. Princeton has worked hard to have students return campus, Eisgruber said.
Nearly 300,000 Americans could be killed by COVID-19 by December, a new model shows. University of Washington health experts put out a forecast this week that showed the startling new projection of 300,000 U.S. deaths related to COVID-19 by December 1. The university's Institue for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) said that cases have been falling in multiple states that were once epicenters, such as Arizona and Florida. However, cases are still rising in multiple states including Colorado, Missouri, Ohio, and Virginia. Top White House infectious disease advisers have warned about erupt new hot spots for the virus in major U.S. cities if officials were not vigilant about counter-measures, according to Reuters. IHME said that 70,000 lives could be saved if more people followed wearing masks.
Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers, provided by researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
Confirmed cases: 19,401,935
Fatalities: 721,762
Recoveries: 11,755,309
The chances of a highly effective coronavirus vaccine are “not great,” according to Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci. According to Fauci, the chances that scientists could develop a vaccine with 98% effectiveness in protecting from the virus is low and scientists are looking into a vaccine that could be 75% effective in preventing infection, however 50% to 60% would also be acceptable. "You've got to think of the vaccine as a tool to be able to get the pandemic to no longer be a pandemic, but to be something that's well controlled,” he said, according to CNBC News. The FDA announced that as long as a vaccine has 50% effectiveness, similar to an influenza vaccine, it would be authorized.
A 7-year-old boy from the Chatham County, Georgia, has died from COVID-19, Georgia health officials reported on Thursday. He is the youngest person in the state to have died from COVID-19, according to The Atlantic Journal-Constitution. The same day, Georgia surpassed 4,000 confirmed coronavirus deaths. The Georgia Department of Public Health released that the boy had reported no chronic conditions, though declined to release additional information. “This is a tragic reminder that this is a very serious disease and serious for anyone who contracts it at any age,” Dr. Harry J. Heiman, a clinical associate professor at the Georgia State University School of Public Health, told the AJC.
Florida’s death toll has risen past 8,000 on Friday, Florida’s Department of Health confirmed. The death toll among residents was 7,927, while the deaths among non-residents reached 124, totaling to 8,051. Statewide cases have reached 518,075, with 7,686 new cases confirmed on Friday alone, according to The Miami Herald. On Thursday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vocalized his support for extracurriculars such as sports to take place along with the reopening of schools. “These are moments they are not going to get back,” DeSantis said, according to The Tampa Bay Times said. “I am standing with our coaches and our athletes. This is something critical.”
Amid what could be another wave of the virus in France, the nation is struggling to keep up with testing as labs closed for staff to take summer vacations, according to France24. “First, there is a lack of workers to do the testing. If we don’t ask all the health workers to be available by mobilizing all of them, there are just not enough people,” emergency services doctor Christophe Prudhomme told The Associated Press. France has already seen over 235,000 cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, and over 30,000 deaths.Now, in a time when testing is key for the country to accurately account for cases, the disorganization has thrown scientists at the forefront of French testing efforts like François Blanchecotte, president of the Union of Medical Biologists, for a loop. “We are at a crossroads,” Blanchecotte told France24. “We’ve seen a situation of disorder in Paris, in which labs were not ready to face thousands of people at the same time. It’s a nightmare to get an appointment.”
New York schools have been authorized to bring back students for in-person learning this year. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the announcement on Friday, and explained that the success the state had in bringing down the infection rate was the reason behind the decision. “Everywhere in the state, every region is below the threshold that we established,” Cuomo said, according to The Associated Press. “If there’s a spike in the infection rate, if there’s a matter of concern in the infection rate, then we can revisit.” The way in which schools will instruct students is up to each school district. Some have decided to limit in-person instruction to a few days a week. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said students returning to classrooms will allow the economy to begin to go back to normal, as parents will be able to return to work. “It will not be easy but I think most parents feel strongly that even some time in school is a lot better for their kids than none,“ de Blasio said.
More than 100 Mississippi students were forced to quarantine after just one week of school. Last week, schools in Corinth, Mississippi, reopened for in-person learning for the first time since they were closed months ago. By Friday, one student had already tested positive for the virus, sending more than 100 students to quarantine at home, according to CBS News. Since then, six students and one staff member have now tested positive in the school district. The Corinth School District does not plan to reverse reopening plans after the incident, but officials intend to have options for students to learn from home. The district has run daily temperature checks of students and staff members as they enter the buildings and parents are advised to conduct daily health checks of their kids before sending them to school. Mississippi has more than 63,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and leads the nation in cases per capita.
Pfizer has reached a deal to manufacture Gilead's coronavirus drug remdesivir. A multi-year agreement has been put into place between the two companies in order to increase the supply of the drug. Remdesivir has been shown to help shorten the recovery time of some patients who have been hospitalized from COVID-19, according to CNBC. There are still no FDA-approved coronavirus drugs, but remdesivir has been used by doctors for COVID-19 patients. A few months ago, the FDA allowed remdesivir an emergency use authorization which allowed it to be used to treat coronavirus patients. Gilead plans to manufacture more than 2 million treatment courses and several million more in 2021. Pfizer recently started a late-stage trial of its own potential coronavirus vaccine in recent weeks. The terms for the agreement have not been disclosed.
The first Phase 3 clinical trial of a potential coronavirus vaccine is underway, and a news anchor in Georgia was the first volunteer in the U.S. to receive a dose. Dawn Baker, a news anchor at WTOC in Savannah, Georgia, was administered the potential vaccine in late July that was developed by Moderna and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, CNN reported. "I never thought that I'd do something like this," Baker said. "I just hope that they're really, really good results. I know a lot of people are doing a lot of different vaccine trials." Phase 3 of this trial is expected to include around 30,000 participants and will consist of two doses over the course of four weeks, according to CNN. If there are promising results from the Phase 3 trials, it will help to pave the way for the vaccine to become available in the health market.
New York schools have been authorized to bring back students for in-person learning this year. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the announcement on Friday, and explained that the success the state had in bringing down the infection rate was the reason behind the decision. “Everywhere in the state, every region is below the threshold that we established,” Cuomo said, according to The Associated Press. “If there’s a spike in the infection rate, if there’s a matter of concern in the infection rate, then we can revisit.” The way in which schools will instruct students is up to each school district. Some have decided to limit in-person instruction to a few days a week. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said students returning to classrooms will allow the economy to begin to go back to normal, as parents will be able to return to work. “It will not be easy but I think most parents feel strongly that even some time in school is a lot better for their kids than none,“ de Blasio said.
On Thursday, the NFL announced which players had chosen to sit out for the 2020 season. Although big names such as Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes will be playing, several teams did lose important players for the upcoming season. The Patriots are the most affected team in terms of opt-outs, as a total of eight players decided to sit out for the season, according to CBS Sports. Other teams that lost some of their star players include the Chiefs, Bills, Jets, Giants, Eagles, Dolphins, Bears, Vikings, Broncos, Cardinals and Browns. Some teams, however, were not affected by the new opt-out guideline. Teams that saw zero opt-outs include the Chargers, Falcons, Rams and Steelers. Although the deadline for opting out has passed, the NFL announced that players will still have the opportunity to opt out after the deadline if “a close family member gets seriously sick with COVID or if they themselves are newly diagnosed with a high-risk condition.” Click here for the entire list of opt-outs for the 2020 season.
Task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx warned that nine cities across the country could experience an increase in coronavirus positivity rates this week. Although areas across the south have been particularly hit by COVID-19 in the past month, Birx said that there are now new areas of concern as the virus continues to spread. “We are concerned that both Baltimore and Atlanta remain at a very high level,” Birx said, according to CNN. “Kansas City, Portland, Omaha, of course what we talked about in the Central Valley (in California).” Birx then added that there is “a slow uptick in test positivity in cases in places like Chicago, Boston and Detroit and DC.” With the virus being more “extraordinarily widespread” than it was in the early days of the pandemic, back in March and April, authorities are worried about the future, and claim that the country is in entering a new phase of the pandemic.
Here are the latest global coronavirus numbers, provided by researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
Confirmed cases: 19,111,123
Fatalities: 715,163
Recoveries: 11,578,821
India became the third country in the world to record at least 2 million cases on Friday morning and the tragic threshold was coupled with a strike from local community health volunteers who are saying they haven't been properly equipped or prepared to respond to infection surges in rural areas, according to The Associated Press. Authorities in states such as Uttar Pradesh, an area with 220 million residents, are reimposing lockdown mandates after initially fully reopening in early July.
Just hours after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tested positive for COVID-19, a second test returned with negative results. “In a second COVID-19 test administered today in Columbus, Governor Mike DeWine has tested negative for COVID-19,” a statement said on DeWine’s Twitter account. “First Lady Fran DeWine and staff members have also all tested negative.” DeWine was first tested ahead of a planned visit by President Trump on Thursday, which has turned into standard protocol amid the pandemic. His meeting with the president was canceled after the initial result. DeWine said that it was a “big surprise” since he and his wife take extensive measures to avoid contracting COVID-19, Politico said.
Ten countries in Africa make up 80% of the continents coronavirus testing. South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda and Mauritius have conducted more than 200,000 tests each, with almost 9 million total tests having been conducted throughout Africa as a whole, meaning testing is up 9.4% from the previous week. “This number indicates we reached 90% of our goal for the partnership to accelerate COVID testing,” John Nkengasong, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said during a news conference. Experts believe the low testing levels across the majority of the continent has likely resulted in a large amount of unreported cases. Some countries are too poor to properly instate widespread testing, while others have not released their data at all, according to Reuters. In South Africa, the death toll continues to increase, and funeral directors are now having to turn to new methods in order to account for the growing number or bodies. Watch it here:
Penn State University announced they will hold the 2020 football season with no fans in attendance due to a new Pennsylvania regulation on large gatherings. “As of today, the current large gatherings guidance from the Governor’s Office limits capacity to 250 people for outside events and 25 people for inside events,” a letter to season ticket holders from Penn State Athletic Director Sandy Barbour read. “Therefore, under the current conditions and current state orders, our fall sports events would be conducted without fans in the general seating areas of our facilities.” In the letter, Barbour specifically states that the decision to hold fall sports without fans in attendance will be redacted if the guidance for Pennsylvania is lifted. Season ticket holders can request a refund, according to The Center Daily Times. Any season ticket holder that does request a refund will loose their place in the event that the state guidance changes and will not receive a refund for the Nittany Lion Club donation that is required to be made before purchasing the tickets.
New Castle County, Delaware, is now taking an unorthodox approach to encourage residents to wear masks, by putting giant surgical masks on 11 paramedic and public works vehicles in the county. The initiative, called #TeamMask, aims to encourage people to wear masks while in public spaces. The vehicles were selected because they are the ones driven most often, according to Delaware Public Media. The masks will stay on the vehicles for the next three months. "Team Mask is about keeping our residents safe," said County Executive Matt Meyer. "Unfortunately in this day and age it's little bit controversial to stand up and say 'Hey everybody wear a mask.' It is uncontroversial among the medical profession, among scientists that simply putting on a mask help prevent the spread of a deadly virus so we want to do everything we can, use every creative tool we can to prevent the spread of this deadly virus."
Dermatologists are taking a new look at some of the side effects of the coronavirus after some patients have experienced changes in their skin. Changes in the skin are not evident with every case of COVID-19, but some people that have been infected have reported hives, red or purple toes, rashes and mottled bumps on fingers, CNN said. Lesions in the mouth have also been reported, but more research is needed to determine if this could be considered a symptom of the coronavirus. “Many viral infections can affect the skin, so it’s not surprising that we are seeing these rashes in COVID-19,” Dr Veronique Bataille said. “However, it is important that people know that in some cases, a rash may be the first or only symptom of the disease. So if you notice a new rash, you should take it seriously by self-isolating and getting tested as soon as possible.”
A case study conducted in Ohio revealed that one person may have infected nearly 100 people with COVID-19. Back in mid-June, a 56-year-old man with COVID-19 attended a church service, which lead to 53 other people in attendance testing positive, said Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who himself announced he tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday. "It spread like wildfire, wildfire. Very, very scary," DeWine said. "We know that our faith-based leaders want nothing more than to protect those who come to worship." Of these 53 people, 18 went on to spread the virus to at least one other person. In all, 91 cases of COVID-19 were able to be traced back to the one man, according to CNN. This case study is a prime example of community spread of the coronavirus.
(Ohio Department of Health)
Despite longstanding claims of being coronavirus-free, a recent guideline introduced by the government indicates that North Korea could be experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is quarantining thousands of people and shipping food and other aid to Kaesong, a southern city that is currently under lockdown, according to officials. However, foreign experts remain skeptical and have released more information that seems to contradict the country’s claim of having no cases of the virus. According to a report released by the World Health Organization, North Korea said it has quarantined 63 first contacts of the suspected Kaesong case and 3,571 second contacts in several state-run facilities for 40 days.
Additionally, since the end of December, North Korea has quarantined and released a total of 25,905 people, according to The Associated Press. However, due to the lack of information released by the government, it is unclear how serious the country’s situation is. “Though a really extensive local outbreak might not have occurred yet, it’s likely that a considerable number of people has been infected,” said Hong Min, an analyst at Seoul’s Korea Institute for National Unification. “Even though North Korea locks itself down, there should be suspected cases there and authorities must aggressively diagnose them. But North Korea has never been transparent about whether it has such a capacity and the will to do so.”
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has tested positive for COVID-19. According to a statement posted on the governor's Twitter account, DeWine, 73, took a test as part of the standard protocol to greet President Trump on the tarmac at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland. The governor currently has no symptoms and is said to be returning to the state capital of Columbus, where he and his wife, First Lady Fran DeWine will be tested. The governor is expected to quarantine at his home for the next 14 days. DeWine was expected to meet with Trump to visit a Whirlpool Corp. manufacturing plant in northwest Ohio on Thursday, The Associated Press reports. DeWine is the second sitting governor to test positive for the illness after Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt announced in July that he had COVID-19.
In this Feb. 27, 2020, file photo, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine gives an update on COVID-19 at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)
As federal unemployment aid expires, many unemployed workers are forced to look for ways to pay their bills, even if it means risking their lives. New York City-based Uber driver Johan Nijman is one of the thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers across the U.S. being forced to choose between physical and financial health as he tries to make a living while unemployed. “I never thought that after working so hard for song long that I would ever find myself in a situation where I had to ask for food one day,” Nijman told Reuters. Nijman, who is a type 2 diabetic, puts his life at risk every time a new passenger gets into his car but was forced to resume driving after the unemployment benefits he had been receiving since mid-March expired. Other drivers, like Sacramento-based Melinda Pualani, are still waiting for their unemployment claims to process, and are forced to resume work to make a living. “Driving again was simply a necessity because I used up most of my saving and still have to keep food on the table,” Pualani said.
The number of weekly unemployment claims for the week ending Aug.1 was just under 1.2 million, the U.S. Department of Labor said in its weekly update. This is a decrease of about 249,000 from the previous week's revised level. The numbers are the lowest of the pandemic era, and below what analysts had predicted, which was about 1.42 million, CNBC reported. Still, the number is considerably higher than the pre-pandemic record of 695,000 in 1982, CNBC said. The figures come as many are now without the extra $600 weekly federal unemployment benefit that expired at the end of July. The Associated Press reports that this is the 20th straight week that over 1 million people have sought jobless aid.
Safety guidelines were tightened in Amsterdam after the number of infections doubled in a week in the Netherlands. On Wednesday, wearing a mask became required in certain busy areas of the city, including the Red Light district.The new mandate comes as the number of infections reached 55,000 and 6,150 people have died due to the coronavirus. “We’re starting this experiment because we’re worried about the increasing number of coronavirus infections,” the Amsterdam city council said, according to AFP. Council workers went to the streets on Wednesday, to make sure everyone was wearing a mask, and even handed out masks to those who did not have one. However, as seen on a video posted by AFP, not everyone followed the new measures, especially in the Red Light district. In the video, many people can be seen walking without masks as they walk past the officers. “Unfortunately, it fits in a bit with the profile of the city,” a Red Light district resident said. Watch a video in the tweet below for more.
From Scotland to Greece, countries all across Europe are announcing new restrictions as the number of new coronavirus cases slowly rises. This week is being called “wake-up week” in Greece after hundreds of new cases were reported across the country. "The virus is here, it feeds on our complacency," Stelios Petsas, a government spokesman in Greece, told Mega TV. In France, the city of Toulouse implemented face mask requirements, with Paris expected to follow suit, AFP reported. Across the border in Switzerland, government officials expanded the quarantine list to 46 countries to include Singapore, Romania and Spain. People entering Switzerland from one of these countries must quarantine upon entry. To date, Europe has reported over 211,000 coronavirus-related fatalities, according to AFP.
Passengers, wearing full protective gear to protect against the spread of coronavirus, push their luggage to check-in, as they check in to travel to Colombo, Sri Lanka, at the Zaventem international airport in Brussels, Wednesday, July 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a report Wednesday highlighting more good news about Moderna's developmental coronavirus vaccine, which late last month entered its Phase 3 trial on humans. Moderna's vaccine, known as mRNA-1273, triggered antibodies in mice during a series of tests, which protected them from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Scientists from Moderna, the NIH and the NIAID collaborated with researchers from three universities. "The findings show that the investigational vaccine induced neutralizing antibodies in mice when given as two intramuscular injections of a 1-microgram (mcg) dose three weeks apart," the NIH said in its report. Scientists said subsequent tests of longer intervals between first and second dosages showed the mice were protected from developing infections in the lungs and noses. "The investigational vaccine also induced robust CD8 T-cell responses in mice," the NIH reported, which previous research has shown could provide long-term immunity from COVID-19.
FILE - In this Monday, July 27, 2020 file photo, a nurse prepares a shot as a study of a possible COVID-19 vaccine, developed by the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc., gets underway in Binghamton, N.Y. Who gets to be first in line for a COVID-19 vaccine? U.S. health authorities hope by late next month to have some draft guidance on how to ration initial doses, but it’s a vexing decision. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)
Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that the nation’s third-largest school district will rely on remote instruction in the fall. Lightfoot had previously presented a hybrid instruction plan, which included both in-person and remote instruction. However, on Wednesday, Lightfoot announced the change in plan, due to the recent increase in confirmed cases in Chicago. “Here in Chicago, we are in a better place than most other areas in the country and in the surrounding area,” Lightfoot said at a City Hall news conference, according to The Associated Press. “But the fact of the matter is, we are seeing an increases in cases. The decision to start remotely makes sense for a district of CPS’ size and diversity.” Officials in the area will reassess the situation this fall to determine whether in-person classes could be possible for the second quarter of the school year.
New York City will be setting up checkpoints across the city to check travelers from states or locations on the Tri-State travel advisory list for quarantine violations. Travelers who fail to quarantine for a period of 14 days upon entering New York City could now face up to $10,000 in fines. Mayor Bill de Blasio said that the COVID-19 traveler registration checkpoints will be located at key entry points into the city, to ensure compliance with the state’s quarantine requirements for travelers coming from certain states. “New York City is holding the line against COVID-19, and New Yorkers have shown tremendous discipline,” de Blasio said, according to ABC7. “We’re not going to let out hard work slip away and will continue to do everything we can to keep New Yorkers safe and healthy.”
Here are the latest global coronavirus numbers, provided by researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
Confirmed cases: 18,830,344
Fatalities: 708,278
Recoveries: 11,381,042
Should India see at least 35,500 new cases on Thursday, the world's second largest country will surpass the 2 million case threshold, becoming the third country in the world to have reached that total, following the United States and Brazil. India hasn't seen a day with fewer than 35,000 new cases since July 16 and the recent surge in cases has yet to plateau. After the U.S., Brazil and India, no other country has seen more than 900,000 cases.
For the second week in a row, the NBA has reported no new cases of COVID-19 among players. “Of the 343 players tested for COVID-19 on the NBA campus since test results were last announced on July 29, zero have returned confirmed positive tests,” the NBA said in a statement on Wednesday. The NBA has resumed play in ‘the bubble’ in Orlando, Florida, where players remain in secure zones isolated from outside contact, significantly reducing the risk of contracting the coronavirus. This news comes just two days after the NHL made a similar announcement. Each member of the 24 NHL teams in contention for the Stanley Cup have tested negative for COVID-19 where they are being kept in a ‘bubble’ in either Edmonton or Toronto depending on the team’s conference.
The COVID-19 pandemic is creating a resurgence for restaurant drive-thrus. According to CNBC, Starbucks, Chipotle and Shake Shack are just a few of the chain restaurants to prioritize building drive-thrus at their new locations since customers are looking for contactless access to their favorite dining establishments or convenience stores. Shake Shack is reportedly planning on building drive-thru lanes for the first time as is the popular convenience store Wawa. ShakeShack is planning on adding drive-thru lanes for ordering as well as picking up online orders. “Look, in the moment of safety, people want to stay in their cars,” Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti told analysts on a July 30 conference call, according to CNBC. “That’s not going to last forever. But obviously, this country has proven that the drive-thru in its old form works. We want to do in this new form.”
As lockdowns eased across the U.S. following the first wave of the coronavirus, many restaurants added outdoor seating to adhere to new restrictions and to help add extra room between tables so guests could follow social distancing guidelines. As the seasons transition to fall, some restaurants may be watching the temperature closely to make sure that it is not too cold for guests to sit outside. AccuWeather has released the 2020 fall forecast, and warmer-than-normal conditions are in the forecast for a majority of the U.S.This is good news for restaurants that are relying on outdoor seating as they will be able to utilize that extra space throughout September and well into October before chilly weather settles in. The projected warmth will also help construction companies that had to stop work in March and April. “A good portion of the fall season is gonna be beneficial to the workers that work outside and have more projects that have to get done and finished because remember, they started out late due to [COVID-19],” AccuWeather Expert Long-Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok said. Click here to read AccuWeather’s complete U.S. fall forecast.
Joe Biden won't travel to Milwaukee for the 2020 Democratic National Convention, neither will any of the other speakers who will address the convention. Democrats will hold a virtual convention amid coronavirus concerns. Biden will deliver his acceptance speech via video stream from his home state of Delaware, the officials reported. The decision on speakers not traveling to Milwaukee was made "in order to prevent risking the health of our host community as well as the convention’s production teams, security officials, community partners, media and others necessary to orchestrate the event." Organizers said in a statement that there had been ongoing consultation with public officials about the decision. “While we wish we could move forward with welcoming the world to beautiful Milwaukee in two weeks, we recognize protecting the health of our host community and everyone involved with this convention must be paramount,” Joe Solmonese, the convention's chief executive said in a statement.
Tom Lawton, a doctor at the Bradford Royal Infirmary in Yorkshire, England, ran 22 miles to work and back while wearing a face mask, to prove that it doesn’t cut oxygen levels. He recorded the results and showed that his oxygen levels never fell below 98% of what it would usually be. “There are a lot of people outdoor who just don’t want to wear a mask and will find any excuse they can,” Lawton told Newsweek. “But the people I’m more concerned about are people with respiratory illness, who would like to wear a mask, who would like to do their bit, but are scared because there have been reports it causes hypoxia (a condition where the body is deprived of oxygen).” Lawton added that wearing a mask does not affect people with respiratory illnesses and it is safe for them to use. In the U.K., the government has made mask-wearing mandatory at supermarkets and shops, as of July 24. Those who refuse to wear a mask will face a fine of up to £100.
The coronavirus continues to spread across India, as the union health ministry reported 52,050 cases on Tuesday, marking the sixth consecutive day cases have surpassed 50,000 in the country. As of Tuesday, the total number of confirmed cases now stands at 1.85 million, according to OneIndia. To help control the spread, the health ministry announced that more tests will be conducted. “In its fight against COVID-19, India scales a new high of 6,61,715 tests in the last 24 hours,” the Health Ministry shared in a tweet on Monday.
An uptick in COVID-19 cases has resulted in new restrictions in Aberdeen, Scotland. “This virus hasn’t gone away - if you doubted that, then today we have evidence of how true that is,” First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said. The new round of restrictions includes the closure of pubs and restaurants, Reuters said. People planning to visit the city are also being told to delay their trips. “It is still out there and it is still highly infectious and it is still highly dangerous,” Sturgeon said. “The outbreak in Aberdeen is a sharp reminder of that. It shows what can happen if we let our guard drop.” In one week, officials will review these restrictions and decide whether to extend them or to allow pubs and restaurants to open once again.
The University of Connecticut will not hold a football season this fall due to the coronavirus pandemic. The school is the first within the Football Bowl Subdivison (FBS) landscape to announce that it is canceling its season. The program recently left the American Athletic Conference and was scheduled to play as an independent this season, ESPN reported. "After receiving guidance from state and public health officials and consulting with football student-athletes, we've decided that we will not compete on the gridiron this season," UConn athletic director David Benedict said. "The safety challenges created by COVID-19 place our football student-athletes at an unacceptable level of risk."
Members of the team returned to campus in July and since then none have tested positive for COVID-19, the school said. "We engaged and listened to the concerns of our football student-athletes and feel this is the best decision for their health, safety, and well-being," head coach Randy Edsall said. "Our team is united in this approach and we will use this time to further player development within the program and gear ourselves to the 2021 season." In an additional statement, the players said they agreed with the decision not to play. "We have many health concerns and not enough is known about the potential long term effects of contracting COVID-19. Additionally, we have not had the optimal time to train mentally & physically to be properly prepared to compete this season. We love this game and love competing. We came to campus in the beginning of July knowing there would be challenges presented by the pandemic but it is apparent to us now that these challenges are impossible to overcome."
Connecticut offensive lineman Matt Peart (65) hugs Connecticut head coach Randy Edsall during senior day festivities before the start of an NCAA college football game against East Carolina Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019, in East Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Stephen Dunn)
As the coronavirus continues to spread, Hawaii Pacific Health CEO Ray Vara warned that the growing number of COVID-19 cases could soon overwhelm hospital capacity. “If we continue on these current trends of triple digit numbers for another seven to 10 days, we’re going to begin stressing those capacities pretty quickly,” Vara said on Monday, according to The Associated Press. Hawaii Pacific Health, which operates four hospitals across Hawaii, has built analytical models of the virus spread for months, with the goal of preventing the illness from overwhelming the state’s health care system. However, recent public gatherings and the lack of mask-wearing could be leading to a fast spread of the virus that could outstrip capacity at hospitals.
As the virus continues to spread in the Philippines, stay-at-home orders have been re-introduced in Manila and four surrounding provinces. For the next two weeks, residents of the area will be asked to stay home as infections in the country surge past 100,000, according to the BBC. As an additional measure, public transport has also been suspended, local flights have been canceled and restaurants are restricted to takeout. The new lockdown came after 80 medical associations in the country urged President Rodrigo Duterte to toughen restrictions due to the fast spread of the virus. On Sunday, the Philippines reported 5,032 new infections, forcing hospitals to turn away patients as they scramble to treat as many people as possible.
Disney’s two upcoming blockbusters, Mulan and Black Widow, will be available to purchase on Disney+ for a premium access fee of $29.99 as the company reported a better-than-expected $5 billion loss. Starting Sept. 4, Disney+ subscribers will be able to pay the premium fee to watch Mulan from the comfort of their homes, while Black Widow will be available for steaming starting Nov. 6 for the same fee. This is Disney’s first time experimenting with offering a movie via a premium access fee on its streaming services, and if it is proven to be successful, executives say that this could lead to a new revenue stream for the company, which took a nearly $5 million charge due to the coronavirus pandemic. “The majority of businesses worldwide have experienced unprecedented disruption as a result of the pandemic,” Disney CEO Bob Chapek told analysts, according to Reuters. “Most of our businesses were shut down, and this had a huge impact.” Watch the video in the tweet below for more.
The coronavirus turmoil of 2020 may extend far beyond New Year’s Eve, Dr. Larry Brilliant predicted. The former World Health Organization doctor told USA Today that he believes COVID-19 will be still be in steady circulation come 2024. “We will still be chasing the virus four years from now,” he said on Monday. “It will be like the smallpox eradication program. The polio eradication program. Having yellow fever in some countries and not in others.” Calling it a “bad and rocky ride,” Brilliant, who was part of the team that helped eradicate smallpox in the 1970s, said that he believes the coronavirus death toll will linger for decades, although he added that effective vaccines will help people recover more quickly.
The holidays will seem a bit different this year in the Big Apple as a longstanding holiday staple has been canceled. On Monday, Madison Square Garden Entertainment announced that the iconic Rockettes' Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall will not take place this holiday season due to uncertainty around COVID-19. "We are disappointed for everyone involved with the show, as well as for the many fans who make the Christmas Spectacular a cherished part of their holiday tradition. We look forward to welcoming audiences back for the 2021 production, which is on sale now," MSG Entertainment said in a statement. The Rockettes, which began in 1925, have drawn 75 million people to the show since it started in 1933. “Christmas has officially been canceled,” Samantha Berger, a Rockette who has performed for 15 seasons wrote on Instagram. “Until Next year,” she said, while adding two broken heart emojis. “Please Wear a Mask.”
You’ll have to forgive Chris Rogan for not knowing the date. After a 132-day hospital stay battling COVID-19, the 29-year-old was released from a New York hospital on Tuesday morning. Over the course of his traumatic stay, which began in late March, Rogan was intubated twice, coded once, had a tracheotomy and had to have to leg amputated due to blood clots, according to ABC 13. “It’s definitely shocking, because when I went down there, it was only 150,000 cases,” he said. “When I woke up, it was 2.5 million. I was like, ‘What? Are you serious?’”
To minimize face-to-face contact, a pizza restaurant in Spain launched an app that gives a new dining experience to customers. To adapt to social distancing rules, customers at Funky Pizza, in Palafrugell, a coastal town north of Barcelona, can browse the menu, order and pay via the “Funky Pay” app on their phones, the first of its kind in the country. Staff manage the orders from screens behind the bar, however a waiter does have to bring the order to the table. “Through this system we have tried to keep physical distance with our clients, which is what people are looking for during COVID,” restaurant owner Carlos Manich, said according to Reuters. Upon entry, the restaurant reminds customers they must wear face masks at all times when not at their tables. “The application is very user-friendly ... and you can also track your order and see when it is in the kitchen or when it will be arriving,” customer Claudia Medina said while eating at the restaurant, according to Reuters. Some customers weren’t fond of the new app and like to connect with the staff. “I think we lose the feeling with the waiter, for example when you order you can’t ask about different preferences or quantities,” customer Javier Comas said.
Here are the latest global coronavirus numbers, provided by researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
Confirmed cases: 18,560,630
Fatalities: 701,027
Recoveries: 11,155,926
The world surpassed the 700,000 fatality threshold on Wednesday morning, less than seven months after China reported its first COVID-19 death. The United States, which saw its first death on Feb. 29, has seen the most in the world, with 156,830 fatalities. Only one other country, Brazil, has seen more than 50,000 deaths.
For previous updates on the coronavirus pandemic from July 24 to August 4, click here.
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