Fears of coronavirus transmission have regained prominence after governors spent weeks working to reopen state economies in the hope that the worst of the pandemic had passed.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called the recent surge in coronavirus cases an “alarm bell” on Tuesday for people who have not taken the virus seriously, the Austin American-Statesman reported.
Texas coronavirus cases hit a new record Tuesday, with 10,028 new cases, surpassing the old record of 8,258 set just days before on Saturday, as well as a record 60 deaths Tuesday. Those records, though, are likely compensation after underreporting over the holiday weekend. Texas has now reported 210,585 cases in total.
Other states experiencing the worst spikes in cases also saw record daily fatalities due to COVID-19. For example, Arizona reported 117 new deaths (although that number was increased by a number of deaths that took place earlier but only recorded Tuesday), making the total number of fatalities more than 1,900, and Florida reported another 63 COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday. Florida’s recent jump in daily deaths increased the state’s seven-day average to 48 fatalities per day, the highest since early May, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Daily deaths nationwide are still markedly lower than earlier in the pandemic, but top government infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci warned people on Tuesday not to be lured into a sense of “false complacency,” adding, “It’s a false narrative to take comfort in a lower rate of death.”
Even while fatality rates have slowed in recent weeks, the current U.S. case count is approaching 3 million, with more than 131,200 fatalities.
Fauci said previously that the rise in coronavirus cases in states such as Florida and Texas was largely due to younger people, who are less likely to get seriously ill or die, testing positive for the coronavirus.
Governors of several Sun Belt states are experiencing rapid hospitalization increases as well.
Hospitalizations in Texas also set a new record for the 10th straight day, reaching 9,286 patients currently hospitalized. In Florida, more than four dozen ICUs have reached capacity, while another 24 are at 90% capacity, according to the state agency for healthcare administration.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, however, maintained Tuesday that Florida hospitals have “abundant capacity.” He previously told reporters that his office would provide the Miami Herald with the number of current hospitalizations and ICU admissions but has not offered a timeline for handing over the data.
Individual counties in Tennessee and South Carolina implemented mask mandates while governors have not issued statewide mandates. Abbott announced last week that counties hardest hit by recent surges will also be required to wear masks in public.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Director of Health Dr. Grant Colfax announced Tuesday that reopening in the city will be put on pause due to an increase in new coronavirus infections and hospitalizations. The reopening of indoor dining and outdoor bars, which was set for July 13, will be delayed, and the city is evaluating whether to allow other businesses, such as hair salons, museums, gyms, and outdoor pools, to reopen by Monday.
“When we examine the health indicators, the regional picture, and what we are learning about the reproductive rate of COVID-19 in our community, we are forced to conclude that it would not be responsible to move forward with indoor dining or outdoor bars on Monday,” Colfax said.
More people trust their governors over President Trump in handling the pandemic, according to a new survey. An NBC News/Survey Monkey poll, taken from June 29-July 7, finds that 55%-43%, people disapprove of Trump’s handling of the federal government’s response to the pandemic. They approve of the way their governors have handled the pandemic 60%-37%. When asked which issue mattered most right now, only 4% answered COVID-19. The top answer was the economy, with almost a third saying that it mattered most.
Trump pushed Tuesday for reopening schools in the fall. “So we’re very much going to put pressure on governors and everybody else to open the schools, to get them open,” he said in a White House meeting. “And it’s very important.”
The Trump administration also notified Congress Tuesday of its plans for withdrawing from the World Health Organization.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro tested positive for the coronavirus Tuesday after experiencing symptoms over the weekend. He reported Monday that he was feeling fine and his lungs were “clean,” but he had been running a fever. Despite reassuring supporters that he was feeling well, he told them, “You can’t get very close [to me], OK?”
Bolsonaro has downplayed the severity of the coronavirus pandemic since the first cases were announced in Brazil in February, calling it a “little flu,” and has appeared in public and at rallies without wearing a mask, hugging, and shaking hands with supporters. Brazil is second only to the United States in the total number of COVID-19 infections, with more than 1.6 million cases.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday that visitors to New York from Delaware, Oklahoma, and Kansas must self-quarantine for two weeks when they arrive, adding to the list of 16 other states that were placed under the advisory. Cuomo first announced the travel advisory on June 24. It applies to any person arriving from a state with a 10% or higher positivity rate over a seven-day rolling average. Cuomo announced the advisory alongside New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont. Each state will implement the mandatory self-isolation rules and enforce them in the way that they see fit.
