July 2 coronavirus news

Arkansas is reporting 878 new cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours, Dr. Nate Smith, the state’s Department of Health secretary, said during a news conference on Thursday.

That’s the most Covid-19 cases the state has reported in a single day since the pandemic began, Smith said.

What the numbers looks like: At least 22,075 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the state and at least 279 people have died from the virus, the health department said.

Pedestrians wear protective masks walk down a sidewalk in Austin, Texas, on Thursday, June 25.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed an executive order on Thursday mandating face coverings in public places “in counties with 20 or more positive COVID-19 cases, with a few exceptions,” according to a statement.

This order will currently impact about 67% of Texas counties, according to state data.

The text of the executive order says that failing to comply is punishable by a fine.

The statement also said Abbott issued another proclamation that gives mayors and county judges the ability to restrict some outdoor gatherings with more than 10 people. The proclamation also mandates “people cannot be in groups larger than ten and must maintain six feet of social distancing from others.”

“I urge all Texans to wear a face covering in public, not just for their own health, but for the health of their families, friends, and for all our fellow Texans,” the statement added.

The latest numbers: Texas reported at least 8,076 new Covid-19 cases yesterday, the state’s highest number of cases in a single day.

Hear more:

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner asked the community to take several steps to help mitigate the spread of coronavirus during a news conference Thursday.

Turner asked that people follow the recommendations for the next three weeks — including wearing masks whenever people are around, not just in businesses, ensuring social distancing in the workplace or working from home, and reducing business occupancy from 50% to 25% — to help “blunt the progression” of coronavirus in Houston.

These recommendations come as the city has reached a 25% positivity rate, Houston Health Department Health Authority Dr. David Persse said. 

“The virus is very much out there,” Persse said. “It’s very much actively spreading.”

Turner also asked that people reduce social gatherings to no more than 10 people ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend. The mayor has also asked faith communities to resume virtual services in place of in-person services to help mitigate the spread of the virus.

The city is producing a virtual Fourth of July show, Turner said. 

Turner’s request came the same day that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott mandated masks in public spaces statewide for counties with 20 or more positive case. 

Abbott also issued a proclamation giving mayors and county judges the ability to impose restrictions on outdoor gathering of over 10 people. 

Dr. Deborah Birx

The White House coronavirus coordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx, urged all Floridians who had been to mass gatherings in the last four weeks to get tested for coronavirus even if they don’t exhibit symptoms, citing the rate of asymptomatic spread in the state.

She also emphasized the importance of wearing masks and staying away from people with other health conditions.

“So we’re asking for everyone under 40 that if you were in a gathering, please go and get tested,” Birx said.

All county-operated beaches in Orange County will be closed for the entire holiday weekend of July 4 and 5, the county’s executive officer, Frank Kim, told CNN, joining other Southern California counties in the closing of their shores to prevent spread of coronavirus.

Kim explained that Orange County cities are managing their local beaches, but all are closed on July 4 with the exception of San Clemente, which has yet to make a final determination.

The county closure comes after the cities of Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, and Laguna Beach all announced plans to close their beaches during the holiday weekend, and follows beach closures in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. 

Access to state beaches will also be restricted for the upcoming holiday weekend, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced in a news conference this week. The beaches themselves will not be closed, but rather parking lots and facilities will be. This applies to state beaches from Sonoma County down to Southern California, Newsom said.

Here are the beaches that are closing for the holiday weekend:

Gov. Brian Kemp asked people in his state “to do the right thing” when it comes to practicing social distancing, using good hand sanitation and wearing a mask.

“Even on the beach do that as well (follow guidelines). We’re not going to be the nanny state. We want people to enjoy themselves, we just want them to do that in a safe way so we can continue to enjoy and have a profitable rest of the summer for the Golden Isles,” Kemp said.

Asked about Savannah’s mask mandate, Kemp said, “From a legal perspective, I really haven’t had time to look at that.” 

“The mayor and I agree on the policy. You should be wearing your mask,” he added. 

Gov. Gavin Newsom

Enforcement of health orders is contingent on local authorities, but California’s governor is again threatening to withhold funding from those who do not comply.

Part of California’s new budget included a trailer bill, which allows dissemination of funds based on contingent behavior, Gov. Gavin Newsom said. He is referring to the distribution of $2.1 billion, which includes CARES Act and realignment dollars.

The enforcement directive applies to everyone in the state, not just to businesses. Yet companies seem to be the focus of intervention, with Newsom noting that the state sent out 350,00 letters to businesses on Wednesday specifically laying out expectations and good business behaviors to protect employees and customers.

The governor said he supports the idea of issuing citations if necessary, but stresses that education and encouragement to follow the directives should come first.

Vice President Mike Pence, on a swing of states with sharp rises in Covid-19 cases, has been changing his tone on the virus, declaring in Arizona and Florida that the country “will flatten the curve.”

In recent remarks, Pence has said the curve has already been flattened.

“We will slow the spread,” Pence said, alongside Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Dr. Deborah Birx on Thursday. “We will flatten the curve. And we will save lives and we will bring Florida’s economy back bigger and better than ever before.”

He made a similar statement in Arizona on Wednesday.

As recently as two weeks ago, Pence said he was “proud to report” that “we slowed the spread. We flattened the curve. We cared for the most vulnerable, and we saved lives,” in remarks at a steel plant in Michigan. Even at the time, that was false. Case counts were on the increase or flat in most states, according to data provided by Johns Hopkins which tracks cases across the US. 

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Pence said the federal government is “considering” and will be “processing in very short order” a request for additional medical personnel to deal with coronavirus cases in Florida.  

But Pence still stressed the need to “keep opening back up our economy,” even as cases surge nationwide.

“Even in these challenging times,” Pence said, “we’re continuing to see America’s economy coming back, Americans going back to work.” He also thanked the DeSantis for his “efforts to open up Florida again,” before touting jobs numbers.

Watch:

There have been at least 2,721,961 cases of coronavirus in the US since the beginning of the pandemic, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University, and at least 128,496 people have died.

Johns Hopkins reported at least 34,634 new cases and 419 deaths on Thursday.

The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases. 

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed an executive order extending the public health emergency in the state.

The extension does not impact the state’s reopening, which is continuing to move ahead. The health emergency was first declared in the state on March 9.

Each extension expires after 30 days unless renewed. 

US stocks ended in the green on Thursday, as the Nasdaq Composite soared to a new closing record.

Investors cheered a better-than-expected jobs report this morning, with a record 4.8 million jobs added in June. The unemployment rate fell to 11.1%.

Here’s where the market closed:

Remember: The market will remain closed on Friday for the Independence Day holiday.

Another US city will be requiring people to wear masks in public.

Beginning July 3, Columbus, Ohio, will require people to wear a face covering when out in public, the city’s Health Department announced Thursday.  

Ginther said the city has distributed more than 40,000 masks.

Asked if employees at the Ohio State House in Columbus would be required to follow the mayor’s order, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said, “I certainly hope that everyone will follow those orders, they are not unreasonable.”

“I want to congratulate the mayor and all the mayors for doing this. I think it makes eminent sense to do it,” he added.

Read Ginther’s tweet:

A photo of Harper’s Restaurant and Brewpub posted to the bar's Instagram account.

There are at least 152 Covid-19 cases currently linked to a bar in East Lansing, Michigan, Amanda Darche, public information officer for the Ingham Health Department, tells CNN.  

On Tuesday, 107 cases were linked to the Harper’s Restaurant & Brew Pub. Health officials asked anyone who visited the establishment June 12 and June 20 to self-quarantine, CNN has reported. 

The 152 current cases include “128 primary cases and 24 secondary cases,” Darche says. Secondary cases are people who were infected but did not visit Harper’s Restaurant and Brewpub. 

On its website, Harper’s Restaurant and Brewpub says patrons “voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19” when visiting.  

Some more context: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order Wednesday closing indoor service at bars throughout most of lower Michigan “following recent outbreaks tied to bars,” she said. 

G.T. Bynum, mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma

The mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma, G.T. Bynum, announced today three new initiatives as positive case rates climb to “an unacceptable new normal” in his city.  

Speaking at a news conference with his chief health official, Bynum did not address any link to the rise in cases and President Trump’s June 20 rally in Tulsa. 

Dr. Bruce Dart, director of the Tulsa Health Department, also did not specifically address any potential community spread that may have resulted from the Trump rally, but did address gatherings where the purpose is to “congregate in close contact with other people” as “a potential risk for spreading Covid-19” and advised people to wear masks and socially distance.  

As the city continues to try to balance economic and health risks, here are the initiatives announced by the governor:

The latest numbers: Dart said at least 136 new cases were reported during the week of June 21-27.

Dr. Robert Redfield

Important conversations are continuing in Washington around who in the United States will be among the first to receive a coronavirus vaccine once one becomes available, health officials said during a Senate appropriations hearing on Thursday.  

Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in the hearing that the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice has been mulling over who should be prioritized. ACIP held a meeting last week during which it was considered that maybe the highest priority should be given to health care personnel and essential workers.

In a previous ACIP meeting, some other proposed priority groups that were discussed included adults ages 65 and older, long-term care facility residents, people with high-risk underlying medical conditions and pregnant women, among others.

“Depending on which vaccine is approved, it might have particular characteristics making it more or less appropriate in given populations,” Redfield said on Thursday. “At the end of the day, it’s really going to be dependent on the characteristics of the particular vaccine product.”

Such discussions around how the vaccine should be distributed could extend beyond ACIP, said Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health.

“This may be a moment to actually bring together a group of big thinkers who could take a high-level view of this and lay out a value of principles that could be utilized by the CDC committee ACIP,” Collins said during Thursday’s hearing.

“That might be something best done by an organization that is not itself governmental,” Collins told lawmakers. “We are having a conversation very early on with the National Academy of Medicine about whether they would be the place to convene such a discussion, and we can keep you posted on that.” 

Sen. Lamar Alexander, a Republican from Tennessee, said during the hearing “put me down as thinking that’s a good idea” in regard to including the National Academy of Medicine in discussions around vaccine distribution.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the median age for new cases in Tampa’s Hillsborough County throughout the pandemic is now down to 34.

Florida’s governor made the comments alongside Vice President Mike Pence at the University of South Florida Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation in Tampa. The governor addressed the media before a scheduled briefing with other White House coronavirus task force officials. 

Earlier today, Florida marked a new record daily high of infections since the start of the pandemic. The Florida Department of Health reported 10,109 additional coronavirus cases, which broke the previous record of more than 9,500 new cases in a single day reported on Saturday. The state’s total cases are more than 160,000, according to data released by the state today.

The governor also warned Floridians to take precautions ahead of the July 4th weekend.

He advised people to stay away from enclosed spaces when retreating from the heat, avoid large crowds and “close contact situations”. 

Watch:

California is launching an ad campaign to encourage residents to wear masks, keep their distance and stay home, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced in a news conference.

The public service announcements harness the celebrity power of the state starring Snoop Dogg, Larry David, Kim Kardashian, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.  

In addition to PSAs — some of which were released earlier in the pandemic — billboards and other ads will go up in cities across the state.

The campaign will feature languages other than English, including Spanish, Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin and Vietnamese.

Funding for the promotion comes from a combination of public and private funds. The state is contributing just over $10 million and private foundations are kicking in more than $27 million.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced today that the state will implement a new warning system to provide local health departments and community leaders data and information to help combat Covid-19 flare-ups as they occur in different parts of the state. 

The Ohio Public Health Advisory System has four levels to provide guidance on the severity of the problem each Ohio county, the governor said. The levels are determined by seven data indicators that identify the risk level for each county and a corresponding color code to represent that risk level.

These seven indicators include new cases per capita, sustained increase in new cases, proportion of cases not congregate cases, sustained increase in ER visits, sustained increase in outpatient visits, sustained increase in new Covid-19 hospital admissions and ICU bed occupancy.

Here’s what each alert level means:

There are at least 240,195 coronavirus cases in California and 6,163 reported deaths, according to state data.

Hospitalizations and those in intensive care are once again at an all-time high with single-day increases of more than 3% each. Covid-19 patients make up for about 30% of all hospitalizations, according to state data.

Well over 4.3 million tests have been conducted in the state and the positivity rate continues to climb. Over the past 14 days, the positivity rate has now reached 6.3%.

California’s Department of Public Health continues to process a backlog of case reports, reallocating cases to the dates the test results were confirmed.

Cases increased by 1.7%, with the addition of 4,056 new cases.

Note: These numbers were released by the California Department of Public Health, and may not line up exactly in real time with CNN’s database drawn from Johns Hopkins University and the Covid Tracking Project

As Covid-19 cases in the US continue to rise, Facebook said on Thursday it would begin to promote information about face coverings and other preventive measures on its two social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram.

The alerts, in English and Spanish, will have links to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where users can get more information, Facebook said.

“On Facebook, we’ll be sending an alert at the top of everyone’s News Feed and directing them to the COVID-19 Information Center to learn more, which will have additional prevention tips and links to the CDC for additional information,” Facebook spokespeople said in an email to CNN. 

The alerts are beginning in the US with plans to expands further soon. 

In a statement on Thursday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has canceled all events surrounding the 2020 Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic citing a “public health precaution” as the country battles with coronavirus. 

Central State University and Howard University were set to face off at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on September 6. 

Dr. Carlos del Rio

The first US clinical trial for a Covid-19 vaccine will likely not start until the end of the month or the beginning of August, according to a researcher involved in the trials with Moderna. 

“It’s been delayed,” said Dr. Carlos del Rio, an infectious disease expert at Emory University School of Medicine and one of the investigators for the Moderna vaccine. 

On June 15, one of vaccine trial centers, the University of Illinois at Chicago, said it expected the trial to start July 9. 

He added that there are many steps involved in putting together a large clinical trial. 

“We still need to get FDA approval. We still need to get IRB approval,” del Rio said, referring to the US Food and Drug Administration and institutional review boards at specific centers where the trials will be done.  

In addition, he said there are logistical matters, such arranging for enough doses of the vaccine, as well as doses of the placebo that will be given to about half the patients as a comparison. 

“This is not an easy trial to get out there. It’s a 30,000 person trial,” del Rio said. 

The news of a delay was first reported by STAT. After the article was published, Moderna put out a statement on Twitter. 

“Moderna has previously disclosed that the Phase 3 trial of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate MRNA-1273 is expected to begin in July. The trial is still expected to begin in July and we expect to be the first to start a Phase 3 trial,” according to the statement. 

The University of Oxford in England has already started Phase 3 trials in the UK. 

Hear more:

New York state reported 875 additional cases of Covid-19 and 10 deaths since yesterday, according to a statement from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office. 

What the numbers say: At least 394,954 cases of Covid-19 have been reported in New York state and at least 24,877 people have died from the virus. 

Vice President Mike Pence just touched down in Tampa, Florida. He’ll soon have a coronavirus briefing with the state’s governor, Ron DeSantis, at the University of South Florida. Both leaders were wearing masks when they greeted each other on the airport tarmac.

Pence is joined on the trip by Dr. Deborah Birx, a White House coronavirus task force official, Alex Azar, Health and Human Services Secretary, and Dr. Stephen Hahn, the head of the Food and Drug Administration — all of whom were seen wearing masks at the airport. The group exchanged pleasantries with Gov. DeSantis but did not shake hands or elbow bump.

According to the pool, no one on the flight wore face masks except for the press and the flight attendants.

Pence’s trip comes as the state reported its highest single-day total of new coronavirus cases, with more than 10,000 new cases. That broke the previous record of more than 9,500 new cases in a single day, which was reported on Saturday.

Here’s what else we know about coronavirus in the state:

The federal agency responsible for granting citizenship, providing immigration benefits, and processing visa applications is bracing to furlough thousands of employees in August — a move that could grind the US immigration system to a halt. 

US Citizenship and Immigration Services, a fee-funded agency, says it’s at a loss for money after having to close offices and put services on pause during the pandemic.

Over recent weeks, the agency has been preparing to furlough more than half of its workforce unless Congress provides additional funding. Notices went out to staff this week that can potentially be furloughed, according to an agency spokesperson. 

USCIS has been at the center of some of the Trump administration’s most significant immigration policies, including a litany of regulations intended to curb asylum in the United States.

The possible furlough of 13,400 of the agency’s nearly 20,000 employees risks disrupting USCIS operations.

Michael Knowles, president of the American Federation of Government Employees local union that represents Washington, DC area employees, similarly expressed concerns over what the furloughs might mean for the agency and those who depend on its services. 

“It’s not in our national interest to let the immigration service fail. You need a functioning immigration service,” Knowles said. “The damage would be long lasting.”

How Congress is reacting: While USCIS is sounding the alarm over lack of funding, the agency has not submitted a formal funding request to Congress. 

“The Trump White House is responsible for requesting supplemental funding, but all they have sent Congress is a one-page letter that provides virtually no information on the shortfall or proposed remedies,” said Evan Hollander, communications director for the House Appropriations Committee. 

“Despite this egregious lack of communication, House Democrats are closely tracking USCIS’ financial difficulties and are prepared to discuss solutions as part of negotiations on the next phase of coronavirus response legislation,” he added.

A congressional aide told CNN that Democratic staff sent USCIS a proposal two weeks ago that lays out a plan to pay back the funds that might be appropriated, but haven’t heard back from the agency.

Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont, sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget in late June, urging action from the administration.

Leahy said he spoke with USCIS Deputy Director for Policy Joseph Edlow who informally requested $1.2 billion in emergency funding to get USCIS through the end of the calendar year. But no formal request has come through. 

President Donald Trump arrives on stage to speak at a campaign rally at the BOK Center, Saturday, June 20, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Former 2012 Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain did not meet with President Trump at the Tulsa rally on June 20, Trump campaign spokesperson Tim Murtaugh told CNN.

Cain tested positive for Covid-19 on June 29 and was hospitalized on July 1 after developing symptoms serious enough to be hospitalized, according to a statement posted on Twitter. He spent the night in an Atlanta-area hospital and is “awake and alert,” according to the statement.  

Cain, as a co-chair of Black Voices for Trump, was one of the surrogates at Trump’s rally in Oklahoma.

Hear more:

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett issued a public health order requiring all residents to wear face coverings in public spaces, according to a statement from his office.

The mandate requires residents to wear face masks indoors and outdoors when in public spaces, according to the statement.

The order will go into effect July 9.

A global study has found clear evidence that a new form of the coronavirus has spread from Europe to the US. The new mutation makes the virus more infectious but does not seem to make people any sicker, an international team of researchers reported Thursday.

The mutation affects the spike protein — the structure the virus uses to get into the cells it infects. Now the researchers are checking to see if this affects whether the virus can be controlled by a vaccine. Current vaccines being tested mostly target the spike protein.

The study, published in the journal Cell, confirms earlier work suggesting the mutation had made the new variant of virus more common. The researchers call the new mutation G614, and they show that it has almost completely replaced the first version to spread in Europe and the US, one called D614. 

What this means: This could be good news, said Lawrence Young, a professor of medical oncology at the UK’s University of Warwick, who was not involved in the study. “The current work suggests that while the G614 variant may be more infectious, it is not more pathogenic. There is a hope that as SARS-CoV-2 infection spreads, the virus might become less pathogenic,” he said in a statement.

About the study: The team tested samples taken from patients across Europe and the US and sequenced the genomes. They compared these genome sequences to what’s been shared publicly. Comparing these sequences helped them draw a map of the spread of the two forms. 

“Through March 1, 2020 the G614 variant was rare outside of Europe, but the end of March it had increased in frequency worldwide,” they wrote.

Even when the D614 form had caused widespread epidemics, in places such as Wales and Nottingham in England, as well as in Washington state, G614 took over once it appeared, they found. 

“The increase in G614 frequency often continues well after stay-at-home orders are in place and past the subsequent two-week incubation period,” they added.

The new version seems to multiply faster in the upper respiratory tract — the nose, sinuses and throat – which would explain why it passes around more easily, the researchers said. But tests on 1,000 hospitalized coronavirus patients showed those infected with the new version did not fare any worse than those who caught the original strain.

Other mutations often go along with the G614 mutation, but it’s not clear what effect they have. “The earliest sequence we detected that carried all 4 mutations was sampled in Italy on Feb. 20,” they wrote. “Within days, this haplotype was sampled in many countries in Europe. 

The G614 mutation can be neutralized by convalescent serum – the blood product taken from people who have recovered from a coronavirus infection, the researchers said. 

“But it will be important to determine whether the D614 and G614 forms of SARS-CoV-2 are differentially sensitive to neutralization by vaccine-elicited antibodies or by antibodies produced in response to infection with either form of the virus,” they added.

More work is needed, of course, to solidify the findings and to see what the changes mean for the epidemic and for patients, the researchers said. 

Hear more:

There are at least 2,711,603 cases of coronavirus in the US, and at least 128,385 people have died from the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University’s tally of cases.

On Thursday, Johns Hopkins reported 25,345 new cases and 323 reported deaths. 

The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases. 

The US set a record number yesterday of new coronavirus cases in a single day, with more than 50,000 new infections reported.

At least 37 states are seeing an increase in new cases compared to the previous week, with 10 of those states seeing a 50% or more increase in cases, according to John Hopkins University data.

Here’s a look at how new cases have continued to rise since the pandemic began:

Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina announced today that the police will be issuing fines to those who do not wear masks in public, as part of the police’s enforcement of city and county orders and restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Giménez expanded the mandatory mask order in the county yesterday, according to a statement from his office. The order require masks in all indoor and outdoor public spaces.   

The Miami police chief also said 31 officers and six civilian employees have tested positive for Covid-19, and 115 people are quarantined due to the virus. Many of the officers who are sick were part of protest response teams, he added, saying, “that’s not acceptable.”

Former 2012 Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain has been diagnosed and hospitalized Wednesday with Covid-19, according to his employer Newsmax and an official statement posted on Cain’s Twitter feed. 

Cain, as a co-chair of Black Voices for Trump, was one of the surrogates at President Trump’s June 20 rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Cain tested positive for Covid-19 on June 29 and was hospitalized on July 1 after developing symptoms serious enough to be hospitalized, according to the statement posted on Twitter. 

He spent the night in an Atlanta-area hospital and is “awake and alert,” according to the statement.  

Paris Dennard, pictured smiling right behind Cain in a picture on Cain’s Twitter page from Trump’s Tulsa rally, told CNN he has not been informed about Cain’s positive diagnosis nor his hospitalization.

“No, I have not been informed,” said Dennard, who is an adviser for Black media affairs at the Republican National Committee. “I have not seen the reports about Herman Cain.”

Dennard said he himself has not been tested for coronavirus since the Tulsa rally because he has “exhibited zero symptoms” and is regularly wearing a face covering.

Some more context: At least eight Trump advance team staffers who attended the Tulsa rally tested positive for coronavirus.

After interacting with several colleagues who later tested positive, all of Trump’s campaign staffers who attended his Tulsa rally quarantined the following week, CNN previously reported.

CNN has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.

Cain is a contributor for Newsmax, a conservative media outlet. According to the outlet, Cain is doing well and is not on a ventilator.

CNN’s DJ Judd contributed reporting

Europe is facing “the most difficult situation in its history” due to the coronavirus crisis, with the pandemic testing the continent’s ability to “stick together,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a joint video-press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Speaking from Berlin on Thursday, as Germany resumed the Presidency of the European Union Council for the next six months, Merkel warned that the pandemic was “far from over” and that “we see every day that the virus is not gone.”

Von der Leyen, speaking from Brussels, said that ”the launch of the German presidency came “at a crucial time,” adding that ”the next six months will determine the future of Europe.”

She called on EU member states to reach quick agreement on the 750 billion euro ($827 billion) recovery fund to counter the economic consequences caused by the coronavirus crisis, saying that the EU was “under extreme time pressure” and that “every day counts.”

More on this: The alliance will discuss the financial rescue plan at an extraordinary summit on July 17 and 18. However, the volume, financing and type of aid are still being disputed among the 27 member states. In addition to the coronavirus crisis, the summit will also deal with topics such as climate protection, digitalization and migration.

Vice Admiral Jerome Adams, U.S. Surgeon General, takes off a protective mask while speaking during a 'Wear A Mask' tour stop in Dalton, Georgia, on Thursday, July 2.

Traveling with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on the “Wear a Mask” fly-around tour of the state ahead of the holiday weekend, US Surgeon General Jerome Adams said a mask is “an instrument of freedom if we all use it to slow the spread of Covid-19.” 

“Right now the best advice that we have based on what we know about asymptomatic spread is that everyone in public should be wearing a mask or a face covering to protect those around you,” he said. 

Adams also spoke about the importance of vaccinations. “Vaccine hesitancy is a real concern in our country,” he said. 

“We need all of you to help people understand vaccines are safe and effective, and we need you to help engage communities where that hesitancy exists so that when we do get a safe and effective Covid vaccine we actually can get it to the people that need it the most,” Adams added. 

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will be taking extra measures for the safety of all passengers after a Transportation Security Administration employee tested positive for coronavirus, the airport’s General Manager John Selden said.

All lanes at the main checkpoint have been sterilized out of an abundance of caution, he said. 

Selden said they are doing everything they can to keep travelers safe and secure heading into the Fourth of July weekend, including nightly deep cleaning and providing masks for anyone who needs one. The airport has 4.7 million masks available to distribute, he said.

All airport employees are subject to temperature checks and required to wear masks, Selden said. Social distance stickers have also been placed throughout the airport, he added. 

Amid the spike of Covid cases in Los Angeles, the University of Southern California is now recommending that all undergraduates move to remote learning for the fall semester and reconsider living on campus.

“While not what we hoped, we are now recommending all undergraduates take their courses online, and reconsider living on or close to campus this semester. We are continuing with limited in-person, on-campus activity because we believe we can keep students, researchers, staff, and faculty safe with our low-density plan.”

Some background: USC had previously announced it would limit housing to one student per bedroom in all of their residence halls, and the city of Los Angeles has also asked the school to hold vacant rooms throughout the semester to serve as quarantine space, reducing the schools on campus living capacity to less than half of what it normally is.

The school will prioritize students whose course of study requires on campus instruction, are in named scholarship or academic programs, or require extra assistance, as well as international students.

A San Quentin death row inmate who was found dead in his cell on June 24 tested positive for coronavirus, according to the Marin County Sheriff’s office. 

Richard Stitely, 71, was found with no signs of trauma at 8:38 p.m. and pronounced dead at 9:06 p.m., according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

Stitely was sentenced to death in 1992 for the 1990 murder of Carol Unger, 47. She was last seen leaving the White Oak Bar in Reseda with Stitely, according to the CDCR. Her body was found in an industrial complex parking lot. 

Further details regarding the cause and manner of death for Stitely will be released by the CDCR once its investigation is complete. 

Another death row inmate, Joseph Safarino Cordova, 75, was found unresponsive in his cell Wednesday afternoon. He had no signs of trauma, according to the CDCR. His coronavirus status will be determined by the county coroner. 

San Quentin has reported 1,296 active cases. 

Some context: Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday acknowledged the rising cases at the prison. He said at least 40% of the population is medically vulnerable and the prison is an area of concern.

Nashville Mayor John Cooper delivers the State of Metro Address from the Council Chambers at the Metro Courthouse on March 31 in Nashville.

In an email to CNN, Nashville Mayor John Cooper announced that starting Friday the city would “revert” to “phase two with modifications.”

The modified plan, Cooper said, “is tailored on what we’ve learned through contact tracing investigations over the past several weeks.”

“Four of our six health metrics for Reopening Nashville are green. Our transmission rate is yellow, between 1.03 to 1.16, but our 14-day rolling daily case average is red. Today’s new confirmed case count is 608, a record daily high for Davidson County. This means we have to respond as a community to get us back on track,” he said.

When talking about canceling the Fourth of July fireworks display, the mayor said, “It is clear that adding any public health risk is inappropriate for Nashville at this time. So, we’ve directed the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation to cancel its fireworks display on Saturday evening.”

As the number of coronavirus cases surges in Texas, Austin Mayor Steve Adler says he is weighing a 35-day stay-at-home order for the state capital. “We’re putting it on the table,” he told CNN’s Kate Bolduan. 

“We could easily be maxed out in our hospitals and our ICUs within two weeks, having to open up field hospitals in our city,” Adler said. 

The community doesn’t want to go back to a lockdown, he said, but a 35-day stay-at-home order would allow the city to stem the tide now, as well as prepare adequately for reopening again. 

Even if Texas Gov. Greg Abbott does not approve the order, Adler said the city would go ahead with protective measures. 

“That mixed messaging is killing us,” he said. 

Watch the interview:

The National Basketball Association along with the players union released a joint statement announcing that nine players have tested positive for coronavirus in its latest round of testing.

The NBA season is scheduled to restart on July 30 at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida.

Honduras' President Juan Orlando Hernandez delivers a speech whilst being discharged from hospital after contracting the coronavirus disease at the Military Hospital in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on July 2.

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández was discharged from hospital on Thursday morning, 16 days after being diagnosed with Covid-19.

Speaking in front of the cameras and clearly emotional, Hernández thanked his medical team and honored the victims of the pandemic in his country. 

“Many think this is a game and it is not until they see a relative who gets sick or when they get sick themselves that they understand the seriousness of this issue. I tell you, the truth is I don’t wish this on anyone,” he said.

Hernández’s speech was broadcasted on Honduras National TV (TNH) and social media.

“I thought about what would happen if I could not be with my family anymore,” he said, adding that his wife, first lady Ana García de Hernández, is recovering from the virus at home.

The President asked the Honduran people to help him to fight the virus by taking individual responsibility. “Covid has come to change our lives” he added.

Hernández said hospitals in the country’s major cities are collapsing due to the escalating demand of the pandemic.

He was admitted to a military hospital on June 16, becoming the first president in Latin America to test positive for the virus. His wife and two aides also tested positive for the novel coronavirus.   

Honduras reported 704 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday evening, bringing the total to at least 20,262. The death toll in the Central American country stands at 542.

U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health and Human Services Admiral Brett P. Giroir testifies at a House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis hearing on "The Administration Response to Ongoing Shortages of PPE and Critical Medical Supplies" on Capitol Hill on July 2 in Washington, DC.

The current spike in new coronavirus numbers is due to an increase in cases, not because of more testing, Admiral Dr. Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for health for the US Department of Health and Human Services said on Thursday. 

Giroir the US we did flatten the curve earlier during the pandemic, but “we are not flattening the curve right now, the curve is still going up.” 

Across the US, some states are doing better than others, Giroir said, “four states are counting for about 50% of our new cases, and they’re very concerning to all in public health.” 

Those states are California, Arizona, Texas and Florida – which all posted record new cases this week, according to Johns Hopkins data. 

Giroir, who has recently been critical of younger generations said, “we really do believe the current outbreak is primarily due to under 35s, with a lot of gatherings and not appropriate protection – like masks.” 

Allegheny County in Pennsylvania identified 233 new cases of Covid-19 overnight into Thursday morning, the communications director for the county executive, Amie Downs, told CNN.

The previous high since the mid-June surge had been Wednesday’s count of 110 new cases.

There are four new hospitalizations but no change in deaths from the day before, Downs said. The median age in new cases is 29, the same as it was on Wednesday.

It is too early to know exactly where the cases originated from, but Downs said many are from community spread.

The White House stands past the South Lawn in Washington, D.C., on May 22.

The White House Fourth of July party will observe social distancing guidelines for guests, most of whom will be front line workers and their families, including law enforcement, doctors, nurses, and first responders, White House spokesman Judd Deere tells CNN. 

Another White House official confirmed to CNN that each guest will be handed a packet upon entry containing a mask, hand wipes, and sanitizer.

Additionally, the official says White House staff waiting on guests will be using multiple disposable masks and gloves, to be constantly tossed out and reapplied throughout the event.

The event will be held on the South Lawn, starting at 6:00 p.m. ET, a precursor to the flyover festivities and fireworks.

People wait in line at a walk-up testing site for COVID-19 during the new coronavirus pandemic, Tuesday, June 30, 2020, in Miami Beach, Flao

The Florida Department of Health is reporting 10,109 additional coronavirus cases, bringing the state total to 169,106, according to data released by the state.

Today’s numbers mark a new record daily high of infections in the state of Florida since the start of the pandemic. The previous record was set on Saturday, when the start reported just more than 9,500 new cases.

WATCH:

New York City Public Schools will open in September, Mayor Bill de Blasio said during today’s Covid-19 presser. 

The mayor said schools will have a maximum number of students who can attend school in September based on space they can convert to learning areas that supports social distancing. 

In some cases where all students can’t attend class, they may have staggering schedules, the mayor said. 

Remember: Ultimately, the decision will be made by the governor on whether schools will open in the fall.

Schools are still in the process of putting together back to school plans, New York City Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza said during the press conference.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks during a press conference in New York on July 2.

At least 22 additional streets will be opened to restaurants to use for outdoor seating, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

This will add about 2.62 additional miles for restaurants to have seating. 

This will take place across all five boroughs on Friday nights and weekends, those days were picked because they are busy days for going out, de Blasio said. 

More context: The decision was made yesterday to not allow indoor dining in New York City when the city moves to phase 3 of reopening next week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

Vice President Mike Pence answers a question as he holds a news conference in Phoenix on July 1.

When asked about a national mandate on masks in an interview on CNBC, Vice President Mike Pence responded: “I don’t think there’s a need for a national mandate.”

The President also said yesterday he does not think a mandate for masks is needed.

Pence noted that Trump instructed him to make sure that states which are seeing a rise in the number of coronavirus cases have everything that they need.

“We’re going to stay with these states that are seeing rising cases every step of the way,” Pence said.

Pence said that the administration supports governors who are pausing reopening, however, Pence also said “but we’re going to keep opening up America again.”

“PPE supplies are strong, testing is strong, more therapeutic medicines are available every day,” Pence claimed.

Meanwhile, a growing number of US states across the country have mandated the use of masks and face coverings while in public.

With many states starting to lift coronavirus restrictions, more people are venturing out in public, but the number of cases is still rising in nearly half of them.

Read more about the states requiring people to wear masks when out in public:

Related article These are the states requiring people to wear masks when out in public

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin speaks to the media in the briefing room at the White House on July 2 in Washington, DC.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Thursday that the Trump administration is considering whether to give money to schools to better equip them to be ready for classes to begin in the fall.

Mnuchin said the administration would “absolutely” support the legislation if it included funding for schools.

“We want to make sure that kids are safe and that if there is money that schools need to spend to safely have people in classrooms, social distance, spread things out, change hours — these are all the things we’re looking at,” he added.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp speaks during a press conference in Dalton, Georgia, on July 2.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said today Covid-19 continues to spread in the state. “We’re not out of the woods yet,” said Kemp. 

“We cannot get complacent,” added Kemp during his stop in Dalton, Georgia, while on his “Wear a Mask” fly-around tour of Georgia ahead of the holiday weekend. 

Kemp encouraged Georgians to continue social distancing, washing their hands, and wearing a mask or face covering. 

When asked to elaborate, Kemp said “We got a speed limit all over the state, here in town, on the interstate. Not everybody obeys by that.” 

“On the rise in cases, I don’t think that surprises me in light of what we’ve been dealing with,” said Kemp.

Kemp said the state’s surge capacity “continues to remain solid.”  

“Our hospitals are prepared,” added Kemp.

“There is good news in our fight. Our case mortality rate continues to decline. Our testing continues to rise,” added Kemp. 

The Taj Mahal is closed to tourists on March 18 in Agra, India.

Famous Indian monuments such as the Taj Mahal and Red Fort will reopen to tourists on July 6, India’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced on Thursday.

The popular attractions, along with thousands of monuments, have been closed since March due to coronavirus outbreak in India.

According to India’s Ministry of Homes Affairs, the nation is currently at the second phase, or “Unlock 2,” of the lockdown. During this phase, domestic transportation is allowed to operate in a limited manner, while international traveling is still not permitted.

As of Thursday, India has a total of 604,641 confirmed coronavirus cases, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Brett Giroir, US assistant secretary for health, speaks during the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on June 30.

Admiral Dr. Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for health for the US Department of Health and Human Services, told lawmakers Thursday that to date, the US has performed more than 35 million Covid-19 tests and is now averaging “over 550,000 tests per day.”

Speaking to the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis about the national stockpile, Giroir said he estimates the nation will have the capacity to perform 40 to 50 million tests per month by the fall. 

Giroir did not specify which type of test he is referring to – those that check for current infection or those that check for past infection. It is also important to note many individuals have received multiple tests.

“With emerging new techniques like pooling of samples, combined with investments and point of care technologies, that number could easily be 80 million available per month if they are needed,” Giroir said. 

President Donald Trump speaks to the press from the White House in Washington, DC, on July 2.

President Trump spoke from the White House briefing room this morning to tout a better-than-expected jobs report.

The appearance came a day after the US set a record number of new coronavirus cases in a single day, with more than 50,000 cases reported. It took a little more than two months for the US to record its first 50,000 coronavirus cases.

The President said June’s job numbers, with almost 5 million jobs added, shattered all expectations. 

“This is the largest monthly job gain in the history of our country,” he said. 

Remember: The numbers today won’t necessarily show any cracks in the recovery that may have emerged in recent days as the Covid-19 outlook deteriorates.

President Trump did not take questions after his comments.

US stocks climbed higher at Thursday’s opening bell, boosted by a better-than-expected jobs report.

The US economy added 4.8 million jobs in June, bringing the unemployment rate down to 11.1%.

Here’s how the market opened:

Remember: It’s the last trading day of the week, since markets will be closed for the Independence Day holiday on Friday.

The United States reported 50,203 new coronavirus cases were reported Wednesday — a record for one day, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Meanwhile, at least five states — Arizona, California, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas — had record-high totals of new case reports on Wednesday.

California, the most populous state, reported more than 9,000 new cases. That figure included 5,898 cases reported to the state in the past 24 hours and 3,842 previously unreported cases from a five-day period, Ali Bay, a spokesperson for the state’s joint information center, said.

Here is a look at the progression of new cases in California:

Arizona reported 4,878 new cases of Covid-19 Wednesday, as well as 88 deaths from the disease over the last 24 hours, state data shows. The numbers are a new record high for both new daily cases and deaths since the state started posting data publicly in mid-March.

Here is a look at the progression of new cases in Arizona:

Meanwhile, many states are pausing their reopenings or rolling back some restrictions.

More than 28 million Californians live in counties where restaurant dining rooms, bars and other indoor facilities are being told to stay shut or close as the number of Covid-19 cases continue to worry state officials.

The closures affect 19 counties representing 72% of the state’s population, and include restaurants, museums, zoos, movie theaters, family entertainment, and card rooms, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday.

Erin Bromage, CNN contributor and biology professor at UMass Dartmouth, gave tips on how to keep your Independence Day gatherings as safe as possible this holiday weekend.

Here’s his advice:

Bromage said that overall, people need to be vigilant, or cases will inevitably rise once again. 

Bottom line? “Keep your distance, keep it outside, wash your hands often, wear a mask when you can’t distance,” he said. 

Watch more:

People in West Hollywood who do not wear a face cover in public will now face a citation of $300.

 “Our last option was to conduct enforcement by issuing an Administrative Citation, but the risk to Community health is too great,” said the bulletin.

West Hollywood is a city in Los Angeles county and patrolled by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.

The county has been reporting record highs of new Covid-19 cases. Yesterday, for the fourth straight day, more than 2,000 new coronavirus cases were reported in the county.

WATCH:

Scotland will implement a series of “local lockdowns” over the weekend in areas which have recorded an increase in new coronavirus cases, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Thursday. 

The decision comes as Scotland prepares to lift the five-mile travel limit on citizens, as of Friday.

“We are very hopeful that this outbreak will be contained, and I should stress that there is no evidence at this stage to suggest otherwise,” she added. 

Speaking during a news conference on Thursday, Sturgeon confirmed that 10 positive cases have so far been recorded in Annan and Gretna, and a “significant” number of contacts are being traced, she added. 

Additionally, mobile testing units have been deployed to three separate workplaces with connections to positive cases in order to test staff members. 

“Until contact tracing and testing has been completed…we must act on a precautionary basis,” Sturgeon said. 

As of Thursday, Scotland has recorded a further five positive cases since Wednesday, bringing the total to 18,264. 

Over the last 24 hours, one coronavirus patient has died in Scotland. The total death toll for confirmed coronavirus patients now stands at 2,487.

Doctors and nurses at San Antonio’s Methodist Hospital are overwhelmed by the sharp increase in coronavirus patients — and are bracing for even more cases after the Fourth of July weekend. 

Pulmonary disease physician Dr. Jeffrey Dellavolpe said he’s lost track of how many patients with Covid-19 in their 20s are coming in. 

“The last few weeks has just been overwhelming, is how I would describe it. There’s been more and more patients than we really know what to do with. The patients are getting younger, and they’re more sick,” he said.  

Dellavlope said that he got 10 calls in one day of people who could be on a procedure to oxygenate blood and keep patients off ventilators, and he only had three beds available.

ER physician Dr. Jennifer Gemmill said patients are being held in the emergency department for hours or even days, due to the lack of available beds. 

“I don’t think that there was one specific incidence that really led to this spike. I think people after March and April were extremely frustrated with being inside, and as soon as those restrictions lifted, they wanted to get out. Some protected themselves, some didn’t. And now we’re just seeing the result of that,” Gemmill said.  

Watch more:

As the country continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic and some states see growing cases, the unemployment rate fell to 11.1% as the US economy added 4.8 million jobs in June.

Still, 1.4 million Americans filed for first-time unemployment insurance last week.

The data was far better than economists predicted. The unemployment rate also fell more than expected.

It was the second-consecutive month of growth after more than 20 million jobs were wiped out in April during the coronavirus lockdown. The reopening of the economy is easing the burden on America’s stressed labor market.

But the US economy remains in a deep recession, and a full job market recovery is far from certain. America is dealing with a severe joblessness crisis and millions of people are relying on government aid to make ends meet.

The Department of Labor reported Thursday that 1.4 million workers – more than expected – filed for first-time unemployment benefits last week. Continued claims, which count people filing at least two weeks in a row, stood at 19.3 million, slightly more than the revised number of the prior week.

At least 12 states are seeing a rise in daily hospitalizations, the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week.

The trend is worrying: A sharp increase in patients can once again overwhelm hospitals, putting critical resources including staffing, beds and ventilators in short supply.

Some hospitals are already so swamped they’ve transferred patients elsewhere, while others are taking steps to prepare for a coming surge.

The increases come weeks after many states began reopening their economies after extended closures intended to stem the spread of coronavirus. Meanwhile, at least 37 states across the country are seeing an increase in Covid-19 cases compared to the previous week, according to John Hopkins University data.

The relaxed measures fueled the rapid spread of the virus and an influx of new patients needing hospitalization, some doctors say.

“I live close to a beach, and you can see it’s like a party every single day,” says Dr. David De La Zerda, the ICU medical director and a pulmonologist at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

Among the states seeing an increase are Florida and Texas, which are expected to see nearly 2,000 new hospitalizations per day by mid-July, according to forecasts published by the CDC. 

In Arizona and California, the forecasts project about 1,500 new patients each day in the next two weeks.

Arizona hospital beds are currently at 85% capacity and ICU beds are “only” at 88% capacity, Vice President Mike Pence said during a briefing in Phoenix on Wednesday. The state is also asking for 500 additional medical personnel to deal with what Pence called a “dramatic” surge in coronavirus cases in the state.

Here is a look at some of the latest hospitalization figures:

Some residents in the Atlanta area received a public safety alert on their phones this morning, during them to wear a mask when they’re outside and to stay home when possible.

The alert from DeKalb County also urged people to “get tested!” Here’s a look at the alert:

The safety alert comes as cases of coronavirus are rising across the state of Georgia. The state is one of 37 across the country seeing increases in coronavirus in the past week compared to the week before — and it’s one of 10 reporting a greater than 50% increase in new cases.

Hospitalizations across the state are also increasing.

A student wears a face mask at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, California on March 11.

Citing rising cases of coronavirus in Los Angeles county, the University of Southern California will modify its plans for fall undergraduate classes to mostly online courses.

In June, USC announced it would resume in-person classes in the fall.

Yesterday, for the fourth straight day, more than 2,000 new coronavirus cases were reported in Los Angeles County.

Administrators also cited Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement limiting indoor activities as well as deadlines for student leases for the update.

“While not what we hoped, we are now recommending all undergraduates take their courses online, and reconsider living on or close to campus this semester. We are continuing with limited in-person, on-campus activity because we believe we can keep students, researchers, staff, and faculty safe with our low-density plan,” said the letter.

Dorms will be limited to one student per room, and the university needs to keep several available for quarantine or surge capacity. Dining halls will adhere to social distance guidelines and offer pre-packaged food and pick-up options.

A Southern California man who tested positive for coronavirus after attending a party expressed his fear and regret a day before he died.

Thomas Macias, 51, went to a barbecue last month near his community in Lake Elsinore, about 70 miles from Los Angeles.

Shortly after the party, he started feeling sick. On June 20, he posted a poignant message on Facebook to warn his loved ones about the risks of the virus, his family said.

“I went out a couple of weeks ago … because of my stupidity I put my mom and sisters and my family’s health in jeopardy,” he wrote. “This has been a very painful experience. This is no joke. If you have to go out, wear a mask, and practice social distancing. … Hopefully with God’s help, I’ll be able to survive this.”

He never made it. He died a day after that post.

Read the full story here:

Tommy Macias, 51, who died of coronavirus after posting on Facebook that he was at a party.

Related article After posting that he regretted attending a party in California, he died of coronavirus the next day

Medical staff push a stretcher with a deceased patient to a car outside of the Covid-19 intensive care unit at the United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas, on June 30.

The United States saw a record number of new coronavirus cases in a single day, with 50,203 new infections reported on Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University.

It took a little more than two months for the US to record its first 50,000 coronavirus cases.

At least five states – Arizona, California, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas – had record-high totals of new case reports on Wednesday.

Here’s what you need to know about the pandemic today:

US “on target to reach a vaccine by year’s end, or early next year,” FDA commissioner says: The United States remains on target to have a Covid-19 vaccine available by the end of 2020 or early next year, US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn said Thursday.

“We expect two of these vaccines to go in the late stage of clinical trials, which are large clinical trials, in this month,” Hahn said on ABC’s Good Morning America. “We are on target to reach a vaccine by year’s end or early next year, so I’m cautiously optimistic. 

Quarantine hotel sex scandal linked to coronavirus outbreak in Melbourne: Australian officials have launched a judicial inquiry amid allegations a fresh coronavirus outbreak in the state of Victoria was sparked by some contracted workers not following protocols at a hotel used to quarantine international arrivals – including reportedly having sex with people under lockdown.

Middle East at crucial point: The Middle East is at a “critical threshold” as countries across the region have started to ease their lockdowns and the coronavirus pandemic speeds up, Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, regional director for World Health Organization’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office.

New cases of coronavirus in Israel and Palestinian Authority at record levels: Weeks after appearing to have the spread of coronavirus firmly under control, both Israel and the Palestinian Authority are now seeing new cases emerging at record levels. Israel recorded 966 new cases of coronavirus Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Health – the number of new infections per day has tripled in the last two weeks and has jumped nearly 50-fold since mid-May. The Palestinian Authority reported 330 new cases Wednesday, which was also a record daily high.

Groom died of coronavirus two days after his wedding and 80 guests have been infected: In India, a man died two days after his wedding after becoming infected with novel coronavirus in the eastern state of Bihar. Then 80 guests tested positive for the virus.

German slaughterhouse placed under extended quarantine: Germany’s Toennies meat processing plant – the epicenter of a fresh coronavirus outbreak in the country – will have its mandatory quarantine period extended for a further two weeks, until July 17, the Health Ministry in North Rhine-Westphalia said Wednesday. 

White House officials have been eyeing “pool testing” as a way to increase testing for the coronavirus in the United States – and US Food and Administration commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn on Thursday called the approach a “significant strategy.”

“It is one strategy and a significant strategy to increase our testing capacity,” Hahn told ABC’s Whit Johnson during an appearance on Good Morning America.

To conduct pool testing, “you take multiple samples and run them as one test. It saves on test supplies, reagents, et cetera,” Hahn said. “Laboratories have to do this under special conditions.”

FDA published guidance for laboratories last month on how to conduct pool testing. 

The guidance laid out guideposts for making tests that could be used for widespread screening of people showing no symptoms – as opposed to person-by-person testing by a provider. The FDA also laid out steps for making and using tests for pooling samples. 

The United States remains on target to have a Covid-19 vaccine available by the end of the year or early next year, US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn said on Thursday.

“FDA has given authorization to proceed with clinical trials for four separate vaccines and we’ve seen a number of vaccine developers come forward – double digit numbers – so we have a lot of different, if you will, shots on goal with respect to vaccines. That’s good news,” Hahn told ABC’s Whit Johnson during an appearance on Good Morning America.

Cautiously optimistic: “We expect two of these vaccines to go in the late stage of clinical trials, which are large clinical trials, in this month,” Hahn said. “We are on target to reach a vaccine by year’s end or early next year, so I’m cautiously optimistic. Of course it depends upon the data that are generated from the trial.”

Hahn added that FDA’s job is to assess the data and science from the trials to determine the safety and efficacy of that vaccine. According to the World Health Organization, there are 17 candidate vaccines in clinical evaluation globally.

White House coronavirus task force member, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has warned that individual states across the US may have relaxed lockdown regulations too soon, adding that the country has so far been unsuccessful in gaining control over the national outbreak. 

“In the United States, even in the most strict lockdowns, only about 50% of the country locked down – that allowed for the perpetuation of the outbreak, which we never did get under very good control,” Fauci told BBC Radio 4 on Thursday. 

“The problem we’re facing now is the attempt to re-open or open the government and get it back to some form of normality. We’re seeing very disturbing spikes in different individual states in the United States,” he added. 

Speaking to the Today program, Fauci highlighted that the easing of lockdown restrictions has allowed members of the public to congregate in groups beyond the recommended number, without the use of face masks – a factor, he says, which has contributed to the “kind of outbreaks” the US is now seeing. 

US at risk of “greater outbreak”: Pressed on how the US has fared in comparison to the UK and Europe in handling the pandemic, the nation’s top infectious disease expert conceded that the situation has been “more problematic” in the US.

“It’s a serious situation… we got hit very badly, worse than any country with regard to the number of cases and the number of deaths,” Fauci said. 

“What we’ve seen over the last several days is a spike in cases that is way beyond the worst spikes that we’ve seen. That is not good news… we’ve got to get that under control, or we risk an even greater outbreak in the United States,” he added. 

Emmy Apfel, 16, tutors a younger student as part of her role leading Beyond the Book, an organization she founded with classmates during the pandemic. (Editor's note: A portion of this photo has been obscured by CNN to protect an individual's identity.)

A few weeks into the coronavirus quarantine, 16-year-old Emmy Apfel was sitting at home in Palo Alto, California, with nothing to do. It was her school’s spring break, everything was canceled and the overwhelming boredom left her grasping for something, anything, to occupy her time.

She posted an ad on the website Nextdoor, offering to help tutor younger students at risk of falling behind as schools shifted to online classes. Within 30 minutes, she had received 50 replies.

“OK,” the sophomore thought. “We have to assemble the troops.”

Apfel organized eight friends into a management team to tutor local students from kindergarten through eighth grade.

They quickly turned it into a burgeoning nonprofit organization dubbed Beyond the Book. One of her friends built the new venture’s website in two days so parents and kids could sign up for Zoom tutoring sessions.

By mid-June, Beyond the Book was offering 200 weekly sessions for children run by more than 100 volunteer high school students, mostly in the United States, but one hailing from as far as Ireland.

“I was very surprised (by the response),” she said. “I just wanted to give back to my community and find something to do.”

Start simple with resilience: Don’t worry. If the pandemic is wearing on you, you don’t necessarily need to start a brand-new organization. A journey toward resilience can start with a single action.

From there, you can make sure to focus on things that you can control, so that you can also accept the uncertainty of what you can’t change.

Read the full story here.

Spain has seen its the lowest increase in unemployment since the coronavirus outbreak hit the country, suggesting the economy could be showing early signs of recovery from the impact of the pandemic.

Registered unemployment in June rose by 5,107 – a relative increase of 0.1% compared to the previous month. In May 26,573 additional people registered as unemployed, and in April it was 282,891.

Unemployment was lower in all sectors except agriculture and among claimants “without previous employment,” the ministry said. However the total number of registered unemployed stands at 3,862,883. An additional 2.6 million Spaniards are on temporary government-funded furlough schemes, and are not officially listed as jobless.

In June 308,985 more employment contracts were signed than in May, the ministry said.

Spain usually sees a decrease in unemployment during the summer months, with the tourism sector hiring large numbers of seasonal workers.  

Members of the Palestinian security forces man a checkpoint in Bethlehem, on June 29.

Weeks after appearing to have the spread of coronavirus firmly under control, both Israel and the Palestinian Authority are now seeing new cases of the virus emerging at record levels.

Daily infections surge: Israel recorded 966 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Health, the latest in a series of soaring daily infection numbers. The number of new infections per day has tripled in the last two weeks and has jumped nearly 50-fold since mid-May, when Israel was down to about 20 new infections a day.

Local lockdowns: The government announced Wednesday night that neighborhoods with high infection rates in cities such as Ashdod and Lod would be locked down.

As of Wednesday evening, Israel had 26,257 confirmed cases of coronavirus, according to the Ministry of Health, and 322 have died as a result of the disease.

The Palestinian Authority reported 330 new cases of Covid-19 Wednesday, which was also a record daily high. In light of the surge in cases, the Palestinian Authority has re-imposed closures of Bethlehem, Hebron, and other areas.

As of Thursday morning, the Palestinian Ministry of Health had recorded 3,095 cases of coronavirus, with 11 deaths as a result of the disease. Like Israel, the Palestinian Authority won praise earlier in the pandemic for largely succeeding in limiting the spread of coronavirus with early and aggressive closures.

Australian officials have launched a judicial inquiry amid allegations a fresh coronavirus outbreak in the state of Victoria was sparked by some contracted workers not following protocols at a hotel used to quarantine international arrivals – including reportedly having sex with people under lockdown.

Premier Daniel Andrews announced Thursday that the state government would provide $3 million to support the inquiry. He has previously said a number of cases in late May and early June could be linked to “an infection control breach in the hotel quarantine program.”

Authorities have commandeered a number of hotels across the country as part of its strict border controls to control the spread of the coronavirus. Anyone who arrives in Australia must undertake a 14-day mandatory quarantine at the facilities, which are managed by the government.

Only Australian citizens and permanent residents are allowed into the country, with a few exceptions.

National broadcaster ABC reported 31 cases have been linked to Melbourne’s Stamford Plaza hotel, while other infections have been linked to the Rydges on Swanston hotel, which is also in the state capital. CNN has reached out to both hotels for comment.

“It is abundantly clear that what has gone on here is completely unacceptable and we need to know exactly what has happened,” Andrews said in the statement.

Claims of lack of training and sex with isolated guests: According to CNN affiliate 9 News, the alleged breaches include claims some workers had sex with guests in isolation, and a lack of training for the guards. A contracted security guard told the broadcaster’s Today show that he received just five minutes of training before starting the job.

Officials have not confirmed the allegations, and CNN has reached out to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services – which manages quarantines in the state – for comment. In an interview with CNN affiliate Channel Seven on Thursday, Australia’s Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, said: “There are two cases where it appears that there have been clear breaches with significant ramifications.”

Read the full story here.

Inside a Houston hospital partly transformed into a coronavirus specialty unit, one doctor says he expects to reach capacity in the next 14 days.

In other hospitals across America, similar scenes.

At least 12 states are seeing a rise in daily hospitalizations, the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week. 

The trend is worrying: a sharp increase in patients can once again overwhelm hospitals, putting critical resources including staffing, beds and ventilators in short supply.

The increases come weeks after many states began reopening their economies after extended closures intended to stem the spread of coronavirus. 

The relaxed measures fueled the rapid spread of the virus and an influx of new patients needing hospitalization, some doctors say.

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HOUSTON, TX - JUNE 30: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) A member of the medical staff treats a patient in the Covid-19 intensive care unit at the United Memorial Medical Center on June 30, 2020 in Houston, Texas. Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations have spiked since Texas reopened, pushing intensive-care wards to full capacity and sparking concerns about a surge in fatalities as the virus spreads. (Photo by Go Nakamura/Getty Images)

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A nurse prepares medicine for Covid-19 patients at the Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital in Tehran, Iran, June 16.

The Middle East is at a “critical threshold” in the outbreak as countries across the region have started to ease their lockdowns and the pandemic speeds up, according to Dr. Ahmed Al-Mandhari, regional director for World Health Organization’s Eastern Mediterranean Region.

“The number of cases reported in June alone is higher than the total number of cases reported during the four months following the first reported case in the Region on 29 January,” Al-Mandhari said in a statement on Wednesday.

Al-Mandhari said that three countries – Iran, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan – make up more than 50% total cases reported in the region, with increasing numbers of cases reported by Iraq, Libya, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority and Oman.  

Majority of deaths in just five countries: Almost 87% of all deaths reported are from five countries: Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Pakistan, he said.

Health officials hold medical records after collecting samples from residents during a door-to-door screening and testing operation at a slum area in Islamabad, Pakistan, on June 30.

“As public spaces begin opening up, there is a real risk that we will continue to see an increase in cases, even in countries where the situation now seems to be stabilizing,” he said.

“We are at a critical threshold in our region. Easing of lockdowns does not mean easing of the response or easing of social responsibilities.

“Governments must aggressively scale up the proven public health measures that we know control the spread of the virus – detection, testing, isolation, treatment and contact tracing – now more than ever before. As airports and border crossing open gradually, governments must continue to apply precautionary measures by enhancing surveillance at points of entries,” he added.

Virus assumed to be widespread in Syria and Yemen: Al-Mandhari added that while fewer cases are being reported from countries facing “complex emergencies,” including Syria and Yemen, WHO is “working on the assumption that the virus is widespread, and are concerned about the ability of their weakened health system to detect and control its spread.”

A man died two days after his wedding after becoming infected with novel coronavirus in the east Indian state of Bihar.  

Kishore Chaudhary, the Chief Medical Officer in state capital Patna, told CNN that 80 guests tested positive, after 400 people underwent tests a week ago. 

The wedding took place two weeks ago in the Paliganj division in Bihar.

The patients who tested positive have been taken to a local treatment center. 

Germany’s Toennies meat processing plant – the epicenter of a fresh coronavirus outbreak in the country – will have its mandatory quarantine period extended for a further two weeks, until July 17, the Health Ministry in North Rhine-Westphalia said Wednesday. 

Guetersloh district, where the facility is located, returned to lockdown measures last week after the outbreak in the factory.

The extension comes a week after officials confirmed that more than 1,500 workers at the family-owned meatpacking plant had tested positive for Covid-19, with more than 2,000 positive cases recorded across the Guetersloh district. 

Lockdown measures will be extended for all those who work at the plant, which is situated in Rheda-Wiedenbrueck, or who live in one of the plant’s communal accommodation facilities, the ministry said in a statement.

As of Wednesday, a total of 389 Toennies employees have since been granted permission to leave quarantine after recovering from the virus. 

According to data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases, there are now at least 5,900 active coronavirus cases in Germany, with a total of 195,228 cases recorded since the beginning of the outbreak. 

The national death toll has increased by nine since Wednesday’s confirmed total, bringing the total number of coronavirus-related fatalities to 8,994. 

The US set another record for new coronavirus cases days before the July Fourth weekend – with at least 23 states pausing reopening plans to combat the spreading infections.

There were 50,203 new coronavirus cases reported nationwide Wednesday, a single-day record. It took a little over two months to record numbers close to that nationwide when the pandemic started. And just last week, new cases soared to another record high.

At least five states – Arizona, California, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas – reported a record number of new cases Wednesday. And health officials are urging Americans to limit their holiday weekend festivities to avoid clusters of outbreaks. 

“We know people are tired of being cooped up at home … but cases surged after Memorial Day,” said Dean Sidelinger, the Oregon state health officer. “We don’t want the same thing to happen over the Independence Day holiday.”

In Nebraska, officials warned residents to maintain a contact list for future tracing if they have to invite guests over for July Fourth. They urged people to hold such events outdoors if possible, avoid sharing items such as sun screen and maintain social distancing.

The Fourth of July weekend could be the “perfect storm” for a spike in coronavirus cases, said Dr. Joshua Barocas, an infectious disease physician at Boston Medical Center. 

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Medical student Kimberly Olivares, left, takes a sample from a patient at a free COVID-19 testing site provided by United Memorial Medical Center, Sunday, June 28, 2020, at the Mexican Consulate, in Houston. Confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Texas continue to surge. On Friday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott shut down bars again and scaled back restaurant dining as cases climbed to record levels after the state embarked on one of America's fastest reopenings.

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Four Indian police officers were arrested Wednesday for allegedly murdering a father and son who were in custody after being accused of breaking coronavirus restrictions.

A fifth police officer is set to be arrested today, said K Shankar, a senior police officer of the Criminal Investigation Department in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, where the alleged murders occurred.

The deaths of the pair last month renewed outrage in India over police brutality, with the men’s family members, politicians and human rights activists alleging officers tortured the pair before they died. 

On Tuesday, Tamil Nadu’s highest court said there was enough evidence to charge the police officers involved in the case with murder, based on the victims’ injuries and formal statements. 

CNN has tried multiple times to contact local police for comment on the allegations. The initial police report notes that the men sustained their injuries during arrest. The officers have not commented publicly on the allegations.

In a statement Monday, non-profit Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative said the case showed the need for India to enact a strong law to prohibit and prosecute police torture and custodial death. 

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Residents gather as they carry the coffin of Jayaraj and son Bennicks, who were allegedly tortured at the hands of police in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

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The number of active-duty military personnel infected with the novel coronavirus has more than doubled in the past three weeks, according to figures published by the Defense Department. 

As of Wednesday, 6,493 US service members had the virus, up from 2,807 on June 10. And in the past two weeks alone, the number of cases in the Air Force has almost doubled. On June 15, there were 700 reported cases, but by Monday that had jumped to 1,366.

The rise in cases comes as at least 19 states have paused or rolled back their reopening plans in response to a surge in new infections.

The Air Force in particular is seeing a “hot spot” in San Antonio, where Lackland Air Force Base is located, according to an Air Force official. There is also concern about several Air Force installations in Florida, the official said.

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Related article US military coronavirus cases more than doubled in the last 3 weeks

After three months of encouraging tourists to stay away from Hawaii, the state will begin easing its mandatory quarantine on August 1.

Hawaiian Airlines said on July 1 it will add hundreds of weekly flights to its schedule between Hawaii and the US mainland, as the state government eases its quarantine rules. 

The restrictions have mandated a 14-day quarantine for nearly all travelers in and out of the state, as well as for travel among its islands. 

Those rules have made travel into the state almost nonexistent since April, according to a major airline industry group.

Starting August 1, the state will allow travelers to avoid the quarantine as long as they can show that they’ve tested negative for Covid-19 within 72 hours of their arrival. 

The state said it will not provide testing for passengers at the airport, and travelers will still be required to undergo temperature checks.

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Aerial view of Diamond Head volcano crater on the island of Oahu, in Honolulu Hawaii, from a helicopter

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Covid-19 was the last thing on his mind when he went to a crowded bar in Scottsdale, Arizona, Jimmy Flores said.

Two days later, he awoke with a fever and body sores, Flores told CNN’s Erin Burnett. A week later, he was in the hospital and put on a breathing tube.

Arizona has been one of the harder hit areas in the pandemic recently, with cases soaring. The state has at least 84,093 people infected, up from 46,689 reported June 19.

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Related article A healthy 30-year-old man went to a crowded bar. He ended up in a hospital on a breathing tube

Six FC Dallas players have tested positive for Covid-19 since arriving in Florida ahead of the upcoming “MLS is Back Tournament,” the league says.

Two of the players tested positive for Covid-19 after the team was tested Saturday when they arrived in Orlando, Florida. Four others tested positive in the past two days, MLS said in a statement on Wednesday.

The players, who have not been identified, are in isolation at the team’s hotel in the Walt Disney World Resort, which is hosting the tournament set to begin on July 8.

The announcement comes as major league sports in the US begin executing their plans to play in the midst of the pandemic, as coronavirus cases across the country soar.

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Mandatory Credit: Photo by ERIK S LESSER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock (10662227c) Disney World's ESPN Wide World of Sports complex in Kissimmee, Florida, USA, 28 May 2020. Both the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Major League Soccer (MLS) are considering resuming their seasons the multi sport complex outside of Orlando, Florida. Major sports leagues' seasons have been suspended due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. NBA and MLS consider restarting thier seasons at Disney World's ESPN Wide World of Sports complex in Kissimmee, Florida, USA - 28 May 2020

Related article 6 FC Dallas players test positive for coronavirus as team prepares for tournament

This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses.

The United States saw a record number of new coronavirus cases in a single day on Wednesday, with 50,203 new infections reported, according to Johns Hopkins University.

There are at least 2,685,806 cases of coronavirus in the U.S., according to the university.  

Wednesday’s total eclipses the previous high of new US cases reached on June 26, when 45,255 new coronavirus cases were reported across the country, according to Johns Hopkins data.

CNN is tracking US coronavirus cases here:

A woman wearing a face mask pours holy water into a grave during the funeral of a COVID 19 death victim at the San Isidro cemetery in Mexico, on June 24.

Mexico’s coronavirus death toll surpassed Spain’s on Wednesday, according to numbers released by the Mexican Health Ministry.

Mexico reported 741 new deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing its death toll to 28,510. Spain’s total number of fatalities stood at 28,364 on Wednesday evening, according to Johns Hopkins University’s tally.

Mexico now has the sixth highest number of Covid-19 deaths in the world.

The Mexican health ministry also reported 5,681 new confirmed cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases to 231,770. 

Police check drivers at a roadblock in Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday, on July 2.

The Australian state of Victoria recorded 77 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, its 17th consecutive day of double-digit growth in new infections.

The majority of the cases detected on Wednesday were in the 10 “hot zone” suburbs around Melbourne, where 300,000 people have been ordered to stay at home, Victoria’s Chief Medical Officer Brett Sutton said Thursday.

Victoria now has 415 active cases, with 20 patients hospitalized and four in intensive care.

All residents in the 10 zones have been encouraged to get tested, regardless of whether they show any symptoms – and 26,320 tests were conducted on Wednesday.

“There are other infections still to be found out there and they are all a risk of transmitting to others,” Sutton said. “People should be limiting their movement to the fullest extent possible.”

Fishermen wearing protective face masks clean a freshly caught fish while people line up to buy portions of the fish, in Havana, Cuba, on Saturday, June 27.

Havana will begin a partial reopening on Friday, Cuban Prime Minister Marrero Cruz said Wednesday night of the country’s capital city.

Cuba closed its borders in March, canceling all regular commercial flights to and from the island, and went under a strict lockdown after three Italian tourists were diagnosed with coronavirus.

But recently it began a gradual easing of restrictions as infections dropped.

The reopening in Havana will allow restaurants, bars and other businesses to reopen but with restricted capacity, the prime minister said. Havana residents will also be able to visit the beach for the first time in nearly three months.

However, international travel to and from most of Cuba will remain suspended.

Cuba’s main island, where Havana is located, remains closed to international tourists. Visitors will, however, be able to travel to five offshore islands, which the Cuban government has developed for tourism.

As of Wednesday, the country had recorded 86 deaths and 2,348 cases of coronavirus, according to Cuban health officials.

Beijing health authorities wear protective suits while packing disposals after conducting a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to detect novel coronavirus infections in Beijing, China, on June 30.

China recorded three new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, the country’s National Health Commission (NHC) announced today. 

Two of the cases were imported. The third was a local transmission in Beijing, where a new coronavirus outbreak emerged from a wholesale food market last month.

The country also reported two new asymptomatic cases on Thursday. Currently, 99 asymptomatic cases are under medical observation in China, among which 60 were imported.

As of Wednesday, China had recorded 83,537 confirmed coronavirus cases and 4,634 deaths.

New Zealand Health Minister David Clark, center, announces his resignation during a press conference on July 2.

New Zealand’s embattled Health Minister David Clark has resigned after a series of political blunders – including breaching his own government’s lockdown rules.

Clark has been under fire since April, when he admitted to breaking the country’s stay-at-home order to take his family to the beach. 

He had offered his resignation at the time. However Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern did not accept it, saying it could cause a “massive disruption” in the health sector while the country was battling the virus.

Instead, Clark was stripped of his role as associate finance minister and demoted to the bottom of the Cabinet rankings. Last month, he faced another backlash after pinning responsibility for failures at the border on the Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield. 

On Thursday, Clark again tendered his resignation. This time, it was accepted by the Prime Minister.

New Zealand had 22 active Covid-19 cases as of Wednesday, with one in hospital. In total, it has recorded 1,528 confirmed or probable cases and 22 deaths, according to the New Zealand Health Ministry.  

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, wears a protective mask on June 30.  

The “mixed message” about wearing a mask at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic has contributed to the reluctance of some Americans to wear a face covering now, Dr. Anthony Fauci told NPR in an interview Wednesday.

Americans were first told in February and March not to wear a face mask to protect against Covid-19 transmission as a shortage of personal protective gear for medical works worsened. But by May, health experts – including Fauci – reversed course and urged people to wear masks in public to prevent the virus from spreading.

“I think that did have an effect,” Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told host Mary Louise Kelly.

Fauci admitted the early message to Americans about wearing a mask was “confusing.” Without elaborating, he said there were “many other things” now contributing to why people do not want to wear a face covering.