A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 550,000 people worldwide.Over 12 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some governments are hiding the scope of their nations' outbreaks.Since the first cases were detected in China in December, the United States has become the worst-affected country, with more than 3 million diagnosed cases and at least 132,570 deaths.Latest headlines:Florida's positivity rate leaps to 18% At least 26 Mississippi lawmakers have COVID-19 ICU ward at the heart of Italy's outbreak is now coronavirus-free Here is how the news is developing today. All times Eastern.12:45 p.m.: Fauci calls coronavirus 'a public health person's worst nightmare'
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, described the coronavirus as "a public health person's worst nightmare" at the "Future of Healthcare Summit" put on by The Hill."It's a spectacularly transmissible virus," he said.Jose Vatres holds his son Aidin as nurse practitioner Alexander Panis takes a nasal swab sample for COVID-19 at a mobile testing station in a public school parking area in Compton, Calif., April 28, 2020.Jose Vatres holds his son Aidin as nurse practitioner Alexander Panis takes a nasal swab sample for COVID-19 at a mobile testing station in a public school parking area in Compton, Calif., April 28, 2020.undefined Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images, File
Fauci recommended that states seeing a surge of cases consider pausing reopening."Rather than think in terms of reverting back down to a complete shutdown, I would think we need to get the states pausing in their opening process," he said. "Looking at what did not work well and try to mitigate that."MORE: Why scientists think COVID-19 may be spread through particles in the air
Fauci said states can help curb the spread by doing "very fundamental things," like closing bars, wearing masks, washing hands and maintaining social distancing."If you look at the curve, for example, in New York City, which was hit harder than any place in the world really, has been able to successfully bring down the number of new infections, hospitalizations and deaths to an extremely low level," Fauci said.Pedestrians wearing masks walk past a statue of Prometheus, also wearing a mask, at Rockefeller Center in midtown Manhattan in New York, July 8, 2020.Pedestrians wearing masks walk past a statue of Prometheus, also wearing a mask, at Rockefeller Center in midtown Manhattan in New York, July 8, 2020.undefined Frank Franklin Ii/AP
"In some of the southern states, the states have not really followed those guidelines," he said.11:34 a.m.: Florida's positivity rate leaps to 18%
Florida's positivity rate has leapt by 4.3% and now stands at 18.3%, the state's Department of Health said Thursday.MORE: COVID-19 deaths may lead to increase in prolonged grief disorder cases
Florida has a total of 332,783 people diagnosed with COVID-19. Of those, 17,167 people are in hospitals, according to the state data.Miami-Dade County, which includes Miami, and Broward County, which includes Fort Lauderdale, are especially hard-hit.People order food in the On Ocean 7 cafe in Miami beach, Fla.,July 8, 2020.People order food in the On Ocean 7 cafe in Miami beach, Fla.,July 8, 2020.undefined Cristobal Herrera-Ulashkevich/EPA via Shutterstock
Miami-Dade's positivity rate is 26.2%. Broward County's positivity rate has soared by 8.8% to reach 22.7%.10:40 a.m.: Florida has 56 hospitals with no ICU beds
In Florida, 56 hospitals, including in Miami-Dade and Broward, reported zero ICU beds available, according to an internal FEMA memo obtained by ABC News.A man walks past an emergency room sign at the Hialeah Hospital in Hialeah, Fla., June 22, 2020.A man walks past an emergency room sign at the Hialeah Hospital in Hialeah, Fla., June 22, 2020.undefined Cristobal Herrera/EPA via Shutterstock
Another 35 Florida hospitals reported that ICU capacity was at 10% or less, the memo said.The number of available ICU beds are likely to fluctuate during the day.MORE: South Carolina emerging as coronavirus hot spot, as hospitalizations rise and virus spreads
Texas is also a hot spot, reporting 10,028 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday -- the state's highest single-day increase, according to the memo.Healthcare workers walk through the Texas Medical Center during a shift change as cases of COVID-19 spike in Houston, July 8, 2020.Healthcare workers walk through the Texas Medical Center during a shift change as cases of COVID-19 spike in Houston, July 8, 2020.undefined Callaghan O'Hare/ReutersA healthcare worker takes a break as people wait in their vehicles in long lines in the heat for COVID-19 testing in Houston, July 7, 2020.A healthcare worker takes a break as people wait in their vehicles in long lines in the heat for COVID-19 testing in Houston, July 7, 2020.undefined Callaghan O'Hare/Reuters
The FEMA memo also noted that in Tennessee, people ages 21 to 40 are accounting for the majority of new and total cases.Tennessee's number of new cases remains on the rise. Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga and Knoxville are areas of particular concern, the memo said.10 a.m.: At least 26 Mississippi lawmakers have COVID-19
At least 26 Mississippi legislators have the coronavirus -- which accounts for about one in every six state lawmakers, The Mississippi Clarion Ledger reported.Mississippi legislators, staff and Capitol employees take advantage of a drive-thru COVID-19 testing center on the Capitol grounds in Jackson, Miss., July 6, 2020, following House Speaker Philip Gunn's announcement he tested positive for COVID-19.Mississippi legislators, staff and Capitol employees take advantage of a drive-thru COVID-19 testing center on the Capitol grounds in Jackson, Miss., July 6, 2020, following House Speaker Philip Gunn's announcement he tested positive for COVID-19.undefined Rogelio V. Solis/AP
Ten other cases are linked to the lawmakers' outbreak, the Ledger said.Mississippi is "seeing numbers as high as we have seen at any point since the very beginning," Gov. Tate Reeves said Wednesday, as he warned that the overwhelmed health system is a "slow-moving disaster."MORE: Asymptomatic and presymptomatic people transmit most COVID-19 infections: Study
As of July 5, Mississippi had 609 hospitalizations with confirmed infections, 165 ICU patients and 98 ventilated patients -- all of which are near record levels for the state, according to an internal FEMA memo obtained by ABC News.Mississippi was one of the first states to reopen businesses in late April, but on July 1 the governor said he would pause a full reopening given the rising cases.Face masks are currently not required statewide, but on Wednesday Reeves said he's not ruling that out.9:30 a.m.: More cases among teens, young adults near Chicago
There's been an upward trend in coronavirus cases among teens and young adults over the last two weeks in Lake County, Illinois, about 40 miles north of Chicago, the county health department said Wednesday."We are finding that many young people who attended social gatherings with their friends have become infected," Dr. Sana Ahmed, medical epidemiologist for the county, said in a statement.MORE: Without vaccine, we'll never reach herd immunity: Scientists
The health department said it's working closely with Lake Zurich High School after multiple cases were linked to athletic camps.The school has suspended camps until further notice and participants of the poms, football and baseball camps were asked to quarantine for two weeks, the county said.MORE: US coronavirus mortality rate not lowest in world, despite Trump claim: FACT CHECK
A case was also linked to an athlete at Vernon Hills High School, the county said.Illinois on Wednesday reported its biggest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases in a month, reported ABC Chicago station WLS.A sign alerts residents to a mobile COVID-19 testing site set up on a vacant lot in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago, June 23, 2020. The site is one of four mobile testing sites set up by the city.A sign alerts residents to a mobile COVID-19 testing site set up on a vacant lot in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago, June 23, 2020. The site is one of four mobile testing sites set up by the city.undefined Scott Olson/Getty Images
Illinois has over 149,000 diagnosed cases and at least 7,099 deaths.8:24 a.m.: ICU ward at the heart of Italy's outbreak is now coronavirus-free
The main hospital in Bergamo, one of Italy's hardest-hit cities in the coronavirus pandemic, has had its first day without any COVID-19 patients in intensive care.A spokesperson for Papa Giovanni XXIII hospital told ABC News on Thursday that, "after 137 days, there are no more patients COVID-19 positive in the ICU wards."Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital on March 25, 2020 in Bergamo, Italy.Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital on March 25, 2020 in Bergamo, Italy.undefined Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images, FILE
Italy once had the highest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the world, with the epicenter in the country's northern region. The outbreak there now appears to be under control.In total, more than 242,000 people in Italy have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and at least 34,914 have died -- the fourth-highest death toll, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University.7:15 a.m.: CDC chief says reopening schools is 'critical public health initiative'
The director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said he believes reopening schools is "a critical public health initiative."Speaking to ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos on "Good Morning America" on Thursday, Dr. Robert Redfield said the CDC's guidance for protecting against the novel coronavirus remains the same but that the agency will be providing "additional reference documents" to aid communities wanting to reopen their K-12 schools this fall.The CDC chief noted that the guidelines are not requirements."The one thing I really want to say that would personally sadden me, and I know my agency, is if individuals were to use these guidances that we put out as a rationale to keep schools closed," Redfield said.Redfield's comments come after President Donald Trump threatened on Twitter to "cut off funding" to schools that don't reopen in the fall and criticized the CDC's guidance as "very tough," "expensive" and "impractical."During Wednesday's press briefing, Vice President Mike Pence told reporters that the CDC would revise its guidance next week in response to Trump's critique."It's not a revision of the guidelines; it's just to provide additional information to help the schools be able to use the guidance we put forward," Redfield said on "GMA."Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention appears on "Good Morning America," July 9, 2020.Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention appears on "Good Morning America," July 9, 2020.undefined ABC News
The CDC's current guidance for reopening schools calls for 6 feet of space between desks, staggered scheduling and the use of face masks.When pressed on which of those guidelines were too tough or impractical and would be relaxed next week, Redfield said the CDC would continue working with communities to decide which preventative strategies work best for them."These decisions about schools are local decisions," he added. "We're prepared to work with any school and school district to see how they can take these guidances, this portfolio of strategies, and do it in a way that they're comfortable that they can reopen their schools safely."6:03 a.m.: Ohio State pauses sports workouts after receiving results of COVID-19 testing
The Ohio State University athletics department announced Wednesday night that it has paused all voluntary workouts on campus following the results of its most recent coronavirus testing of student-athletes.The move affects the workouts of seven teams at the school, which include men's and women's basketball, field hockey, football, men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball.The university previously revealed Wednesday that a total of 125 student-athletes have been tested for COVID-19 as part of proactive screening prior to the start of voluntary summer workouts on campus. At least eight of those test results were positive, according to Columbus ABC affiliate WSYX.The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State or OSU, located in Columbus, Ohio.The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State or OSU, located in Columbus, Ohio.undefined Denistangneyjr/Getty Images, FILE
It's unknown how many others have tested positive since then."The university is not sharing cumulative COVID-19 information publicly as it could lead to the identification of specific individuals and compromise their medical privacy," The Ohio State University Department of Athletics said in a statement Wednesday. "The health and safety of our student-athletes is always our top priority."A student-athlete who tests positive for COVID-19 will self-isolate for at least 14 days and receive daily check-ups from the athletics department's medical staff. Student-athletes who live alone will isolate in their residence, while those with roommates will isolate in a designated room on campus, according to the Ohio State University Department of Athletics.4:52 a.m.: 3-year-old girl battles COVID-19 after 35-year-old mother dies from virus
A toddler in Florida has tested positive for COVID-19 after her mother died from the disease, according to a report by Miami ABC affiliate WPLG.Shaquana Miller Garrett, 35, contracted the novel coronavirus while working at the front desk of a hospital in Fort Lauderdale. She was a diabetic, considered a higher risk of becoming severely ill with the virus, and had to be hospitalized within days of her diagnosis, her family told WPLG.Garrett died on July 2, leaving behind a husband and two young children. So far this month, more than a dozen people under the age of 60 have died from COVID-19 in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, according to WPLG."She was my best friend," her brother, Curtis Miller, told WPLG.Now, her 3-year-old daughter Kennedy is battling the virus. The little girl has developed a fever, according to Miller.What to know about coronavirus: How it started and how to protect yourself: Coronavirus explained What to do if you have symptoms: Coronavirus symptoms Tracking the spread in the U.S. and worldwide: Coronavirus map 3:27 a.m.: US records over 58,000 new cases in a single day
More than 58,000 new cases of COVID-19 were identified in the United States on Wednesday, bringing the national total soaring past 3 million, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University.The latest daily caseload is just under the country's record set on Tuesday, when more than 60,000 new cases were identified in a 24-hour reporting period.A National Guardsman directs traffic at a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site outside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on July 8, 2020. Florida has become one of the nation's hot spots for the novel coronavirus.A National Guardsman directs traffic at a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site outside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on July 8, 2020. Florida has become one of the nation's hot spots for the novel coronavirus.undefined Wilfredo Lee/AP
A total of 3,055,081 people in the United States have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the pandemic began, and at least 132,309 of them have died, according to Johns Hopkins. The cases include people from all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and other U.S. territories as well as repatriated citizens.By May 20, all U.S. states had begun lifting stay-at-home orders and other restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. The day-to-day increase in cases then hovered around 20,000 for a couple of weeks before shooting back up and crossing 60,000 for the first time Tuesday.Many states have seen a rise in infections in recent weeks, with some -- including Arizona, California and Florida -- reporting daily records.ABC News' Will Gretsky, Josh Hoyos, Josh Margolin, Arielle Mitropoulos, Sophie Tatum and Scott Withers contributed to this report.
Source : abcnews.go.com
Source : abcnews.go.com