Texas reported more than 10,000 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday (July 7th), the highest daily total for the state since the pandemic began, becoming just the third state to report more than 10,000 cases in a single day, which New York did in April at the height of its outbreak, and Florida did last week. That was just one indicator of the virus surging in many states. Among others: Florida officials said yesterday that at least 56 intensive care units in the state's hospitals were at capacity, and another 35 hospitals only had 10 percent or less of ICU bed availability; the number of coronavirus hospitalizations in California reached its highest number yet, and the state also had a record number of patients in ICUs; and Georgia passed 100,000 coronavirus cases, the ninth state to do so. There have been more than 131,400 deaths in the U.S. as of last night, according to Johns Hopkins University's count, and more than 2,993,000 confirmed cases.
As cases have been surging for, the death rate has continued to go down, but Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said yesterday, "It's a false narrative to take comfort in a lower rate of death." Speaking during a livestream with Senator Doug Jones of Alabama, he said, "There's so many other things that are very dangerous and bad about this virus, don't get yourself into false complacency."
Trump Presses for Schools to Reopen: President Trump said yesterday that he wants schools to reopen this fall and will push state and local officials to do so. Speaking at a White House roundtable attended by health and education leaders who said schools and colleges can reopen safely, Trump said, "We’re very much going to put pressure on governors and everybody else to open the schools." Trump also accused without basis that Democrats want to keep schools closed because, quote, "They think it's going to be good for them politically." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention head Dr. Robert Redfield said they're encouraging all schools to reopen and have provided guidelines that include students and teachers wearing masks, spreading out desks, staggering schedules, eating meals in classrooms instead of the cafeteria, and adding physical barriers between bathroom sinks. Meanwhile, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said plans announced some schools to have students physically in school for just some days of the week isn't acceptable, saying they must fully reopen, stating, "Anything short of that robs students, not to mention taxpayers, of their future."
Brazil's Bolsonaro Positive for Coronavirus : Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said Tuesday that he'd tested positive for the coronavirus, after months of downplaying its severity while his country has become second in the world in cases and deaths, behind only the U.S. The 65-year-old right-wing populist said he's taking the drug hydroxychloroquine, which he, like President Trump, has been promoting, even though it hasn't been proven effective against the coronavirus. Other world leaders who've had COVID-19 including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Britain’s Prince Charles,Prince Albert of Monaco and Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández.