The nation's three biggest states -- California, Florida and Texas -- yesterday reported their largest single-day deaths from the coronavirus since the pandemic began, as they, along with Texas, are accounting for about 50 percent of new U.S. cases amid the ongoing surge across the South and West. The total number of U.S. deaths was more than 133,200 as of early this morning, according to Johns Hopkins University's count, and the number of confirmed cases was more than 3,117,00. In state developments yesterday:
- Texas' 105 reported deaths was a new single-day high for the state, and Governor Greg Abbottwarned the numbers might be worse next week. The state also reported a new high for hospitalizations for the 10th straight day.
- Floridareported 120 new deaths, its highest one-day total, and had its biggest 24-hour jump in hospitalizations, with 409 new patients admitted. Nearly 50 hospitals in the state had intensive care units at full capacity.
- Arizonareported 75 more deaths and more than 4,000 new confirmed cases, as the state reported new highs for hospitalizations and use of ventilators.
- Mississippi's five largest hospitals had no more intensive care unit beds available and four more had five percent or less open.Governor Tate Reeves said he will require people to wear masks in public places starting next week in the 13 counties with the highest increases in cases.
- Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said face masks will be required in public places starting today, as his state had two of the highest days of confirmed cases since the pandemic began.
- New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that indoor restaurant service will be stopped, state parks closed to non-residents, and fall season contact sports like football and soccer suspended at schools. Her orders came as cases have been surging in New Mexico and neighboring Texas and Arizona.
CDC Head: Won't Revise School Guidelines:U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention head Dr. Robert Redfield said yesterday (July 9th) that the CDC won't revise its coronavirus guidelines for reopening schools, despite President Trump's criticism of them the day before as being too "tough," "expensive" and "impractical," and Vice President Mike Pence saying revised guidelines would be issued next week. Redfield said on Good Morning America they will instead be providing more information for states, local communities and parents, stating, "It’s really important, it’s not a revision of the guidelines, it’s just to provide additional information to help . . . use the guidance that we put forward." Trump has been pressuring state and local officials to reopen schools with in-person classes in the fall, including threatening to withhold federal funds if they don't.
WHO: Coronavirus May Spread Through the Air:The World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday acknowledged the possibility that the coronavirus may spread under certain conditions via small respiratory particles that are exhaled by infected people and can float in the air. That came after more than 200 scientists urged them in an open letter to do so and revise their guidance. WHO has long dismissed the possibility of airborne transmission, but said studies have suggested it might happen, quote, "particularly in specific indoor locations, such as crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces over a prolonged period of time."
Bolivia's President Test Positive:The interim president of Bolivia,Jeanine Anez, said yesterday that she has tested positive for the coronavirus. The news came two days after Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said he'd tested positive, and makes her the latest world leader to have had the virus, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Britain’s Prince Charles, Prince Albert of Monaco and Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández.