Coronavirus updates: US reports another day of record high cases; Americans likely won't be allowed

[june04]

Coronavirus cases shot up in states across the country this week as the U.S. continues to see record single-day increases in new confirmed cases since the beginning of the pandemic.

On Friday, the U.S. reported 45,255 new cases, according to data maintained by Johns Hopkins University. It's the second day of record high increases. Thursday saw 39,972 new cases.

Texas and Florida continued to pump the brakes on reopening plans, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom urged one county to reinstate its stay-at-home order amid a surge in cases there.

Amid the resurgence, the White House Coronavirus Task Force held its first public briefing in nearly two months Friday, urging young adults to follow public health guidance for containing the COVID-19 outbreak.

The increase in cases isn't due to an increase in testing, health officials say.

Here are the most significant developments of the day:

• Beaches in Miami-Dade County will be closed over Fourth of July weekend, County Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced Friday.
• A journalist who attended President Donald Trump’s rally in Tulsa last week said Friday he has tested positive for COVID-19.
• Stocks capped a volatile week with steep losses Friday as coronavirus cases in the U.S. surged.
• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday announced another round of restrictions, including closing bars and limiting restaurant occupancy. And in Florida, bars on Friday were prohibited from allowing alcohol consumption.
• The federal government will continue to fund community testing sites across Texas, Abbott announced Friday. The sites were due to stop receiving funding at the end of the month.
• In their first public briefing since April 27, White House Coronavirus Task Force officials pleaded with adults under 40 to act responsibly to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Vice President Mike Pence did not wear a mask during the news conference.

Miami closes beaches for Fourth of July
Beaches in Miami-Dade County will be closed July 3 through July 7, County Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced Friday, amid a surge of coronavirus cases in Florida.

Gimenez said his emergency order also bans any gatherings — including parades — of more than 50 people throughout the county "for whatever reason." In those situations, masks and social distancing are required and five groups of no more than 10 people will be allowed, Gimenez said.
"The closure may be extended if conditions do not improve and people do not follow New Normal rules requiring masks to be worn always inside commercial establishments and outdoors when social distancing of at least 6 feet is not possible," Gimenez said. "I have been seeing too many businesses and people ignoring these lifesaving rules."

Florida reported a record 8,942 new cases on Friday — a 62% increase over the previous daily record of 5,508 reported Wednesday.

Judge: US must free migrant children from detention amid pandemic
A federal judge on Friday ordered the release of children held with their parents in U.S. immigration jails and denounced the Trump administration’s prolonged detention of families during the coronavirus pandemic.

U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee’s order applies to children held for more than 20 days at three family detention centers in Texas and Pennsylvania operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Some have been detained since last year.

Citing the recent spread of the virus in two of the three facilities, Gee set a deadline of July 17 for children to either be released with their parents or sent to family sponsors. The family detention centers “are ‘on fire’ and there is no more time for half measures,” she wrote.

– Associated Press

US citizens likely won't be allowed to travel to EU anytime soon
European Union envoys are close to finalizing a list of countries whose citizens will be allowed to enter Europe again, possibly from late next week, EU diplomats confirmed Saturday. Americans are almost certain to be excluded in the short term due to the number of U.S. coronavirus cases.

The envoys were expected to have narrowed down later Saturday the exact criteria for countries to make the list, which include the way the spread of the virus is being managed. Another key condition is whether the country has a ban on citizens from European nations.

The number of cases in the United States has surged over the past week, with an all-time high of 45,300 confirmed new daily infections just reached. President Donald Trump also suspended the entry of all people from Europe’s ID check-free travel zone in a decree in March.

The EU diplomats confirmed that an official agreement on the criteria — likely to include a limit on the infection rate per 100,000 citizens — is expected late on Monday or early Tuesday. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because the procedure is ongoing and politically very sensitive.

– Associated Press

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ia/3267589001/