A statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia that was a focal point for a white nationalist rally earlier this month was covered up on Wednesday afternoon. The city council ordered the statue and another of Stonewall Jackson be shrouded out of respect for Heather Heyer, the woman killed during the protests, per NBC Washington.
Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
France reported more than 2,500 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours — the largest single-day number since May. French officials said the situation was "clearly worsening," per France 24.
By the numbers: Over 745,600 people have died of the novel coronavirus globally and over 20.4 million have tested positive, per Johns Hopkins. Almost 12.7 million have recovered from the virus.
Healthcare workers handling coronavirus tests in Los Angeles on August 11. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
The U.S. reported 1,485 deaths due to the coronavirus on Wednesday, COVID Tracking Project data shows.
Why it matters: It's the highest single-day COVID-19 death toll since May 15, when the country reported 1,507 deaths. The U.S. has seen a total of 157,758 deaths from the virus.