South Carolina restaurants and bars will have to close alcohol sales by 11 p.m., beginning Saturday, under an order issued Friday by Gov. Henry McMaster.
The big picture: The U.S. had another record single-day spike of 63,200 new coronavirus cases from Thursday. COVID-19 cases in South Carolina have increased, with 21,560 cases recorded in the last two weeks.
- "Any state that is having a serious problem, that state should seriously look at shutting down. It's not for me to say because each state is different," Anthony Fauci told a WSJ podcast on Wednesday.
By the numbers: The U.S. has more than 3.1 million confirmed COVID-19 cases on Wednesday with more than 133,000 deaths, per Johns Hopkins data. Over 38 million tests have been administered and 969,000 people have recovered.
What else is happening: Some 250,000 to 370,000 deaths may have been averted between March and May 15 as a result of the statewide stay-at-home orders enacted to mitigate the virus' spread, a study published Thursday in Health Affairs projects.
- Airlines are trying to reassure customers the risk of infection while on a flight is low because of their improved cleaning efforts and sophisticated cabin ventilation systems.
- 1,018 federal TSA employees have tested positive as travelers begin using planes again.
Trends to watch:
- Vaccine: Nations around the world and the global economy are desperately waiting for a coronavirus vaccine, and experts say there is a chance one will become available in record time.
- New risk factors: The CDC included more demographic groups at risk for the coronavirus such as younger people who are obese and who have underlying health problems.
- When to wear a mask: Scientific evidence shows face masks can help to control the spread of the novel coronavirus, but the nuances and changes in messaging about their use are complicating public health efforts.
- Elections: States need to determine how to hold safe elections by this fall. And state governments are facing budget shortfalls that threaten layoffs for public sector employees.
Go deeper ... In photos: Life in the era of coronavirus across the U.S.
Editor's note: The graphic includes "probable deaths" that New York City began reporting on April 14. This article has been updated with new details throughout. Check back for the latest.