As colleges continue making decisions regarding both academics and athletics for the fall semester, the coronavirus continues to show it's far from run its course.
Driving the news: The New York Times released results of a nationwide survey yesterday, linking at least 6,300 coronavirus cases to roughly 270 colleges.
The Trump administration is sending increased personal protective equipment, coronavirus test kits and top health officials like Drs. Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx to coronavirus hotspots across the U.S. as part of a campaign called the “Embers Strategy," White House officials tell Axios.
Why it matters: The push is part of a larger effort to show that President Trump is taking the pandemic seriously, something White House officials describe as a "renewed focus."
Global stay-at-home orders stemming from the coronavirus pandemic — especially those in the U.S. — have led to steep sales declines in routine vaccinations.
The big picture: Although more people are getting their vaccines now, "there remains some way to go to get back to pre-COVID levels for adult vaccinations," GlaxoSmithKline CEO Emma Walmsley said on an investor call Wednesday.
Many colleges’ plans to bring students back to campus this fall are almost certain to crash and burn.
Why it matters: Many families may not be willing to pay full tuition for a semester they know will only involve online classes. But there’s no reason to doubt that bringing college kids back to campus will result in thousands of coronavirus cases, infecting both students and staff.
Coronavirus infections in the U.S. are beginning to decline, after a summer of sharp increases, and some of the hardest-hit states are improving significantly.
Yes, but: We're at the stage of this most recent outbreak in which deaths begin to spike. They're closing in on 150,000 and still rising.
Vietnam reported on Thursday nine more people had tested positive for COVID-19, taking the total number of locally transmitted cases to 43 since the outbreak resurfaced over the weekend.
Why it matters: The country's efforts in combating the novel coronavirus had been widely credited. It had gone 99 days without a locally transmitted case before a 57-year-old man tested positive last Saturday, per a Vietnamese government statement. Nobody has died from the virus in Vietnam.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters Thursday the pandemic will be around "for some time" as he noted Victoria's strict measures hadn't had the desired effect. The state reported 723 new cases and 13 more deaths — a national daily record.
The big picture: In May, Australia looked set to suppress COVID-19. Victorian officials found sick people not getting tested quickly enough or leaving isolation led to the spike. State Premier Dan Andrews said at a briefing if anyone has symptoms, "you just can't go to work, because all you'll be doing is spreading the virus." Victoria will make wearing face coverings outside mandatory statewide from late Sunday. The states of New South Wales and Queensland reported Thursday 18 and three new cases, respectively.
Brazil ended a four-month ban on foreign visitors arriving by air despite reporting a record number of daily coronavirus cases and deaths on Wednesday, per AFP.
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) told Fox News Wednesday that he plans to take hydroxychloroquine as part of his treatment for COVID-19.
Why it matters: Per Anthony Fauci, all of the randomized, controlled clinical trials for the anti-malarial have consistently shown that hydroxychloroquine is ineffective in the treatment of coronavirus.
Almost 66,000 new COVID-19 cases and more than 1,400 deaths from the virus were reported in the U.S. on Wednesday, per the COVID Tracking Project.
Why it matters: The toll marks the highest number of deaths from COVID-19 in a single day since May 15, according to the tracking project's data. The U.S. coronavirus death toll surpassed 150,000 earlier Wednesday. "The rise in deaths is largely driven by the southern states, which reported 962 deaths today," it noted.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management announced Wednesday all state-supported coronavirus testing sites will temporarily close this week ahead of the anticipated arrival of a weather system that's expected to become a tropical storm.
Why it matters: Florida has reported more than 450,00 cases and over 6,300 deaths from COVID-19, including a record 216 deaths in 24 hours announced Wednesday. "All sites have free standing structures including tents and other equipment, which cannot withstand tropical storm force winds, and could cause damage to people and property if not secured," the emergency management's statement said.
NIAID director Anthony Fauci told ABC News in an Instagram live discussing the coronavirus pandemic Wednesday evening, "If you have goggles or an eye shield, you should use it."
Why it matters: Eye protection is not currently included in formal guidance on COVID-19. The CDC only advises that health care workers use eye protection "in areas with moderate to substantial community transmission."
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is resting in a New York City hospital Wednesday evening following a minimally invasive, non-surgical procedure to replace a bile duct stent, the Supreme Court announced in a release.
Why it matters: Ginsburg has had health complications in recent years, including reoccurring liver cancer. This is her second hospital trip this month. The first hospitalization followed a possible infection.
