Global COVID-19 cases top 12 M

Global coronavirus cases topped 12 million, the latest milestone as the pandemic continues to spread. The US surpassed 3 million infections to account for more than a quarter of cases worldwide.

California and Texas recorded surging cases and deaths. Mexico had its biggest daily jump in infections as the virus ravages the Americas. Iran reported its deadliest day, while South Africa’s health minister warned of a scarcity of intensivecare beds.

President Donald Trump intensified a pressure campaign to reopen schools, criticizing US guidelines as too onerous. Tokyo’s government will subsidize bars and clubs that are forced to close because of the outbreak, a report said. Britain’s finance minister unveiled a plan to save jobs, and cut taxes on property and dining out to stimulate spending.

Hong Kong’s new outbreak worsens

In Hong Kong, the government found six additional locally transmitted virus cases after the 4 p.m. cutoff time for the daily count on Wednesday, HK01 reported, citing unidentified people.

An almost three-week lull in local infections has come to an abrupt end, with 19 new community transmissions reported Wednesday and the government expressing fears that the city might be in the early days of a wider outbreak.

Tokyo to support nightlife industry

In Japan, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will offer subsidies to nightlife establishments in stricken areas that close because of the coronavirus, Asahi reported, citing an unidentified official. Outlets that close for 10 days or more will receive 500,000 yen ($4,660), according to the report.

Another day of record

deaths in Texas

In the United States, Texas had its second straight day of record virus deaths, at 98, bringing total fatalities in the state to 2,813. Virus cases rose 4.7% to 220,564, exceeding the seven-day average of 4%. The 9,979 new cases were second only to yesterday’s record of 10,028. Hospitalizations jumped by 324, or 3.5%, which was less than the seven-day average of 5.2%.

As cases continued rising in Houston, epicenter of the state’s biggest outbreak, Mayor Sylvester Turner said he was canceling the Republican Party’s state convention that was to be held in the city next week. The mayor also objected to proposals to reopen public schools in August, saying it was premature for such discussions until the outbreak is under control.

Trump rally linked

to jump in cases

The top health official in Tulsa, Oklahoma, said that President Donald Trump’s June 20 campaign rally and accompanying protests likely boosted the number of coronavirus infections in the area.

“We do have the highest number of cases, and we’ve had the significant events in the past few weeks that more than likely contributed to that,” Tulsa Health Department Director Bruce Dart said Wednesday at a news conference.

Trump held the rally despite pleas from local authorities to delay because they were already seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases. An estimated 6,200 people came to the city’s 19,000-seat BOK Center, many without masks. Tulsa County reported 261 and 206 cases for Monday and Tuesday, eclipsing Tuesday’s seven-day rolling average of 146.7.

LA county warns of ‘critical juncture’

Los Angeles County reported 2,496 new coronavirus cases, bringing its total to more than 123,000, along with 65 additional deaths. “We are at a very critical juncture in our pandemic,” Barbara Ferrer, the county’s public-health director, said at a press briefing.

The county, home to 10 million people, has been the hardest-hit part of California. The rate of positive tests has jumped to 10.4% on a rolling seven-day average, a level not seen since late April. Ferrer warned that thousands more people may require hospitalizations that could overwhelm the health-care system if infections numbers aren’t brought under control.

Pritzker calls for national

mask mandate Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker called for a “national mask mandate” to stem the spread of the coronavirus as states attempt to reopen.

“This might be the most important thing we can do to save lives,” he said Wednesday in testimony to the House Homeland Security Committee. Illinois imposed a mask mandate on May 1 and there has been “shifts in our infection rate,” he said.

“A global pandemic requires a national response, but that is not what happened,” he said, and states are looking to federal officials for guidance. “It’s not too late for the federal government to make an impact, in fact, it’s more important than ever.”

Ivy League scraps sports

in coming semester

The Ivy League is canceling sports competition for the upcoming semester because of health concerns about the pandemic, becoming the first Division I conference in the US to scrap football.

The conference, whose eight members include Harvard University, Yale University and Princeton University, made the move Wednesday, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The decision will affect not only fall sports, including soccer, but winter sports also played in the semester, such as basketball. The league is still open to the possibility of spring competition.

US cases rise Coronavirus cases in the US rose 59,655 from a day earlier to 3.02 million, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg News. The 2% increase was higher than the average daily increase of 1.8% over the past week. Deaths rose 0.8% to 131,857.

Florida reported 223,783 cases, up 4.7% from a day earlier, less than the average increase of 5% in the previous seven days. Deaths reached 3,889, a 1.2% rise.

Arizona had 3,520 new cases, bringing that state’s total to 108,614, a 3.3% increase that was below the prior seven-day average of 4.1%.

Idaho cases rose 6% to 8,539, according to the data collected by Johns Hopkins and Bloomberg News.

California cases hit one-day record California reported 11,694 new virus cases, its largest one-day increase and above the seven-day average of 8,116 daily infections. The data for Wednesday includes some backlog of cases from Los Angeles County, Governor Gavin Newsom said at a press briefing. The state had 111 additional deaths, he said.

The rate of positive tests over the past 14 days has jumped to 7.1%, compared with around 5% two weeks ago. Newsom said the state is monitoring that figure “very closely” and warned it can quickly spike into double digits. He urged people to continue to stay home except for essential needs.

Disney Parks set to open Walt Disney World Resort theme parks are preparing for a phased reopening with reduction in capacity starting July 11. Magic Kingdom Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park will reopen on July 11, followed by EPCOT and Hollywood Studios on July 15

In addition to limits on attendance and controlled guest density, new procedures will be in place for park entry, attractions, dining, retail, transportation

EU situation ‘very fragile’

Stella Kyriakides, the European Union health commissioner, said the 27-nation bloc must anticipate a second virus wave and prepare steps to control it.

“The situation remains very fragile and we see this in a number of member states,” Kyriakides told the European Parliament in Brussels. “A safe and effective vaccine likely remains the only permanent solution to this pandemic, but this is still some time away.”

The EU is “fully engaged” in talks with pharmaceutical companies to ensure adequate supplies for the bloc of any vaccines, she said.