10M cases worldwide with 500,000 deaths
Global deaths from COVID-19 reached 500,000 on Sunday, a devastating toll that has doubled in just over seven weeks.
That grim milestone – marked Sunday by Johns Hopkins University – is particularly unsettling given warnings by health experts that the pandemic is still in its infancy. As the number of confirmed cases also surpassed 10 million worldwide, health officials are bracing for a second wave, likely this fall. More than 125,000 of the deaths were in the U.S.
While China and Europe took the brunt of the early days of the pandemic, the virus is now raging in the United States, Brazil, Russia and India. The death toll surpassed 250,000 on May 4. The biggest difference in recent weeks has been a shift in the epicenter from Italy and Spain, which were brought to their knees in March and April, as both countries virtually shut down.
New confirmed cases are on the rise in 36 states, according to CNN, and only Connecticut and Rhode Island reported a decline of new cases this week.
Bars to close in LA, 6 other Calif. counties
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday that he was ordering bars in certain counties to close, while recommending closures in others. The counties ordered to close bars are Los Angeles, Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Kings, San Joaquin and Tulare. Newsom also said that he is recommending bars close in Contra Costa, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Stanislaus and Ventura counties. The state’s confirmed cases surpassed 206,000 on Friday. Los Angeles County is the one with the most confirmed cases in the U.S. with more than 95,000.
NY’s lowest single-day death toll since March
New York went from having as many as 800 coronavirus deaths a day to a new low on Saturday: just five. The state’s five deaths were coupled with 869 hospitalizations on Saturday. Of 61,906 tests conducted Saturday, 616, or 0.99%, were positive. The news came one day after Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order that strips paid sick leave protections for New York employees who voluntarily travel to highrisk states after June 25. New York still leads the nation with 24,835 deaths from the virus; nearly 392,000 people in the state have tested positive.
Outcry over chemical use at ICE facility
Detained immigrants in Southern California are alleging that staff at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in the Mojave Desert are disinfecting the facility by spraying hazardous chemicals in poorly ventilated areas, causing people to develop bloody noses, burning eyes and coughing fits, which could further spread the coronavirus.
Immigrant advocates, attorneys and members of Congress are calling for answers.
Chris Arissol, a Seychelles native who has been detained at Adelanto for about 22 months, said guards “constantly” spray a product called HDQ Neutral on door handles, railings and tables, even while people are eating and drinking nearby. HDQ Neutral “destroys antibiotic-resistant bacteria including MRSA and tough viruses,” according to manufacturer Spartan Chemical. Safety data posted on the company’s website warns the product is harmful if swallowed or inhaled, and causes severe skin burns and eye damage.
Michigan pub linked to 85 cases
Infections linked to Harper’s Restaurant and Brewpub in East Lansing, Michigan, have risen to at least 85. Most who tested positive went to Harper’s June 12-20. Five are “secondary infections.” Of the 85 people infected, 23 are asymptomatic.
Miami-Dade closes beaches for Fourth of July
County Mayor Carlos Gimenez said his emergency order closes beaches July 3-7 and bans any gatherings – including parades – of more than 50 people “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,” he said. “I have been seeing too many businesses and people ignoring these lifesaving rules.”