Category: Corona Virus

Over the last seven days, a grim new COVID-19 calculus has emerged: one person died every 80 seconds from the coronavirus in America.

And the pace at which those 7,486 people died appears to be accelerating, a new NBC News tally revealed Wednesday.

In July, a total of 26,198 deaths were reported, meaning one every 102 seconds. As of Wednesday morning, more than 158,000 people in the U.S. had died of the virus since the start of the pandemic.

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The numbing new national snapshot of how COVID-19 is claiming more and more lives came as Johns Hopkins University reported another milestone: The world death toll from this plague had eclipsed 700,000.

The U.S. has logged over 4.8 million confirmed cases. And around 1.8 million of those have come since July 7, when the 3 millionth case was reported, NBC News figures show.

While most of the new cases and deaths have been in the South and Sun Belt, states in the northeast like New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts that were hit hardest at the start of the pandemic and were able to flatten the curve have also reported worrying upticks.

Under fire for being slow to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and presiding over the biggest economic disaster since the Great Depression, President Donald Trump once again downplayed the extent of the pandemic in a call-in interview Wednesday with "Fox & Friends."

This thing is going away, he said. It will go away like things go away.

Joe Biden, the Democrat hoping to oust Trump from the White House come November, fired back.

Donald Trump continues to live in a world of delusion, Biden said in a statement.

In other developments:

Joe Murphy is a data editor at NBC News Digital.

Corky Siemaszko is a senior writer for NBC News Digital.

Suzanne Ciechalski contributed.

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One death every 80 seconds: The grim new toll of COVID-19 in America - NBC News

Coronavirus in pets, French research strategy and a duplication detector  Nature.com

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Coronavirus in pets, French research strategy and a duplication detector - Nature.com

Gov. Andy Beshear on Wednesday announced 546 new coronavirus cases, which he said suggests masks are working.

That's down from 700 cases on Tuesday.The new positivity rate is5.51%.

"It's hard to believe that that can be good news, and it's not in so many ways," Beshear said. "That's 546 additional Kentuckians dealing with this virus. But the trajectory that we were going on was terrifying."

Beshear also announced one new death from coronavirus complications, a71-year-old woman from Logan County. There have now been 752 deaths from the virus and 32,741 positive cases. No fewer than 8,467 people have recovered,though it's more complicated to track recoveries because not all are reported.There are620 peoplein the hospital and 131 in the intensive care unit.

There were 21 new young children among the new cases Wednesday,the youngest of whom is 18 days old. That baby is not hospitalized, Beshear said.

"It's very concerning," he said. "Especially when this is the group that, before, people have thought maybe spreads it less or maybe gets it even less."

This continues a trend since mid-July of younger children getting the virus.

Coronavirus map: How many cases are in Kentucky? Where are they?

Meanwhile, Beshear encouraged people to take advantage of U of L Health's new expanded testing, which starts Thursday in Louisville:"Make sure that you are regularlygetting tested," he said. "It's a good way to protect yourself and others."

Despite this, he said the state hasn't decided to move forward with mass testing for allincarcerated Kentuckians, 10 of whom have died and 842 of whom have contracted the virus from behind bars.

"Part of that is testing supplies but another is we believe that there is a way to monitor ... wastewater coming out of a prisonto determine if there is even a single case within that prison," he said.

If that project is successful, he said, there would be a way to know daily if there needs to be mass testing in a facility.

"We think we see good signs and good news," Beshear said. "I don't like our positivity rate being up. But with the direction we were previously headed, Kentuckians are answering the call, they're wearing facial coverings and this is working."

More: 46 days later,young ICU nurse is still battling side effects of COVID-19

Reach breaking news reporter Sarah Ladd at sladd@courier-journal.com. Follow her on Twitter at@ladd_sarah.Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe.

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Gov. Andy Beshear announces 546 new coronavirus cases, 1 additional death on Wednesday - Courier Journal

One more personhasdied of the coronavirus in South Dakota, and the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state increased by 89 on Wednesday.

South Dakota has a total of 137 COVID-19 deaths, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.

The Davison County man who died of the coronavirus was in his 70s, according to the health department.

South Dakota has a total of 9,168COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday, according to the state health department. That doesn't include people who show symptoms or are asymptomatic but are not tested. A total of 1,664 test results were reported on Wednesday and the positive rate for coronavirus tests was 5.3%.

A total of 145,555 tests have been completed on 116,374 people and the state is 9% to its August goal of 44,233 tests.

The state has 951active COVID-19 cases, the highest since early June.Recoveries statewide increased to 8,080. Ten more people have been hospitalized and 43 are currently hospitalized. The state health department says 856total people have been hospitalized during the pandemic.

Cases in Minnehaha County increased by 27to a total of 4,285, and Lincoln County's cases increased by six to atotal of 588cases,according to the state health department. Of the cases, 3,890have recovered in Minnehaha County and 498cases have recovered in Lincoln County.

Pennington County's cases increased by 10 on Wednesday, for a total of 858 cases. Brown County's cases increased by seven to 419 total on Wednesday.Brule County saw a five-case increase to 45 total and Meade County's cases increased by four to 82 total. Codington, Lawrence and Union counties had an increase of three cases each to 123 cases in Codington,35 cases in Lawrence and 204 cases in Union.

Coronavirus patients are occupying 2% of staffed hospital beds in the state while 52% of hospital beds are available, according to the state health department. Coronavirus patients are occupying 3% of intensive care unit beds, and 39% of ICU beds are available. Fivepercent of ventilators are being used by coronavirus patients while 83% of the state's ventilator capacity is available.

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One more dies of the coronavirus in South Dakota, cases increase by 89 - Argus Leader

The housemates identities are still under wraps -- even host Julie Chen Moonves said she doesn't know who the 16 people are who will be living in the house. The potential castmates have been quarantined leading up to the premiere, according to Chen Moonves.Production flew in "a bunch of people, more than 16," Chen told CBSN Los Angeles.

"Some people I thought were definitely going in the house, they tested positive for Covid-19 so they couldn't go in," Chen Moonves said.

In a separate interview with SiriusXM, Chen Moonves explained that production staff who are essential to get the show on air wear masks and take weekly Covid-19 tests.

"I'm the only person that's not going to be wearing a mask for the limited time when I'm on television, but when we're in commercial or what have you, that mask is going on," she said.

Crew also wear color-coded lanyards and can only be in the areas that are marked with their color.

"So let's say you're in the orange pod and your lanyard and ID has orange on it. You can only go into the spots where orange can go into," Chen Moonves explained.

On screen, when a houseguest gets evicted, social distancing will mean no more shaking hands and no hugs with the host.

Reflecting on the 20 years since "Big Brother" debuted in the US, Chen Moonves said her approach to hosting has evolved over time.

"Season 1, I was terrible," she said. "Let's just say what everyone knows: I was the Chenbot. I deserved that name because I was robotic. I came from a news background and I was asked to do this show and I thought, 'Okay, I'm going to be really straight, with no personality, because my original dream was one day to be a correspondent on '60 Minutes.' And I was told if I do this reality show, I probably am shutting and sealing that door shut from ever going through it. I'm going to prove them wrong.' They were right, by the way. I was never asked to do 60 Minutes."

Chen Moonves said she's grown into the role.

"I finally learned how to embrace the Chenbot," she said. "The stars of the show are the ones in the house. I'm just the conductor of this train. So sometimes letting my personality show. I learned that also from I did eight years on 'The Talk,' where again, I had to learn how to not be so newsy and just not editorialize and kind of bring a little bit of my real personality to the table. So it's been a journey for me."

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'Big Brother' returns with color-coded pods and no hugs amid coronavirus pandemic - CNN

The World Health Organization said Monday there may never be a magical cure for the coronavirus even as scientists and drugmakers across the globe race to find a safe and effective vaccine.

Scientists have made progress in identifying treatments that can help people with the most severe forms of Covid-19, and a number of vaccines are in late-stage trials, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a press conference from the agency's Geneva headquarters. "However, there is no silver bullet at the moment and there might never be."

Tedros wasn't asked about Russia's claims that it will be ready to start mass inoculations in October.

There are no-FDA approved drugs for the coronavirus, which has infected more than 18 million people worldwide and killed at least 689,625, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

In May, the FDA granted antiviral drug remdesivir an emergency use authorization, allowing hospitals and doctors to use the drug on patients hospitalized with the disease even though the drug has not been formally approved by the agency. The FDA has also said it is looking atdexamethasone, a steroid already authorized in the U.K. for the treatment of Covid-19.

However, public health officials say there is no returning to "normal" until there's a vaccine. There are more than 150 vaccines under development worldwide, according to the WHO. At least 25 are already in clinical trials.On Thursday, senior administration officials at the Department of Health and Human Services said drug companies Pfizer and Moderna, which both began a phase-three trial for their leading vaccine candidates last week, have already vaccinated "several hundred people" within the first few days.

For now, world leaders can stop new outbreaks by practicing the "basics" of public health and disease control, Tedros said Monday. "Testing, isolating and treating patients and tracing and quarantining their contacts. Do it all. Inform, empower and listen to communities. Do it all."

The public can help by practicing social distancing, wearing a mask, cleaning hands regularly and coughing safely away from others, he said.

"The message to people and governments is clear: Do it all," he said. "And when it's under control, keep going, keep strengthening the health system, keep improving surveillance, contract tracing and ensure disrupted health services are restarted as quickly as possible."

WHO reported Fridaythe largest single-day increase in cases at almost 300,000 new cases in 24 hours.

WHO officials have warned there is no going back to the "old normal" as the coronavirus pandemic accelerates in the United States and poorer, developing countries.

"It's completely understandable that people want to get on with their lives, but we will not be going back to the old normal," Tedros said on July 23.

Even though cases are high in the U.S. and other parts of the world, there's still a chance to bring the virus under control, the agency said.

The WHO recommends that people wear masks as a way to slow the spread of the virus. Scientists say Covid-19 can spread through respiratory droplets that pass when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Studies suggest the masks may serve as a helpful barrier to spreading infection.

The agency also recommends people wash their hands regularly, maintain their distance from others and avoid going to crowded places. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention, but call by telephone in advance if possible and follow the directions of your local health authority, the WHO said.

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WHO says there's no 'silver bullet' to defeat coronavirus and 'there might never be' - CNBC

Houses of worship have become a growing concern for Colorado health departments as the number of COVID-19 outbreaks within church communities and at religious events has climbed.

In the last two weeks there have been at least four COVID-19 outbreaks at churches, according to state and county health departments.

Two of those outbreaks occurred in Garfield County at the Iglesia de Dios Pentacostal in Parachute, with at least eight lab-confirmed cases, and the Pan de Vida church in Rifle, with at least 14 lab-confirmed cases. All cases were reported among church attendees.

According to the Garfield County Public Health department, most of the spread occurred prior to the state mask ordinance and a case investigation revealed that there was little social distancing or mask-wearing.

Another common factor among the outbreaks in Garfield County was that group singing was incorporated into worship services. Case studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control have found that singing could lead to further spread of COVID-19.

Preliminary results from a study at the University of Colorado showed that more aerosols were released by singers depending on the intensity of the song and the words spoken. The singer in the study released the most aerosols when performing a church choir piece than any other type of song tested. That study has not yet been completed or peer-reviewed and the results may change.

"Singing releases smaller infectious particles that can hang in the air and circulate in enclosed spaces, and the risk increases when there are large numbers of people indoors, a spokesperson from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment wrote in an email. "Our guidance related to houses of worship strongly discourages choirs and singing by parishioners."

Despite CDPHE guidance, both churches have Facebook Live videos recorded in the last several weeks that show group singing. Pan de Vidas most recent Facebook Live video that included unmasked singing was posted Sunday.

The two other outbreaks at churches were exclusively among staff members at the Springs Journey Church in Colorado Springs and at The Heights Church in Denver. None of the churches could be reached for comment.

The new church outbreaks come several weeks after a large outbreak at the Andrew Wommack Ministries bible conference in Woodland Park. While the Teller County health department pre-approved the conference, CDPHE served organizers a cease and desist letter halfway through, on July 2, after the agency received information that events at the conference would likely exceed the 175-person capacity limit in the public health order. A spokesperson for Andrew Wommack Ministries would not confirm if they broke capacity limits, but conceded that it was possible.

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Colorado Places Of Worship Have Become A Worrying Source Of Coronavirus Outbreaks - Colorado Public Radio

Rules and Regulations Vary by State

State laws vary when it comes to weddings. Some wedding spaces are governed by the same rules as restaurants, meaning they can accommodate a certain percentage of their overall capacity. In Arkansas, for example, you can fill venues to 66 percent capacity. So an event in a 1,000-person ballroom can legally host 666 guests. In other states events are limited to the size of the group. In parts of New York, for example, gatherings are limited to 50 people regardless of the space.

Ms. Bett said many of her clients feel safer with smaller affairs. I have clients doing private, intimate ceremonies, because no one is making a big stink about those, she said. No one wants to be the new epicenter of the outbreak.

But even weddings with the tightest guest list arent immune to the coronavirus.

Sunshine Borrer, 26, a veterinary technician in Houston, attended her sister-in-laws wedding in Crockett, Texas, which has a population of 6,000. It was a real small town, she said. Covid wasnt something I was super concerned about. The 30-person wedding was held outdoors, but the after party was in a small bar area of an indoor restaurant.

It took about a week for her symptoms to develop. She tested positive for Covid-19, along with the bride and groom, another couple, and the brides daughter. Fortunately all cases were mild.

She noticed there is no etiquette for how to communicate a coronavirus outbreak to wedding guests. The bride and groom maybe told the people they were living with, but that was it, she said. They told one of my other sisters-in-law, and she is a nurse, so she took it upon herself to tell people.

Ms. Chism said it was her oldest son, not the bride and groom, who alerted wedding guests to the virus exposure. If it were me I would have been on the phone calling every single person, she said. But it wasnt me.

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Coronavirus and Weddings: Take It Seriously - The New York Times

Newly announced coronavirus hospitalizations in the St. Louis region dipped Wednesday compared to the day before, but are still part of a troubling trend, according to area health officials.

Local hospitals reported admissions of 39 new cases Wednesday a drop from 55 registered the day before. That total, along with others from recent days, reaches a level not seen since the early stages of the pandemic.

It builds on the narrative that we have too much virus circulating in our communities, said Dr. Alex Garza, head of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force, at his Wednesday press conference. Were far from out of the woods.

The regions seven-day moving average for new hospitalizations nudged from 45 to 44.

Any time especially that rolling seven-day admissions gets above 40, we know that that is in our red zone," said Garza. "Thats when we start to be really concerned about the number of patients that are showing up in our healthcare systems.

St. Louis County reported 286 new cases of the virus in the past 24 hours. Statewide, the county has been Missouris leading source of known cases, accounting for 14,074, so far.

Garza reiterated regular messages about the importance of key behaviors, such as social distancing, wearing masks, and diligent hand washing. Only strict, widespread adherence to those practices, he explained, will help local numbers improve to safer levels.

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St. Louis area sees one-day dip in new coronavirus hospitalizations, but still a 'troubling' trend - STLtoday.com

The patients, ages 40 to 80, had discoloration of their skin as well as lesions called retiform purpura, according to the research report. Biopsies were performed for each patient and they showed that the patients had a type of vasculopathy, meaning that their blood vessels were affected.

The researchers -- from NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical College -- wrote in their report that the skin discoloration could represent partial occlusion or blockage of blood vessels, and the retiform purpura could represent full blockage.

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Covid-19 patients may develop skin rashes and discoloration, studies find - CNN