Coronavirus USA: news summary for Friday 28 August
Coronavirus live USA: latest Covid-19 news - 27/28 August
US coronavirus latest: 13:15 PT / 16:15 ET on Friday 28 August (22:15 CEST)
Latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University.
Worldwide
Cases: 24,560,380
Deaths: 833,466
Recoveries: 16,051,044
US
Cases: 5,901,334
Deaths: 181,409
Recoveries: 2,101,326
Coronavirus-related stories you might be interested in:
Most U.S. states reject Trump administration's new Covid-19 testing guidance
A majority of U.S. states have rejected new Trump administration Covid-19 testing guidance in an extraordinary rebuke of the nation's top agency for disease prevention, according to officials at state health agencies and public statements reviewed by Reuters.
At least 33 states continue to recommend testing people who have been exposed to the virus and have no symptoms, spurning guidance published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week that said testing may be unnecessary.
Sixteen states did not immediately respond to requests for comment and North Dakota said it had not made a decision.
Among the states breaking with the federal government are conservative-leaning Texas, Oklahoma and Arizona.
Stimulus check: what steps has IRS taken to resolve check troubles?
Cross-checking the problems
The Inland Revenue Service is taking significant measures in order to help all Americans who were due an Economic Impact Payment receive it correctly.
QAnon: what is it, how has it spread, and what is being done?
What the QAnon!?
Conspiracy theories are dangerous and even more so when they could affect the choice of US president.
Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube all have a role to play as the QAnon movement have their say on everything from secret cults to coronavirus untruths.
Ivanka Trump speech at the RNC
RNC words and actions
Despite those White House dismissals, there have been positive tests from some of those who attended. We'll have to wait and see what, if any, spread there has been.
One of those speaking at the event was the president's daughter who, as well as calling on voters to support her dad, also talked about the efforts being made to help those affected by Hurricane Laura.
White House dismisses concerns about the possible spread of coronavirus among South Lawn crowd
The White House dismissed concerns about the possible spread of coronavirus among the large crowd which gathered on the South Lawn to hear president Donald Trump accept the Republican presidential nomination. Trump addressed a crowd of about 1,500 people at the White House, despite DC government recommendations against such large gatherings.
Covid-19 reinfection detected in U.S. patient
A case of coronavirus reinfection has been documented in a U.S. patient from Reno, Nevada, according to doctors. The 25-year-old man tested positive for the virus in April after showing mild illness and then got sick again in late May, developing more severe coronavirus symptoms. Doctors and Nevada public health officials said they were able to show through sophisticated testing that the virus associated with each instance of infection represented genetically different strains.
Stimulus check: when could the IRS send me more money?
Stimulus check: when could the IRS send me more money?
As of mid-August Congress went on recess without a formal agreement on a coronavirus relief package that, among other measures, will likely include a second round of stimulus payments.
U.S. networks struggle to fill fall TV slots after coronavirus shutdowns
Reality shows, re-runs and revivals make up most of the television menu this fall as America's top four broadcasters grapple to fill holes in their schedules caused by coronavirus production shutdowns.
Most scripted dramas, including popular shows like "This Is Us" and "9-1-1," will not be available until November or later, while the "Star Trek: Discovery" series that has been behind a paywall for three years will get a run on free-to-view CBS , the networks announced this week.
Elsewhere, it will mostly be a diet of old and new game shows, including "Ellen's Game of Games," repeats of "Celebrity Family Feud," and another revival of 1960s show "Supermarket Sweep."
U.S. consumer spending rises solidly
U.S. consumer spending increased more than expected in July, strengthening expectations for a sharp rebound in economic growth in the third quarter, though momentum is likely to ebb as the coronavirus pandemic lingers and fiscal stimulus dries up.
The report from the Commerce Department on Friday also showed a rise in personal income after two straight monthly declines, while monthly inflation pushed higher. The Federal Reserve on Thursday rolled out a sweeping rewrite of its mandate, putting new weight on the U.S. labor market and less on worries about too-high inflation.
Consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, rose 1.9% last month, after jumping 6.2% in June. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast consumer spending gaining 1.5% in July.
Dozens of countries host clinical trials of coronavirus vaccine candidates
As the race to develop a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine reaches its final stages, pharmaceutical companies have started conducting large human trials in different countries. Some countries also have signed supply deals with the companies.
Below is a summary of clinical studies taking place in the USA with vaccine makers
United States Pfizer Inc, BioNTech SE Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax, J&J; , U.S.' Moderna Inc , Novavax Inc AstraZeneca Plc ; Sanofi SA , Johnson & Johnson and Arcturus.
NBA playoffs to resume on Saturday after player-led protests
NBA players who boycotted games as part of a protest against racial injustice and police brutality have agreed to resume the playoffs on Saturday, the league and players association (NBPA) said on Friday.
The decision ends a three-day halt in action as part of a players-led protest that was sparked by the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and led to game cancellations in other sports as well.
The agreement was announced a day after players, coaches and team governors had a candid discussion regarding the next steps to further collective efforts and actions in support of social justice and racial equality.
As part of the agreement, the NBA and its players will establish a social justice coalition that will focus on a broad range of issues, including increasing access to voting, promoting civic engagement, and advocating for meaningful police and criminal justice reform.
WHO knows about 'herd immunity'?!
The WHO's Chief Scientist, Dr Soumya Swaminathan explains herd immunity. Read the interview at the link below or just watch the video.
Hurricane Laura levels homes and causes deaths as one of US's strongest ever storms
Remnants of Hurricane Laura unleashed heavy rain and twisters hundreds of miles inland from a path of death and mangled buildings along the Gulf coast, and forecasters warn of new dangers as the tropical weather blows toward the eastern seaboard this weekend.
More than 750,000 homes and businesses were without power in Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas in the category 4 storm’s wake, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks utility reports.
One of the strongest hurricanes ever to strike the United States, Laura was blamed for six deaths as it barreled across Louisiana and parts of Texas. Aerial pictures showed whole neighborhoods leveled across parts of the coast, huge expanses of flood water and many buildings with shredded roofs and blasted-out windows.
Full story
North Carolina officials say four people at GOP convention tested positive for Covid-19
We mentioned earlier in the day that there were concerns by some of those heading to the convention over lack of focus to us still being in a pandemic. Well,...
Two attendees and two event support staff at the Republican National Convention in North Carolina tested positive for Covid-19, county-level officials from the state wrote on Twitter.
The official Twitter feed of Mecklenburg County, where parts of the convention were held this week, said all four people were 'immediately isolated.'
Lake Charles, before and after Hurricane Laura
Satellite images released by Maxar Technologies created on 27 August 2020 shows a closeup view of Lake Charles regional airport on 3 June 2019 (top) and after hurricane Laura wreaked havoc throughout yesterday (bottom).
Nevada man becomes first person in U.S. to catch coronavirus twice
A Covid-19 patient in Nevada is thought to be the first person in the United States to be infected with coronavirus twice. The unnamed 25-year-old individual from Reno tested positive for the coronavirus which causes COVID-19 on 18 April. He had symptoms including a sore throat, headache, nausea, and diarrhea, according to a pre-print study. By 27 April, the symptoms had resolved, and two coronavirus tests came back negative on 9 May.
New reckoning for WHO vaccine plan as governments go it alone
(Reuters) The World Health Organization will next week receive a raft of pledges of support for its plan for Covid-19 vaccines for all. But the agency has already had to scale back its ambition.
The United States, Japan, Britain and the European Union have struck their own deals to secure millions of Covid-19 vaccine doses for their citizens, ignoring the UN body’s warnings that "vaccine nationalism" will squeeze supplies.
If other countries that can afford it pursue a similar approach, the WHO's strategy for fighting the coronavirus pandemic globally and equitably risks coming undone, experts warn.
"If that were to happen, it's fairly clear that there would be insufficient volumes of vaccine available for any other countries, particularly in the first six to nine months," said Alex Harris, head of global policy at the Wellcome Trust health charity.
Covid concerns for GOP nomination
Nevermind the fact that the White House lawn is not supposed to be used for political campaigning, some of those attending are worried that the pandemic may be getting underplayed in the crowd.
Coronavirus cases in Latin America pass 7 million
Coronavirus cases passed the 7 million mark on Thursday in Latin America, the region with the most infections in the world, despite some countries beginning to show a slight decline in infections, according to a Reuters tally.
The daily average of cases fell to about 77,800 in the last seven days through Wednesday, against almost 85,000 the previous week, the tally based on government figures showed. Six months since the first case was confirmed in Brazil, the country with the worst outbreak outside the United States reported on Thursday 44,235 new cases and 984 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 3,761,391 cases and the death toll from COVID-19 to 118,649. (Reuters)
MoMA Reopening in New York
People look at works of art at Museum of Modern Art on the first day that the museum is reopening to the public in New York.
MoMA, along with other museums in the city, has been closed since March 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and is now reopening at 25 percent capacity. (EFE/EPA/JUSTIN LANE)
US coronavirus death toll expected reach 258,000 by Election Day
CNN correspondent Ryan Stuyk reporting that a University of Washington model has predicted that the US coronavirus death will have reached 258,000 by Election Day. The figure currently stands at 828,070, according to data from John Hopkins University.
Hurricane Laura devastation in Lake Charles
Some of the devastation in Lake Charles left in the wake of Hurrican Laura, as posted by meteorologist, Ben Terry.
Brazil reports 44,235 new coronavirus cases, death toll at 118,649
Brazil reported 44,235 new cases of the novel coronavirus and 984 deaths from the disease caused by the virus in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said on Thursday.
Brazil has registered 3,761,391 cases of the virus since the pandemic began, while the official death toll from COVID-19 has risen to 118,649, according to ministry data, in the world's worst coronavirus outbreak outside the United States. (Reuters)
White House announces $750m deal for coronavirus tests
A White House official has annoucned that a $750 million deal to buy 150 million rapid Covid-19 tests from Abbott Laboratories.
68% of Americans embarrassed by US coronavirus response
A CNN poll has found that 68% of Americans are embarrassed by the United States’ disorganized and uncoordinated response to the coronavirus pandemic, while the majority of respondents are “very angry” about the state of the country.
Here's a recap of the recent developments:
- No breakthrough in Pelosi talks with White House on stimulus bill: A telephone call on coronavirus economic relief between US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and an adviser to President Donald Trump ended on Thursday with no breakthrough, and Pelosi said talks would not resume until the Trump administration agreed to $2.2 trillion in aid.
- Kamala Harris: Trump "has failed miserably" in handling of coronavirus: Democratic vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris has slammed President Donald Trump for his mis-management of the coronavirus crisis which has so far claimed the lives of 180,000 people in the US.
- US Covid-19 deaths exceed 180,000: US deaths from the novel coronavirus topped 180,000 on Thursday after a surge of new cases in June and July, particularly in hotspots like California, Florida, and Texas.
- Laura continues path inland: Hurricane Laura continues to head inland in Louisiana although it has is losing strength and now producing winds of around 75mph - half of what it was producing earlier and is now a Category 1 storm.
Hello and welcome
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of US-focused coronavirus news and reaction, where we'll also be giving you updates on the latest developments with Hurricane Laura.
We start our new round of coverage this Thursday afternoon as total coronavirus cases in the US approach 24.3 million, while deaths stand at 180,494.