Coronavirus USA updates on September 14th: cases, deaths and stimulus checks, latest news
Coronavirus live: USA: 14 September
US coronavirus latest: 13:15 PT / 16:15 ET on Monday 14 September (00:15 CEST on Tuesday 15 Sept.)
Latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University.
Worldwide
Cases: 29,136,553
Deaths: 925,820
Recoveries: 19,678,810
US
Cases: 6,545,948
Deaths: 194,367
Recoveries: 2,450,184
Coronavirus-related stories you might be interested in:
US coronavirus latest: 13:15 PT / 16:15 ET on Monday 14 September (22:15 CEST)
Latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University.
Worldwide
Cases: 29,127,436
Deaths: 925,749
Recoveries: 19,678,118
US
Cases: 6,539,483
Deaths: 194,339
Recoveries: 2,450,184
Coronavirus-related stories you might be interested in:
U.S. State Department eases China travel advisory for Americans
(Reuters) The U.S. State Department has eased a travel advisory for Americans considering travel to China or Hong Kong from 'Do Not Travel' to 'Reconsider Travel,' citing 'improved conditions.' The new 'Level 3' warning reflects the 'arbitrary enforcement' of local laws, said the department, which had issued its highest 'Do Not Travel' Level 4 warning in June.
China and the United States said in August they would each allow air carriers to double flights between the world's two largest economies to eight per week. On 6 August, the U.S. State Department and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention lifted its global advisory recommending U.S. citizens avoid all international travel because of the coronavirus pandemic, and instead issued a raft of high-level warnings for individual countries. The CDC also dropped its global advisory warning against all nonessential international travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Over the past month, the State Department has revised dozens of additional country-specific travel advisories, including easing ratings on Mongolia, El Salvador, Pakistan, Mexico, Kuwait, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia to Level 3. The United States has barred most non-U.S. citizens who have recently been in most of Europe, Brazil and China from traveling to the United States.
On Monday, the U.S. government ended a requirement that travellers from China, Europe and Brazil return to the United States at 15 designated U.S. airports and also ended enhanced CDC screening of those passengers upon their return.
Wall Street closes higher on Covid-19 vaccine hopes
(Reuters) U.S. stocks ended sharply higher on Monday as signs of progress in developing a Covid-19 vaccine and a spurt of multibillion-dollar deals lifted investor optimism. Drugmaker AstraZenecaresumed its British clinical trials of its Covid-19 vaccine, one of the most advanced in development. Also, Pfizer Inc rose after the drugmaker and German biotech firm BioNTech proposed to expand their Phase 3 pivotal Covid-19 vaccine trial to about 44,000 participants. "The market loves anything with a vaccine because that is the ultimate solution here. And we'll see more and more headlines," on that going forward, said Tim Ghriskey, chief investment strategist at Inverness Counsel in New York, New York.
Unofficially, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 321.54 points, or 1.16%, to 27,987.18, the S&P 500 gained 42.29 points, or 1.27%, to 3,383.26 and the Nasdaq Composite added 203.11 points, or 1.87%, to 11,056.65. All of the S&P 500 sectors were higher, and tech heavyweight Apple Inc gave the S&P 500 its biggest boost.
Coronavirus USA: When could Pfizer's vaccine start shipping?
When could Pfizer's vaccine start shipping?
Pfizer's RNA-based Covid-19 vaccine candidate BNT162b2 which is being developed in partnership with BioNTech is set to enter large-scale Phase 3 human trials with 44,000 participants. According to CEO Albert Bourla, early signs of finding an effective, safe vaccine to treat Covid-19 are encouraging.
Read more:
US needs 176m Covid-19 tests per month to safely reopen schools
A report by health-policy experts at the Rockefeller Foundation and Duke University has concluded that the US will need to conduct 176 million coronavirus tests per month in order to safely re-open schools.
However, according to the report, reaching that figure will be difficult, as the current testing capacity is around 21 million tests per month.
“The goal is to give schools, businesses, and other critical institutions a pathway toward operating safely even for higher-risk populations and with continuing community spread," the report says.
NHL: No positive tests for seventh straight week
The NHL had zero positive Covid-19 tests for the seventh straight week, the league announced Monday. A total of 1,357 tests were administered from Sept. 6-12 to all 52 members of the four conference finalists' traveling parties.
The NHL closed the Toronto bubble earlier this month, with the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders moving to the Edmonton bubble to join the Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars. (Field Level Media)
“Science” editor slams Trump's coronavirus response
The Editor-in-Chief of the reputed academic journal Science has written a scathing criticism of Donald Trump, accusing the president of having "demoralized the scientific community and cost countless lives in the United States” due to his lies and distortions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
"Trump was not confused or inadequately briefed: He flat-out lied, repeatedly, about science to the American people," said H. Holden Thorp, adding that it "may be the most shameful moment in the history of US science policy.” (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP)
In pictures: School Safety Officers check a teacher's temperature for safety reasons outside a school building, as preparations begin for the delayed start of the school year, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19 ) in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo: Reuters).
US CDC reports 193,705 deaths from coronavirus
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday reported 6,503,030 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 35,549 cases from its previous count, and said the number of deaths had risen by 510 to 193,705.
The CDC's tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as Covid-19 caused by a new coronavirus, is as of 4 p.m. ET on 13 September compared with its previous report a day earlier. The CDC figures do not necessarily reflect cases reported by individual states. (Reuters)
Voting rule changes for US elections
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, dozens of states have changed their rules regarding absentee voting in November's elections.
NPR has compiled a luseful ist of voting rule changes in each state ahead of the November's ballot between Donald Trump and Joe Biden...
New York records 38th consecutive day of coronavirus infection rate below 1%
New York has recorded a Covid-19 infection rate below 1% for the 38th straight day, according to state Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Of the 63,358 tests reported yesterday, 583 were positive (0.92% of total).
"Total hospitalizations are at 464," tweeted Gov. Cuomo. "Sadly, there were 4 COVID fatalities yesterday."
Researchers trial inhaled versions of Oxford and Imperial COVID-19 vaccine candidates
Inhaled versions of Covid-19 vaccine candidates developed by Oxford University and Imperial College will be trialled to see if they deliver a localised immune response in the respiratory tract, British researchers said on Monday.
The Oxford and Imperial vaccines are both being tested in trials through intramuscular injection, but scientists from Imperial said that vaccines delivered via inhalation could potentially deliver a more specialised response.
Chris Chiu, of Imperial's Department of Infectious Disease, said there was evidence that flu vaccines delivered by nasal spray could protect against and reduce transmission of the disease.
"We are keen to explore if this may also be the case for SARS-CoV-2 and whether delivering Covid-19 vaccines to the respiratory tract is safe and produces an effective immune response," he said in a statement.
Trials of the Oxford vaccine, which has been licensed to AstraZeneca, resumed at the weekend after safety watchdogs gave it the go-ahead. Late-stage trials had been paused after study subject fell in Britain.
"We have already shown that (Oxford vaccine) ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) is safe and induces strong immune responses after intramuscular injection," said Sarah Gilbert of the University of Oxford.
"Delivering the vaccine to the respiratory tract instead may be a good approach to inducing immune responses in the best place to enable a rapid response after exposure to airborne virus."
Imperial's vaccine is also in clinical trials, although at an earlier stage. The new trials of the vaccines will see volunteers receive aerosolised vaccines through a nebulizer, delivering the vaccine as airborne droplets through a mouthpiece.
A total of 30 people will be recruited to the trials. Previous studies suggest that lower doses might be required than in intramuscular injections to give protection, the Imperial researchers said. (Reuters)
Amazon to hire 100,000 more workers in US and Canada
Amazon has announced it will another 100,000 workers in the US and Canada in its fourth such recruitment drive this year.
The company has seen a surge in profits during the coronavirus pandemic as consumers turn to online shopping amid social-distancing and lockdowns measures.
Florida reports 1,736 new cases
Florida reported 1,736 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, bringing its total to 665,730. There were 34 more deaths to take the death toll to 12,642.
Florida has so far been the third worst affected state in the US after California and Texas.
UAE announces emergency approval for use of Covid-19 vaccine
The United Arab Emirates has issued emergency approval for the use of a Covid-19 vaccine, currently in its third phase of testing in the gulf country, health authorities said on Monday.
"The vaccine will be available to our first line of defense heroes who are at the highest risk of contracting the virus," said the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority in a tweet.
Pfizer likely to know if vaccine works by end of October
Albert Bourla, the CEO of Pfizer, says the pharmaceutical giant is likely to know within six weeks whether or not trials of its Covid-19 vaccine have shown it to be safe and effective.
Bourla told CBS’ Face the Nation on Sunday that there was a “more than 60%” chance that “we will know if the product works or not by the end of October”.
Bourla added that it is “a likely scenario” that the Food and Drug Administration would then approve the vaccine for distribution before the end of the 2020.
“We are preparing for it,” he said. “For example, we started already manufacturing and we have already manufactured hundreds of thousands of doses, so just in case we have a good study readout, conclusive and FDA plus the advisory committee feels comfortable that we will be ready.”
US woman accused of causing Covid-19 spread in German town
An American woman is facing a fine of up to €2,000 after going out partying in Germany despite displaying coronavirus symptoms, it has emerged.
The woman, 26, was awaiting the results of a coronavirus test when she reportedly visited several bars in the Bavarian town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
She is now being linked to a subsequent outbreak of Covid-19 cases in the area.
"This must be investigated," Garmisch-Partenkirchen spokesperson Stephan Scharf said on Sunday, according to The Local Germany.
Experts "aghast" at reported White House meddling in data
Scientific experts have reacted with horror to reported attempts by Trump administration officials to meddle with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) coronavirus data.
On Saturday, Politico reported that the CDC has allowed officials to change the wording of weekly mortality reports to bring them into line with President Donald Trump’s coronavirus messaging.
“This is outright egregious. It’s despicable,” Dr. Eric Topol, a professor of molecular medicine at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, told USA Today.
Dr William Schaffner, who is on the editorial board of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, said he was “aghast” and “appalled” at the revelation, meanwhile.
Second stimulus check: US coronavirus relief bill update
Second stimulus check: relief bill update
Amid stalled aid-package talks, the House returns from recess on Monday, as Americans wait to find out whether they'll be getting a second stimulus check.
Full story:
Unemployment benefits: payment calculator and dates for $300 assistance
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Calculate how much money you could be entitled to with the extension of the unemployment benefit allowance and when it is likely to be available.
California: tracking the coronavirus
The Covid-19 pandemic has spread rapidly across California. Experts say the true number of people infected is unknown and likely much higher than official tallies.
To better understand the spread of the virus, The Times is conducting an independent, continual survey of dozens of local health agencies across the state.
Full analysis:
AstraZeneca shares rise as UK coronavirus vaccine trial resumes
Shares of AstraZeneca rose 1% to 8,516 pence on Monday after the British drugmaker received the go-ahead from safety watchdogs over the weekend to resume clinical trials for its Covid-19 vaccine candidate in the United Kingdom, report Reuters.
The resumption of the trials for the vaccine, one of the most advanced in development and regarded by governments and financial markets as one of the best bets to tackle the health crisis in the months ahead, buoyed stock markets around the world. The late-stage trials of the vaccine were suspended last week after an illness in a study participant, casting doubts on an early rollout and sending the London-listed company's shares lower. Global trials of the vaccine had also been paused following the UK suspension. Brazil has approved restarting the trials and the Serum Institute of India is awaiting permission from the Drugs Controller General of India.
Cambridge-based AstraZeneca's shares had risen about 11% this year up to their Friday close, giving the pharmaceutical giant a market capitalisation of 111 billion pounds ($142 billion). ($1 = 0.7803 pounds)
Coronavirus USA: what did Fauci say about the bad data in the country?
Fauci says he'll never be muzzled
Trump, who has admitted playing down the severity of the virus since it emerged early this presidential election year, said on Thursday he believed the United States was "rounding the corner" on the crisis.
"I have to disagree with that, because, if you look at the thing that you just mentioned, the statistics ... they are disturbing," Fauci said on MSNBC.
"If you're talking about getting back to a degree of normality which resembles where we were prior to Covid, it's going to be well into 2021, maybe even towards the end of 2021," he said.
Preparing for future pandemics
Could we have handled the global Covid-19 pandemic better? Yes, is the clear answer.
The GPMB is pulling together experts from around the world to help us be better prepared for the future.
Anti-maskers attempt to make their argument heard
From comparing the challenges of breathing in a mask to those faced by George Floyd under the knee of a police officer, to the argument that child molesters love mask wearing.
Warning: these are real people in this country
Texas: conflicting virus data raises distrust of the government
The state has overlooked thousands of cases, only to report them weeks after infection. It has made major adjustments to its case and death counts, defining them one way and then another, suddenly reporting figures for some counties that were vastly different from those posted by the local health department.
“The changing of gears and data reporting at the state has a lot of public health departments feeling a significant case of whiplash,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg of San Antonio said.
Scheffler out of US Open after positive Covid-19 test
Scottie Scheffler has withdrawn from this week's US Open after testing positive for Covid-19, the United States Golf Association (USGA) said on Sunday.
The 24-year-old American, who is a contender for PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, finished fourth at last month's PGA Championship and fifth two weeks ago at the Tour Championship. The world number 29 shot a sizzling 59 en route to a fourth-place finish in the FedExCup playoffs opener at TPC Boston.
'We are sorry to lose a member of the USGA family in this year's field,' said the USGA senior managing director John Bodenhamer. 'We look forward to welcoming him back to the US Open for many years to come.' Scheffler will be replaced in the field by South African Branden Grace.
Trump team says history will vindicate him on coronavirus
Top advisers blame everyone but the president for the nation’s plight during the pandemic.
RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said the president had been calm, steady and methodical throughout this crisis, comparing his leadership throughout the pandemic to that of President George W. Bush after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
“Think of what would have happened if he’d have gone out and said: ‘This is awful. We should all be afraid. We don’t have a plan,’” McDaniel told host Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “The president was calm and steady in a time of unrest and uncertainty. And I think history will look back on him well as how he handled this pandemic.”
Wisconsin Governor urges mask wearing
Tony Evers reached out to the people of Wisconsin and asked for 'everyone to do their part' and wear a face mask.
Second stimulus check: what did McConnell say about relief bill?
Second stimulus check: what did McConnell say about relief bill?
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell does not share House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s optimism over a deal being struck for a coronavirus aid package.
Dominic Thiem wins U.S. Open title
Dominic Thiem wins U.S. Open title
Austrian produced a remarkable fightback to beat German fifth seed Alexander Zverev to win the U.S. Open for the first time on Sunday.
New York's impressive Covid-19 curve
From being the epicentre of the pandemic in March, New York has managed to control the spread of the virus.
NFL players protest across the league in empty stadiums
National Football League players staged pregame protests from coast-to-coast on Sunday, taking a knee during the playing of the U.S. national anthem in mostly empty stadiums, avoiding the embarrassment of having fans boo, which overshadowed the season opener.
The Jacksonville Jaguars were the only team hosting a Week One game allowing fans on Sunday, so there were no repeats of Thursday's scenes at Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium when members of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans were booed during a moment of silence for social justice.
The Jaguars took no chances and like several teams remained in the locker room during the singing of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," often called the Black national anthem, and the "Star-Spangled Banner."
"Our solidarity is stronger than any difference that threatens to divide us," the Jaguars said in a statement issued prior to kickoff. "We are a united team.
$1,000 Louis V face shield anyone?
Louis Vuitton is introducing a new item to their 2021 Cruise Collection ... a high-priced face shield, laced with their signature 'LV' trim along the edges of the plastic itself and headband, plus their well-known gold studs. It's supposed to hit the market starting next month....
Israel becomes first country to reimpose lockdown
Israel will enter a three-week nationwide lockdown starting later this week to contain the spread of the coronavirus after a second-wave surge of new cases, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday, becoming the first country worldwide to reimpose a strict national lockdown.
Reuters reports that during the lockdown, which comes during the Jewish high-holiday season, Israelis will have to stay within 500 metres of their houses, but can travel to workplaces that will be allowed to operate on a limited basis.
Taiwan says plans to sign up for 'COVAX' vaccine allocation scheme
Taiwan will sign up to the "COVAX" global vaccine allocation plan to ensure it will be able to access a Covid-19 vaccine when one becomes available, the island's health minister stated.
Chen Shih-chung told reporters in Taipei that the government had engaged lawyers to enter discussions about signing onto the scheme.
Taiwan is also researching its own vaccine, a process Chen said was going smoothly. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the GAVI vaccine alliance are leading the COVAX facility, aimed at helping buy and fairly distribute vaccination shots against the novel coronavirus around the world.
Trump rallies supporters in Nevada, seeks to overcome Biden lead in the state
Republican President Donald Trump rallied his backers in Nevada on Saturday in a bid to drum up support in a state where polls show his Democratic rival Joe Biden is ahead.
Going through a list of grievances about Democrats, the media, and mail-in voting, Trump spoke to a crowd of thousands at an airport outside of Reno where people stood close to one another and, in many cases, did not wear masks despite the coronavirus pandemic.
The president mused about staying in office 12 years, despite constitutional limits that prohibit U.S. presidents from serving more than two, four-year terms.
"We are going to win four more years in the White House and then after that we’ll negotiate, right, because we’re probably, based on the way we were treated, we’re probably entitled to another four after that," he said.
Trump signs new executive order to lower drug prices
President Donald Trump said on Sunday he had signed a new executive order aimed at lowering drug prices in the United States by linking them to those of other nations.
"My Most Favored Nation order will ensure that our Country gets the same low price Big Pharma gives to other countries. The days of global freeriding at America’s expense are over," Trump said in a Twitter post, adding: "Also just ended all rebates to middlemen, further reducing prices."
WHO reports record one-day increase in global coronavirus cases, up over 307,000
The World Health Organization reported a record one-day increase in global coronavirus cases on Sunday, with the total rising by 307,930 in 24 hours.
The biggest increases were from India, the United States and Brazil, according to the agency's website. Deaths rose by 5,537 to a total of 917,417.
Second stimulus check: when does the Senate meet again to decide?
Second stimulus check: when does the Senate meet again to decide?
There still remains the possibility of a second stimulus check of a maximum amount of $1,200 per adult. Both Democrats and Republicans have all backed a second round of Economic Impact Payments.
AstraZeneca vaccine: why are clinical trials resuming and how was the patient affected?
AstraZeneca vaccine: why are clinical trials resuming and how was the patient affected?
Clinical trials for the AstraZeneca and Oxford University coronavirus vaccine have resumed following confirmation by the Medicines Health Regulatory Authority that it was safe to do so.
Russia rolls out first batches of Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine
Russia rolls out first batches of Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine
The Russian Health Ministry confirmed the first deliveries of Sputnik V have been sent out to test logistical issues ahead of a planned mass vaccination.
Li-Meng Yan: Chinese whistleblower to provide proof Covid-19 is a lab-based virus
Li-Meng Yan: Chinese whistleblower to provide proof Covid-19 is a lab-based virus
Li-Meng Yan, who is in hiding in the US, has said she will soon provide evidence of her claims that the coronavirus was developed in a Chinese lab.
Coronavirus live US updates: welcome
Hello and welcome to our live, United States-focused coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, which as of 19:00 ET on Sunday had registered nearly 28.8 million cases and just over 921,000 deaths worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University.
In the US, the globe's worst-hit country, there have been almost 6.5 million cases and more than 194,000 deaths.