USA coronavirus: cases, deaths, stimulus checks and news of 29 October
Coronavirus USA - live updates: 29 October
US coronavirus latest: headlines
- More than 40 US states are reporting an increase in coronavirus cases
- "Some semblances of normality" may not return until 2022, says Dr Fauci
US covid-19 latest: 18:00 PT / 21:00 ET on Thursday 29 October (03:00 CET Fri 30 Oct)
Latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University.
Worldwide
Cases: 44,908,477
Deaths: 1,179,278
Recoveries: 30,229,608
US
Cases: 8,943,577
Deaths: 228,636
Recoveries: 3,554,336
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Appeals Court rules Minnesota can't count ballots that arrive after 3 November
Minnesota Secretary of State, a Democrat, made allowance for ballots to be counted after 3 November if they were postmarked by that date in a settlement with a citizens group that had sued the state. Under that settlement, which was approved by a judge, state election officials could count ballots received until Nov. 10 as long as they are postmarked by Nov. 3. The case was brought by Republicans who challenged absentee ballots being counted that were received after Election Day.
The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals said that it was illegal as there is "There is no pandemic exception to the Constitution," It is a preliminary decision so the state can collect the ballots received after Election Day but must put them aside until a final decision is reached.
US elections: What's Trump's plan to deal with Coronavirus?
Does Trump have a plan to fight covid-19?
As a third wave of the coronavirus swells over the US, Donald Trump declares the virus is “ending” and gives little detail about how he will solve it.
“We don’t want to die in prison... They’re doing the same thing they did with Chino. Now they’re doing it to us.”
US case rise acceleration
Watch this short graphical clip and see how rapid the growth has been.
Then consider what may be ahead of us as winter kicks in...
Global coronavirus cases rise by single-day record of half a million
Global coronavirus cases rose by more than 500,000 for the first time on Wednesday, a record one-day increase as countries across the Northern Hemisphere reported daily spikes.
Global daily covid-19 cases have risen by nearly 25% in less than two weeks as the world witnessed 400,000 daily reported cases for the first time last Friday. Most western countries and parts of Latin America have reported their highest single-day surges in the past few weeks. Many governments, with the notable exception of the United States, have started taking stronger measures to bring the spread of the virus under control.
The global coronavirus tally stands at 44.7 million cases and about 1.17 million deaths. Europe, North America and Latin America account for over 66% of global cases and over 76% of global deaths. Europe's new daily infections have doubled over the past two weeks as it reported more than 250,000 cases for the first time on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally.
Attendees at Trump rally in North Carolina test positive
Two people who attended President Donald Trump’s rally last week in Gastonia, North Carolina, have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Gaston County Department of Health and Human Services made the announcement on Thursday.
“These cases are not thought to be an indication of spread from the rally at this time, but rather two independent cases among individuals who were in attendance,” the health department said in a statement.
Celebs vetted for failed Trump covid campaign
Performer Marc Anthony wanted the Trump administration to agree — in writing — that it wouldn’t use his comments for a public service campaign on the coronavirus to be used for President Donald Trump’s reelection.
Actor Dennis Quaid and singers CeCe Winans and Shulem Lemmer taped their PSAs before withdrawing their consent to participate.
Rapper Ludacris, actress Betty White, Britney Spears, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and “The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah, among others, all turned them down.
NYC showing steady case rise
New York City is recording a slow and steady rise in covid-19 cases, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday, with health officials blaming some of the uptick on out-of-state travelers and indoor gatherings.
The seven-day-average positivity rate for covid-19 tests in the city hit 1.92%, the highest since mid-June, the mayor said at a news conference. Meanwhile, the daily positivity rate was 2.70%, city officials said.
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Online shopping boosts Amazon coffers
Amazon.com Inc's third-quarter revenue beat Wall Street estimates on Thursday, as the covid-19 pandemic pushed more people to shop online for groceries and other essential items on its platform.
Net sales rose to $96.15 billion in the third quarter ended 30 September from $69.98 billion a year earlier, beating estimates of $92.70 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.
Pop-up, walk-up testing
A woman arrives at a pop-up covid-19 testing site in Los Angeles, California, where testing is walk-up only - no appointments necessary - and results are returned in 48 hours.
While cases of covid-19 in California are up by about 38% from two weeks ago, the fewest fatalities from the coronavirus have been reported in a week since mid-April.
(Photo: Frederic J. BROWN / AFP)
What's Trump's plan to improve the economy, provide stimulus and lower unemployment?
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With Election Day just around the corner, we take a look at the President's policies as America begins to recover from the economic fallout of covid-19:
CDC forecast says US will reach 256,000 deaths by 21 November
The latest ensemble forecast released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expects the US coronavirus death toll to rise as high as 256,000 by 21 November.
The CDC’s ensemble forecasts, which combine projections independently developed by different modeling groups, offer predictions for the next four weeks of the pandemic.
The previous forecast, issued on 21 October, projected a total of up to 247,000 covid-19 fatalities by 14 November.
As of Thursday evening ET, the US had registered over 228,100 coronavirus-related deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Normality may not return until 2022 - Dr Fauci
The US’ top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, says it may be 2022 before the country brings the coronavirus pandemic under control enough for life to start getting back to normal.
"I think it will be easily by the end of 2021, and perhaps even into the next year, before we start having some semblances of normality," Fauci told an interview with the University of Melbourne on Wednesday.
Fauci added that it is possible a “substantial proportion of the people” won’t receive a covid-19 vaccine until late in 2021.
Second stimulus check: could it be higher than $1,200?
Could a second stimulus check be higher than $1,200?
As hopes wither to almost none on negotiations between Republicans and Democrats reaching an accord before Election Day, will it be worth the wait?
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Safety precautions amid early voting in 2020 election
A sign outside the Beverly Hills City Hall voting center, which opened for in-person early voting on 24 October, shows a list of covid-19 symptoms that forbid entry to anyone experiencing them.
(Photo: VALERIE MACON / AFP)
US elections: What's Biden's plan to deal with coronavirus?
Having attacked Donald Trump over his lack of coronavirus planning, Joe Biden has laid out his own plan to combat covid-19 ahead of the US election on 3 November.
Supporters of President Donald Trump, some of whom are not wearing face coverings, arrive to hear his campaign speech four days before Election Day on October 29, 2020 in Tampa, Florida. With less than a week until Election Day, Trump and his opponent, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, are campaigning across the country. Octavio Jones/Getty Images/AFP
US economy notches record growth in third quarter
The US economy grew at an unrivaled pace in the third quarter as the government poured out more than $3 trillion worth of pandemic relief which fueled consumer spending, but the deep scars from the covid-19 recession could take a year or more to heal.
Gross domestic product rebounded at a 33.1% annualized rate last quarter, the Commerce Department said in its advance estimate on Thursday. That was the fastest pace since the government started keeping records in 1947 and followed a historic shrinkage rate of 31.4% in the second quarter.
The GDP report - one of the last major economic scorecards before next week's presidential election - will do little to mitigate the human tragedy inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic, with tens of millions Americans still unemployed and more than 222,000 dead.
With five days remaining to Election Day President Donald Trump, trailing in most national opinion polls, will probably seize on the stunning rebound in GDP as a sign of recovery. But US output remains below its level in the fourth quarter of 2019, a fact Trump's Democratic challenger Joe Biden is almost certain to highlight along with signs that the growth spurt is fast petering out.
Healthcare workers wearing powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) hoods process covid-19 test samples at a drive-thru testing site operated by Avera Health inside the former Silverstar Car Wash, as the coronavirus outbreak continues in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. REUTERS/Bing Guan
White House advisers warn of 'unrelenting' covid-19 spread in Midwest, West
The White House coronavirus task force is warning of a persistent and broad spread of covid-19 in the western half of the United States and its members urged aggressive mitigation measures to curb infections.
The area includes a number of battleground states that will play an important role in Tuesday's US presidential election as Republican President Donald Trump seeks a second term against Democratic challenger Joe Biden.
"We are on a very difficult trajectory. We're going in the wrong direction," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, task force member and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Fauci noted that coronavirus cases are rising in 47 states and patients are overwhelming hospitals across the country. "If things do not change, if they continue on the course we're on, there's gonna be a whole lot of pain in this country with regard to additional cases and hospitalizations, and deaths," Fauci said in an interview with CNBC Wednesday night.
United Airlines to begin free coronavirus tests on London flights
The tests will be available on certain flights from Newark to London’s Heathrow beginning in November...
More than 40 US states report increase in coronavirus cases
This week, 41 US states are reporting at least 10% more cases compared to the week before, with the US adding an record average of 74,000-plus new cases every day.
Experts say the situation is likely to get worse in winter. Dr. Anthony Fauci has said the US is "not in a good place", with rising cases and hospitalizations making up "a bad recipe for a tough time ahead." (via CNN).
Moderna says it is preparing for launch of experimental coronavirus vaccine
Moderna Inc said on Thursday it was preparing to launch its experimental coronavirus vaccine, which is currently being tested in a large human trial, and was in talks with a WHO-led group for distribution.
Moderna recently finished enrolling participants for a 30,000-volunteer study that is testing whether the vaccine can help prevent covid-19. Early data from the trial is expected in the coming weeks. The company said it was in talks with the World Health Organization-backed COVAX facility on a tiered pricing proposal for its vaccine. (Reuters)
Unemployment benefits: how many people could lose the aid if not extended?
Unemployment benefits: how many people could lose the aid if not extended?
As winter closes in so too does economic hardship for millions of Americans as unemployment benefits dry up and covid-19 relief aid programs expire. Read more...
Biden mocks White House after claiming Trump ended pandemic
Joe Biden has brought attention to a statement released by the White House in which it lists "ending the COVID-19 pandemic" as the top achievement of Donald President Trump's first term.
"You can't make this up," tweeted Biden.
The list, included in a press release from the Office of Science and Technology Policy credits the administration for taking “decisive actions to engage scientists and health professionals in academia, industry, and government to understand, treat, and defeat the disease” -- as reported by Politico.
China sees first large outbreak in months
China’s largest covid-19 outbreak in months is understood to have originated at a factory in Xinjiang, where more than 180 cases have been documented over the past week.
The factory in question reportedly has links with forced labor undertaken by Uighur residents.
Early voting in full swing amid pandemic
In pictures: People vote in the U.S. presidential election at the Wiltern Theatre during the global outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, in Los Angeles, California (REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson)
China's Kangtai starts mid-stage trial of it covid-19 vaccine candidate
China's Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products has begun a mid-stage human trial of its experimental coronavirus vaccine, clinical trial registry data shows.
Kangtai's candidate is among more than 10 potential vaccines Chinese scientists have brought into various phases of clinical trials in efforts to counter the virus that has killed more than 1.1 million people globally.
The company plans to test the vaccine's safety and ability to trigger immune responses in a Phase 2 clinical trial expected to recruit 1,000 participants, according to the latest record published on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on Wednesday. (Reuters).
Fauci says US needed more coordinated response
The former head of the White House coronavirus task force, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has stated that deaths could have been prevented in US if there had been a more coordinated and uniform response to the pandemic.
“I think we should have had more. I mean obviously we have had a disparate response,” Fauci said in a CNBC interview Wednesday night.
“I have been saying that for months now, that when we have a uniform response where all the states do things in a uniform manner with regard to masks, distancing, avoiding congregate settings, it would have been different than if we did it the way we did it, which was we did it in a disparate way,” he said.
US reports 78,981 new cases on Wednesday
The US has added another 78,981 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University, with death toll increasing by 994.
The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases.
Coronavirus live US updates: welcome
Hello and welcome to our live, US-focused coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, which as of 04:15 ET had registered over 44.5 million cases and nearly 1.17 million deaths worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University.
In the US, the world's worst-affected country, there have been more than 8.85 million cases leading to more than 227,700 fatalities, according to data compiled by John Hopkins University.