The mayor of Chicago shut down indoor service at bars on Monday and Florida reported more than 10,000 new cases of COVID-19 for the sixth day in a row, as the coronavirus pandemic continued to rage across the United States.
The latest:
- Florida teachers’ union sues to halt the resumption of in-class instruction.
- EU leaders close in on 1.82-trillion euro ($2.8-trillion Cdn) budget and coronavirus recovery fund.
- Lancet editors express cautious optimism regarding 2 vaccines.
- MPs return to House of Commons to discuss extending emergency wage subsidy.
- Alberta sees highest number of active cases of COVID-19 since May 12.
- Wearing a mask became mandatory in Quebec over the weekend.
- How close are we to a vaccine for COVID-19?
The mayor of Chicago shut down indoor service at bars on Monday and Florida reported more than 10,000 new cases of COVID-19 for the sixth day in a row, as the coronavirus pandemic continued to rage across the United States.
The grim news was offset by an apparent stabilization of the outbreak in California and the fewest hospitalizations in four months in New York state, allowing New York City to enter a new phase of reopening.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the number of cases, hospitalizations and intensive care unit admissions were all still rising in the nation’s most populous state but not nearly as much or as fast as in recent weeks.
“We are seeing a reduction in the rate of growth but a rate of growth nonetheless,” Newsom, a Democrat, said at a briefing in Sacramento.
“Hospitalizations and ICU [admissions] continue to be cause of concern in this state. That’s why we want everybody to double down on what we’ve been doing,” the governor said.
The mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, has threatened to impose a new “stay-at-home” order in the country’s second-largest city if trends are not reversed. California’s high school sports authority postponed athletic competitions, including football, altering a rite of passage for many Americans.
New York, which has recorded far more deaths than any other U.S. state, recorded only eight fatalities on Sunday. The total number of people hospitalized in New York for the disease fell to 716, the fewest since March 18, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. Restrictions eased slightly with zoos and the Statue of Liberty reopening as well as professional sports without fans.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced new restrictions due to take effect on Friday, including a ban on indoor service at bars and shutdown of personal services such as shaves and facials that require the removal of masks.
“While we aren’t near the peak of the pandemic from earlier this year, none of us wants to go back there,” Lightfoot said in a statement.
Teachers sue in Florida
Metrics nationwide show a continued surge in the pandemic, with 32 states reporting record increases in COVID-19 cases in July and 15 states reporting record increases in deaths.
The illness has killed 140,000 people in the United States and infected some 3.8 million, both figures leading the world. As of 8 p.m. ET on Monday, the global coronavirus case count stood at 14,641,789, with 608,637 deaths and 8,222,979 cases considered recovered, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
WATCH | Miami beaches, restaurants relatively quiet amid Florida surge:
Residents were still on the beaches and at restaurants in Miami Beach on Monday, although streets appeared relatively empty, as Florida coronavirus cases soared past 10,000 for sixth day in a row 0:44
Florida reported 10,347 new infections on Monday, the sixth day in a row the state has announced over 10,000 new cases. Another 92 people died in Florida, increasing the state’s death toll to 5,183.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has been sharply criticized for his handling of the crisis, said over the weekend that positivity rates and COVID-19-related emergency room visits have been trending lower in recent weeks.
The state’s teachers’ union sued DeSantis and other officials on Monday, seeking to halt the resumption of in-class instruction.
WATCH | Trump, Chris Wallace spar over COVID-19 mortality rate:
U.S. President Donald Trump downplayed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across the country, including the death rate, after being challenged during a Fox News Sunday interview. 1:50
With school due to resume in August or September, many districts across the country are offering only remote learning or limited in-class instruction. Florida is allowing local school districts to establish their own rules on reopening.
U.S. President Donald Trump, whose handling of the pandemic has been criticized by Democrats and some health experts, is pushing for schools to reopen. He also said he would resume holding regular COVID-19 news briefings on Tuesday after a lengthy hiatus.
What’s happening with coronavirus in Canada
As of 8 p.m. ET on Monday, Canada had 111,126 coronavirus infections. Provinces and territories listed 97,474 of those as recovered or resolved. A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial reports, regional h