Texas surpasses 1 million cases as COVID-19 outbreak engulfs United States



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Texas became the first state with more than a million confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, and California moved closer to that mark as a wave of coronavirus infections engulfed the country.

In New York City, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said all restaurants, bars and gyms across the state will have to close at 10 p.m. starting Friday, a major retreat in a corner of the United States that had apparently brought the virus back in full force. part under control months ago. He also banned private gatherings of more than 10 people.

Texas, the second most populous state, has recorded 1.02 million cases of the coronavirus and more than 19,000 deaths since the outbreak began in early March, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. California, the most populous state, has recorded more than 995,000 cases.

The United States has recorded more than 240,000 deaths and more than 10.3 million confirmed infections, with new cases reaching all-time highs of more than 120,000 a day in the past week. Health experts have blamed the increase in part on the onset of cold weather and growing frustration with wearing masks and other precautions.

Daily cases are on the rise in 49 states, and daily deaths in 39 states. A month ago, the United States had an average of 730 COVID-19 deaths per day; which has now passed 970.

Among the many health officials who sounded the alarm was Dr. Julie Watson of Integris Health in Oklahoma.

“We’re in trouble,” she said. “If nothing is done soon to slow the increase in cases, our hospitals will be more overwhelmed than they already are and we will not be able to be there for everyone who needs it.”

The Oklahoma Department of Health said on Wednesday 1,248 people had been hospitalized with confirmed or probable coronavirus, breaking the previous one-day record of 1,055.

Texas reported 10,865 new cases on Tuesday, breaking a record set in mid-July. One of the hardest hit places is the border town of El Paso; his county has nearly 28,000 active cases and has suffered more than 680 deaths from COVID-19.

The American Medical Association has renewed its advocacy for wearing masks, physical distancing and frequent hand washing.

“With the holidays fast approaching, each of us must do everything possible to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” said WADA President Susan Bailey. “Failure to do our part will prolong the suffering and disruption in our lives and inevitably lead to more deaths of our friends, neighbors and loved ones.”

Meanwhile, many traditional Veterans Day celebrations gave way to dark virtual gatherings on Wednesday. Many veterans’ homes have barred visitors from protecting their residents from the virus.

In New York City, a silent parade of military vehicles, with no spectators, passed through Manhattan to continue the 101-year tradition of veterans marching on Fifth Avenue.

More than 4,200 veterans have died from COVID-19 in hospitals and homes run by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and nearly 85,000 have been infected, according to the department.

Around the country:

– The NFL’s Minnesota Vikings have said they will close their remaining home games to fans as the state surpassed its record of new deaths in one day. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced new restrictions on bars and restaurants and said he wanted neighboring Dakotas to take more aggressive action to slow the spread of the coronavirus. He said this summer’s Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota was “absolutely unnecessary” and helped spread the virus beyond that state.

– Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has issued new orders on the application of masks in businesses, while threatening to close bars, restaurants and fitness centers if infections continue to rise . The Republican governor transferred authority over the application of masks from the counties to the state. If a business receives more than one violation, it must shut down for 24 hours. It is also asking businesses to post “ No mask, no service ” signs and deny service to customers who don’t comply. But DeWine’s orders on Wednesday weren’t as ambitious as they were in March, when Ohio became one of the first states to go into lockdown.

– In Nebraska, which is setting records for COVID-19 hospitalizations, new restrictions took effect Wednesday. These include the requirement to wear masks in businesses where employees are in close contact with customers for more than 15 minutes, such as hair salons, and a limit for large indoor gatherings at 25% of capacity. of a building. Governor Pete Ricketts and his wife have been quarantined after being exposed to someone infected with the virus.

– North Carolina reported its largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic, with 3,119 people – 8% of those tested – testing positive for the virus.

– Kentucky recorded a daily record for new confirmed cases, at 2,700, as the governor implored people to wear masks to counter the accelerating epidemic.

– A group of teachers in Utah are encouraging colleagues across the state to call sick Thursday and use the day to get tested for the virus. Some teachers believe this action could prompt state officials to do more to increase safety in classrooms.

– In Sioux Falls, the largest city in hard-hit South Dakota, Mayor Paul TenHaken cast a decisive vote that rejected a proposed mask mandate. The violations would have resulted in a fine of $ 50.

– North Dakota continues to have the most new cases of COVID-19 per capita in the country, according to data from Johns Hopkins, with one in 83 residents testing positive last week.

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