US Medical News: U.S. COVID-19 Cases Beats Daily Records As More Than 51,000 New Infections Reported In Last 24 Hours, More Expected After July 4th Holidays

US Medical News: Daily new COVID-19 cases in America soared past 51,097 in the last 24 hours for the first time, as the World Health Organization delivered a grave warning that the global pandemic is accelerating.


 
Clubs, restaurants, bars and beaches in the world's worst-hit nation closed from California to Florida, as states reeling from yet another surge in the deadly virus braced for Independence Day festivities.
 
Worldwide infections have hit their highest level in the past week, WHO data showed, with chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus saying new cases topped "160,000 on every single day."
 
The gruesome milestone came as the European Union left the United States, Brazil and Russia off its final list of nations safe enough to allow residents to enter its borders.
 
It was reported that there were more than 51,097 new COVID-19 cases in the United States alone in the past 24 hours, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally and several US states imposed 14-day quarantines on visitors in the buildup to the long weekend's July 4 celebrations.
 
The state of California suspended indoor dining at restaurants in Los Angeles and several counties, while New York scrapped plans to allow restaurants to seat customers inside from next week.
 
The US President reiterated his belief that the contagion will "at some point... sort of just disappear, I hope."
 
But Trump who has yet to be seen in public wearing a face mask during the pandemic added he would have "no problem" doing so.
 
But with over 10 million known infections worldwide and more than 500,000 deaths, the pandemic is "not even close to being over", the WHO warned.
 
Statistics provided by the UN health agency for the seven days from June 25-July 1 showed the highest number of new daily cases ever recorded came on June 28, when over 189,500 new cases were registered worldwide.
 
While lockdown measures have been a disaster for many, some have welcomed the chance to spend more quality time with hard-working partners.
 
But sometimes things simply go bad. One case, “It was a simple family get-together; a wedding gathering. About 30 people went out to dinner. Half came down with the coronavirus.”
 
Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles recounted that anecdote Wednesday as California reversed its economic reopening for much of the state in the wake of a resurgent COVID-19 outbreak.
 
Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday shut down bars, wineries, museums, movie theaters and inside-restaurant dining across most of the state for three weeks with luck, enough time to determine whether those actions will once again slow the spread of infections.
 
For the last two weeks, California's confirmed coronavirus cases increased 45% to nearly a quarter-million and hospitalizations increased 52% to 5,077. About 500 more patients were sick enough for intensive care treatment, bringing the state total to 1,528 in ICUs.
 
Most of the time, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
 
The new order affects Los Angeles and 18 other counties where nearly three-quarters of the state's roughly 40 million people live. Most of Southern California is covered but not San Diego, which is faring better.
 
Jot Condi, who heads the California Restaurant Association said, "This will be the last straw for a lot of restaurants" that already had reduced indoor seating to meet state guidelines for reopening.
 
At a crepe restaurant called Crepeville in Sacramento, owner Derar Zawaydeh cussed when informed of the new mandate for restaurants. He has a few tables outside but most are inside and will be lost.
 
He added, “But if the new shutdown is needed to reduce the risk of infection, then we really don't have much of a choice."
 
California’s worst outbreak is in Imperial County, an agricultural center along the border with Mexico. Infection rates are 20%, more than double the state average and hospitals are overwhelmed.
 
A week ago, the state took the unprecedented step of ordering Imperial officials to come up with a new health order and on Wednesday the most restrictive plan in California was approved. It bars nonessential gatherings of any size, shopping in stores and indoor religious ceremonies.
 
Other American states, including Texas and Florida, have also paused their reopenings after seeing similar spikes in coronavirus cases. In Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey has ordered bars, gyms and movie theaters to close for 30 days and banned large gatherings.
 
Governor Newsom imposed the nation's first statewide stay-at-home order in March, earning praise from public health officials as virus cases were kept relatively low in the nation's most populous state for more than two months.

But the order devastated the economy, forcing most businesses to close and prompting more than 6.7 million people to file for unemployment benefits.

As the spread of the virus slowed in May, Governor Newsom moved quickly to begin allowing businesses to reopen across the state. Bars got the green light on June 12 and quickly images emerged showing throngs packed tightly together, many not wearing masks as required by the state.
 
For individuals planning gatherings of family and friends this Fourth of July weekend, Governor Newsom urged them to reconsider. In Los Angeles County, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said many outbreaks were linked to parties and gatherings of family and friends.
 
The Los Angeles County announced 35 new deaths and more than 2,000 new cases for the fourth day in a row. Nearly 2,000 people also were hospitalized, the largest number since early May.

Mayor Garcetti said the data weren't specific enough to say what percentage of the uptick was caused by bar or restaurant reopenings, beach mingling, family gatherings involving relatives who don't live together or even mass protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
 
However he said the real culprit was people refusing to heed health guidelines to social distance, wear masks when in contact with others and stay indoors when possible.
 
Garcetti said, "I know we're exhausted. I know that we let down our guard. I know some us think that we're invincible. But this disease reminds us that we're not, and that we have to be vigilant."
 
In the last three months, "we sacrificed and we stayed at home," Garcetti said. "We saved thousands and thousands and thousands of lives and we need to show that same commitment right now."
 
The state or California also released new guidance Wednesday mandating churches and places of worship discontinue singing, chanting or other similar activities and that people inside wear masks. Gym-goers also must wear them, even when exercising.
 
Professor Dr Jeffrey Klausner, an epidemiologist from the University of California, Los Angeles, said the new restrictions could be an "over response." He said the state should consider other strategies designed to keep young people away from older people, who are more at risk for the virus.
 
He added, "It appears we're playing a game of whack-a-mole. Every time there is an increase in cases we have to take a step backwards.”
 
Governor Newsom's order applies to 19 counties that have been on the state's watch list for increasing coronavirus cases for at least three consecutive days. Besides, Los Angeles, they include: Contra Costa, Fresno, Glenn, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Merced, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Solano, Stanislaus, Tulare and Ventura.
 
Despite whatever measures, the United States is expected to see a surge of cases and deaths as unfortunately most Americans are still not takings things serious or are living in denial and only till the situation really gets bad will they start looking at things from a different perspective and start modifying their behavior.
 
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