By Ted Mann
New coronavirus infections in the U.S. fell from a day earlier
as governors on the West and Gulf Coasts grappled Monday with how
best to contain the pandemic as a spate of natural disasters
demanded resources and attention.
Officials in California, Oregon and Washington were battling
catastrophic wildfires, which have begun to hamper some efforts to
halt the virus, including closing down some testing centers. The
fires have also displaced thousands of people, some of whom are now
in temporary shelters.
In Louisiana and Mississippi, governors beseeched residents to
brace for the arrival of Hurricane Sally, which was projected to
make landfall as soon as Tuesday morning near Biloxi, Miss., as a
drenching Category 2 storm.
"Planning for a Cat 1 or Cat 2 hurricane is always complicated.
Planning for it during 2020 and the life of Covid[-19] makes it
even more challenging," said Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves.
The state has already opened some shelters and will require
anyone entering to wear protective gear to help curtail the spread
of the virus. But Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Executive
Director Gregory Michel encouraged residents to make alternate
arrangements if possible.
"I simply want everyone to understand that now is not the time
to let your guard down," Mr. Reeves said. "We want people to
continue to be aware, not only weather-aware but virus-aware."
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards warned that the storm could
bring as much as 16 inches of rain and dangerous flooding.
"Obviously the Covid[-19] public health emergency doesn't take
time off in order for us to deal with the natural disasters that
we've seen of late," he said.
More than 12,000 state residents are still sheltering in hotels
after evacuating in advance of Hurricane Laura last month.
Cases: The U.S. reported 34,450 new coronavirus infections
Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins. That is down from 41,471
Saturday but up from 31,395 a week earlier on Sept. 6. Case counts
tend to dip at the start of the week. About 194,000 people have
died in the U.S. since the beginning of the pandemic.
Texas and California led the nation in new Covid-19 cases. There
were 4,260 new cases reported in Texas, and 2,795 in California,
according to data from Johns Hopkins. New York reported just 725
new cases, while Florida, another former hot spot, reported 2,423
new cases. Arizona, which wrestled over the summer with a major
outbreak, reported 384.
There were pockets of growth in new cases in the Southeast and
Midwest, including Wisconsin, which reported 1,582 new cases,
eclipsing a previous high of 1,547 cases recorded Thursday.
Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, North
Carolina and South Carolina each reported more than 1,000 new
coronavirus cases.
Deaths: The number of deaths reported across the U.S. on Sunday
dropped to 378, the lowest level since Aug. 30 when 310 deaths were
reported, according to data from Johns Hopkins. Reporting standards
vary among states, and deaths reported may not have occurred on
that day.
But coronavirus-related fatalities have for the most part been
declining for nearly four weeks. The seven-day average of deaths in
the U.S. through Sunday was 733, down from 1,041 on Aug. 18.
Pennsylvania: A federal judge said Monday that Gov. Tom Wolf had
overreached his authority in a series of strict business closure
and stay-at-home orders that Pennsylvania enacted as the pandemic
gained speed in the spring.
Mr. Wolf's policies, including a closure order aimed at all but
"life-sustaining" businesses like grocery stores, were
unconstitutional restrictions on citizens' rights to due process
and to peaceably assemble, District Judge William Stickman IV ruled
on Monday.
"Good intentions toward a laudable end are not alone enough to
uphold governmental action against a constitutional challenge,"
Judge Stickman wrote. The judge was nominated by President Trump in
2019.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Wolf said the administration will appeal
the ruling, and noted that it applied to restrictions that the
state had already lifted as the virus abated over the summer.
Connecticut: Gov. Ned Lamont said the state would permit new
fines for violations of some of its coronavirus-related public
health policies, including $100 fines for failing to wear a mask
according to the state's guidelines. Local officials could also
fine individuals $500 for organizing a gathering that exceeds the
state's restrictions on large group events, and $250 to any
individual who attends such a gathering.
At a news briefing, Mr. Lamont urged residents to "maintain
their discipline" on social distancing and mask-wearing.
"I know numbers are really good and people are saying 'Enough,'"
he said. But he added, "it's the fourth quarter of a game."
Nevada: President Trump held his first indoor rally in nearly
three months on Sunday, violating rules banning gatherings of more
than 50 people and drawing the ire of the state's governor, who
lashed out at the president on Twitter.
Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat, called the decision to hold the
event "reckless and selfish" and accused Mr. Trump of first placing
the responsibility for curbing the pandemic on the states, then
breaking state rules with his rally. The Trump campaign defended
the decision to hold the event, pointing to open casinos and recent
protests as precedent.
Economy: In Washington, Democratic leaders and the Trump
administration are in a standoff over the details of a potential
new coronavirus relief package. Democratic leaders are pressing for
a new package of aid, including unemployment benefits for those
affected by the shutdown, of more than $2 trillion, while the White
House has said it would accept only half that amount. Republicans
in the Senate have introduced a $300 billion "skinny" aid package,
though some Republican senators have balked at spending even that
amount.
Treatments: Eli Lilly & Co. and Incyte Corp. said Monday
they would seek federal approval to use a rheumatoid arthritis drug
to help treat patients with Covid-19. The companies said a
government-sponsored study showed that use of the drug, Olumiant,
along with the standard antiviral medication remdesivir reduced the
median recovery time for Covid-19 patients by one day, compared
with patients who only received remdesivir.
World
Israel: Israel on Friday is expected to become the first
developed country to impose a second nationwide lockdown, as its
government struggles to contain a fresh coronavirus outbreak that
has hammered the economy and divided the nation.
The lockdown, which will last at least through early October,
aims to prevent mass gatherings during the Jewish holidays that
begin at sundown Friday.
India: India reported 92,071 new cases in the 24 hours preceding
Monday morning, and 1,136 deaths. A total of 4.85 million people
have been infected, according to the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare, and 79,722 have died.
New Zealand: The country has extended coronavirus restrictions
for another week, through Sept. 21, amid concerns that a cluster of
15 cases at a church in its largest city, Auckland, could spread if
gathering limits are increased. Modeling by health authorities
continues to suggest around a 25% chance of cases moving outside
the Auckland region.
Italy: Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi left a hospital
Monday after overcoming the coronavirus, describing it as "the most
dangerous challenge" of his life. Mr. Berlusconi, 83 years old, was
admitted to the San Raffaele hospital in Milan on Sept. 3 after
testing positive for the virus.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
September 14, 2020 18:38 ET (22:38 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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