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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