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A holiday weekend that would normally be marked by crowds and parades is slated to take a more subdued tone this year, as 40 of the country’s 50 states are seeing an increase in cases. At least eight states have seen record daily increases in confirmed cases of COVID-19 this week. Authorities are asking people to put the party on pause this year as the country set a one-day record for new cases on Thursday at 52,291, marking the sixth time in nine days that the record has been broken. The increase in cases is also accompanied by hospitalization records in several states, as deaths, which had been declining, are increasing again.
To ensure that people don’t ignore the stay-at-home recommendations, several Florida counties are closing their beaches, and Miami-Dade County has imposed a curfew from 10 pm to 6 am starting Friday. The beaches were also closed throughout Southern California. The increases are leading to some notable changes in positions, including Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas, who asked people to wear masks in all counties with at least 20 COVID-19 cases. He had previously opposed efforts by local officials to demand that people wear masks.
The increase in cases is also causing officials to change their plans as the risk of infection increases. Vice President Mike Pence, for example, was forced to postpone a planned trip to Arizona a day after several Secret Service agents tested positive or showed symptoms consistent with the virus. He was scheduled to go on Tuesday, but it was Wednesday instead. As some officials try to get people to stay home, President Donald Trump is promoting a huge July 4 celebration on the National Mall that will include a huge fireworks display. Home Secretary David L. Bernhardt said the celebration “promises to be the largest in recent memory” despite the fact that the mayor of Washington has expressed concern over the spread of COVID-19. “We have communicated to you that we do not believe this is in accordance with the best guidance of the CDC and the Department of Health. But this event will take place entirely on federal property, “said Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Authorities attribute the increase in cases to Americans who fail to protect themselves and others by wearing face masks and maintaining social distance. “What we have seen is a very disturbing week,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s leading infectious disease expert, adding that “we are going to have serious difficulties” if people continue to ignore the recommendations.
Coronavirus can also spread more easily. Fauci warned that a new strain of the virus that is worldwide dominant could contain a mutation that allows it to spread more easily. Although the investigation is still ongoing, “there are few disputes about it,” Fauci said in an interview in which he explained that “the data shows that there is a single mutation that makes the virus better able to replicate and perhaps have high viral loads. ” “Fauci was citing a study published in the journal Cell that notes that while the mutation makes the virus more likely to infect people, it does not appear to make them worse. However, other researchers have warned that the findings are not yet definitive.
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