A pandemic of the new coronavirus has killed more than 520,000 people worldwide.
More than 10.8 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to a paucity of evidence, many unreported cases, and suspicions that some governments are hiding the extent of their nations’ outbreaks.
Since the first cases were detected in China in December, the United States has become the most affected country, with more than 2.7 million diagnosed cases and at least 128,740 deaths.
Latest:
This is how the news is unfolding today. All eastern times. Refresh this page for updates
8:57 am: White House defends domestic travel while Secret Service agents test positive
The White House is defending its domestic trips after another incident of Secret Service agents who became ill as a result of those trips.
A senior official who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “I hope it is reflected that these trips have been an important way for the Task Force to obtain ground reports from states, provide states with what they need when they need it, and to assure the American people that we will get through this together. ”
While Vice President Mike Pence’s trips this week to two hot spots, Florida and Arizona, focused on the coronavirus, they were originally slated to include campaign activities as well. Campaign events were postponed.
However, ABC News confirmed that Secret Service agents in Arizona who were preparing for a trip involving Vice President Mike Pence tested positive for COVID-19 or showed signs of illness, leading to a postponement of the trip, according to a government official familiar with the matter
The delay was necessary for the Secret Service to bring a new team of healthy agents to Phoenix to complete the trip, according to the official.
7:50 am: Facial covers are required in Myrtle Beach before the holiday weekend
Anyone in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina must now wear a mask or face mask, Mayor Brenda Bethune told “Good Morning America.”
The mandate comes ahead of what Bethune said will be a crowded holiday weekend, and more than 100,000 tourists are expected to visit.
Bethune said they should have issued a mask order earlier, but that they did not have the authority until last week. The order went into effect Thursday at 11:59 pm local time.
“I wish I had done it sooner, we acted as quickly as possible,” said Bethune.
7:36 am: Penn State student dies of COVID-19 complications
A Penn State University student died of respiratory failure and COVID-19, according to a university statement.
Juan Garcia, a 21-year-old student at the Allentown College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, died on June 30, the university said.
It is the first known Penn State student death related to the coronavirus.
“We are deeply saddened to learn about Juan’s premature death during this pandemic,” said Vice President of Student Affairs Damon Sims. “Although he did not know Juan personally, we have learned through conversations with those closest to him that this young man had a remarkable spirit and was very dear. I know that our entire campus community sends our deepest condolences to their family and friends as they mourn this unthinkable loss. It is a poignant reminder that none of us is immune to the worst consequences of this virus. ”
Garcia was living off campus when he began to feel ill, according to the university statement. He then traveled home to Allentown on June 19 and was tested for COVID-19 on June 20.
He died 10 days later.
7:18 am: ‘Good news’: Trump says of increased number of COVID-19 cases
Despite Republican-led states reversing reopens due to significant increase in coronavirus cases and warnings from his own government that the pandemic is far from over, President Donald Trump continues to take an optimistic tone on the increase in the diagnosed cases of COVID-19.
“There is an increase in coronavirus cases because our tests are very massive and very good, much bigger and better than any other country,” Trump tweeted Thursday night. “This is great news, but even better news is that death, and the death rate, is DOWN. Plus, younger people, getting better much easier and faster!”
However, Admiral Brett Giroir, the man Trump appointed to oversee the evidence, testified at a House hearing Thursday that “this is a real increase in cases” and not just attributable to the increase in evidence.
“There is no doubt that the more evidence you get, the more you will discover,” Giroir said Thursday. “But we do believe this is a real increase in cases due to the increase in the positive percentages. So this is a real increase in cases.”
Giroir said the United States is not flattening the curve at the moment. “The curve keeps going up,” he testified.
Trump also positively arrives on the same day that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated their projections of deaths from coronavirus for July. Forecasts indicate that 140,000 to 160,000 total deaths are expected nationwide by July 25. The CDC forecast also suggests that the number of new deaths will increase in 11 states.
The United States reported 52,815 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday. This week was the biggest jump week-over-week since the third week of March, when testing had only just begun to increase in the United States.
5:55 am: Arizona bar let positive COVID-19 workers continue to work
The state of Arizona has seen an incredible increase in the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations recently, forcing the state to stop its reopening. And now a bar is being investigated after it allegedly allowed several employees who tested positive for the coronavirus to continue operating.
Varsity Tavern, located in downtown Tempe, allegedly allowed both employees and managers to continue working after being diagnosed, according to the Arizona State Department of Liquor Licensing and Control.
After the state agency began its investigation, the business decided to close on July 1.
Authorities are still seeking to revoke the Varsity Tavern license. The establishment has suspended its license twice before, once in December 2018 and again in July 2019.
The Liquor Department also alleges that the bar’s management knowingly failed to notify health officials that the workers tested positive, did not enforce social distancing requirements, and did not enforce mask wear requirements.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey ordered bars, gyms, movie theaters, water parks and tube operators last Sunday to halt operations until July 27 in a renewed effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
For the fifth consecutive day, Arizona beat its record number of hospitalizations on Thursday, with 2,938 patients currently hospitalized. At least 89% of ICU beds are now in use in the state.
There are more than 87,000 diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in Arizona, with at least 1,764 deaths.
What to know about the coronavirus:
ABC News’ Jordyn Phelps and Jake Date contributed to this report.
.
