The United States broke its record for new single-day cases at least 9 times in a month

© Mark Felix / AFP / Getty Images
Healthcare workers push a patient into a less intensive unit from Unit Covid-19 at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas on July 2, 2020. – Despite its renowned medical center with the largest crowding From hospitals and research laboratories around the world, Houston is on the verge of being overwhelmed by cases of the coronavirus explosion in Texas. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE TO GO WITH THE AFP STORY by Julia Benarrous: “Covid-19: Houston’s hospital system underwater” (Photo by MARK FELIX / AFP via Getty Images )

It has been a month of heartbreaking milestones set across the country, with the United States breaking its own daily record for new cases of new coronaviruses at least nine times.

On July 16, the country reported its latest single-day record with at least 77,255 new cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The second highest number was reported a day later: 71,558. Saturday’s number: 63,698.

On June 16, with most states on their reopening plans, the country reported more than 23,700 cases of the virus. After what some saw as hopeful declines in the cases, southern states and other parts of the country warned of an increase in youth testing positive. Images surfaced of crowded beaches and parties, even though experts warned Americans to stay home when possible.

In mid-June, Florida reported nearly 4,000 new cases in one day, a record increase in a single day back then. Since then, the state has grown to become the country’s access point, reporting more than 10,300 new cases on Saturday.

In recent weeks, hospitals across the country have reached capacity. At least 27 US states have halted or reversed their reopening plans to curb the spread of the virus. New estimates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that at least 40% of people who contract the virus cannot show symptoms, meaning thousands of Americans could be infecting others without know it.

Now officials point to crowded gatherings and bars as some of the main drivers of the increase. To avoid new spikes, parts of the country, including Arizona, California, and Texas, have closed the bars again. Local leaders have begun pushing schools to remote instruction in the fall, after protests by terrified parents and educators. Across the country, more mask requirements come into effect, despite the constant reaction of some Americans. Experts have said that face masks are the most powerful weapon against the virus.

With the increase in cases, the models project that more than 150,000 American deaths will be related to the virus before August 8, according to a joint forecast published by the CDC. The previous forecast released on July 9 projected approximately 147,000 deaths by August 1.

At least 140,119 Americans have died from the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University. Now there have been more than 3.7 million cases in the country.

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Florida Government: Those who do not wear masks will not be prosecuted

In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis has balked at implementing a mask mandate statewide and said Saturday that the state will not “prosecute people” for not wearing masks.

When asked about the possibility of tighter mask regulations across the state, DeSantis said facial coatings have been advised since the state’s first phase of reopening.

In the Miami area, which an expert called the epicenter of the virus last week, Miami-Dade police will give appointments to anyone who violates the county’s mask requirement.

The governor’s comments come a day after Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, urged governors and mayors to be “as forceful as possible” for Americans to cover their faces.

“When you live your life and try to open up the country, you are going to come into contact with people and for that reason we know that masks are really important and we should wear them everywhere,” he said. .

Experts say Florida’s numbers tend to be alarming. In Miami-Dade County, intensive care units have approximately 122% capacity, according to county data. In the past two weeks, the county has seen a 40% increase in the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients and an approximately 64% increase in ventilator use, according to the data.

“It really is a time of crisis at (Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami),” Martha Baker, president of a union representing health professionals, told CNN affiliate WFOR. “We’re just there,” I say dancing on the head of a pin, hoping I can keep dancing.

“Fifteen ICU nurses only called sick today, on Jackson Main alone,” she told the affiliate. “They are exhausted. They have been doing this since March.”

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Texas reports more than 10,000 cases by the fifth day

In Texas, health professionals received similar calls for help as cases continue to rise across the state.

“At any given time, if 1.5% of the population had Covid’s disease, that would fill every adult hospital bed in the city, leaving no room for heart attacks and strokes and pregnant women having their babies and accidents and everything else goes on, “said Dr. David Persse of the Houston Department of Health, according to CNN affiliate KPRC.

Harris County, where Houston is located, has reported more than 54,800 cases of the virus.

For the fifth consecutive day, Texas reported more than 10,000 new cases in one day, according to state data. The 10,158 new cases reported Saturday raise the state’s case count to at least 317,730.

Governor Greg Abbott, who once lobbied for one of the most aggressive reopens, has advocated in recent weeks for the use of face masks to help businesses stay open.

Earlier this month, he issued an executive order requiring county residents with 20 or more active cases to cover their faces in public. That order went into effect on July 3.

These are the states that require masks

For how long should it be isolated?

Meanwhile, the CDC has updated its guide for people who are isolating themselves in their homes to prevent transmission of the coronavirus.

Someone who has tested positive for the virus and has symptoms can suspend the isolation 10 days after the symptoms first appeared, as long as 24 hours have passed since the last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and if symptoms such as cough and shortness of breath has improved.

People with coronavirus symptoms who are isolated at home and have access to tests can leave isolation if the fever has passed without the use of medications, if there is an improvement in symptoms and if tests taken more than 24 hours ago of difference are negative, according to the guidelines

For those who tested positive but had no symptoms, the CDC had two options: a time-based strategy and a test-based strategy.

A person without symptoms can suspend the isolation 10 days after the first positive test and if they have not developed symptoms afterwards. If a person develops symptoms, then the symptom-based or test strategy should be used, according to the guidelines.

People who have tested positive for the virus and are asymptomatic can also suspend isolation if the results of two tests taken more than 24 hours apart are negative.

Video: The doctor says what we saw in Wuhan that we are seeing in Miami (CNN)