Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Hospitals Filling Up, Businesses Shutting Down: Nearly 300,000 New U.S. Cases Reported In Just 6 Days
The Washington Post: States Mandate Masks, Begin To Shut Down Again, As Coronavirus Cases Soar And Hospitalizations Rise
The pandemic map of the United States burned bright red Monday, with the number of new coronavirus infections during the first six days of July nearing 300,000 as more states and cities moved to reimpose shutdown orders. After an Independence Day weekend that attracted large crowds to fireworks displays and produced scenes of Americans drinking and partying without masks, health officials warned of hospitals running out of space and infection spreading rampantly. (Partlow and Miroff, 7/6)
NBC News: A Grim July: U.S. Sees 250,000 New Coronavirus Cases In Just Five Days
Five days into July, 250,000 new coronavirus cases were reported across the United States, with no sign the numbers will get any better. Ten states have already notched record single-day highs in the number of cases since the start of the month, according to the latest NBC News tally. (Murphy and Siemaszko, 7/6)
ABC News: Coronavirus Cases Rose Through June As Health Officials Scramble To Control Pandemic
After showing some signs of progress in flattening the COVID-19 curve, America saw a jump in cases throughout June, especially in states that eased back their pandemic safeguards early. Over the course of the month, the country saw over 820,000 new cases and lost nearly 22,000 lives to the virus, according to health data. In total there were over 2.6 million confirmed cases and over 126,000 deaths in the U.S. (Pereira, Weinstein and Keenan, 7/7)
PBS NewsHour: A Muted Fourth Of July As Virus Shatters Infection Records
Fourth of July celebrations in many parts of the United States were muted this year, overshadowed by a virus spreading with alarming speed. The national death toll from COVID-19 has surpassed 130,000, and hospitals in the South and West particularly are struggling to keep up with the demand for urgent care. Still, some Americans oppose shutdowns and mask requirements. (Brangham, 7/6)
WBUR: 'It's No Surprise' Some States Are Seeing COVID-19 Spikes, Former CDC Director Says
Dr. Tom Frieden, former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director, says “it’s no surprise” that these states are experiencing spikes because they reopened businesses too early and in places where cases were increasing. “When you lean into a punch, you get hit hard, and if you take one step too far forward, too fast with COVID-19, you're going to have to take two or three steps backward,” he says. “This is a big challenge, and it's going to continue for weeks, if not months.” (Hobson, 7/6)
