More Than 200M People In The World Have Had The Coronavirus

Reuters: U.S. COVID-19 Cases Hit Six-Month High At Over 100,000
The United States hit a six-month high for new COVID cases with over 100,000 infections reported on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as the Delta variant ravages areas where people did not get vaccinated. The country is reporting over 94,819 cases on a seven-day average, a five-fold increase in less than a month, Reuters data through Wednesday showed. The seven-day average provides the most accurate picture of how fast cases are rising since some states only report infections once or twice a week. (Abraham, 8/5)

The New York Times: World’s Coronavirus Infection Total Passes Staggering Figure: 200 Million
Two hundred million is an enormous number. But as the world recorded the 200 millionth detected case of coronavirus infection, that daunting figure — more than the populations of Germany, France and Spain combined — also fails to capture how far the virus has embedded itself within humanity. ... A surge in case numbers has too often been followed by a crush of people crowding emergency rooms. And then, several weeks later, fatality counts have typically spiked. It took more than a year for the pandemic to reach its 100 millionth case, and little more than six months to double that, with the world surpassing the 200 million figure on Wednesday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. (Santora and Kwai, 8/4)

In other news about the spread of the coronavirus —

The Washington Examiner: More Than 1,500 Coronavirus-Positive Migrants Released In One Week Into Texas Border Town 
A border city in south Texas declared a local disaster this week as it struggles to respond to surging cases of the coronavirus among migrants as thousands are released by the Border Patrol onto the street every week. Last week, a record-high 7,000 migrants were released in downtown McAllen, where they were immediately tested for the coronavirus through a city contractor. More than 1,500 people tested positive over the past seven days, according to a city document issued Wednesday, compared to a total of 7,000 confirmed cases over the past five months. Those who test positive are told to quarantine for two days but are ultimately released into the public. (Giaritelli, 8/4)

The New York Times: Nursing Homes Confront New Covid Outbreaks Amid Calls For Staff Vaccination Mandates 
In late spring, the 142 nursing homes operated by the Good Samaritan Society hit a milestone that was unthinkable just four months earlier: Zero cases of Covid-19 across the whole company, from 900 at the peak of the pandemic. The relief was short-lived. The case count has ticked up again: It’s still below 100 among residents and staff, the company said, but includes many breakthrough cases of vaccinated residents testing positive. Then last week, two vaccinated residents died with Covid at the Good Samaritan Society-Deuel County nursing home in Clear Lake, South Dakota. (Richtel and Abelson, 8/4)

Houston Chronicle: COVID-19 Cases Found On Vaccinated Carnival Cruise
Carnival Cruise Line confirmed Wednesday evening that a “small number” of people onboard the Galveston-based Carnival Vista cruise ship have tested positive for COVID-19. The cruise company, which resumed sailing from American ports with the Carnival Vista’s July 3 excursion, now operates the Vista and sister ship Carnival Breeze on weekly cruises from the port of Galveston. (Zong, 8/4)

Houston Chronicle: According To Houston's Wastewater, The Surge Of COVID-19 Is Only Going To Get Worse
There is more COVID-19 in the city’s wastewater system now than at any time in the pandemic, city officials said Wednesday, the latest warning that the virus is spreading at an unprecedented rate. Dr. David Persse, the city's health authority, said there is more than three times as much virus in the system as there was last July. The volume also is higher than in January, during the most recent spike. Persse said the wastewater data, a precursor to other meaures, show the surge will only grow worse in the coming weeks. (McGuinness, 8/4)

USA Today: Chicago's Lollapalooza Could Be A Super Spreader, Experts Warn
The sight was striking. As COVID-19 cases surged in the U.S. last weekend, the city's downtown was a sea of mostly unmasked humanity as hundreds of thousands crowded together for the outdoor music festival Lollapalooza. A chorus of public health experts sounded the alarm about the fast spread of the contagious coronavirus delta variant – even by the fully vaccinated – and the city called for masking indoors, yet more than 385,000 people packed the four-day event. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot defended the decision to hold the festival, citing strict pandemic precautions that required concertgoers show proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test and to wear a mask. (Rodriguez and Fernando, 8/4)

Also —

Reuters: First Broadway Play Opens In NY Since Lengthy Pandemic Shutdown
The first Broadway play since the coronavirus pandemic shut down theaters in New York City in 2020 opened on Wednesday, with vaccinations and masks required for audiences."Pass Over," a modern twist on "Waiting for Godot," was sold out for its first preview at the August Wilson Theatre in Manhattan. ... Under rules announced by Broadway theaters last week, audiences, actors, stage crew and theater staff must be fully vaccinated and masks must be worn for shows, which will be allowed to play to 100% capacity audiences. "The vibe is amazing, it's electric," said director Danya Taymor. "We got to have a dress rehearsal last night, so we got to have like 500 people in here. And just the palpable joy and gratitude of the audience made me weep.” (8/4)

The Washington Post: NFLPA Proposes Return To Stricter Coronavirus Protocols 
The NFL Players Association told its membership Wednesday that it will propose re-tightening the sport’s coronavirus protocols and testing vaccinated players and team staffers more frequently, based on growing concerns about the spread of the delta variant and breakthrough infections among vaccinated individuals. (Maske, 8/4)

Politico: White House Wants NY To Avoid Setback In Case Of Leadership Change 
Press secretary Jen Psaki on Wednesday said the White House didn’t want to see New Yorkers affected “in a negative way” by potential leadership turnover in the state as it continues its battle with Covid. “The president made clear, because of the abhorrent allegations that were made public yesterday, that it is time for Governor Cuomo to resign,” Psaki said during a White House press briefing. “At the same time, we do not want the people of New York to be impacted in a negative way as they’re working to fight Covid.” (Ward, 8/4)

The Washington Post: Bryson DeChambeau: No Vaccine, No Regrets After Coronavirus Led To Missing Olympics
Bryson DeChambeau said Wednesday that he does not regret declining to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, despite developing a case of covid-19 that caused him to lose around 10 pounds and miss out on representing the United States in the Olympics. The 27-year-old major winner told reporters Wednesday that being vaccinated “doesn’t necessarily prevent it from happening,” referring to possibly contracting the coronavirus. Speaking in Memphis, the site of the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, DeChambeau asserted that he would “rather give [the vaccine] to people who need it.” (Bieler, 8/4)

CNN: Dallas Firefighter Allegedly Faked His Family's Covid-19 Diagnoses And Took Paid Leave To Go To A Resort 
A Dallas firefighter was charged with theft after allegedly taking paid leave for nearly a month while lying about testing positive for Covid-19. William Jordan Carter, 38, who's been with the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department for 14 years, was arrested Friday, and bail was set at $1,500, according to court records. He was no longer in custody as of Wednesday. Carter requested time off on March 24 because his wife had Covid-19, according to an affidavit for his arrest warrant. A week later, he requested another week, saying his daughter had tested positive for the virus. Two days before he was set to return to work, Carter reported to the department he was sick and had tested positive for Covid, the affidavit says. (Killough and Vera, 8/5)