Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Officials In Larger Texas Cities Wary Of Record High Hospitalizations; Phoenix Mayor Cites 'Crisis', Asks For More Resources
Texas Tribune: Several Texas Cities Worry Hospitals May Run Out Of Beds In Two Weeks Or Sooner
Local officials and experts in Austin, San Antonio, Houston and Fort Worth have expressed concerns in recent days that increasing coronavirus hospitalizations could overwhelm their intensive care capacities, with some saying it could happen in less than two weeks. (Olivares, 7/6)
WBUR: Phoenix Mayor Says The City Is In A 'Crisis Situation,' Needs Help
Arizona is one of just five states that has seen new coronavirus cases climb by the thousands each day in the past couple of weeks. The state's governor, Republican Doug Ducey, in May lifted a stay-at-home order he put in place in March so the economy could begin reopening. But a week ago, Ducey ordered bars, gyms, movie theaters and water parks to shut down again for 30 days as daily caseloads topped 3,000. (Doubek and Chang, 7/6)
NBC News: How Chattanooga, Tennessee, Became A Coronavirus Hot Spot
When Marlene José, 20, lost her mom to the coronavirus weeks after she lost her 1-year-old brother to the disease, she said, she felt like she was "split in half." Her mother had been in the intensive care unit for a week, her lungs struggling to capture oxygen. She lost the ability to speak and breathe on her own before she succumbed on June 15. (McCausland, 7/7)
CNN: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Says She Tested Positive For Coronavirus
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, one of the top prospects to be presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's running mate, said Monday that she has tested positive for Covid-19... She told CNN's Chris Cuomo that she received the news that both she and her husband were positive just before 6 p.m. ET on Monday. She said they decided to get tested because her husband had been sleeping more than normal since last Thursday. (Merica, Wright and Meilhan, 7/6)
Indianapolis Star: Indiana Coronavirus Cases: 330 New Cases, 5 Additional Deaths Reported
After a few days in which Indiana saw the number of newly reported coronavirus cases hover near or exceed 500, the state reported 330 additional cases Monday, all confirmed within the past week. Five new deaths, all of which occurred in the past week, were reported, bringing the total number of deaths to 2,505. Often the number of new cases dips after a weekend, particularly a holiday weekend as there can be lags in reporting. (Rudavsky, 7/6)
Bangor Daily News: Maine Industries Hit Hardest By Virus-Related Layoffs Didn’t Get The Most Federal Loans
A federal forgivable loan program provided a lifeline to many Maine businesses and employees hit hard by the coronavirus, but some of the sectors most affected by early layoffs did not receive the most loans, according to data released on Monday. The U.S. Treasury and the Small Business Administration released the names of more than 650,000 U.S. companies that received Paycheck Protection Program loans by June 30, with more than 27,000 Maine companies getting about $2.24 billion. Only the names of companies receiving from $150,000 or more were released. Those firms made up less than 15 percent of the nearly 5 million U.S. companies who got loans. (Valigra and Piper, 7/6)
Dallas Morning News: After Dallas Mother And Daughter Die Of Coronavirus Hours Apart, Their Family Pleads: Take COVID-19 Seriously
Doris LaVon Sims, 59, died June 9 after being hospitalized with the coronavirus. Her loved ones said she made everyone feel like her best friend. COVID-19 devastated her family: at least eight relatives tested positive, including herself, she said. Two — her mother, Doris LaVon Sims, and her sister, LaKecial Tutt, both of Pleasant Grove — died hours apart on June 9, after spending more than two weeks in separate hospitals. They’re among the 395 people who have died from the coronavirus in Dallas County, where more than 25,000 people have tested positive. Each day, the county announces the number of new deaths and cases in tweets and news releases. (Branham, 7/6)
And the latest on Florida and the virus —
AP: Hospitals Approaching Capacity As Miami Closes Restaurants
Hospitals rapidly approached capacity across the Sunbelt, and the Miami area closed indoor dining at restaurants and gyms again because of the surging coronavirus Monday, as the U.S. emerged from a Fourth of July weekend of picnics, pool parties and beach outings that health officials fear could fuel the rapidly worsening outbreak. (Gomez Licon and Pane, 7/6)
CNN: A Florida Man Visiting Beaches Dressed As The Grim Reaper Says Governor Should Require Masks Statewide
A Florida lawyer who visits the state's reopened beaches dressed as death itself is calling on Gov. Ron DeSantis to require the public to wear masks. Daniel Uhlfelder, who sued the state's Republican governor earlier this year saying he prematurely opened beaches, has spent the last several weeks warning beachgoers of the coronavirus's rising danger while dressed as the Grim Reaper -- complete with a dark cloak and a giant scythe. (Morales and Ries, 7/6)
