Worst In The US: Florida, Arkansas Have ‘High Transmission’ Everywhere

CNN: In These 2 US States, Every County Is Listed As 'High Transmission' 
Florida and Arkansas currently share a grim distinction when it comes to the spread of the coronavirus. Every one of the two states' counties is now listed as having "high" levels of community transmission, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC lists high transmission in nearly every county in several other states, including Missouri, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. (Ellis, 7/27)

In more updates from Florida —

CNN: Mayor Of Florida County Home To Disney World Sounds Alarm On Surging Covid Cases 
The mayor of the Florida county that's home to Disney World and Universal Studios is sounding the alarm on a spike of Covid-19 cases in the area, saying the county is now in "crisis mode" as it grapples with its worsening infection rate. "These numbers are extraordinary. We are seeing nearly 1,000 new cases in Orange County daily. Those are the numbers we saw at the highest peak last year," Mayor Jerry Demings, a Democrat, said Monday during a news conference. "So a thousand a day is extraordinary. We are now in crisis mode." (Cole, 7/27)

CNN: Staff At A Jacksonville Baptist Hospital Say They Are Hearing Panic, Fear And Regret From Unvaccinated Patients 
Health care workers at Jacksonville's Baptist Medical Center in Florida are hearing panic, fear and regret from many of their patients as an increasing number are admitted for Covid-19 complications -- and as many need to be put on ventilators. "We're getting ready to intubate the patient, which means putting them on a ventilator, and they said, 'If I get the vaccine now, could I not go on the ventilator?' So, they're begging for it," Chief Nursing Officer Tammy Daniel told CNN. "They're desperate because they are gasping for air, they can't breathe, they are scared, they feel like they're going to pass away." (Holcombe and Kaye, 7/27)

Health News Florida: As Coronavirus Cases Rise, USF Public Health Experts Urge Masks At Schools
Two professors from the University of South Florida’s College of Public Health went live on Facebook last week to talk about how recent increases in coronavirus cases might affect students as they return to school. Jill Roberts, an expert in molecular epidemiology, and Katherine Drabiak, an attorney who focuses on health law and medical ethics, answered community questions about masks, school safety, and the spread of the virus. “I do believe that kids should go back to school, the brick and mortar is really important for them for their learning,” Roberts said. “However, they should not be going back unprotected.” (Wentz, 7/26)

Politico: 'Sellout’: Anti-Vax Conservatives Come For DeSantis
Florida’s Covid crisis has wedged Gov. Ron DeSantis between two competing forces: public health experts who urge him to do more and anti-vaxxers who want him to do less. The Republican governor has come under attack from the medical community and Democrats as the Delta strain of Covid-19 sweeps through Florida, turning it into a national coronavirus hotspot. The state recorded more than 73,000 infections last week — four times as many as the start of July — leading to overcrowded hospitals and more than 300 deaths in the most recent seven-day period. Florida is now home to one in five new cases of Covid-19 in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Dixson, 7/26)

And in more news from Arkansas —

AP: Arkansas Governor, Top Lawmakers To Meet On Mask Mandate Ban
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Monday he planned to meet with House and Senate leaders about growing calls to allow schools to require face masks as the state reported 23 more deaths from COVID-19. The Republican governor said he planned to discuss the issue Tuesday with the GOP leaders of the state House and Senate, following calls from Democratic lawmakers and others to lift a state law banning mask mandates by state and local governments. (DeMillo, 7/27)

Thv11.Com: Arkansas Churches Return To COVID Policies As Cases Rise 
With the latest uptick in COVID-19 cases, some Arkansas churches are changing their COVID regulations and implementing mandates to limit the spread of the virus. While regulations like mandatory masks on campus feel like a step backwards for members at St. James United Methodist Church, senior pastor Rev. Ben Crismon encourages the congregation to see themselves as a temple to protect. (7/25)

Business Insider/Yahoo News: A Healthcare Worker Who Was Hospitalized For A Month With COVID-19 Says She Now Has Nearly $1 Million In Medical Bills
A healthcare worker from Arkansas has said that she has racked up medical bills of close to $1 million after she was hospitalized from COVID-19, she told THV11. Shenita Russie, 42, caught the virus while working as a mobile respiratory therapist for COVID-19 patients in Boston at the start of the pandemic, Newsweek reported. She was hospitalized for a month and was placed in a medically-induced coma, according to the media outlet. During this time, she racked up an eye-watering amount in bills. (Zitser, 7/25)