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A 7-year-old African American boy has died of Covid-19 in Georgia, the youngest victim of the virus in the state, according to data compiled by the state health department. The boy was from Chatham County on Georgia's coast, and had no underlying health conditions. "Every COVID-19 death we report is tragic, but to lose someone so young is especially heart-breaking," Dr. Lawton Davis, the Health Director for the Coastal Health District, said in a statement. (Lynch and Waldrop, 8/6)

New Jersey officials this week reported the death of a 7-month-old who had been diagnosed with COVID-19, though they said the primary cause of death was unclear. The fatality was reported during Gov. Phil Murphy’s (D) news briefing on Wednesday. “Sadly today we are reporting the death of a 7-month-old baby who, after death, tested positive for COVID-19. However, we do not know the primary cause of this death at this point in time,” New Jersey health commissioner Judy Persichilli said during the briefing. (Klar, 8/6)

Despite concerns about large gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many as 250,000 motorcycle enthusiasts from around the country are expected to roll into western South Dakota for the 80th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally beginning Friday and lasting 10 days. Such a crowd would make it the largest event in the country to take place during the pandemic. (Fies, 8/7)

Two cats in Brazos County, Texas, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Texas A&M University researchers said both cats were asymptomatic and lived with people who have also tested positive, according to a statement from the university. The results suggest transmission is possible for pets in “high-risk” environments, researchers said. (Budryk, 8/6)

Dozens of coronavirus outbreaks in Ohio have been traced back to bars, restaurants and other gathering locations, new information released by the Ohio Department of Health reveals. At least 50 bars and restaurants have had outbreaks across Ohio since July 1. Outbreaks have also occurred in at least 11 day care facilities, eight churches and four schools or universities, according to the state. (Filby, 8/6)

If local Ohio health officials don't like a state order requiring masks or closing schools, they could vote to ignore it under a new proposal from GOP lawmakers. Senate Bill 348, introduced Tuesday, would allow a local health board – with approval from two-thirds of its members after consultation with state health officials – to reject an Ohio Department of Health order during a health crisis. (Balmert, 8/6)

The incident in Karla Dominguez’s apartment last October was violent, and it was not consensual, she testified in Alexandria District Court in December. The man she accused was indicted on charges including rape, strangulation and abduction and jailed without bond in Alexandria. Then the coronavirus pandemic hit. Ibrahim E. Bouaichi’s lawyers argued that the virus was a danger to both inmates and their attorneys, and that Bouaichi should be freed awaiting trial. On April 9, over the objections of an Alexandria prosecutor, Circuit Court Judge Nolan Dawkins released Bouaichi on $25,000 bond, with the condition that he only leave his Maryland home to meet with his lawyers or pretrial services officials. (Jackman, 8/6)

Citing the growing toll from a hidden side of the coronavirus pandemic, top Democratic lawmakers are looking to require state and federal prisons to open their books on the number of cases behind bars. Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren, Patty Murray, and Cory Booker led a group introducing legislation Thursday that would require the array of agencies that administer the nation’s jails and prisons to collect and report publicly detailed information about the spread of COVID-19 in their facilities. (Simpson and Barr, 8/6)

In late July, dozens of social media stars flocked to the Hype House, a Hollywood Hills mansion where several top TikTok creators live, for a birthday party. The décor was glittery and pink, with balloons and silver streamers strewn about. Hello Kitty strobe lights pulsed over a crowded dance floor. The scene, as portrayed on social media, had an air of pre-pandemic normalcy. In several videos from the party, no one is wearing a mask. (Lorenz, 8/6)

On a bright October day last fall, Ebony Brown-Olaseinde and her husband, Segun Olaseinde, found out that their longtime dream had finally been realized: They were going to be parents. After three years spent trying to conceive, they had succeeded through in vitro fertilization — and they soon learned that their twins, a boy and a girl, were due in June 2020.By the beginning of March, Ebony, 40, an accountant in Newark, was feeling grateful that her high-risk pregnancy had progressed so easily. Segun, 43, an operations manager for UPS, couldn’t wait to be a father. Ebony’s doctors told the couple that she’d reached an important milestone: At 24 weeks, their twins were viable, more likely to survive if they arrived early. (Gibson, 8/6)

In March, with the coronavirus lockdown in full swing, Chrissy Sample was feeling anxious. Furloughed from her job and stuck at home with her 8-year-old son, she was also pregnant with twins, who were due in mid-July. Although she often felt immobilized by an intense pain in her legs and lower abdomen, her doctor regularly told her these feelings were normal. Ms. Sample had seen her regular obstetrician, but as a 34-year-old woman carrying more than one child, she was supposed to frequently see a high-risk obstetrician. But the earliest in-person appointment she could get was in late March, when she was already 25 weeks pregnant. “I felt like I needed my hand held for this pregnancy, but they never had time to see me,” she said. (Bobrow, 8/6)

Kaiser Health News: Your Favorite Store Or Restaurant Is Open. How Do You Know It’s OK To Go In? 

Just because many businesses are open again doesn’t mean the pandemic is over. The coronavirus is still on the loose — actually surging in many locations — which means people have to make serious choices about their health all day, every day. Nothing in life is without risk, and decisions ultimately hinge on individual calculations. But, according to the public health experts we consulted, there are steps you can take — and signs to look for — to make you feel comfortable and help you decide whether to open the door and walk in. Sometimes, you may want to opt out. First and foremost, assess your personal situation. (Appleby, 8/7)