�������ýҕ�l

Twenty-one U.S. states are currently in the “red zone” for coronavirus outbreaks under federal criteria, reporting more than 100 new cases per 100,000 people in the last week, according to a new federal report. Those states are Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin, according to The New York Times. (Budryk, 7/28)

The federal government prepares regular reports on the response to the coronavirus. The following report, dated July 26, was distributed to states by the Trump administration’s coronavirus task force. (7/28)

The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus pandemic approached 150,000, as fatalities and hospitalizations rose in parts of the country, while new cases in some areas showed signs of leveling off. ... Several states are facing increased coronavirus-related hospitalizations and deaths. The Florida Department of Health reported 186 new coronavirus-related deaths among residents, its highest recorded increase over a 24-hour period. State reporting on coronavirus deaths varies, and it is possible that deaths reported on a particular day may not have occurred over the previous 24 hours. (Hall, 7/29)

A half-dozen U.S. states in the South and West reported one-day records for coronavirus deaths on Tuesday and cases in Texas passed the 400,000 mark as California health officials said Latinos made up more than half its cases. Arkansas, California, Florida, Montana, Oregon and Texas each reported record spikes in fatalities. In the United States more than 1,300 lives were lost nation wide on Tuesday, the biggest one-day increase since May, according to a Reuters tally. (Bernstein and Shumaker, 7/28)

The World Health Organization on Tuesday said the coronavirus pandemic has taken the form of “one big wave” rather than the more common seasonal ebbs and surges experienced by most viruses. “People are still thinking about seasons. What we all need to get our heads around is this is a new virus and ... this one is behaving differently,” WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris said in a virtual briefing in Geneva, according to Reuters. “It’s going to be one big wave. It’s going to go up and down a bit,” she added. “The best thing is to flatten it and turn it into just something lapping at your feet.” (Budryk, 7/28)

With the coronavirus running rampant within American communities, health officials have made clear it's not yet time to ease up on precautions. Instead, governors and experts from coast to coast have urged Americans to keep face masks in indoor public spaces, maintain their distance from others and avoid crowded spaces... Despite the grim numbers and stern warnings, some Americans have chosen to return to pre-pandemic habits, ditching guidelines and attending parties. (Maxouris, 7/29)