HEALTH

Coronavirus updates: US deaths surpass 150,000; AG Barr tests negative; Pelosi mandates masks on House floor

Jorge L. Ortiz John Bacon
USA TODAY

The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus pandemic surpassed 150,000 Wednesday with little indication the historic global health crisis is diminishing.

Later in the day, the results of Attorney General William Barr's coronavirus test came back negative. Barr took the test after coming close to Texas GOP congressman Louie Gohmert the previous day when neither one was wearing a mask. Gohmert was revealed to have tested positive Wednesday, prompting Speaker Nancy Pelosi to require all members to wear a mask on the House floor.

Barely two months ago, the number of Americans killed by the virus was 100,000. Just last week the U.S. surpassed 4 million infections, doubling its total case count in six weeks. And the nation is still averaging about 1,000 deaths and 60,000 infections per day.

Not all states are on the same trajectory, of course. New York and some of the Northeastern states have tamped down the surge. California, Texas and Florida are among a raft of states now struggling mightily.

"As is the case with any infectious outbreak, there are different curves playing out at the same time," said Ogbonnaya Omenka, an associate professor and public health specialist at Butler University. "In essence, it’s getting better and worse at the same time."

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Twitter continued a crackdown on tweets about fake cures that has already ensnared President Donald Trump. This time, Madonna got called out.

Here are some significant developments:

📈 Today's numbers: The U.S. has recorded more than 150,000 deaths and nearly 4.4 million cases of COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, there have been over 662,000 deaths and 16.8 million cases. 

📰 What we're reading:  Call it coronavirus déjà vu. After planning ways to reopen campuses this fall, colleges are increasingly changing their minds, dramatically increasing online offerings or canceling in-person classes outright. Read more.

Our live blog is being updated throughout the day. Refresh for the latest news, and get updates in your inbox with The Daily Briefing.

Attorney General Barr tests negative

A day after his brief interaction with Rep. Louie Gohmert, who has contracted the coronavirus, Attorney General Bill Barr tested negative Wednesday, the Justice Department reported. Barr took the test after being notified of Gohmert's positive result.

Gohmert joins a growing number of lawmakers to contract the virus. The Texas Republican has previously refused to wear a mask while speaking on the House floor, and reporters on Capitol Hill have frequently spotted him without one.

Gohmert said he has worn a mask more ''in the last week or two'' and suggested he may have contracted the virus by moving it around on his face. "I can't help but think if I hadn't been wearing a mask so much in the last 10 days or so, I really wonder if I wouldn't have gotten it," he said.

-- Jason Lalljee, Kevin Johnson and David Jackson

Pelosi mandates masks on House floor

Hours after a Republican congressman who opposes face mask mandates tested positive for COVID-19, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said all members of the House of Representatives would be required to wear them on the floor.

Pelosi, D-Calif., said lawmakers could be removed from the floor if they are not wearing a face covering. Earlier Wednesday, it was revealed Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert, who usually eschews masks, has contracted the virus.

"The chair expects all members and staff to adhere to the requirement as a sign of respect for the health, safety and well-being of others present in the chamber," Pelosi said, adding that a lawmaker not wearing a mask would be considered a "serious breach of decorum."

-- Christal Hayes

Chief of staff not optimistic about deal 

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows cast doubt on the possibility of a stimulus deal Wednesday, telling reporters on Capitol Hill after meetings with Democratic leaders that he's not optimistic of reaching an agreement.

On Monday, Republicans unveiled a $1 billion pandemic-relief package that, among other things, would decrease the current $600-a-week unemployment supplement to as low as $200. In May, House Democrats proposed a plan that would extend the $600 boost through the rest of the year. 

“We’re nowhere close to a deal,” Meadows said, adding, “It means enhanced unemployment insurance provisions will expire” on Friday.

Nicholas Wu and Savannah Behrmann

Florida deaths surpass 200 in a day for first time

The Florida Department of Health reported an inauspicious daily record of COVID-19 deaths for the second day in a row Wednesday. The 216 fatalities marked the first time deaths have surpassed 200 and bring the state death toll to 6,333. If the state averages 200 fatalities per day, the total death toll would more than double by Labor Day. The surge comes less than two weeks before some public schools begin their new school year amid pressure from state officials to provide in-class education.

The number of new COVID-19 cases increased by 9,446 Wednesday, marking the 36th consecutive day the state has recorded more than 5,000 new cases. There was a modest silver lining – the state has recorded four straight days with less than 10,000 new cases, the first time that's happened since July 6-9.

Doctor in video Trump retweeted was sued in woman's death

A Houston doctor who has made outrageous claims and appeared on a video retweeted by Trump was sued for malpractice after a woman she treated in Louisiana died last year, the Houston Chronicle reported.

In the video, Dr. Stella Immanuel touts the coronavirus-fighting virtues of hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug Trump has repeatedly promoted even though federal regulators last month revoked authorization of its use as an emergency treatment amid growing evidence it doesn’t work and can have deadly side effects.

“You don’t need masks. There is a cure,'' Immanuel says in the video, which Twitter and Facebook took down because it spread coronavirus misinformation. "You don’t need people to be locked down.” 

"I thought she was very impressive,'' Trump said about Immanuel on Tuesday.

Immanuel, who has said some medical conditions can be caused by having sex with demons in a dream, was sued in January. She and another doctor treated a Louisiana woman named Leslie Norvell who said she had part of a hypodermic needle stuck in her arm, the newspaper reported, adding that Norvell died six days later. 

Pence vows support for schools to reopen

The Trump administration continued its push to have schools reopen for in-person learning during the pandemic, as Vice President Mike Pence visited a class of fourth graders at a North Carolina private school. Trump has threatened to withhold federal funds from K-12 schools that don’t reopen their classrooms in the fall term, a critical component of igniting the economy by allowing parents to return to work.

“We’re all going to make sure schools across America have the support to open up and stay open,” said Pence, who was joined at the Raleigh-area campus of Thales Academy by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

The Los Angeles school district, the country's second largest, has already said all instruction in the fall will be online. So has San Diego's. Many other districts are still formulating their plans. New York's has said it will go with a hybrid approach.

At the schools in the town of Alcoa south of Knoxville, Tennessee, which are employing a hybrid, staggered schedule, one person tested positive for the coronavirus two days after students returned July 22. Anyone who came in contact with the infected person will have to quarantine for 14 days.

Increasingly, many pandemic job losses looking permanent

Everyone wants the current unemployment crisis to be temporary. But new data reveals that millions of jobless Americans may not have a role to return to once the pandemic ends. In April, 78% of those in households experiencing job loss felt that situation would be temporary. Now, almost half think that job loss is likely to be permanent, according to The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. All told, roughly 10 million workers might need to find a new employer after the pandemic wraps up, and some might need to switch gears and find a new profession altogether.

– Maurie Backman, The Motley Fool

Alabama extends mask requirement

With the start of the school year looming and hospital intensive care units at near capacity, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey extended a state order requiring face masks in public through Aug. 31.

“Y’all, we just must remain vigilant if we are going to get our kids back in school and keep our economy open,'' said the Republican governor, acknowledging the mask mandate is not popular in her conservative state. "Wearing a mask can’t hurt, but it sure can help.”

Tailgates, frat parties a concern as colleges ready to open

It’s not just the action on the field that poses health risks as the college football world mulls how to put on a season. Game days, often packed with frat parties and tailgates, are worrying health officials who say such events could spark outbreaks of COVID-19. Will young people, who have been a catalyst for the surge in coronavirus cases this summer, abide by social distancing guidelines as they return to campus in the fall? Are fraternity brothers and sorority sisters going to put parties on hold?

"Absolutely not," predicts Zulema Avila, a rising junior at Louisiana State University and member of the Delta Zeta sorority. "Even if they don't allow spectators inside the (stadium), there's still going to be tailgates, there's still going to be apartment parties and Greek life parties."

– Jay Cannon

Bill Gates: $3B for poor nations is 'most impactful' to end pandemic

The latest Republican coronavirus stimulus proposal, which includes $3 billion for vaccines for poor countries, is "the most impactful money ever" for halting the global pandemic, Bill Gates told USA TODAY. Gates has been quietly advocating for the U.S. to retake its leadership role in global public health, a role that essentially ended with the U.S. dropping out of the World Health Organization earlier this year. Gates said this week's proposal represents a return to leadership – though the commitment falls short of what he believes is needed.

“It’s hard to overstate how much the U.S. historically has led" global health efforts, Gates said.

– Elizabeth Weise

Drug to treat severe COVID-19 fails in clinical trial

One of the most promising approaches to treating COVID-19 has failed in a large clinical trial. The drug tocilizumab (sold under the brand name Actemra) had been expected to be effective against severe infections of the virus that causes COVID-19 because it tamps down the immune overreaction that often takes place in those patients. 

The results are not yet published, but Genentech, which manufactures Actemra, announced Wednesday that its large Phase 3 trial did not improve results for patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 or reduce deaths. Researchers found some indication that the drug might reduce the time those patients spend in the hospital, but the difference wasn't statistically significant. 

– Karen Weintraub

Latinos struggle to find testing, take brunt of virus outbreaks

As the virus silently spreads from workplaces to homes and communities, Latinos are bearing the the brunt. And, experts and advocates say, inadequate or simply unavailable testing is one of the reasons. In 20 of 27 states that reported positive coronavirus cases by ethnicity, growth among Latinos has outpaced overall growth since Memorial Day, according to a USA TODAY analysis. Nationwide, Latinos have been four times as likely as whites to be hospitalized, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the Catholic Charities Diocese of Stockton, California, Executive Director Elvira Ramirez says she noticed a lack of testing in her community months ago. 

“Every time we would ask, ‘Well what about testing?’ it seemed as though there was no testing being done,” Ramirez said. “Finally there is something in place, but it seems woefully inadequate to the need.” 

– Jayme Fraser, Erin Mansfield, Matt Wynn and Scott Linesburgh

Many colleges walking back plans for in-classroom learning this fall

After planning ways to reopen campuses this fall, colleges are increasingly changing their minds, dramatically increasing online offerings or canceling in-person classes outright. This sudden shift will be familiar to students whose spring plans were interrupted by the rapid spread of the coronavirus. In many cases, the colleges had released plans for socially distant in-person classes only a few weeks ago, hoping to beat the coronavirus.

“Instead, the virus beat us,” said Robert Kelchen, a professor of higher education at Seton Hall University.

– Chris Quintana

The Chainsmokers concert draws a crowd – and wrath from Cuomo

New York state's Health Department will investigate “egregious social distancing violations" in the village of Southampton after video showed crowds standing close together at a concert featuring The Chainsmokers. Gov. Andrew Cuomo questioned why local law enforcement didn’t break up the show, saying it was “out of control and all the rules were being violated.” The state’s investigation will look at the role of local leaders and reports of “ongoing” violations in Southampton, Cuomo said. The Saturday night concert, dubbed “Safe & Sound," was billed as a charity drive-in show.

“We have no tolerance for the illegal reckless endangerment of public health,” Cuomo tweeted.

Fatalities climb in nation's most populous states

California, Florida and Texas were among nine states recording a record number of deaths over a seven-day period that ended Tuesday, a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data shows. Nine states also set records for newly confirmed cases. Arkansas had the dubious distinction of being on both lists. The state had newly confirmed cases and 54 deaths.

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom said the virus is disproportionately impacting Latinos, particularly in the state's Central Valley. Newsom unveiled a proposed $52M plan for eight Central Valley counties to help expand disease investigation, contact tracing and quarantine efforts.

– Mike Stucka

Madonna's Instagram account flagged for promoting fake COVID-19 'cure'

Instagram flagged Madonna's account Tuesday night, and a post appeared blurred with a warning over the video: "False Information." The text continues, "Reviewed by independent fact-checkers," and provides a list of incorrect assertions in Madonna's post. Madonna shared a video and caption about unproven coronavirus conspiracy theories. The video, about a fake cure, echoed the same misinformation as a clip that was taken down from Twitter after President Donald Trump shared it. On Madonna's post, fact-checkers note that there is not yet a cure for COVID-19 and that hydroxychloroquine is not a cure.

– Carly Mallenbaum

Arizona protesters want in-person classes at schools

A protest in support of schools offering in-person classes for the upcoming academic year amid the COVID-19 pandemic drew around 100 people Tuesday evening at the Arizona Capitol. The protest is called "AZ Open Our Schools Rally" and was organized for families and educators who want in-person learning options at Arizona schools.

Attendees wore green to the demonstration at the state Capitol because "Green means GO for education!" according to the rally's Facebook page. Several speakers talked about school reopening plans. “We don’t want to force people to do things they don’t want to do, but we also don’t want to be forced to do things we don’t want to do, for example, online school,” a woman said to cheers from the crowd.

– Helena Wegner and Perry Vandell, Arizona Republic

What we're reading

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Contributing: The Associated Press