June 18 coronavirus news

By Helen Regan, Adam Renton, Peter Wilkinson, Meg Wagner, Mike Hayes and Melissa Macaya, CNN

Updated 1:26 a.m. ET, June 19, 2020
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6:34 p.m. ET, June 18, 2020

Hospital system in Miami reports a 46% increase in Covid-19 patients

From CNN’s Sara Weisfeldt and Rosa Flores 

People register to be tested for Covid-19 at the West Perrine Health Center on Thursday, May 28, in Miami.
People register to be tested for Covid-19 at the West Perrine Health Center on Thursday, May 28, in Miami. Lynn Sladky/AP

Jackson Health System in Miami, Florida, has seen a 46% increase in Covid-19 patients in the past 10 days, according to a hospital spokesperson.

On June 8, Jackson Health reported 104 Covid-19 patients. Today, they have 152. 

Jackson Health has discharged a total of 683 Covid-19 patients since the pandemic began. Jackson Health System is a non-profit academic medical system.

6:39 p.m. ET, June 18, 2020

Miami mayor says he's "extremely concerned" about increase in Covid-19 cases

From CNN's Hollie Silverman

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez told CNN that the city is "extremely concerned" about the increase in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.

"Obviously in the city of Miami we're extremely concerned about what we're seeing," the mayor said Thursday evening. "We're going to do everything we can to keep Miami from becoming an epicenter."

Suarez said that in the last eight days, Florida has reached record case numbers, with 3,200 people who reported positive Wednesday.

The mayor noted that number is nearly three times the 1,300 case threshold that caused the state to shut down months ago.

On Monday: Suarez announced that the city would not go into phase three of reopening because it had not met criteria to do so, including a decreased in cases and hospitalizations.

The city will be stepping up enforcement of protective measures for businesses to try to slow the spread, Suarez said.

He said that stricter measures could be brought back if the virus is out of control.

"Everything has to be on the table," if hospitalizations increase further, Suarez said. 

Watch:

6:26 p.m. ET, June 18, 2020

Brazil nears 1 million coronavirus cases

 From Rodrigo Pedroso in Sao Paulo

Brazil is nearing 1 million confirmed coronavirus cases after another daily spike Thursday.

The country's health ministry reported another 22,765 new cases Thursday, bringing its total number of cases to 978,142.

The ministry also confirmed 1,238 new deaths from the virus on Thursday, bringing the country's total to 47,748.

6:06 p.m. ET, June 18, 2020

Bangladesh tops 100,000 coronavirus cases

From CNN's Sugam Pokharel

An employee of the Mugda Medical College and Hospital sprays disinfectant on gloves after a nasal swab Covid-19 test was administered in Dhaka on June 17.
An employee of the Mugda Medical College and Hospital sprays disinfectant on gloves after a nasal swab Covid-19 test was administered in Dhaka on June 17. Munir Uz Zaman/AFP/Getty Images

Bangladesh on Thursday registered 3,803 new coronavirus cases, bringing the national total to 102,292, according to the country's Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

It recorded an additional 38 fatalities related to Covid-19, raising the death toll to 1,343.

The densely populated South Asian country has recently seen a spike in the number of coronavirus cases, with at least 3,000 cases registered daily for the last five days, according to the DGHS data.

Dhaka district, which includes the capital, is the worst affected with more than 26,000 cases.

5:36 p.m. ET, June 18, 2020

Atlanta United player tests positive for Covid-19

From CNN's Jill Martin

MLS club Atlanta United has announced that a player has tested positive for Covid-19.

The positive result was confirmed Thursday following mandatory club testing.

According to a statement, Atlanta United medical staff have continued to work directly with local infectious disease specialists to treat the player, who was asymptomatic and has been observing isolation protocols since receiving the result.

The team will conduct testing Friday morning prior to resuming training in adherence with MLS health and safety protocols.

5:00 p.m. ET, June 18, 2020

Louisiana added 4,200 new Covid-19 cases in 7 days, governor says

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards answers questions during a news conference on Monday, June8, in Baton Rouge.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards answers questions during a news conference on Monday, June8, in Baton Rouge. Travis Spradling/The Advocate/AP

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a news conference on Thursday the state added 4,200 Covid-19 cases in seven days. 

"Since June 10, we've added more than 4,200 new Covid-19 cases across the state, that is in seven days," he said. "Most of these new cases did not come from nursing homes or other congregate settings. And what that means is they were the result of community spread."

The governor said he wanted to share this information as there is a lot of talk in the state and nationally about a second wave in the fall. 

"Today, we didn't know we're still very much in the first wave. Coronavirus hasn't left. It is still very much here with us, and it is present in every community across the state of Louisiana," he said. 

Asked if he thought about making masks mandatory as some other states have, Edwards said, "I am not going to tell you that we haven't thought about it. But at the end of the day, those states that went there quickly reversed course. It is just not something that you can enforce. And I think you end up doing more harm than good by trying to make it mandatory."

"We're just going to continue to appeal to people, and hopefully, they will understand. Nobody wants to go backward and start imposing more restrictions, and we shouldn't need to do that," he added.

Here are the numbers: There are at least 48,634 cases of Covid-19 in the state, and at least 2,950 people have died. 

5:07 p.m. ET, June 18, 2020

Trump acknowledges some people may catch Covid-19 at Tulsa rally

From CNN's Jason Hoffman, Kate Sullivan, Kristen Holmes and Ryan Nobles

In this November 14, 2019 file photo, President Donald Trump pauses speaking at a rally in Bossier City, Louisiana.
In this November 14, 2019 file photo, President Donald Trump pauses speaking at a rally in Bossier City, Louisiana. Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

Days before hosting a massive rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, President Trump said in a Wall Street Journal interview that some people at the rally this Saturday may catch coronavirus, but added “it’s a very small percentage.”

The President's words come as Oklahoma is seeing a steady increase in its average of new confirmed cases per day.

According to a CNN analysis of Johns Hopkins University data, Oklahoma averaged about 203 new cases per day over the week ending June 17, which is up approximately 110% from the previous seven-day period.

As of Thursday morning, Tulsa County currently has the most cases — 1,825 total — of any county in the state, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health. New cases in Tulsa County have also been climbing, and the county is now seeing its highest seven-day average for new cases at 73.9, according to the Tulsa Health Department.

Trump also claimed, according to the Journal, that some Americans wore face masks as a political statement against him and not as a preventative measure.

However, guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) makes it clear that Americans should wear a mask. 

Rally attendees will not be required to maintain social distance or wear masks, despite the Trump administration's top public health officials stressing the importance of both measures in preventing the spread of coronavirus.

Campaign manager Brad Parscale tweeted on Monday that the campaign plans to check the temperature of everyone who enters the venue. They will also be providing hand sanitizer, and each attendee will receive a mask provided by the campaign, although they will not be required to wear it. 

Local and campaign officials tell CNN that more than a million people have RSVP'd to the rally. A local official involved in planning said they expected 100,000 to show up at the Bank of Oklahoma Arena on Saturday. The venue can hold just under 20,000.

Hear more:

4:47 p.m. ET, June 18, 2020

Miami-Dade Mayor says he's cracking down on businesses and rental homes that violate safety orders

From CNN's Hollie Silverman

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez will crack down on businesses and rental homes that violate safety orders such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, he said in a video message Thursday.

There is currently a 8.95% positive rate for testing and hospitalizations have risen to more than 600 in the county, Gimenez said.

Due to the uptick in cases and hospitalizations the mayor said authorities will shut down vacation rentals being used as "party homes," Gimenez said.

Businesses will also need to comply or face enforcement and shut downs. 

"No more warnings, from now on if we see a violation, we will close the business immediately," the mayor said, adding that reopening will take several steps following a closure.

"We're not going back, we're going to get tough," Gimenez said. "People are getting way too comfortable...that does not mean that we can start breaking the rules"

Gimenez said that he has seen social media posts with people aggressively challenging business owners and neighbors when asked to use masks and wants people to enforce mask use.

He said that businesses should refuse to serve people who challenge their orders to use a mask.

The mayor also reminded everyone that the safer at home order is still in place and people should be staying at home whenever possible.

4:43 p.m. ET, June 18, 2020

Scottsdale mayor aims to make public masks mandatory as Covid-19 cases climb in Arizona

From CNN’s Sharif Paget

Scottsdale, Arizona, mayor Jim Lane is working with the municipal legal team to develop a mandatory public mask ordinance, according to the city.

In a series of tweets on Thursday, the city said “given the rise in COVID-19 cases throughout Maricopa County,” the mayor started working “with the city’s legal team to develop a mandatory public mask ordinance in Scottsdale.” 

“As government we are balancing the need to act for the sake of community-wide public health, while also allowing as much personal freedom as we can. Once all policy considerations are addressed, the mayor plans to issue an emergency declaration enacting the regulation,” it added. 

No details were provided about where people might be required to wear face coverings. 

This announcement comes after Arizona reported a new record number of Covid-19 cases in a single day for the second time in this week, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Here are the numbers: Maricopa County, where Scottsdale is located, represents more than half of the total confirmed Covid-19 cases in the state with 23,880 infections.