By Nectar Gan, Adam Renton, Melissa Macaya, Meg Wagner and Mike Hayes, CNN
From CNN's Elizabeth Hartfield
New Jersey announced 461 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday, bringing the statewide total to more than 171,600, Gov. Phil Murphy announced today.
The state reported 47 new deaths. The total number of confirmed Covid-19-related fatalities in New Jersey is now 13,181.
Murphy noted that he and the state’s health commissioner believe that the low number of fatalities reported on Monday — 18 — may have been the result of a glitch in the state’s recording systems.
From CNN's Wayne Sterling
Three New Orleans Pelicans basketball players have tested positive for coronavirus, Pelicans Executive Vice President David Griffin said today.
The players, who were tested on June 23, the first day of NBA testing, are in self-isolation and have been tested daily, Griffin said. Once the players get two negative tests, they can return to team activities.
According to Griffin, no other player has tested positive for the virus since the start of testing.
From CNN's Tina Burnside
The Louisiana Department of Health is reporting 1,014 additional cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number of infections to at more than 58,000, according to data released by the state today.
Today's positive test rate is 4.25%, which is significantly lower than the past 10 days.
According to state data, hospitalizations are at 781 and continue rising.
##Cases#
From CNN's Kylie Atwood
Following an announcement that the European Union will bar American travelers from entering its member countries as borders begin to reopen, a US State Department spokesperson said the country is "committed to coordinating with them as we look forward to reopening our economies and easing restrictions."
The spokesperson noted that as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "We’ve been working with countries all across the world, including our friends in Europe and the EU proper, to determine how it is we can best safely reopen international travel."
The State Department will continue to urge US citizens to check embassy or consulate websites for information about travel.
What this is about: Earlier today, the EU formally agreed a set of recommendations that will allow travelers from outside the bloc to visit EU countries, months after it shut its external borders in response to the outbreak of Covid-19.
As had been widely expected, the list of 14 countries does not include the United States, whose current Covid infection rate does not meet the criteria set by the EU for it to be considered a "safe country."
The list of approved countries included in the recommendations are: Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay.
From CNN’s Taylor Romine
Fourteen people in in Westchester County, New York, have tested positive for Covid-19 after attending a high school graduation in another state, officials said Monday.
The source of the cluster appears to be from two families who were in Florida before attending a drive-thru graduation for Horace Greeley High School and a celebration party afterward, County Executive George Latimer told reporters during a news conference.
One of the individuals who has since tested positive didn't show symptoms on the day of the event, he said, and was tested several days later. Not all attendees of the two events were properly masked and socially distancing, Latimer said.
The party, which was a field night for students for Horace Greeley and surrounding school districts, was not sponsored by the town or the school district, he added.
Westchester County is now actively working on contact tracing related to the event, Health Commissioner Dr. Sherlita Amler said. Officials also asked that anyone who attended the graduation to get tested.
Latimer said that the community will remain open despite the cluster. The general trend line for Covid-19 cases are dramatically down, he said.
From CNN's Adrienne Vogt
About 91% of intensive care unit beds are full, with nearly 40% of those occupied with Covid-19 patients, in Houston Methodist Hospital, according to President and CEO Marc Boom.
On Memorial Day, the hospital had about 100 coronavirus patients, compared to 480 now, he told CNN’s Kate Bolduan.
While it is a large increase, a lower percentage of patients need intensive care, which is “somewhat reassuring,” he said.
The Fourth of July holiday “scares me,” Boom said. Houston officials must ensure that social distancing guidelines are enforced to stem the tide of coronavirus, he said.
“I’m worried about what I see in the community. The virus is spreading rapidly. The time to act is now,” he said.
The Texas city has seen more than 1,300 cases over Sunday and Monday.
WATCH:
From CNN's Kristina Sgueglia
The daily Covid-19 indicators remain under desired thresholds, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday calling it a “great day.”
The daily number of people admitted to hospitals for Covid-19 is at 40, under the 200 threshold.
The daily number of people at health and hospitals intensive care units at 301, under the 375 threshold.
The percent of people who tested positive for Covid-19 is at 1% under the 15% threshold, which the mayor said “is wonderful,” he said.
From CNN’s Taylor Romine
All travelers arriving in Massachusetts, including residents returning to the state, will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days, Gov. Charlie Baker announced today.
The order goes in to effect Wednesday, according to a statement from the governor.
It does not apply to travelers from these states:
Essential workers also continue to be exempt.
Some context: The announcement follows a similar quarantine announced by Rhode Island Monday along with New York, New Jersey and Connecticut which announced their own quarantine last week.
From CNN's Tina Burnside
Savannah, Georgia, announced Tuesday that it will now require people wear face masks or coverings while in public.
The emergency order will start at 8 a.m. Wednesday and will remain in effect until further notice.
In a statement on the city's Facebook page, Mayor Van Johnson said, "frankly and honestly, I do not believe we have another choice."
Johnson said the city's seven-day average of new cases is 43, which is a new record, and the 14-day rolling average is 33, which is also new record.
Anyone who fails to comply with the order will face a fine.
"The point of this order is not to be punitive," Johnson said. "If we see someone without a face covering, the first thing we will do is offer them one. If that person refuses the face covering, that's a different issue entirely."
