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July 1 coronavirus news

By Ben Westcott, Adam Renton, Meg Wagner, Melissa Macaya and Mike Hayes, CNN

Updated 0400 GMT (1200 HKT) July 2, 2020

17 Posts

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5:53 a.m. ET, July 1, 2020

Delta Air Lines brings back beer and wine on flights

From CNN's Jordan Valinsky and Maureen O'Hare

Delta Air Lines is restoring wine and beer options across most of its US flights three months after it eliminated the options as the pandemic began to cripple demand for air travel.

With the rollout beginning July 2, passengers sitting in its two premium cabins -- First Class and Comfort+ -- will soon have the complimentary option of single-serve bottles of red and white wine, or a choice of Miller Lite, Heineken and SweetWater beer, on flights farther than 500 miles. The rollout will be gradual and alcohol won't be available for passengers sitting further back in Main Cabin. All customers will still get a snack bag that includes a bottled water.

CNN Travel reported earlier this month that, as Europe's skies reopened to increased commercial travel, airlines including Easyjet and KLM in Europe were suspending all or part of their alcoholic drinks service in response to Covid-19.

However, Delta spokesperson Olivia Mays tells CNN that this latest move is not in response to the other airlines' drinks suspension. "It's been in the works for over a month now, so we're really been focused on figuring out the best way to serve," she says.

Beverages were dropped abruptly from the service in March because the airline wanted to minimize interaction between flight attendants and passengers, but it has now worked on procedures to safely give the drinks to customers.

Delta Air Lines brings back beer and wine on flights

By Jordan Valinsky and Maureen O'Hare, CNN

8:13 a.m. ET, July 1, 2020

It's almost 10.30 a.m. in London and 3.00 p.m. in New Delhi. Here's the latest on the pandemic

More than 10.4 million people worldwide have been infected with Covid-19, according to Johns Hopkins University.

In many places, as countries reopen, coronavirus cases are on the rise. Here's the latest from around the world:

"Significant increases" in US: Top US infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said he is "very concerned" with the increase in cases in some parts of the country and said he wouldn’t be surprised if the US begins to see new cases coming in at 100,000 a day, given current trends. According to Johns Hopkins University's tally of cases in the United States, there are more than 2.6 million cases of coronavirus in the US and at least 127,417 people have died from coronavirus.
Reopening plans halted: At least 16 US states have halted their reopening plans in response to a surge in new infections, but some health officials say the spread of coronavirus will be difficult to control. Experts have long warned that some states reopened far too soon and too quickly, cautioning the move could lead to more spikes in cases.
Children may be able to spread coronavirus similarly to infected adults, study finds: It’s still unclear to what extent children may spread the coronavirus, but a new study suggests it is possible they can transmit it as easily as infected adults, Swiss researchers reported Tuesday.
UN Security Council to adopt first Covid-19 ruling: After months of feuding between the US and China, the UN Security Council is on the verge of endorsing its first Covid-19 ruling, calling on countries to stop conflicts until after the pandemic has been contained. China had previously objected to the US wanting to lay the blame for the pandemic at its door, while the US had wanted to leave out all mention of the World Health Organization.
US travelers barred from EU: The European Union has agreed to allow travelers from 14 countries outside the bloc to visit EU countries, months after it shut its external borders in response to the pandemic. The list does not include the US, which doesn't meet the criteria set by the EU for it to be considered a "safe country."

4:37 a.m. ET, July 1, 2020

He was an athlete in the best shape of his life. Then Covid-19 nearly killed him

From CNN's Alaa Elassar

When Ahmad Ayyad woke up, he was delirious. He didn't realize where he was, why there was a tube down his throat, or how long it had been since he last fed his dog.

And when he looked down, he couldn't recognize himself. Once a 215-pound athlete with chiseled muscles and astounding strength, the 40-year-old looked like a completely different person.

"I woke up and looked at my arms, my legs, and my muscles were gone," he said. "I was kind of freaking out, like where are my legs? Where did my legs go?"

Ayyad is a coronavirus survivor.

Doctors had placed him in an induced coma for 25 days to save his life.

It's been a little over two months since those touch-and-go days and he's still recovering. Still out of breath at times. Still nursing the damage to his lung and heart.

But he has a message -- for those who refuse to wear a mask during this pandemic, for those dismissive of public health guidance, for those in the prime of their health and feel invincible against coronavirus.

"It worries me a lot seeing people take this lightly," he told CNN on Tuesday. "I got it and survived, and I'm still terrified."

Read the full story:

He was an athlete in the best shape of his life. Then Covid-19 nearly killed him

4:02 a.m. ET, July 1, 2020

US records more than 44,000 new Covid-19 cases

From CNN's Joe Sutton

At least 44,766 new coronavirus cases and 1,277 deaths were reported in the United States on Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Some 2,635,538 Covid-19 infections, including at least 127,425 related fatalities, have now been recorded nationwide, per JHU's tally of cases.

The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases.

CNN is tracking US coronavirus cases here:

Tracking Covid-19 cases in the US

9:11 a.m. ET, July 1, 2020

The best DIY face mask material and fit? Quilting cotton beats bandana, new study suggests

From CNN's Katie Hunt

Wearing face masks and coverings is recommended, or in some places mandatory, in public spaces to help stop the spread of Covid-19.

But what kind of DIY face covering offers the best protection?

Researchers at Florida Atlantic University have experimented with different materials and styles of non-medical masks and found that a well-fitted stitched mask made from two layers of quilting fabric was the most effective in stopping the spread of droplets from emulated coughs and sneezes.

They also compared a loosely folded homemade face mask, such as one you could make with a handkerchief or T-shirt, a bandana-style face covering and a cone-style non-sterile commercial mask that is usually available at pharmacies.

The researchers said they chose to test these styles of face covering because they are readily available to the general public and do not draw away from the supply of medical-grade masks and respirators for health care workers.

"While there are a few prior studies on the effectiveness of medical-grade equipment, we don't have a lot of information about the cloth-based coverings that are most accessible to us at present," said Siddhartha Verma, an assistant professor at the department of ocean and mechanical engineering at Florida Atlantic University and author of the study.

Read the full story:

The best DIY face mask material and fit? Quilting cotton beats bandana, new study suggests

3:00 a.m. ET, July 1, 2020

Children may be able to spread coronavirus similarly to infected adults, study finds

From CNN's Shelby Lin Erdman

This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

It’s still unclear to what extent children may spread the coronavirus, but a new study suggests it is possible they can transmit it as easily as infected adults, Swiss researchers reported Tuesday.

Fewer children than adults contract Covid-19, fewer develop severe forms of the illness and they don’t seem to be “major drivers of transmission,” but children of all ages have been infected, researchers said.

“Despite the high proportion of mild or asymptomatic infections, they should be considered as transmitters unless proven otherwise,” researchers from the Geneva University Hospitals and the University of Geneva concluded.

In the survey, 23 children ranging in age from 7 days old to 16 tested positive for Covid-19 and all but two carried the same amount of virus as adults.

“Our data show that viral load at diagnosis is comparable to that of adults and that symptomatic children of all ages shed infectious virus in early acute illness, a prerequisite for further transmission,” the authors wrote.

However, children do not seem to spread the virus in the same way adults do.

“Considering the relatively low frequency of infected children, even in severely affected areas, biological or other unknown factors could lead to the lower transmission in this population,” the authors surmised.

They said more research is need to fully understand the role of children in spreading the virus.

The study had some limitations, including its small size and the use of virus samples left over from routine diagnostic tests.

The research was published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

9:11 a.m. ET, July 1, 2020

Trump refuses to lead as pandemic worsens and allies desert him on masks

Analysis from CNN's Stephen Collinson

Most Presidents would try to stop the United States from barreling toward disaster. But Donald Trump has nothing to say and no answers to mitigate a calamity unfolding on his watch that he seems resolved to ignore.

On the day when the government's top infectious disease specialist Dr. Anthony Fauci said he would not be surprised to see the US record 100,000 new coronavirus cases per day, Trump refused to break his deafening silence.

And the day after his White House described record-breaking new infections that are sweeping the nation as "embers that need to be put out," Trump's campaign claimed credit for the "phenomenal" success of his botched pandemic leadership.

Trump is now pretty much the sole figure in authority in either party -- including his major Republican allies -- who refuse to wear or endorse face masks that are proven to slow the spread of coronavirus but that he has stigmatized as a liberal plot to harm him politically.

"We must have no stigma, none, about wearing masks when we leave our homes and come near other people. Wearing simple face coverings is not about protecting ourselves, it is about protecting everyone we encounter," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor Monday.

But Trump on Tuesday tweeted cryptically "THE LONE WARRIOR!" -- apparently embracing his isolation from even political allies and the scientific approaches that have proven elsewhere to at least slow the spread of the coronavirus in the short term.

Read the full analysis:

Trump refuses to lead as pandemic worsens and allies desert him on masks

8:13 a.m. ET, July 1, 2020

It's just past 8 a.m. in Brussels and 3 p.m. in Tokyo. Here's the latest on the pandemic

In many places, as countries reopen, Covid-19 cases are on the rise. Here are the latest developments from around the world:

"Significant increases" in US cases: Top US infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said he is "very concerned" with the increase in cases in some parts of the country and said he wouldn’t be surprised if the US begins to see new cases coming in at 100,000 a day, given current trends.
Reopening plans halted: At least 16 US states have halted their reopening plans in response to a surge in new infections, but some health officials say the spread of coronavirus will be difficult to control. Experts have long warned that some states reopened far too soon and too quickly, cautioning the move could lead to more spikes in cases.
Tokyo Disneyland parks re-open: All of Disney's Asia parks have now officially reopened, with Tokyo Disney Resort welcoming visitors to its two theme parks from July 1. Both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea have been closed since late February due to the pandemic.
Brazil's President doesn't have to wear a mask: A Brazilian court has ruled that President Jair Bolsonaro can go mask-less in public without facing a potential fine. Brazil is the world's second worst affected country by the virus, with more than 1.4 million confirmed cases.
UN Security Council to adopt first Covid-19 ruling: After months of feuding between the US and China, the UN Security Council is on the verge of endorsing its first Covid-19 ruling, calling on countries to stop conflicts until after the pandemic has been contained. China had previously objected to the US wanting to lay the blame for the pandemic at its door, while the US had wanted to leave out all mention of the World Health Organization.
US travelers remain barred from EU: The European Union has agreed to allow travelers from 14 countries outside the bloc to visit EU countries, months after it shut its external borders in response to the pandemic. The list does not include the US, which doesn't meet the criteria set by the EU for it to be considered a "safe country."

1:29 a.m. ET, July 1, 2020

What EU's new border rules mean for travelers

From CNN's Luke McGee and James Frater

The European Union has 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 criteria requires that confirmed Covid cases in countries on the list are similar or below that of the EU's per 100,000 citizens over the previous 14 days (starting from June 15).

Countries must also have a "stable or decreasing trend of new cases over this period in comparison to the previous 14 days," while the EU will consider what measures countries are taking, such as contact tracing, and how reliable each nation's data is.

The recommendations are expected to come into force as early as July 1, however, it remains up to member states to decide exactly how the implement any changes in border policy.

Read more for the answers to some key questions about the new rules:

The EU opens its borders, but not to Americans

By Luke McGee and James Frater, CNN