July 2 coronavirus news

By Nectar Gan, Brett McKeehan, Melissa Macaya, Meg Wagner and Mike Hayes, CNN

Updated 0002 GMT (0802 HKT) July 3, 2020

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6:25 p.m. ET, July 2, 2020

Alabama extends public health emergency until September 9

From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch and Giovanna Van Leeuwen

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has extended the state’s public health emergency for another 90 days – making it set to expire on September 9.

This is the second 60-day extension of the state of emergency, which was declared on March 13, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“At this time, it is impossible to predict how long the COVID-19 pandemic will require the existence of a state of emergency,” Ivey said her in her proclamation. “Nevertheless, I understand and appreciate the substantial reliance that many people, businesses and government entities have to come to place on measures adopted by the various emergency proclamations I have issued as part of the state’s COVID-19 response.”

The order states that all subsequent orders or regulations remain in effect for the duration of the public health emergency unless rescinded or extended by a proclamation.

The state reported at least 40,111 cases of coronavirus and at least 985 deaths.

Note: These numbers were released by the Alabama Department of Public Health and may not line up exactly in real time with CNN’s database drawn from Johns Hopkins University and the Covid Tracking Project.

6:22 p.m. ET, July 2, 2020

The pandemic could leave 41 million people unemployed in Latin American and the Caribbean

From CNN's Tatiana Arias

Latin America and the Caribbean could see a historic record number of unemployment as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the International Labor Organization (ILO) warned in a new report published Wednesday.

“The unemployment rate could rise between 4 and 5 percentage points, bringing the number of unemployed in the region to a historical record of 41 million people. If the crisis worsens, the employment situation could worsen, amplifying social inequalities,” the report says.

Before the pandemic hit Latin America and the Caribbean, the unemployment rate in the region was 8.1%, or about 26 million people at the end of 2019, according to ILO.

ILO’s latest report analyzes data from the World Bank, which estimates a 7.2% drop in the region’s economic growth – leading to an 12.3% unemployment rate. The ILO also analyzed the latest numbers from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which estimate an economic contraction of 9.4%, resulting in a 13% unemployment rate.

“In absolute numbers, these rates imply an increase in the number of people who are looking for a job and do not get it; from 26 million before the pandemic to 41 million in 2020,” ILO specialists explained during a virtual news conference on Wednesday.

ILO’s report says the majority of the workers in various economic sectors are now at a high risk of unemployment due to the pandemic. About 40% of people with a high risk of unemployment work in high risk economic sectors such as hospitality, food service, small businesses and manual labor, another 17% are in the medium to high risk sectors, and only 20% of the labor force is engaged in low risk economic activities such as those in government, education and health jobs.

6:20 p.m. ET, July 2, 2020

CDC forecast projects nearly 148,000 US coronavirus deaths by July 25

From CNN's Arman Azad

An ensemble forecast published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now projects nearly 148,000 coronavirus deaths in the United States by July 25.

This week’s national forecast relies on 24 individual forecasts from outside institutions and researchers. The new projections, published Thursday, forecast 147,865 deaths by July 25, with a possible range of about 139,000 to 161,000 deaths.

“The state-level ensemble forecasts suggest that the number of new deaths over the next four weeks in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming will likely exceed the number reported over the last four weeks,” the CDC says on its forecasting website.

“For other states, the number of new deaths is expected to be similar to the number seen in the previous four weeks or to decrease slightly," the forecast adds.

Unlike some individual models, the CDC’s ensemble forecast only offers projections for the next month. The previous ensemble forecast, published last Wednesday, projected about 139,000 coronavirus deaths by July 18.

According to Johns Hopkins University's tally of cases in the United States, at least 128,574 people have died in the US from coronavirus so far.

6:02 p.m. ET, July 2, 2020

Peru's coronavirus death toll surpasses 10,000

From CNN's Claudia Rebaza, Radina Gigova and CNNE's Jimena De la Quintana

Health professionals are seen in the hall of the Intensive Care Unit of the Alberto Sabogal Sologuren Hospital, in Lima, on July 02. Ernesto Benavides/AFP/Getty Images

Peru's health ministry reported 185 new Covid-19 deaths on Thursday, bringing the country’s total to at least 10,045.

The ministry also reported 3,527 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the nationwide total to at least 292,004.

However, the ministry said that Thursday marks the sixth consecutive day when the number of people who have been discharged from hospitals is higher than the number of new cases. During the six-day period, a total of 22,291 people were discharged, the ministry said.

"Peru today recorded one of its best dates in the fight against the pandemic," the ministry said in a statement. "This data confirms that although the spread of the new coronavirus continues, it is becoming smaller on a smaller scale" due to the efforts by authorities.

The ministry said the trend indicates the measures adopted by the government to stop the spread of the virus are beginning to show a positive impact in controlling the pandemic.

"However, this decrease will be marked if all Peruvians assume self-care and protection behaviors, using the mask, respecting the physical distance of at least one meter and washing our hands constantly," the ministry added.

Peru's Medical College reported on Thursday that at least 70 doctors have died from the virus in the country and 2,062 have been infected.

5:55 p.m. ET, July 2, 2020

Miami mayor "extremely concerned" about Covid-19 spread over Fourth of July weekend

Miami, Florida, Mayor Francis Suarez said he is "extremely concerned" about the spread of coronavirus during the Fourth of July weekend if people don't take precautions.

Suarez said the city has seen cases spike after big weekends like Memorial Day and high school and college graduations. He said the city is taking measures to prevent that from happening again.

"We've canceled Fourth of July shows so people aren't tempted to congregate. Beaches are closed. We're going to be enforcing. We're hoping that enforcement prevents people from congregating and requires people to wear the masks that we know will protect them," he told CNN on Thursday.

Suarez added that contact tracers have also found that the virus has been spreading from house parties. He said he agreed with Dr. Deborah Birx's recommendation earlier today that all Florida residents who attended mass gatherings get tested – even if they don't have symptoms.

"I absolutely would urge them to do that. I think what happens often times is we're seeing a lot, anecdotally, of one person getting sick and then the entire household gets sick," he said.

"I absolutely think that's a very wise decision for everyone to get tested," he added.

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5:58 p.m. ET, July 2, 2020

University of Alabama says it knew about "Covid party" rumors for weeks

From CNN's Jamiel Lynch

The University of Alabama is responding to reports of so-called "Covid parties," saying it has been aware of the rumors "for weeks."

The university said it has conducted an investigation, but it was not able to identify any students who may have participated, according to a statement.

"Our students want a return to on-campus instruction and the extracurricular opportunities they enjoy, and we fully expect them to safeguard their personal health and safety and that of everyone at the university and in our city," the statement said.

The university added it is committed to the safety and well-being of the community and will enforce rules about on-campus activities "stringently" as well as follow up on any more information they receive.

"It is essential that students cooperate and comply with these guidelines to allow for the safe return and continued operations of our campus," the university said.

The statement said the university plans to test all students before they return to campus.

Some background: Tuscaloosa City Council member Sonya McKinstry said at a meeting Tuesday that Fire Chief Randy Smith confirmed with local doctors that young people in the city are throwing parties with a payout if they catch coronavirus.

McKinstry said that tickets are sold to the party – and people that are Covid positive are invited. The goal is to be the first person to be confirmed by a doctor to have coronavirus, and you win the money made off the ticket sales.

McKinstry says that there have been several parties in the city and surrounding area over the last three weeks, and probably more they don’t know about.

5:37 p.m. ET, July 2, 2020

Covid-19 case average doubles in San Francisco

From CNN's Cheri Mossburg

People sit at restaurants on Pier 39 in San Francisco, California, on Monday, June 22. David Paul Morris/Bloomberg/Getty Images/FILE

The average number of new coronavirus cases in San Francisco has doubled, according to the health department.

Comparing averages from June 13 to June 27, the average daily count of new cases has gone from 24 to 54.

Similarly, hospitalizations in San Francisco have increased more than 50%. Included in that rise are 18 patients transferred from San Quentin State Prison, and Fresno and Imperial counties.

“We are on high alert, and we know that when the virus takes off, it moves very fast,” Dr. Grant Colfax, the city's director of health, said Thursday. “We continue to follow the science data and facts as we guide the public to safer interactions. The most important thing that San Franciscans can do to slow the spread of the virus is to take health and safety precautions, including staying home if sick and getting tested even if they have even one symptom of Covid.”

San Francisco Mayor London Breed said she has paused the city’s plans to reopen further, which was originally slated for June 29.

5:28 p.m. ET, July 2, 2020

Records show 11-year-old boy is the youngest to die from Covid-19 in Florida

From CNN's Denise Royal

An 11-year-old boy from Miami-Dade County is the youngest person to die from Covid-19 complications, according to the Florida Department of Health.

According to the latest health records, he is the third minor in Florida to die of complications from the virus. The others were a 16-year-old girl in Lee County and a 17-year-old boy in Pasco County.

Records show the 11-year-old fatality is not a travel-related case but it's unclear if the child recently had close contact with anyone who had Covid-19.

The latest numbers: As of last Friday, about 7,000 young people in Florida have tested positive for novel coronavirus.

5:45 p.m. ET, July 2, 2020

Vice President Pence was asked about next month's GOP convention in Florida. Here's what he said.

From CNN's Nikki Carvajal

Vice President Mike Pence said he’s heard “very sophisticated plans” to make sure the Republican National Convention in Jacksonville, Florida is a “safe and healthy environment” when it convenes late next month.

Speaking at a news conference with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in Florida on Thursday, Pence was asked if people in vulnerable populations should stay home and skip the RNC. He didn’t directly answer yes or no.

“We’re excited about coming to Jacksonville,” Pence said, “and I was in a meeting not long ago when I heard about some very sophisticated plans to make sure it’s a safe and healthy environment.”

“Our job right now is to do everything in our power to support the efforts of your governor and the people of Florida to bring these numbers down, and I believe we can,” Pence added.

Some context: The Florida Department of Health is reporting at least 10,109 additional coronavirus cases on Thursday, bringing the state total to approximately 169,106, according to data released by the state.

Thursday's data marks a new record daily high of infections in Florida since the start of the pandemic.

Admiral Dr. Brett Giroir, the assistant secretary for health for the US Department of Health and Human Services, told the the House Select Committee on Coronavirus that “four states are counting for about 50% of our new cases, and they're very concerning to all in public health.”

Those states are California, Arizona, Texas and Florida – who all posted record new cases this week, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Watch: