The latest on the coronavirus pandemic

By Jessie Yeung, Steve George, Melissa Macaya, Meg Wagner and Fernando Alfonso III, CNN

Updated 2:04 a.m. ET, July 18, 2020
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4:22 p.m. ET, July 17, 2020

San Francisco joins California's list of counties to watch after Covid-19 hospitalizations rise

From CNN’s Jenn Selva

San Francisco has joined more than 30 other counties on California’s “watch list” due to a rise in Covid-19 hospitalizations, Mayor London Breed said today.

“On April 11, we had 94 people in the hospital. By mid-June we were down to as low as 26 people. We’re now back up to 80 people in the hospital,” Breed said.

When a county is added to the state’s “watch list,” officials are required to close all indoor activities. Because of San Francisco’s early stage of reopening, the main difference will be closing all malls and non-essential offices.

Breed said the county will continue to pause its reopening indefinitely.

The mayor also announced a new health order starting July 20, that requires private health care providers to increase testing by providing same-day testing for patients with coronavirus symptoms and those who have had close contact with people confirmed to have Covid-19.

“Additionally, private hospitals must provide testing to asymptomatic workers in jobs with risk of exposure,” Breed said. “The delays we’re seeing in testing cannot continue.”

San Francisco Department of Public Health Director Grant Colfax warned that the average age of people hospitalized with Covid-19 symptoms since July 1 is 41 years old.

As of today, San Francisco has reported a total of at least 4,985 confirmed cases and at least 52 deaths.

4:20 p.m. ET, July 17, 2020

Brazil's infection rate has "stabilized" but "concerted action" needed, WHO says

From Mia Alberti

A health worker takes a resident's blood sample at a testing site for COVID-19 amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, July 17, 2020. 
A health worker takes a resident's blood sample at a testing site for COVID-19 amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, July 17, 2020.  Silvia Izquierdo/AP

The infection rate of Covid-19 in Brazil has stabilized, the World Health Organization said on Friday, a day after Brazil surpassed 2 million cases of the disease.

"The virus is not in a sense doubling itself in the community as quickly as it was before. So the rise in Brazil is no longer exponential, it has plateaued, but the cases and deaths continue to occur, and there is absolutely no guarantee that that will go down by itself," Dr. Mike Ryan, director of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme, said during a press briefing in Geneva Friday.

Ryan said Brazil now has an "opportunity" to "push the disease down" and take control of the pandemic in the country if the government acts swiftly.

"Up to now, in many countries including Brazil, the virus has been in charge, the virus sets the rules. We need to set the rules for the virus and there is an opportunity once those numbers have stabilized to drive transmission downwards and I think that opportunity exists now for Brazil to do that but it's going to take a very sustained and concerted action," Ryan said.

Latest numbers: Brazil has registered a total of 2,012,151 cases of Covid-19, according to the latest data released by the country’s Health Ministry on Thursday. The total number of fatalities is 76,688.

Brazil is the second country in the world with most coronavirus cases, after the US.

Watch:

3:26 p.m. ET, July 17, 2020

House Education committee accuses White House of blocking CDC from testifying next week

From CNN's Jim Acosta and Manu Raju

CDC Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield testifying at a Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill on July 2, 2020 in Washington, DC.
CDC Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield testifying at a Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill on July 2, 2020 in Washington, DC. Graeme Jennings/Pool/Getty Images

The House Education Committee accused the White House Friday of blocking US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials from testifying before their committee next week on reopening the nation's schools. 

"This lack of transparency does a great disservice to the many communities across the country facing difficult decisions about reopening schools this fall," committee chair Rep. Robert Scott said in a statement.

CNN has reached out to the White House and Vice President's office for comment.

The committee sent a letter to CDC Director Robert Redfield on July 9 inviting him to testify.  

How to reopen schools this fall has become a divisive issue. President Trump, in recent weeks, has repeatedly called for schools to reopen, even as the coronavirus pandemic surges across parts of the country. Meanwhile, teachers, health care professionals and more cautious political leaders are wary of rushing the process.

The CDC confirmed yesterday that it is delaying the release of new reference documents on safely reopening schools.

3:17 p.m. ET, July 17, 2020

Florida's governor says he won't close gyms despite surging Covid-19 cases

From CNN's Shawn Nottingham

A 24 Hour Fitness gym is seen on June 15, 2020 in Miami, Florida.
A 24 Hour Fitness gym is seen on June 15, 2020 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he won’t close the state’s gyms, claiming a healthy lifestyle will put people at lower risk for developing severe cases of coronavirus.

 “If you are good shape you have a very, very low likelihood of ending up in significant condition as a result of the coronavirus," DeSantis said during an afternoon news conference in Apopka, Florida.

Remember: Coronavirus has more severe outcomes on older people, Blacks and Hispanics, and people with underlying health conditions, according to demographic data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But health officials are warning that a rise in younger people testing positive for coronavirus will hit vulnerable populations. 

As the number of coronavirus cases climb in Florida, DeSantis today said 21% of the state’s hospital beds remain available. The governor said that number is actually higher than the number of beds available in the state in March of this year. 

Additionally, DeSantis said he has been told by the White House that a new shipment of Remdesivir is being expedited to state. He says he hopes the shipment of the coronavirus treatment drug will be delivered by this weekend.  

The governor lauded the state’s test capacity, saying Florida is currently testing more than 100,000 people a day.

He went on to say that the state’s positivity rate has stabilized and even declined. DeSantis says the state’s positivity rate is currently at about 12-13%. 

Some background: DeSantis' comments come as the state averages just over 55 cases per 100,000 people, according to an analysis of Johns Hopkins University data. For five consecutive days, Florida has led the nation in coronavirus cases per capita.

Florida took over the top spot from Arizona on Monday. Arizona — which had held the top spot for over a month — dropped to third, behind Louisiana.

3:20 p.m. ET, July 17, 2020

More than 1 million coronavirus tests completed in Massachusetts, governor says

From CNN's Hollie Silverman

A COVID-19 test is administered at the Whittier Street Health Center's mobile test site on. Wednesday, July 15, 2020, in Boston, Mass.
A COVID-19 test is administered at the Whittier Street Health Center's mobile test site on. Wednesday, July 15, 2020, in Boston, Mass. Elise Amendola/AP

There were 1.3 million coronavirus tests completed in Massachusetts as of Friday, Gov. Charlie Baker announced during an afternoon news conference today. 

There were 143 new positive Covid-19 tests reported for a total of 106,707 cases, according to the governor. The positivity rate is now at 1.7% in Massachusetts.  

There are currently 557 people hospitalized, including 77 people in the intensive care unit, Baker said.

Baker said that there are six hospitals using some form of surge capacity in Massachusetts but they aren't all due to Covid-19.

3:11 p.m. ET, July 17, 2020

Massachusetts governor supports cities creating additional Covid-19 restrictions

From CNN's Hollie Silverman

Governor Charlie Baker speaks at a press conference after a tour of The New England Center for Children on July 13, 2020 in Southborough, Massachusetts. 
Governor Charlie Baker speaks at a press conference after a tour of The New England Center for Children on July 13, 2020 in Southborough, Massachusetts.  Nancy LanePool/AFP/Getty Images

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said that he supports local municipalities creating additional restrictions as long as they don't negate the guidance issued by the state.

During a Friday afternoon news conference, Baker said additional restrictions — such as how Gloucester is limiting beach lots to only residents — are "perfectly appropriate."

"Most of the policies that we've established, either as guidance or as advisories, or even the orders, are what we consider to be a statewide framework and if locals wish to pursue a slightly different policy that involves their communities, as long as it's not a policy that negates what we've put in place for guidance, because we believe the guidance that we put out there represents what we would call a safe approach to deal with this stuff, we're okay with that," Baker explained.

2:49 p.m. ET, July 17, 2020

Robert Durst's trial may be delayed to April 2021 due to Covid-19

From CNN’s Paul Vercammen

Real estate heir Robert Durst looks over during his murder trial on March 10, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. 
Real estate heir Robert Durst looks over during his murder trial on March 10, 2020 in Los Angeles, California.  Alex Gallardo/Pool/Getty Images

A Los Angeles deputy district attorney is proposing the murder trial of Robert Durst, subject of the HBO series, “The Jinx,” be delayed until April 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’ll keep the same jury pick up where we left off,” district attorney John Lewin said.

Judge Mark E. Windham told both sides to return in two weeks to allow the defense team to discuss the proposed delay with Durst and mull over a second prosecution offer.

Lewin also asked the Durst lawyers to consider removing the jury from the proceedings and make it a bench trial where the judge decides the verdict. 

“The current trial as a matter of law has been irreparably damaged” with the coronavirus surge, said defense attorney David Chesnoff via teleconference broadcast into the Inglewood courtroom. 

The Durst team again asked for a mistrial and a longer adjournment in the proceedings.

The judge denied the mistrial motion but the prosecution’s proposal opens the door to addressing the lengthy adjournment request.

Durst, 77, did not appear in court, remaining in protective custody in the Twin Towers Jail medical unit.

Chesnoff said Durst is elderly and at a high risk to catch Covid-19.

2:10 p.m. ET, July 17, 2020

A combination of community measures are needed to keep Covid-19 under control, WHO official says

From CNN's Naomi Thomas

WHO Health Emergencies Programme head Michael Ryan speaks during a press conference on July 3 at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
WHO Health Emergencies Programme head Michael Ryan speaks during a press conference on July 3 at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Fabrice Coffrini/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

So many modes of transmission come into play in close, overcrowded, indoor environments, and people need to understand and manage their risk in these situations, said Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Programme.

“It is important, as I’ve said previously, that governments communicate those risks very, very carefully. And it is also important that providers, authorities and others ensure that those environments are as safe as possible, and that those risks are also managed,” Ryan said during a WHO media briefing in Geneva on Friday.

While the best combination of interventions remains unknown, Ryan said that if individuals and communities are aware of the risks – and authorities take actions to ensure safety in places such as schools, buildings and restaurants – countries can control the virus.

“It’s not one thing,” Ryan said. “It is a combination of measures in which the community, in partnership with each other and in partnership with the authorities, come to a sustainable way of controlling and suppressing the transmission of the virus, and living with the virus in a way that normal human activity can resume in a successful way.”

Science continuing to understand human transmission and how it happens is very important for this, as it will help to ensure how the measures being put into place need to be adapted, he said.

2:05 p.m. ET, July 17, 2020

Lowes and Home Depot shoppers will now have to wear masks

From CNN's Melanie Schuman

Customers walk in the parking lot of the Home Depot in Wappingers Falls, New York, on July 1.
Customers walk in the parking lot of the Home Depot in Wappingers Falls, New York, on July 1. Patrick Oehler/Poughkeepsie Journal/Imagn

Lowes and Home Depot will soon require customers to wear masks in their stores. The mask order begins on Monday at Lowes and Wednesday at Home Depot. 

Home Depot said about 85% of its stores already require masks due to local and state regulations. Associates across all stores are required to wear masks, according to a press release.

"We appreciate all of our associates who have been working so hard to serve our customers with the essential products they need throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and we want to thank our customers for their cooperation as we work to protect everyone in our stores," Ann-Marie Campbell, executive vice president of stores for The Home Depot, said.

Associates at Lowes already are required to wear masks.

“As a retailer offering essential goods, we have a responsibility to our associates, customers and small businesses in communities nationwide to help provide a safe shopping experience," said Marvin R. Ellison, Lowe's president and CEO. "Throughout this pandemic, our associates have worked tirelessly so customers could get the goods and services they needed for their homes and small businesses. For the safety of everyone in our stores, we ask that customers wear masks, and to make this new standard less restrictive, we will make masks available to those who need them."

The home improvement giants are the latest US retailers to require customers wear masks. CVS, Target and Walmart all announced their own mask orders this week.