Record number of new Covid-19 cases reported in Georgia
From CNN’s Dianne Gallagher and Pamela Kirkland
The Georgia Department of Public Health reported 4,813 new cases of Covid-19 on Friday.
That’s the highest number of new cases reported in a 24-hour period by the department since the the pandemic began. The previous record of 4,689 new cases was reported on July 18.
Georgia's statewide Covid-19 case total is now 161,401.
The department also reported 82 new deaths. The total death toll for Georgia is now 3,442.
There were 399 new Covid-19-related hospitalizations recorded on Friday.
To note: These figures were released by the Georgia 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.
6:14 p.m. ET, July 24, 2020
McConnell says he hopes the stimulus bill will pass in the "next few weeks"
From CNN's Ted Barrett
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) leaves after a closed door briefing at the US Capitol on July 2 in Washington. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday the Senate Republican Covid-19 stimulus bill “will be announced on Monday” and he hopes it will lead to negotiations and passage of a bill “in the next few weeks.”
The Senate is scheduled to start its recess in two weeks and the House in one week, although House Democratic leaders have said they’re prepared to stay in session to complete work on the bill.
Speaking at a news conference in Ashland, Kentucky, McConnell said lawmakers have spent $3 trillion already in response to the outbreak and subsequent shutdown of the economy and therefore “need to be very careful what we do next” because that spending led to “a national debt the size of our economy for the first time since World War II, so that in itself is concerning.”
McConnell said Republicans “envision another round of direct cash payments, especially to those making $40,000 a year and less” with a focus on “the hospitality industry (which) has been really hit hard."
The Kentucky Republican also said he expects an extension of federal unemployment benefits would be included in the bill but not the $600 federal payments to those out of work because Republicans believe it’s created a disincentive for people to return to their jobs.
“But I do think basic unemployment insurance, fundamentally handled by the state but backed up by us will be a part of it,” McConnell said.
Finally, McConnell explained the GOP proposal will include liability protections for businesses, schools, and other entities to make sure they are not sued if people get sick as the economy reopens, he has explained before.
“The measure will include liability protection, for the coronavirus only, beginning in December 2019 and running for the next four years,” he said. “That will be the beginning of the discussion with the Democrats next week. Hopefully, we can come together behind something we can agree on in the next few weeks.”
6:11 p.m. ET, July 24, 2020
Brazil reports nearly 56,000 new Covid-19 cases
From Márcia Reverdosa and Taylor Barnes
Brazil’s health ministry said it recorded 55,891 new coronavirus cases on Friday, bringing the country’s total to 2,343,366.
It also registered 1,156 new fatalities due to the virus, raising the total death toll to 85,238.
With Friday's new cases, Brazil has added a total of nearly 300,000 new Covid-19 infections in the last seven days.
6:02 p.m. ET, July 24, 2020
NFL will not issue fan capacity guidelines ahead of 2020 regular season
From CNN's Jabari Jackson
The National Football League will not issue any uniform guidelines for stadium capacity ahead of the regular season.
The number of fans at stadiums will be determined on a “market-by-market basis” with “guidance” coming from public health officials along with local and state guidelines, a league spokesperson confirms to CNN.
The New Orleans Saints issued a statement via their verified Twitter account on Friday that revealed the league’s plans for allowing fans back in the stands ahead of the 2020 regular season. “(NFL) will allow each team to make that determination, based on local guidelines and restrictions and CDC recommendations,” the team tweeted.
The NFL also will not recommend a number of fans at stadiums for the season. “There is no set number on the number of fans,” a league spokesperson tells CNN. Face coverings will be mandated for all fans who attend games this season.
A handful of teams have released details on limited capacity and changes to the game day experience for fans amid Covid-19 concerns. The 2020 NFL regular season is scheduled to kick off on September 10, as the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs play host to the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium.
5:50 p.m. ET, July 24, 2020
Entire Michigan State football team under 14-day quarantine
From CNN's Jill Martin
Michigan State University. Shutterstock
The entire Michigan State University football team has been placed under a 14-day quarantine after a second staff member and student-athlete tested positive on Thursday for Covid-19, the school said in a statement.
“Based on early results from Covid-19 testing conducted over the last week on football staff and student-athletes, which included a second staff member and one student-athlete testing positive on Thursday, all members of the football team will quarantine or isolate, while awaiting completion of a 14-day quarantine," the university said.
Michigan State has "designated areas available to house individuals in quarantine as needed based upon the living arrangements for student-athletes," the university said.
"Surveillance testing of student-athletes was completed on Wednesday, July 22 as previously planned, and will be repeated prior to their clearance to return to workouts," the university added.
5:39 p.m. ET, July 24, 2020
Oregon reports its highest number of new coronavirus deaths in a single day
From CNN's Chandler Thornton
Lillian Navarro-Reynolds, PA, with ¡Salud! Services, prepares a Covid-19 nasal swab at Bethel Heights Vineyard near Salem, Oregon, on Tuesday, July 7. Brian Hayes/Salem Statesman Journal/USA Today
Oregon recorded nine new Covid-19 deaths Friday, its highest number since the outbreak began, according to the state's health department.
The health department also reported 396 new Covid-19 cases, bringing Oregon's total to 16,104.
The nine new deaths were people who were 61 years old or older, the health department said.
Among the new cases were an outbreak reported at Norris Blueberry Farm in Douglas County, where 22 people tested positive.
Oregon has mandated face coverings statewide in indoor and outdoor public spaces. Starting Friday, the state also mandated children age 5 and older wear a face covering.
5:30 p.m. ET, July 24, 2020
Texas reports second-highest number of Covid-19 cases in a single day
From CNN's Raja Razek
Texas reported 196 new Covid-19 related deaths, the second highest number of coronavirus-related deaths in a single day, according to data released by the the state's Department of State Health Services on Friday.
The state's total number of deaths due to Covid-19 is now 4,717.
Texas also reported 8,701 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number to 369,826.
To note: These figures were released by the Texas Department of State Health Services and may not line up exactly in real-time with CNN’s database drawn from Johns Hopkins University and the Covid Tracking Project.
5:23 p.m. ET, July 24, 2020
Record number of new Covid-19 cases reported to WHO over the past 24 hours
From CNN's Ben Tinker
There were 284,196 new Covid-19 cases reported to the World Health Organization in the last 24 hours, according to a situation report published Friday.
The total number of cases that have been reported to WHO from around the globe is now 15,296,926.
The rise in newly reported cases sets another record for cases reported to WHO within a 24-hour period. The previous record was set last Saturday, with 259,848 new cases of Covid-19.
Friday's report also noted there were 9,753 additional Covid-19 deaths reported to WHO in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths worldwide to 628,903.
5:17 p.m. ET, July 24, 2020
ICE not allowing newly enrolled students to enter the US for online-only classes
From CNN's Elizabeth Stuart and Geneva Sands
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Friday that newly enrolled international students won't be allowed to enter the United States if their classes are offered online only.
Students will be allowed to enter the US to enroll in a US school to pursue hybrid coursework for the fall semester, and the rules will not apply to international students who were already enrolled at colleges or universities in the US last semester and are returning, even if their school is fully online.
According to the release, schools should continue to abide by guidance put out in March 2020, which allowed students under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) to study virtually "in excess of regulatory limits" due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"Nonimmigrant students in new or initial status after March 9 will not be able to enter the U.S. to enroll in a U.S. school as a nonimmigrant student for the fall term to pursue a full course of student that is 100 percent online," according to ICE's release.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration withdrew its policy that would prevent all international students from staying in the US if they were taking their courses completely online, after 17 attorneys general and DC filed a lawsuit.
