July 29 coronavirus news

There have been at least 403,307 cases of Covid-19 in Texas since the start of the pandemic, according to the latest figures released by the Department of State Health Services.

This is an increase of 9,042 from Tuesday’s report, according to the dashboard. At least 9,595 Covid-19 patients are hospitalized statewide, according to the department's dashboard. 

The department also said at least 6,190 people have died from the virus in the state since the pandemic started.

Note: These numbers were released by 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.

Denver Public Schools will “extend 100% remote instruction” from the start of the school year until the end of the first quarter, a statement on the district’s website announced Wednesday.

Remote instruction will begin on Aug. 24 and run through at least Oct. 16, which is the end of the first quarter of the school year, the statement said. 

“We’ll be working hard to safely and gradually welcome all students back into schools, when health conditions allow,” District Superintendent Susana Cordova wrote in the statement.

However, the district did say that it will be working toward bringing back small groups of students for in-person learning as soon as Sept. 8. 

Some more context: This announcement comes two weeks after the district said they would delay the start of the school year to Aug. 24 and it clarifies that remote learning will last at least until the end of the first quarter. The district initially said that its plan was to return to full, in-person instruction on June 26.

Denver Public Schools has nearly 94,000 students who attend 207 schools, according to the district's website.

The National Basketball Association has unveiled a new community testing program, which will provide thousands of no-cost Covid-19 tests in Orlando and team markets nationwide.

The program is an extension of the NBA’s Together initiative, the league’s community and social engagement campaign designed to support, educate and inspire youth, families and fans in response to the pandemic.

In a statement released Wednesday, the NBA said, “Public health data has made clear that the impacts of the coronavirus are most concentrated in historically marginalized communities of color where access to testing is scarce. To meet this need, the NBA collaborated with UnidosUS and the National Urban League as well as several private laboratories to identify communities most in need and provide access to no-cost programs in addition to communicating public health information to community members.”

The tests are being provided in partnership with BioReference Laboratories, the league’s testing provider at its campus in Orlando. Residents in the Orlando area can register for the free Covid-19 tests here.

The NBA added that it will continue to work with UnidosUS and the National Urban League “to continue to explore additional testing programs and work together to amplify the latest global health and safety information.”

Fifty-six percent of all new Covid-19 cases in Maryland are in people under the age of 40, Gov. Larry Hogan said at a news conference today.

The positivity rate of Marylanders 35 and older has been declining for more than 12 weeks, but people under the age of 35 are testing positive at a rate 76.8% higher than that of people 35 and older. 

Hospitalizations have increased 28% in the past two weeks. A total of 571 people have been hospitalized, Hogan added. Maryland has 145 intensive care unit beds currently in use and has seen the uptick in acute care beds mostly in younger people.

Note: These numbers were released by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, and may not line up exactly in real time with CNN’s database drawn from Johns Hopkins University and the Covid Tracking Project.

Face masks must be worn in all state government offices and buildings in South Carolina starting Monday, Gov. Henry McMaster announced Wednesday.

During a news conference in Columbia, McMaster told reporters that starting Monday, restaurants will be required to “limit customer service” and have no more than 50% occupancy.

“Restaurant employees and patrons will be required by law to a mask or face coverings” in order to slow down the spread of coronavirus. Tables are required by law to be six feet apart with no more than eight people per table, McMaster said.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control announced 1,666 new confirmed Covid-19 cases and 48 additional deaths on Wednesday. This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 85,423 and confirmed deaths to 1,551.

Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert, who was supposed to travel to Texas with President Trump today but tested positive during a pre-flight screening, issued a video statement on Twitter saying, “The reports of my demise are a great deal premature.”

He went on to say that Republican Sen. Rand Paul told him that he should be “immune” in 10 days or so.

“Rand Paul was just texting me that the good news is that in 10 days or so I should be, really well, immune,” he said in the video statement.

CNN has reached out to Paul’s office.

More than 150,000 people have died in the United States from coronavirus, according to the latest data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

There are at least 150,034 deaths and 4,396,030 cases across the country so far.  

The first death in the US was reported on February 29:

Although the ideal Covid-19 vaccine would completely prevent infection, a shot that reduces severe illness and mortality is still a success, Naor Bar-Zeev, deputy director of the International Vaccine Access Center at Johns Hopkins University, said Wednesday.

Herd immunity, which is when enough of a population is immune to an infectious disease that the spread from person to person is unlikely, is not on the cards for the next few years, Bar-Zeev said, as the number of doses available of vaccine will be insufficient to produce it.

“What we want to do is reduce severe disease among the people at highest risk,” he said. “So a vaccine that does that but allows infection to carry on, you know causing a mild cold, fantastic, bring it on, that’s wonderful.”

He also pointed out that herd immunity would require more than just an effective vaccine. It also requires community participation and coverage.

“If 50% of Americans don’t want to be vaccinated, for example, because of hesitancy or safety concerns, then even a 100% effective vaccine won’t achieve herd immunity,” he said.

At least 12 additional New York City bars have had their liquor licenses suspended for “egregious violations” of Covid-19 regulations, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office announced Wednesday.

So far, 57 businesses have had licenses suspended for these violations, part of the state’s continued crackdown on businesses not enforcing coronavirus guidelines. 

The state police and the liquor board authority have done 1,131 compliance checks so far this week, and have cited 55 violations at establishments, which can carry a fine of up to $10,000 per violation.