August 3 coronavirus news

By Joshua Berlinger, Brad Lendon, Amy Woodyatt, Ed Upright, Meg Wagner, Melissa Macaya and Mike Hayes, CNN

Updated 12:09 a.m. ET, August 4, 2020
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1:31 p.m. ET, August 3, 2020

85 Chicago police officers tested positive for Covid-19 in July

From CNN’s Gregory Lemos

Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown told reporters Monday that 85 Chicago police officers have tested positive for Covid-19 in the month of July, bringing the total to 677 total officers this year.

“Our officers keep coming back, risking their lives for the residents of Chicago to protect this city,” Brown said Monday. 

 

1:34 p.m. ET, August 3, 2020

Maryland governor issues emergency order to prohibit blanket school closures during pandemic

From CNN’s Pierre Meilhan

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan issued an amended emergency order to ensure that local schools and school systems can decide “to initially determine when to safely reopen” for in-person instruction based on public health guidance, his office said Monday.

Under the initial order, issued on April 5, local health departments continue to have the authority to close any individual facility deemed to be unsafe.

“The recovery plan for Maryland public schools stresses local flexibility within the parameters set by state officials. Over the last several weeks, school boards and superintendents made their own decisions about how and when to reopen public schools, after consultation with state and local health officials,” Hogan said in a statement.

 

2:39 p.m. ET, August 3, 2020

Illinois reports more than 1,000 Covid-19 cases for 13 straight days

From CNN’s Brad Parks in Chicago

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced today at least 1,298 new Covid-19 cases in the state.

This marks the thirteenth day in a row that the state has reported over 1,000 cases, according to the IDPH dashboard. There are 183,241 positive cases statewide, with a total of 7,526 deaths, up 10 since Sunday’s report.

IDPH also reports the statewide positivity rate for cases over the past seven days is 4%. 

Note: These numbers were released by the Illinois 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. 

CNN’s Kay Jones contributed to this report

1:36 p.m. ET, August 3, 2020

All 4 negotiators are in Pelosi's office for stimulus talks

From CNN's Phil Mattingly and Ted Barrett

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

All four negotiators are now in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office for today's stimulus negotiations. 

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer were expected to be in the meeting.

Asked if there should be any expectations for this meeting, Meadows responded, “None yet.”

Some background: The meeting comes as the two sides remain far apart on many key issues regarding the next emergency aid package. The Senate is scheduled to leave for August recess at the end of this week, but there's zero sense something will come together before then. Neither side wants to leave town for the month without reaching an agreement, but at this point, that agreement — and then the process of actually getting it through both chambers — is a long way off.

1:19 p.m. ET, August 3, 2020

New York governor says key Covid-19 numbers are "all great, great news" in the state

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo listed off some key statistics that were "all great, great news" as indicators for how the state is currently handling the spread of coronavirus.

He said as of yesterday there were 536 hospitalizations and 136 patients in intensive care units across the state. Cuomo said that these numbers are "a new low" since the height of the pandemic.

The governor said three people died from Covid-19 on Sunday.

He went on to congratulate New Yorkers for the progress on getting the numbers down, saying it has happened "purely a result of the actions they have been taking."

Cuomo noted that in contrast to other states where cases are spiking, in New York "after two and a half months of reopening the numbers have actually gone down."

He added "no expert predicted that."

WATCH:

2:09 p.m. ET, August 3, 2020

Michigan Senate cancels week of sessions as lawmaker tests positive for Covid-19

From CNN's Lauren del Valle

Michigan Senate sessions have been canceled this week out of precaution after a senator recently tested positive for Covid-19.

Michigan Senator Majority Leader Mike Shirkey announced the cancellation in a news release Monday.  

“In light of one of our colleagues recently testing positive for COVID-19, I encourage all caucus members to be tested,” he said.

“The Senate will cancel committees and session for this week, August 3-7, to allow adequate time for execution of protocols and receipt of results for individuals who choose to be tested.”

State Republican Sen. Tom Barrett announced Sunday that he tested positive for the virus after a routine test with the National Guard last Friday. 

State Republican Sen. Tom Barrett
State Republican Sen. Tom Barrett From Michigan Senate

Barrett, who is still an active part-time helicopter pilot in the Michigan Army National Guard, received the positive result during a routine screening before an upcoming training event, according to a news release from his office.   

“Thankfully I do not have any significant symptoms at this time, and I will be self-isolating according to medical guidelines. I have done my best to make contact with those I have been around in the past couple weeks so that they may also seek medical advice. I look forward to resuming my normal work schedule as quickly as possible," Barrett said in the news release.   

It is not immediately clear if other Michigan lawmakers have tested positive for Covid-19. CNN has reached out to Senate majority and minority leaders for comment. 

1:38 p.m. ET, August 3, 2020

Birx warns Covid-19 is "extraordinarily widespread" in the US. Here's a look at the latest figures. 

From CNN's Christina Maxouris and John King

Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

As back-to-school season gears up in the US, a top health expert says the country has entered a "new phase" of the coronavirus pandemic with cases rising in both urban and rural areas.

"But I want to be very clear," Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, told CNN on Sunday. "What we are seeing today is different from March and April. It is extraordinarily widespread. So everybody who lives in a rural area, you are not immune or protected from this virus and that is why we keep saying, no matter where you live in America, you need to wear a mask and socially distance."

So far, more than 4.6 million Americans have been infected and more than 150,000 have died from the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The US recorded nearly 1.9 million cases in July alone. And the country's death toll is now projected to reach at least 173,000 by August 22, according to a new composite forecast from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Watch CNN’s John King break down the latest Covid-19 figures and trends in the US:

12:33 p.m. ET, August 3, 2020

Columbus schools will start year completely remotely

From CNN's Annie Grayer

Public schools in Columbus, Ohio, will start the school year completely remotely for grades K-12 until at least Oct. 27, the end of the first quarter.

The district initially had planned to for pre-K-8 students to start the year in a hybrid learning model, with high school students in an all virtual mode.

For the district's one year-round school, Woodcrest Elementary, virtual classes will begin on July 29 and go until Oct. 26.

According to a news release, the change in plans was made after public health conditions in Franklin County got worse, "especially within the communities that Columbus City Schools serves, since the initial plan announcement."

"Ohio’s Public Health Advisory System currently rates Franklin County at Level 3, Red, indicating very high exposure and spread of COVID-19. The number of confirmed cases is rapidly increasing, and the level of risk is high even with strict health and safety protocols in place for our schools,” according to the release.

By CNN's count, 61 of the largest 101 districts in the US are now starting the school year with all online learning.

12:50 p.m. ET, August 3, 2020

More than 500 new Covid-19 cases reported in Pennsylvania

From CNN's Kristina Sgueglia

Pennsylvania's Department of Health is monitoring two counties that have recently had an increase in coronavirus cases.

Allegheny County had an increase of 68 cases and Philadelphia County had an increase of 71 cases, according to the state's Department of Health.

As CNN previously reported, an alert was sent to health care providers about the changing Covid-19 case demographics in the state, as there are more cases in younger age groups. 

The state added 565 new cases of coronavirus, according to the health department. Pennsylvania reported no new deaths as a result of coronavirus.

One thing to note: These numbers were released by the state’s public health agency, and may not line up exactly in real time with CNN’s database drawn from Johns Hopkins University and the Covid Tracking Project.