August 13 coronavirus news

Hawaii has reported its highest single-day case count of Covid-19 with 355 cases, according to a release from the Hawaii Covid-19 Joint Information Center today. 

The state's health department has also reported at least 86 new Covid-19 cases, which are part of an existing cluster at the Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC).

At least 116 cases of Covid-19 are attributable to the facility. There are 24 staffers and 92 inmates who have tested positive for Covid-19, according to health investigators.

Note: These numbers were released by Hawaii’s Covid-19 Joint Information Center, and may not line up exactly in real time with CNN’s database drawn from Johns Hopkins University and the Covid Tracking Project.

US workers could save $150 billion between September and December of 2020 due to President Trump’s executive action of a payroll tax deferral. But workers may have to pay back the money in 2021, according to an analysis by the Anderson Economic Group released Thursday. The payroll tax is used to fund Social Security.  

The President does not have the authority to eliminate the payroll tax even for a short period, but Congress does, the group says. Unless Congress altogether eliminates the payroll tax from September to December, Americans will likely owe the deferred funds in 2021 when they’re are doing their taxes.

Americans can expect to save between $1,000 and $2,000 per month with the payroll tax deferral, the group estimates.

But ceasing contributions to Social Security, “even for a short period, would have a negative impact on a system that is already on shaky ground financially,” said Brian Peterson, director of Public Policy & Economic Analysis at the Anderson Economic Group. The Social Security Administration estimates that the fund is on pace to run out in 2035, without taking the effects of Covid-19 into account.

NCAA President Mark Emmert says that no fall sports championships can happen due to lack of participation among schools amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The only exception is “FBS football," he said.

The College Football Playoff (CFP) serves as the championship event for FBS football which brings in millions of dollars to the NCAA and participating institutions. The CFP said in a news release on Thursday that the committee will continue with their process without the Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences. 

"We don't know right now what the season will bring, but as a committee, we are ready to use the protocol and the expertise of the 13 people who have been charged with selecting the teams," said Gary Barta, Iowa’s athletic director and CFP committee chair, said in a statement.

“The committee's task is to rank the teams based on what happens on the field. This week gave us a great chance to catch up with the familiar faces and welcome our three new members to the process. If the board and management committee say we are having a CFP, we will be ready," the statement added.

Georgia's health department has reported 2,674 new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday.  

The statewide Covid-19 total is now 228,668.

The department also reported 83 new coronavirus-related deaths, which brings the total in the state to 4,538.  

According to the department of health, the state reported 136 deaths Tuesday – its most in a single day since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic – and another 109 deaths Wednesday.

Note: These numbers 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.

The presence of ongoing symptoms after coronavirus recovery is “very disturbing,” Dr. Anthony Fauci told actor Matthew McConaughey in an interview on Instagram on Thursday.

Fauci said that although health experts are learning more about the virus every week, there is much that is still unknown. 

“It's very disturbing, because if this is true for a lot of people, then just recovering from this may not be OK." 

A Los Angeles megachurch that has remained open despite state guidelines ordering indoor worship services closed is suing the state over what they believe are unfair Covid-19 restrictions. 

The suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court Wednesday on behalf of Pastor John MacArthur and Grace Community Church named California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Xavier Becerra, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, among others. 

The suit accuses the state government officials of selectively restricting gatherings and interfering with their religious freedom.

Some context: Last month, Newsom ordered churches, gyms, shopping malls and other businesses to close indoor operations in counties on the state’s watch list as coronavirus infections surged in a state that has seen more than 10,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

The 38 counties on the state's watch list make up more than 90% of the state’s population.

The governor’s order came after outbreaks of the coronavirus were traced to multiple houses of worship that had previously remained open. Under the governor’s order, however, churches are allowed to continue holding services outdoors and many have since moved ceremonies online. 

Becerra’s office referred CNN to the governor’s office for comment. Spokespersons for Newsom did not immediately respond.

MacArthur told CNN on Tuesday, roughly 6,000 people had attended services at Grace Community Church in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley over the past couple of weeks and alleged that church-goers don’t “buy the deadly narrative” surrounding Covid-19. 

The church could face a fine of $1,000 per day for violating health orders.

There is a national strategy for testing and it’s working, Adm. Dr. Brett Giroir said.

He said that they take 40% of the Abbott supply chain and deliver it to public health labs around the country, and when it comes to supplies, Giroir said they take orders from every state for swabs and tubes of media, and “deliver exactly what they want, every single day.”   

“I do want to be clear about this: not every laboratory can get the exact reagent they want. I’ve tried to be clear about this all along," Giroir said.

As far as supplies used for other tests, Giroir said, “Those generic kind of things we are aware of and are working on.” 

Giroir said the Department of Defense and others are working with manufacturers to dramatically increase the supply and they will work on anything else that “pops up.” 

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, along with Lori Shibinette, commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, announced new reopening recommendations for long-term care facilities with the goal of gradually reducing restrictions at facilities.

Shibinette laid out the four phases within the reopening recommendations. They are...

Visitors who will be allowed to visit residents in phase 2 and 3 of the reopening plan will not have to be tested for Covid-19 prior to the visit, said Shibinette, who added that the guidance for the visit will be enough to protect residents.

As of now, facilities in Coos, Grafton and Merrimack counties will be able to enter phase 3 in 14 days if they maintain their progress, said Shibinette. She also emphasized that if cases start to go up in any county, reopening long-term care facilities can and will be scaled back.

The latest numbers: The state reported at least 34 new Covid-19 cases as well as two new deaths. The governor said there are no new hospitalizations and the statewide positivity rate is around 1%.

Note: The numbers listed were released by the New Hampshire governor’s office and may not line up exactly in real time with CNN’s database drawn from Johns Hopkins University and the Covid Tracking Project. 

President Trump said Thursday that he’s looking into potentially delivering an in-person speech at the United Nations General Assembly this year, despite the pandemic.  

“Yeah, I’m thinking about going directly to the UN to do the speech. A lot of people will not because of Covid, will not be able to be there, as you know. But I think it’s appropriate, if we can do it’ll do it directly,” Trump said during a White House press briefing. 

This year's UNGA session is scheduled for late September and marks the 75th anniversary of the general assembly. 

The President said that this year’s general assembly “will not be like in the past because some countries won’t be able to escape the problems they’re having.”