August 14 coronavirus news

By Helen Regan, Brad Lendon, Melissa Macaya, Zamira Rahim and Laura Smith-Spark, CNN

Updated 12:36 a.m. ET, August 15, 2020
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4:47 p.m. ET, August 14, 2020

More than 96% of schools in California to begin the academic year online

From CNN's Cheri Mossburg

Schools grounds stand empty at the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex on March 19, 2020 in Los Angeles, California.
Schools grounds stand empty at the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex on March 19, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. David McNew/Getty Images

More than 96% of California students will start the school year with distance learning, Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a news conference.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to bear down on the west coast, schooling remains a top concern for students, teachers, and parents. 

“We don’t just want people to take lectures and just videotape them and put them online,” Newsom said. “This has to be a much more interactive process where we want students brought into the screen, truly engaged peer-to-peer and not just with the interaction of the teacher.”

How remote learning will work: Only 71% of districts are confident that students will have the technology needed for online learning. As such, California has partnered with many tech and office supply companies to ensure each student has a laptop or tablet and access to Wi-Fi.

There is a run on supplies nationwide, but many companies are prioritizing schools in providing the needed devices, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond said.

“These circumstances are not ideal as students return to school,” Thurmond said, “but students continue to learn, even under these conditions.”

Educators are leaning in, State School Board President Linda Darling-Hammond, said.

“We've come a long way since spring," Darling-Hammond said.

She believes that when it is time to go back to the classroom, students and teachers will return more technologically proficient.

3:58 p.m. ET, August 14, 2020

Here's what CDC says about tests and quarantines for those who recovered from Covid-19

From CNN's Jacqueline Howard

A Mend Urgent Care worker performs drive-up COVID-19 testing at James Jordan Middle School on August 10 in Winnetka, California.
A Mend Urgent Care worker performs drive-up COVID-19 testing at James Jordan Middle School on August 10 in Winnetka, California. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

If you have recovered from Covid-19, you may not need to quarantine or get tested again for up to three months — as long as you don't develop symptoms again, according to recently updated guidance on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website. 

Regarding who needs to quarantine, the guidance states, "People who have tested positive for COVID-19 do not need to quarantine or get tested again for up to 3 months as long as they do not develop symptoms again. People who develop symptoms again within 3 months of their first bout of COVID-19 may need to be tested again if there is no other cause identified for their symptoms."

A CDC spokesperson confirmed to CNN on Friday that an agency webpage "was updated with that information mid-last week."

Some context: Preliminary research has suggested previously that after people are infected with the novel coronavirus, their risk of reinfection may be lower in the first three months after their initial infection  — but that natural immunity to the virus could start to decline within months as their antibodies may wane over time.

Antibodies are the proteins the body makes to fight infection.

 

3:43 p.m. ET, August 14, 2020

West Virginia governor announces new color-coded Covid-19 rating system based on positivity rate

From CNN’s James Froio

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice speaks during a press briefing in Charleston, West Virginia, on August 14.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice speaks during a press briefing in Charleston, West Virginia, on August 14. Youtube/Gov. Jim Justice

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice announced the implementation of a new, color-coded rating system that will revolve around a seven day, rolling cumulative positivity rate number.

"Each county in our state will receive a code, basically either a green, yellow, orange, or red code that will change daily," Justice said.

The governor stated that the goal is to get everyone in the green or yellow, and if any county goes into the red category, all schools in that county will automatically go 100% to virtual learning.

Counties that are currently in the green or yellow will be permitted to go forward with school and athletics.

"If you are orange or red right now, and it would happen to be days before the opening on September the 8th, you will not open until you get to yellow or green ... if you're in the orange, you've got to get yourself out of the orange in order to be able to have extracurricular activities or to open the school safely," the governor said. 

The governor also mentioned that for any counties that fall into the orange category, sports competitions will not be allowed to take place in that county. 

West Virginia how has a total of 8,274 cases, 157 total deaths, and 135 currently hospitalized with 52 in the intensive care unit, according to the governor.

Note: These numbers were released by the state of West Virginia and may not line up exactly in real time with CNN’s database drawn from Johns Hopkins University and the Covid Tracking Project.

2:42 p.m. ET, August 14, 2020

Illinois reports highest daily number of Covid-19 cases since May

From CNN’s Brad Parks and Kay Jones

Workers check in people at a mobile COVID-19 testing site on June 23 in Chicago.
Workers check in people at a mobile COVID-19 testing site on June 23 in Chicago. Scott Olson/Getty Images

Illinois' health department reported 2,264 new Covid-19 positive cases today, the highest daily number reported since May 24.

The state now has a total of 202,691 positive cases with a 4.1% positivity rate being reported over the past seven days, up slightly over the past couple of days’ report. 

The department reported a total of 7,721 deaths statewide.

Region 4, which includes seven counties east of St. Louis, Missouri, and the Mississippi River, is seeing increased positivity rates, according to the latest data.

The department said the region has seen six days of increased positivity. Region 4 has also surpassed the 8% positivity rate that would require additional mitigations measures implemented by the state if it experiences three consecutive days of 8% or higher positivity. 

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.

 

2:41 p.m. ET, August 14, 2020

Argentina's president extends quarantine measures

From CNN’s Claudia Rebaza

President of Argentina Alberto Fernandez speaks during a press conference on August 12 in Olivos, Argentina.
President of Argentina Alberto Fernandez speaks during a press conference on August 12 in Olivos, Argentina. Juan Mabromata/Pool/Getty Images)

Argentina’s President, Alberto Fernández, announced his country’s quarantine measures will be extended with some changes until Aug. 30.

During a televised speech on Friday, Fernández admitted the number of Covid-19 cases has increased across the country. The areas where transmission has spiked will go back to phase one, the president added.

“The problem is not the AMBA region now (referring to metro area of the capital city Buenos Aires ), the problem has spread across the country,” Fernández said.

The president asked Argentinians to take individual responsibility in order to stop the spread of the virus, explaining that “the transmission of the virus occurs mostly in (social) gatherings." 

“The whole world is sick and the only medicine is to reduce circulation among people and gatherings,” he added.

Fernández also announced that some activities will be able to resume such as individual sports. His government had announced the reopening of some economic activities between July 18 and Aug. 2 but it then had to extend quarantine measures until Aug.16.

Regions under the current quarantine measures are subject to a "mandatory, preventive and social isolation," where people can leave their homes only for essential needs such as food and medical services.

Argentina reported 7,498 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, bringing the total number to 276,072, according to the country’s health ministry. This comes a day after it announced a record number of 7,663 cases on Wednesday. 

Argentina’s health ministry announced 66 new deaths on Friday, with the death toll now reaching 5,428.

 

2:26 p.m. ET, August 14, 2020

Postal workers union endorses Biden and Harris: "This pandemic threatens the very survival of USPS"

From CNN’s Lindy Royce and Chris Boyette

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden and his running mate Senator Kamala Harris arrive to speak at a news conference at Alexis Dupont High School in Wilmington, Delaware, on August 12.
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden and his running mate Senator Kamala Harris arrive to speak at a news conference at Alexis Dupont High School in Wilmington, Delaware, on August 12. Carolyn Kaster/AP

A postal workers' union has endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for president and vice president of the United States.

“Vice President Biden is – was – and will continue to be – a fierce ally and defender of the United States Postal Service (USPS), letter carriers, and our fellow postal brothers and sisters,” Fredric Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), said in a statement Thursday.

“Since coming to the Senate in 2016, Senator Kamala Harris has put letter carriers and working families first,” the statement continued.

“And now, our country struggles to withstand the public health and economic crises caused by the Covid-19 virus. This pandemic threatens the very survival of USPS,” Rolando said. “Yet, while postal employees are on the front lines providing essential services to the public every day, the current administration refuses to provide the necessary financial relief that would strengthen the agency during this pandemic.”

The NALC represents 300,000 active and retired letter carriers.

Watch here:

1:56 p.m. ET, August 14, 2020

Georgia school district reports 108 Covid-19 cases

From CNN's Pamela Kirkland

The Cherokee County School District reported 80 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 1,106 students and staff quarantined as a result of those cases, for the week.

That number is almost triple the number of students and staff that were confirmed Covid-19 positive the prior week and double the number in quarantine. 

In the first two weeks of school, the district has reported a total of 108 confirmed cases of Covid-19 among students and staff. Last week, 28 positive cases of Covid-19 were reported and 563 were in quarantine.  

On Wednesday, Woodstock High School announced it would temporarily close in-person learning after identifying 14 positive cases.

In-person classes are tentatively set to resume there on Aug. 31. In-person classes are also set to resume on Aug. 31 at Etowah High School, which also had to temporarily stop in-person learning on Tuesday. 

  

1:54 p.m. ET, August 14, 2020

MLB Cardinals set to return Saturday after 16-day coronavirus induced hiatus

From CNN's David Close

A St. Louis Cardinals hat and glove sit on the dugout step during a MLB game at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on March 29, 2019.
A St. Louis Cardinals hat and glove sit on the dugout step during a MLB game at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on March 29, 2019. Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

The St. Louis Cardinals will return to the baseball field on Saturday after a Covid-19 outbreak within the team forced a 16-day hiatus from games.

The Cardinals, who last played on July 29 and have had 19 games postponed this season, will play a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox Saturday at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.

The team will stay in town to play a three-game set against the Cubs at Wrigley Field in hopes of making up as many games as possible.

Most MLB teams have played 19 of the 60-game regular season. The Cardinals have played just five games.

The Cardinals have had 10 players and seven staff members test positive for Covid-19. Previously, President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak revealed one player and one staff member had visited a hospital, although neither was hospitalized.

Earlier this season, the Miami Marlins had 21 members of the team test positive for Covid-19, forcing the team to miss multiple games.

1:51 p.m. ET, August 14, 2020

US agrees to extend border restrictions with Mexico and Canada

From CNN's Priscilla Alvarez

US Customs and Border Protection agents check a vehicle as commuters queue to cross the Mexican border towards the US at the Otay commercial crossing port in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico on July 7.
US Customs and Border Protection agents check a vehicle as commuters queue to cross the Mexican border towards the US at the Otay commercial crossing port in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico on July 7. Guillermo Arias/AFP/Getty Images

The United States has confirmed the US and Mexico and the US and Canada will extend shared border restrictions through Sept. 21, according to a tweet from Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf.

"We continue to work with our Canadian and Mexican partners to slow the spread of #COVID19. Accordingly, we have agreed to extend the limitation of non-essential travel at our shared land ports of entry through September 21," Wolf's tweet read.

 

Mexico's Foreign Ministry also tweeted about the extension earlier Friday saying, "After reviewing the spread of COVID-19, Mexico proposed to the US the extension for another month of non-essential land travel restrictions at the common border.”  

 

Some context: The announcement marks the latest extension of restrictions on nonessential travel after limits were initially put in place in late March. 

The restrictions have been in place since March 21 and prohibit non-essential travel. Essential travel includes individuals traveling for medical purposes, attending school or engaged in trade, like truck drivers, among others, according to a regulation notice published in late July.  

Some travelers are still permitted to cross, including, but not limited to, citizens returning home, those crossing for education or medical reasons, and those engaged in lawful cross-border trade. Thousands of people cross the US-Mexico border daily for work, school and other activities.

The US outpaces other countries in coronavirus cases, including Mexico and Canada, which have at least 505,751 and 123,194 cases, respectively, according to Johns Hopkins University data.