August 25 coronavirus news

The Georgia Department of Public Health reported at least 2,236 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday.  

That brings the statewide Covid-19 case total to approximately 258,354. 

The health department also reported at least 107 new deaths. The total number of deaths attributed to Covid-19 in Georgia is now approximately 5,262.    

The state reported at least 292 new Covid-19-related hospitalizations on Tuesday.  

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.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a new expanded statewide policy focused on slowing the spread of Covid-19 in restaurants and bars and combating rising coronavirus numbers in some parts of the state.

Beginning tomorrow, all restaurant and bar patrons must wear face coverings over their noses and their mouth when interacting with wait staff and other employees. Customers must follow this rule when food and beverages are brought to the table, when orders are placed and when picking up carry out orders, Pritzker said at a news conference Tuesday.

Hot spots: The governor also addressed the rising number of positive Covid-19 cases in Will and Kankakee counties. The average positivity rate for both counties exceeds 8% with the numbers of cases getting worse, not better. Pritzker said that the positivity level is a “danger signal that triggers new and stricter mitigations” and is based upon the resurgence plan he announced last month.

In order to mitigate the rising number of cases in Will and Kankakee counties, the governor announced new policies for that region also beginning tomorrow.

“All indoor bar service and indoor dining service will be closed. Outdoor bars and dining may stay open for table service if they follow the required mitigations, including that all patrons should remain seated, and that reservations will be required for any size groups," he said.

Other policies include removing all barstools to help ensure that no ordering, seating or congregating takes place at bars. Additionally, all bars, restaurants, gaming facilities and casinos must close at 11 p.m. local time. Party buses will be closed and gathering limits will be the lesser of 25 individuals or 25% of overall room capacity, Pritzker said.

The latest numbers: Illinois reports there are at least 1,549 individuals currently hospitalized across the state with Covid-19. Of those, at least 345 are in the ICU and at least 135 are on ventilators. The state also reports at least 1,680 new cases over the last 24 hours and 29 additional deaths.

Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine announced the state’s first moving Covid-19 testing facility Tuesday.

The unit – which is officially referred to as Community-Accessible Testing and Education (CATE) – is an RV that made its first official stop in Littlestown, Pennsylvania on Monday. It has the capacity to test between 220 and 250 individuals for Covid-19 and also provides education on how people can care for themselves and others if they or their loved ones get sick.

Tests will be sent to the state’s Exton-based lab where results will be available within 24 to 48 hours, Levine said.

CATE is scheduled to make 30 stops by the end of September and will be focused in south-central and southeastern Pennsylvania, Levine said. The unit will also make stops in Erie and Allegheny Counties.

Anyone is able to get a test without an appointment and regardless of insurance or immigration status, Levine said. CATE will be stopping at local community centers, YMCA’s and churches.

Shelters in Texas will be stocked with PEE, use social distancing to separate people and have testing available, Gov. Greg Abbott said in a press conference as the state prepares for Hurricane Laura.

Abbott said that he made a disaster declaration for 23 counties yesterday and will be adding 36 more to that list. 

The governor, who noted today is the third anniversary of when Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, said that there are more evacuations in the state than they had with Harvey. 

Abbott recommended that residents evacuate to hotels or motels if possible, but said that shelters will be ready and available if needed. 

The state is expecting high winds and up to a possible 10 foot water surge when the eye of the hurricane comes a shore, he said. 

On Tuesday, Iraq’s Ministry of Health reported 3,962 new confirmed cases of coronavirus. The total number of cases in Iraq is now 211,947.  

The health ministry also reported 77 Covid-19 related deaths. That brings the total number of deaths in Iraq to 6,596.

In a joint statement Tuesday, the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams announced their games at the new SoFi Stadium will be held without fans, at least for the immediate future.

The 70,240-seat facility in Inglewood, California, is home to both Los Angeles-area NFL teams, with the Rams set to host the Dallas Cowboys in their home opener the evening of September 13, and the Chargers hosting the NFL champion Kansas City Chiefs the following Sunday.

In Tuesday’s announcement, the Rams pledged to “continue to work with LA County Department of Public Health and the City of Inglewood on a plan that, when circumstances permit, safely brings fans to SoFi Stadium and adheres to local, State, CDC and NFL guidelines.”

According to the Chargers, “While not being able to open SoFi Stadium with fans in attendance is heartbreaking, we are grateful for the opportunity to play NFL football this Fall…

“We know our community, however, is still in the throes of a pandemic, and our only way out is to heed the guidance of state and local health officials and community leaders. Every decision we have made – and every decision we will make in the future – begins and ends with the health and safety of our community, players, coaches and staff in mind.”

If you're just tuning in, here are the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic today.

French health authorities reported a "strong rise" in virus transmission on Tuesday, adding that the situation in France "remains preoccupying."

At least 3,304 new cases were reported on Tuesday, for a total of 248,158 confirmed cases in France. In comparison, last Tuesday saw a rise of 2,238 cases, while the Tuesday before reported 1,397 new cases.

Hospital entries are still decreasing, with 4,600 people currently hospitalized for coronavirus (-90). Intensive care unit numbers, however, continue to steadily increase, with 410 people in ICU (+11).

At least 30,544 people have died from coronavirus in France since the beginning of the epidemic.

Wild polio may have been eradicated from the African continent, but vaccination will have to continue to keep the virus from coming back – and coronavirus is disrupting that effort, a top World Health Organization official said Tuesday.

Teams fought conflict and struggled to reach displaced people to deliver the vaccines that eradicated the virus, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization’s regional director for Africa, said during a live event on Tuesday. 

However, the battle is not over. The oral polio vaccine uses a weakened but not completely inactive strain of virus that, if it circulates among incompletely immunized people, can mutate into a pathogenic form. Vaccination must continue to keep this strain from causing outbreaks, Moeti said.

The Covid-19 pandemic means that some immunization campaigns are being postponed in 16 countries that are experiencing this type of polio. 

“The eradication of wild polio virus from the African region reminds us of the importance of investing in universal health coverage, in preparedness and response to outbreaks, and in making our societies more equitable, particularly for the most vulnerable among us,” Moeti said.