James Madison University is reporting over 130 new cases of Covid-19 since Monday
From CNN’s Gregory Lemos
James Madison University is reporting 138 new Covid-19 positive cases among its students and employees since Monday, according the JMU Covid-19 Dashboard.
The University, located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, is reporting a 21.14% seven day moving average of daily positivity rates among students and employees and a 28.6% seven day moving average of positivity rates among students who were tested at the University Health Center.
A little more than half — 79 out of 143 — of the universities isolation beds remain available.
12:39 p.m. ET, September 1, 2020
Personal responsibility is key going into Labor Day, coronavirus task force member says
From CNN's Jen Christensen
Admiral Brett Giroir, director of the coronavirus diagnostic testing, looks on as he testifies during a House Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis hearing on a national plan to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, on Capitol Hill in Washington, on July 31. Kevin Dietsch/Pool/Getty Images
Admiral Brett Giroir, a member of the White House coronavirus task force and assistant secretary for health at the US Department of Health and Human Services, said Tuesday that if Americans do what they are supposed to during the Labor Day weekend, the US should be in “really good shape going into the fall.”
“Labor Day is coming up and we need to stress personal responsibility,” said Giroir, who is leading the Trump administration’s Covid-19 diagnostic testing efforts. “So avoiding crowds, outdoors for family gathers are much — much better than indoors —wearing the mask and protecting the vulnerable.”
Giroir said the US has conducted more than 85 million tests for Covid-19, and there has been a 5.35% positivity rate in the past seven days.
For the past seven days, turnaround time for the tests has decreased, Giroir said; 91.9% of results from major referral labs (which do about half the tests in the US) were completed in three days. The mean turnaround time in August for large referral labs was 2.27 days.
Deaths are down 10% from their recent peak seven-day average, he said.
“Why are we seeing the success? Because the national strategy is working,” Giroir, who is leading for Covid-19 diagnostic testing efforts. “We cannot let up. Seven states still have greater than 10% positivity.”
11:49 a.m. ET, September 1, 2020
Covid-hit Spain had 75% fewer tourists in July compared to a year ago
From CNN's Laura Pérez Maestro in Madrid
Tourists sunbathe at Playa d'en Bossa in Ibiza on July 30. Jaime Reina/AFP/Getty Images
Spain received 2.5 million international tourists in July, 75% less than in the same month of 2019, according to the country's National Institute of Statistics.
Spending was also down 17.8% per tourist to €994 (or about$1,188).
The Secretary of State for Tourism, Fernando Valdés, explained that this "data reflects how COVID-19 is negatively affecting the tourism sector due to restrictions on international mobility and the lack of confidence in international travel, an impact that is being felt worldwide".
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said there was a "sluggish improvement" in passenger demand in Europe in July compared to June, but still toppled 87.1% compared to last year.
IATA called on governments to work together to re-establish global connectivity and re-open borders while continuing "with relief measures to sustain airlines during the COVID-19 crisis."
"This uncertainty destroys demand," said IATA CEO Alexandre de Juniac in a statement on Tuesday. "Ten percent of the global economy is sustained by travel and tourism; governments need to do better to re-start it."
11:44 a.m. ET, September 1, 2020
Louisville, Kentucky, announces 195 new Covid-19 cases
From CNN's Ganesh Setty
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer speaks to a group gathered for a vigil in memory of Breonna Taylor on June 6, in Louisville, Kentucky. Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
Louisville, Kentucky, Mayor Greg Fischer announced 195 new Covid-19 cases and three more virus-related deaths during a news briefing Tuesday, bringing the city’s total to 12,612 confirmed cases and at least 282 deaths.
There are currently 111 residents hospitalized, of whom 52 are in the ICU, said Fischer.
The city’s positivity rate currently stands at 9.42%, he said.
“Our wildfire is still burning and it’s burning strong in the red,” said chief health strategist Dr. Sarah Moyer.
Cases are starting to trend downward but are still “way too high,” she continued, adding that the positivity rate is still increasing.
In terms of testing, Louisville’s capacity is “quite robust,” said Bill Altman, Chief Strategy Officer for Kindred Health and former Chair of the Board of Health, who is leading the city’s work on testing as a consultant.
Altman also noted that testing turnaround times are back to 48 hours or less after the city started to rely more on local and regional labs.
10:56 a.m. ET, September 1, 2020
New York City delays in-person school until Sept. 21
From CNN's Melanie Schuman
Mayor Bill de Blasio, right, listen as he meets with parents at Bronx Collaborative High School on Wednesday, August 26, in New York. Bebeto Matthews/Pool/AP
New York City students will not return for in-person learning until Sept. 21, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced at a press conference this morning. The first day of school in NYC was previously scheduled for next Thursday, Sept. 10.
After discussions with unions, this resolution was done “in a constructive spirit,” the mayor said.
More preparation days for teachers will now be built in to the schedule. The mayor said all of the changes are taking place in “absolutely unprecedented conditions” and the city is setting the “global gold standard.”
Here are details on NYC's new plan for school reopening:
Sept. 8: Teachers and staff return Tuesday as planned, but instead of bringing students back on Sept. 10, that will be an instruction day teachers and staff.
Sept. 10, 11, 14 and 15 will be devoted to preparation for teachers and staff.
Sept. 16: Remote instruction will begin for all students.
Sept. 21: Students can return to school buildings for blended learning – a model previously outlined by the city. Some students come to buildings some days and learn remotely other days.
10:35 a.m. ET, September 1, 2020
Two more states added to New York's Covid-19 quarantine travel list
From CNN's Kristina Sgueglia
Passengers, some wearing masks and protective gear, queue for their flight at Terminal 1 of John F. Kennedy Airport amid the novel coronavirus pandemic on May 13 in Queens, New York. Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images
New York state added two more states to its list of states and territories that are subject to its Covid-19 travel advisory, bringing the total to 33.
People traveling to the state from Alaska and Montana will now have to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.
New Jersey and Connecticut are expected to add the states to their list too, as all three neighbor states issued the same travel advisory guidance initially.
"As we continue to pursue a phased, data driven reopening, the number of areas that remain on New York's travel advisory is a stark reminder of the continued extent of the COVID-19 crisis throughout the nation," said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Meanwhile the State of New York has remained under a 1% transmission rate for its 25th day and ICU patients are at lows not seen since mid-March.
Of more than 1,000 establishments visited by the State Liquor Authority and State Police Task force, only three were observed in violation – including two in New York City.
White House will resume tours next Saturday after a 6-month hiatus
From CNN's Betsy Klein
The White House is seen from the North entrance on December 22, 2018 in Washington. Olivier Douliery/Getty Images
White House tours, which were suspended on March 12, are set to resume six months later on Saturday, Sept. 12.
“In order to ensure the safety and health of all visitors, there have been new policies implemented that align with the guidance issued by Federal, State, and local officials,” a statement from the first lady’s office said.
Face coverings will be required for those over the age of 2, and group sizes will be limited to 18% of normal capacity, the first lady’s office said.
9:25 a.m. ET, September 1, 2020
Don't stigmatize students who catch Covid-19 at college, professor says
From CNN's Adrienne Vogt
Across the United States, 36 states are reporting 20,000 coronavirus cases at colleges and universities.
In an interview on CNN’s “New Day,” Erin Bromage, a UMass Dartmouth biology professor, said that one of the best way to keep Covid-19 in check is to test students three times per week.
“But three times a week is financially really tough for most universities to accomplish,” Bromage said. “When you go to once a week, it's impossible to actually catch up to those infections.”
Bromage also warned that we should not stigmatize against students who get coronavirus on campus.
“Administrators had the choice of designing a plan of how they delivered education, and they had all of summer to do this,” he said.
He said that it falls on school officials to find safe ways for students to socialize.
“If…we start forcing them to go underground in regards to their social activities, that makes it even harder to control. We need to be looking at ways to understand what the students want to do — they want to congregate, they want to be together, they want to socialize — but we need to help them do that in a safer way,” Bromage said.
Watch more:
9:06 a.m. ET, September 1, 2020
Airline group proposes coronavirus testing for passengers at airports
From CNN's Greg Wallace
International Air Transport Association (IATA) chief executive Alexandre de Juniac speaks during a press conference after the opening session of the annual general meeting of IATA in Seoul on June 2, 2019. Jung Yeon-je/AFP/Getty Images
The group representing airlines worldwide on Tuesday endorsed passenger coronavirus testing at airports as a method for restoring international air travel.
International Air Transport Association CEO Alexandre de Juniac told reporters that testing “appears to be ready for being used in travel, giving confidence both to travelers and to governments.”
He said the group believes “the speed, accuracy and scalability of testing is rapidly improving,” and that testing will serve to “rebuild confidence, reopen borders, restart aviation, recharge demand, and support jobs.” Among the challenges, de Juniac acknowledged, is having enough testing technology to deploy to each airport and to process a large number of passengers with minimal waiting.
The group sees testing as one part of a three-point plan to expand international travel, including adopting a set of guidelines and international coordination so that entrance requirements are the same in every country.
It believes those protections would allow countries can drop restrictions, such as quarantine periods, which the group said is a key barrier to the industry’s success.
“The main issue we face is that most countries borders are closed to international travel,” said IATA economist Brian Pearce.
