October 21 coronavirus news

By Joshua Berlinger, Adam Renton, Emma Reynolds, Ed Upright, Melissa Macaya, Mike Hayes and Meg Wagner, CNN

Updated 12:02 a.m. ET, October 22, 2020
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1:32 p.m. ET, October 21, 2020

Amtrak predicts travel slump will continue beyond the next year

From CNN’s Greg Wallace

A passenger catches a commuter train out of Union Station on April 28, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. 
A passenger catches a commuter train out of Union Station on April 28, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois.  Scott Olson/Getty Images

Amtrak is in a “precarious position” because of insufficient federal funding and a continuing plunge in ridership due to the coronavirus pandemic, CEO William Flynn told Congress on Wednesday.

Flynn said ridership is still down 80% compared to 2019, and he warned that “it has become clear that the pandemic’s impacts will extend through, and almost certainly beyond” the next year.  

Revenue in the financial year that ended in September was only 53% of the prior year, he said.     

Amtrak has restored some of the service it had initially cut along the Eastern seaboard, but new cuts to other long-distance trains that crisscross the nation just took effect. Flynn said Amtrak is targeting “late May and June 2021” to restore service if health and demand conditions improve.  

But some of Amtrak’s future projections are based on the widespread distribution of an effective coronavirus vaccine in the next year – “which we know is not a guaranteed outcome,” he warned.   

Flynn said the service cuts and nearly 2,000 layoffs were unavoidable.   

“I must emphasize the Amtrak really had no choice but to take these actions,” he said.  

 

1:06 p.m. ET, October 21, 2020

More than 221,000 people have died from coronavirus in the US

From CNN’s Virginia Langmaid

Naeha Quasba reacts as she holds a picture of her father, Ramasha Quasba, who died from coronavirus as she stands near empty chairs on display to represent the 200,000 lives lost due to COVID-19 at the National COVID-19 Remembrance, on the ellipse behind the White House in Washington, DC, on October 4, 2020. 
Naeha Quasba reacts as she holds a picture of her father, Ramasha Quasba, who died from coronavirus as she stands near empty chairs on display to represent the 200,000 lives lost due to COVID-19 at the National COVID-19 Remembrance, on the ellipse behind the White House in Washington, DC, on October 4, 2020.  Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images

There are at least 8,282,666 cases of coronavirus in the US and at least 221,247 people have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

So far today, Johns Hopkins has reported 9,370 new cases and 195 reported deaths.

The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases. 

 

1:20 p.m. ET, October 21, 2020

Here's the latest coronavirus update from New York

From CNN's Sheena Jones

Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

New York’s test positivity rate including the oversampling of hotspot areas is 1.62%, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. 

The positivity rate in the red zone is 6.61%, the governor said. 

These numbers are from Tuesday and at least 124,789 test results were reported, the governor said. 

The test positivity rate without the hotspot zones stands around 1.42% 

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.

12:50 p.m. ET, October 21, 2020

Greece records its highest case increase since pandemic began

From CNN's Chris Liakos in London

A health worker checks a Covid-19 coronavirus test in Kozani, Greece, on October 16, 2020.
A health worker checks a Covid-19 coronavirus test in Kozani, Greece, on October 16, 2020. Sakis Mitrolidis/AFP/Getty Images

Greece recorded 865 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday — its highest daily case count since the pandemic began. 

Wednesday's number marked an increase of nearly 200 more cases than the day before. 

Greece announced six more deaths on Wednesday, and at least 86 individuals are in ICU.

The Greek government announced a local lockdown for the region of Kastoria in Northern Greece. This is the second town placed under lockdown after Kozani, also in Northern Greece,

According to Greece’s National Public Health Organization, Greece has recorded 27,334 cases and 534 deaths in total. 

12:47 p.m. ET, October 21, 2020

Pennsylvania sees 1,000 new Covid-19 cases for 16th consecutive day

From CNN's Julian Cummings

The Pennsylvania department of health reported 1,425 new cases of Covid-19, the 16th consecutive day the state has reported over 1,000 new infections of coronavirus. 

The statewide number of total cases now stands at 186,297.

Additionally, Pennsylvania reported 29 new due to Covid-19 bringing the statewide death total to 8,533.

The state reported 114 cases in Allegheny county and an increase of 100 new cases in Philadelphia County. 

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

12:31 p.m. ET, October 21, 2020

84 Michigan schools report new Covid-19 cases

From CNN's Annie Grayer

In Michigan, there are now 445 cases of Covid-19 in 84 schools. At least 80 of those cases are from new outbreaks at 24 different schools. These cases include staff and student numbers, according to the state's official tracker.

The remainder of cases are from schools that have seen ongoing outbreaks. Most K-12 schools have fewer than 10 cases. The K-12 school with the largest number of cases is a preschool through elementary school in Alma, Michigan, with 31 cases, which include both staff and students.

Among colleges and universities in Michigan, there are 5,358 coronavirus cases. Only two colleges were listed as a part of the new outbreak group. Michigan State University had the largest number of cases with 1,622 students and staff.

According to the government tracker, new outbreaks are defined as those that are first identified during the current reporting week.

Schools are classified as having ongoing cases if there is at least one new case in the 28 days after being first identified. If 28 days pass since a school first had an outbreak, and no new cases were found, the school will be removed from the list.

11:57 a.m. ET, October 21, 2020

Boston schools go all-remote as Covid-19 cases climb

From CNN’s Evan Simko-Bednarski

School buses are parked at First Student Inc. in Boston on April 21.
School buses are parked at First Student Inc. in Boston on April 21. Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

All public school instruction in Boston will be remote starting Thursday, following a rise in Covid-19 cases, according to a statement released Wednesday by Boston Public Schools.

The statement cited a 5.7% seven-day Covid-19 positivity rate for the city of Boston, up from last week's rate of 4.5%.

“We have said all along that we will only provide in-person learning for students if the data and public health guidance supports it, and this new data shows that we are trending in the wrong direction,” said Mayor Marty Walsh in a statement

The decision comes less than a week after the district announced that it was delaying in-person instruction.

“I am heartbroken that today we have to close our doors to our highest need students," Superintendent Brenda Cassellius was quotes as saying. "Our families are desperate for these services for their children, many of whom are non-verbal and unable to use technology in the home."

On Twitter Wednesday morning, Cassellius said she was "disheartened."

"It is the adults who create the conditions in which children succeed," she wrote. "We must do better. Please wear a mask, avoid large gatherings & stay home if sick so we can bring our children back to school."

In-person instruction will resume when infection rates fall for two straight weeks, according to the district.

11:43 a.m. ET, October 21, 2020

Passing stimulus deal through both chambers will likely have to wait until lame-duck session, sources say 

From CNN's Manu Raju

Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

It is growing increasingly likely that passing any stimulus deal through Congress will have to wait until after the Nov. 3 elections, according to multiple sources in both parties.

While it's possible a deal in principle between the White House and House Democrats can be reached before Nov. 3, passing a bill through both chambers is highly unlikely before then.

That's because of the sharp disagreements within the GOP, the logistical hurdles of passing legislation quickly of this magnitude through both chambers and the fact that Speaker Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin still have many outstanding details to sort through.

Pelosi has not yet told her colleagues if she'll bring the House back to session next week to vote on the stimulus, sources said. So it's still possible the House could return next week just days before the election.

But the Senate is likely to adjourn after Monday when Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed to the Supreme Court, though the final schedule has not yet been announced.

After Pelosi and Mnuchin blew past the speaker’s self-imposed Tuesday deadline, which she said was essential to getting a bill passed by the elections, she also subtly adjusted her language.

"I remain hopeful that we can reach an agreement before the election," Pelosi said in a letter to her colleagues last night.

What could come next: Reaching an agreement, of course, is different than passing a bill. Plus Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has no appetite to put a major stimulus bill on the floor that will divide his party just days before the election, something he reiterated to his colleagues at lunch on Tuesday. The Senate GOP is largely opposed to a bill around $2 trillion, which Pelosi and Mnuchin are discussing, as Republicans try to advance their $500 billion bill this afternoon after Senate Democrats blocked it last month.

What Pelosi really wants is to clear the decks and pass a major bill to help Joe Biden if he wins the presidency, sources familiar with her thinking said, meaning that final passage could wait until after the November elections and before January during the lame-duck session.

Still, it's anyone's guess how the outcome of the elections could scramble the political calculations of the White House, Senate Republicans and Democrats as well -- adding uncertainty to how action in a lame-duck session would play out.

Speaking on CNN's "Newsroom" this morning, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn suggested that lame-duck action is more likely at this point.

"The election is less than two weeks away, and I believe we will be back in Washington a week or two after the elections and we could something then," Clyburn said. "At least the elections will be behind us, people will know what their futures are and maybe they will be more apt to sit down and get serious about things after their electoral prospects have been settled."

11:49 a.m. ET, October 21, 2020

Halloween will still happen in New York City, mayor says

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

NYC Media
NYC Media

“Halloween is happening in New York City, and Halloween will be safe in New York City,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday.

He laid out some safety guidelines for the holiday:

  • Trick-or-treating should be done all outdoors, not inside apartment buildings.
  • Treats should be placed in a bin rather than handed out.
  • People should step back six feet after ringing door bells and use sanitizer.

The mayor also stressed a mask in a costume “is not the same as the kind of mask we use to protect ourselves and each other.”

Here are the latest numbers on coronavirus in New York City: 1.56% of people tested positive citywide, keeping the number under the 5% threshold, de Blasio said. The seven-day rolling average is 1.68%. 

In addition, 77 people were hospitalized. New York City is also reporting a seven-day average of 493 new reported cases, with a threshold of 550 cases.

Five schools are on a 14-day shut down, though one is coming out of the shutdown Thursday.

One note: These numbers were released by the city'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.