Brazil tops 2.4 million coronavirus cases five months after first reported case
From journalist Rodrigo Pedroso in Sao Paulo
Brazil’s health ministry reported 24,578 newly confirmed Covid-19 cases Sunday, bringing the country’s total to 2,419,091.
The ministry also reported 555 new deaths from the virus, bringing Brazil’s death toll to 87,004.
Sunday marks five months since Brazil reported its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus on February 26.
This comes after Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro tested negative for the virus Saturday, his first negative test since testing positive July 7.
The Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases later said Bolsonaro set a “bad example” by socializing and not wearing a mask right after his negative Covid-19 test announcement.
South Africa’s coronavirus cases continue to spike, as 11,233 new cases reported
From CNN’s Dana Ford
South Africa’s health ministry reported 11,233 new cases of coronavirus Sunday, bringing the country’s total confirmed case count to 445,433.
The number of people who have officially died from coronavirus in the country is 6,769, according to Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, who posted the figures on Twitter.
Last week, officials from the World Health Organization expressed concern the country’s rising numbers could signal greater Covid-19 spread throughout Africa. South Africa has the highest number of confirmed cases in Africa and the fifth highest number worldwide, following the United States, Brazil, India and Russia.
South Florida police officer dies after contracting coronavirus
From CNN’s Melissa Alonso
The Lauderhill Police Department in Florida tweeted Sunday that an officer died due to complications related to Covid-19.
Officer Corey Pendergrass had been with Lauderhill PD since 1997, the tweet said. He died Sunday morning, according to the tweet.
Other area agencies, like the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, offered their condolences on Twitter.
Lauderhill is a city in Broward County; there are currently 49,350 total cases of Covid-19 in the county and 605 deaths, according to Sunday’s Florida Department of Health data.
Los Angeles Michelin Star restaurant forced to shut its doors due to Covid-19
From CNN’s Paul Vercammen and Jennifer Selva
Trois Mec, the highly decorated tasting room that earned a Michelin Star in Los Angeles, has been forced to shut its doors after seven years due to the economic impact of Covid-19.
“The restaurant industry is in a true crisis and without proper support from the federal government, it will become a fond memory, life pre-covid and life post-covid. We are not giving up by any sense of the imagination, it is just the reality of the situation,” restaurant owners Chef Ludo Lefebvre and his wife Krissy told CNN.
“The reality is we are facing an incredible period of economic depression and fine dining will be a rocky journey for the foreseeable future,” the couple said. “We also have to look at the trickle down impact, farmers are being damaged daily, meat providers are being damaged daily, small business suppliers are being damaged daily, landlords are being damaged daily. Our employees and their families are being hurt.”
Trois Mec is just one of many restaurants in the Los Angeles area facing closure due to Covid-19. Restaurant and bar owner Dustin Lancaster said he has lost three of the 13 locations he owns in the area due to the financial impact of the virus, and fears he will lose five more.
Losing something like that, losing those employees, it’s almost too much for me to lay in bed at night and process without breaking down from the sheer weight of it,” Lancaster said. “If you were to drive down Sunset Boulevard and think four out of five of these restaurants won’t be there. That collateral damage is incomprehensible.”
Birx meets with Kentucky governor to discuss how to reduce Covid-19 infections
From CNN’s Taylor Romine
Coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear told reporters on Sunday that the federal and state government agree on measures needed to slow the rate of Covid-19 infections in the state.
While Kentucky is currently a yellow zone, it has the potential to slip into the red zone, Birx said.
Birx said it appears that the current rise of cases in Kentucky are from residents going on vacation to places like Myrtle Beach and other beach communities and unknowingly bringing back the infection.
“What we have recommended is that 100% of people should be wearing masks in any indoor public space,” Birx said. “Frankly, people should be wearing masks if they’ve been in an area where the virus is significant, if they’ve gone on vacation and come back, they should wear a mask, indoors, in their homes if they are in a multigenerational household in order to protect our seniors optimally.”
In order to maintain infection rates, Birx and the federal government are recommending Kentucky maintain the federal guidance put out in April for reopening.
The state has required face masks for certain public situations since July 10. Other federal guidance includes maintaining social distance, increasing outdoor dining, closing bars and reducing in-person gatherings to less than 10, she said.
Beshear agreed with this guidance, and said the state would make an announcement on Monday regarding the additional steps they intend to take.
The number of people wearing masks has gone up since it was required by the state, Beshear said, but the harder part is encouraging everyone to do it, especially in circumstances where people “let their guard down.”
He specifically noted that he just saw a picture of hundreds of people in bars in Lexington, but none of them were wearing masks. He gave no further information on if any enforcement activity was done.
“This spread is very much at the household level, and I think that’s why we have a real call to action for every Kentuckian to wear their mask, and to protect those in their families by not going to large social gatherings,” Birx said. “And if they do, make sure they are protecting those in their families that have substantial vulnerabilities we know are related to obesity, hypertension, diabetes and chronic lung, heart or kidney disease.”
Nearly 100 residents and staff at long-term care facility in Florida test positive for Covid-19
From CNN’s Randi Kaye and Eric Fiegel
Ocoee Health Care Center Long-Term Care & Rehabilitation, in Ocoee, Florida, has nearly 100 residents and staff that have tested positive for Covid-19.
The facility is in Orange County Florida, near Orlando.
Orange County Health Department’s Kent Donahue confirmed to CNN that there are 66 positive residents, 22 which are hospitalized.
Another 30 staff members also tested positive, according to Donahue.
There are a total of 96 Covid-19 cases at this long term care facility. No deaths have been reported.
More than 2,500 Covid-19 cases reported on Sunday in Georgia
From CNN’s Natasha Chen
After setting a record for Covid-19 cases reported in a single day on Friday, the Georgia Department of Public Health has now reported two consecutive days of declining numbers.
On Sunday, Georgia Department of Public Health reported 2,765 new cases, down from 3,787 on Saturday.
The department also reported three new Covid-19 related deaths, down from 53 on Saturday.
There were 62 new hospitalizations reported on Sunday, down from 277 on Saturday.
Miami Dade County reports 18% coronavirus positivity rate on Sunday
From CNN’s Randi Kaye and Melissa Alonso
Miami Dade County has reported a daily coronavirus positivity rate today of 18%, according to the county’s Covid-19 dashboard.
The 14-day average for Miami Dade is 19.5%, the dashboard said.
Currently, intensive care unit beds in Miami Dade County are at 146% capacity, the county reported.
Covid-19 positivity rate in South Carolina is now more than 15%
From CNN’s Hollie Silverman
The positivity rate for coronavirus testing in South Carolina is now 15.6%, according to a press release from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control issued Sunday.
The state has reported 1,170 new coronavirus cases and 25 new deaths Sunday, according to the department.
The state’s total now stands at 80,856 confirmed cases and 1,436 deaths. There were also 343 probable cases and 55 probable deaths reported in South Carolina.
So far, 700,464 tests have been conducted in South Carolina, according to the release.
The state is still transitioning to a new federal reporting system for hospital bed occupancy and did not include the number of hospitalizations in Sunday’s release.
