October 5, 2020 • No Comments • National News

Samara Heisz/iStockBy MORGAN WINSOR, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 1 million people worldwide.

Over 35.2 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The criteria for diagnosis — through clinical means or a lab test — has varied from country-to-country. Still, the actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some national governments are hiding or downplaying the scope of their outbreaks.

Since the first cases were detected in China in December, the virus has rapidly spread to every continent except Antarctica.

The United States is the worst-affected country, with more than 7.4 million diagnosed cases and at least 209,857 deaths.

California has the most cases of any U.S. state, with more than 832,000 people diagnosed, according to Johns Hopkins data. California is followed by Texas and Florida, with over 790,000 cases and over 716,000 cases, respectively.

More than 190 vaccine candidates for COVID-19 are being tracked by the World Health Organization, at least seven of which are in crucial phase three trials.

Here’s how the news is developing Monday. All times Eastern:

Oct 05, 12:48 pm
NYC public schools in hot spot ZIP codes will be closed

All New York City public schools located in the nine ZIP codes that have been deemed hot spots for rising COVID-19 cases will be closed, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Monday.

The nine zip codes, located in Brooklyn and Queens, have seen a recent rise in positive tests — about 100 public schools will be affected.

Mayor Bill de Blasio sent a proposal on Sunday to the state government requesting the closure of all schools and nonessential businesses in those ZIP codes. Cuomo approved the proposal on Monday.

The schools will be closed beginning Tuesday.

Oct 05, 11:57 am
UK reports more than 12,000 new cases

There were 12,594 new cases of COVID-19 and 19 fatalities confirmed in the United Kingdom over the past 24 hours.

The latest daily tally is just short of the records set over the weekend when Public Health England said 15,841 cases between Sept. 25 and Oct. 2 were not included in the United Kingdom’s reported daily case counts due to a technical issue. The unreported cases were added retroactively to reach Saturday’s count of 12,872 new case and Sunday’s 22,961.

The cumulative total is now at 515,571 cases with 42,369 deaths, according to the latest data from the U.K. government.

ABC News’ Joseph Simonetti and Christine Theodorou contributed to this report.

Oct 05, 11:36 am
Analysis shows cases increasing in 33 US states

An ABC News analysis of COVID-19 trends across all 50 U.S. states as well as Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico found there were increases in newly confirmed cases over the past two weeks in 33 states plus Puerto Rico.

The seven-day average of new cases in the United States is now the highest it has been since Aug. 22, a concerning national trend as health experts warn that colder temperatures could only exacerbate the spread of the virus.

The analysis also found increases in the daily positivity rate of COVID-19 tests in 25 states, increases in COVID-19 hospitalizations in 35 states plus Washington, D.C., and increases in daily COVID-19 death tolls in 18 states.

Four states — Nebraska, Montana, South Dakota and Wisconsin — hit a record number of current COVID-19 hospitalizations in a day. Nine states — all in the Midwest and West — have reported a record rise in COVID-19 cases during the last seven days.

Since Sept. 13, the seven-day national average of new cases has increased by nearly 25%.

The trends were all analyzed from data collected and published by the COVID Tracking Project over the past two weeks, using the linear regression trend line of the seven-day moving average.

ABC News’ Benjamin Bell, Brian Hartman, Soorin Kim and Arielle Mitropolous contributed to this report.

Oct 05, 8:26 am
10% of world population may have been infected, WHO says

The head of emergencies at the World Health Organization said Monday that “best estimates” indicate roughly 1 in 10 people worldwide may have been infected by the novel coronavirus.

“The vast majority of the world remains at risk,” Dr. Michael Ryan told a meeting of the WHO’s 34-member executive board, noting that the figures vary from rural to urban areas and between different groups.

Based on the current world population, that estimate would amount to more than 760 million infected individuals — well over the 35 million diagnosed cases of COVID-19 tallied worldwide by both the WHO and Johns Hopkins University.

“We are now heading into a difficult period,” Ryan warned.

Oct 05, 7:32 am
Russia records highest single-day spike in cases since May

Russia confirmed 10,888 new cases of COVID-19 over the last 24 hours, the country’s highest single-day increase since May 12.

An additional 117 coronavirus-related deaths were also recorded in the past day, according to Russia’s coronavirus response headquarters.

The country’s cumulative total now stands at 1,225,889 confirmed cases and 21,475 deaths.

More than 32% of the newly confirmed cases — 3,527 — were registered in the capital, Moscow.

It’s the first time in almost four months that Russia has reported over 10,000 new cases in a day. The country’s COVID-19 outbreak has started to grow following the summer holidays, with many restrictions lifted and social distancing guidance disregarded.

Oct 05, 6:32 am
India registers over 74,000 new cases

India confirmed another 74,442 new cases of COVID-19 and 1,039 fatalities in the past 24 hours.

The country’s cumulative total now stands at 6,623,815 confirmed cases with 102,685 deaths, according to the latest data from the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

India is only the second country to surpass six million total cases, after the United States. The vast country of 1.3 billion people has the highest COVID-19 infection rate of anywhere in the world, although it is now on a downward trend. The number of active COVID-19 cases in India has remained below one million for the last two weeks.

India also has the highest number of recovered COVID-19 patients in the world, with more than 5.5 million people who have survived the disease. The country’s recovery rate stands at 84%, according to the health ministry.

Oct 05, 5:47 am
Paris and its suburbs will move to ‘maximum alert zone’

French Prime Minister Jean Castex has ordered Paris and its inner suburbs to be placed on maximum COVID-19 alert with new restrictions due to rising cases.

Castex’s office told Agence France-Presse on Sunday that the French capital had “crossed the three thresholds corresponding to the maximum alert zone several days ago and this trend was confirmed over the weekend.”

The restrictive measures, which will be laid out at a press conference with the city’s mayor Monday morning, will come into force on Tuesday and will last for two weeks. Being put on the highest level of alert means bars will be forced to close during that time and restaurants will have to impose new sanitary protocols in order to stay open.

The move comes after bars and restaurants in the French port city of Marseille and nearby Aix-en-Provence were ordered to shut their doors last week as the number of COVID-19 infections climbed. The businesses are allowed to reopen this week, in accordance with a reinforced sanitary protocol.

France is not the only country seeing a resurgence in COVID-19 cases. Other European nations including Spain and the United Kingdom are also grappling with growing outbreaks.

Since the start of the pandemic, France’s public health agency has confirmed more than 619,000 cases with at least 32,230 deaths.

Oct 05, 4:28 am
US reports more than 35,000 new cases

There were 35,504 new cases of COVID-19 identified in the United States on Sunday, according to a real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

Sunday’s tally is well below the country’s record set on July 16, when there were 77,255 new cases in a 24-hour-reporting period.

An additional 337 coronavirus-related fatalities were also recorded Sunday, down from a peak of 2,666 new fatalities reported on April 17.

A total of 7,418,107 people in the United States have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the pandemic began, and at least 209,725 of them have died, according to Johns Hopkins. The cases include people from all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C. and other U.S. territories as well as repatriated citizens.

By May 20, all U.S. states had begun lifting stay-at-home orders and other restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. The day-to-day increase in the country’s cases then hovered around 20,000 for a couple of weeks before shooting back up and crossing 70,000 for the first time in mid-July. The daily tally of new cases has gradually come down since then but has hovered around 40,000 in recent weeks.

An internal memo from the Federal Emergency Management Agency obtained by ABC News on Friday night shows that the number of new cases recorded in the United States is continuing to increase slightly while the number of new deaths increased significantly in week-over-week comparisons.

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 4, 2020 • No Comments • National News

James Andrews/iStockBY: JULIA JACOBO, ABC NEWS

(NEW YORK) — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has requested to close down schools and nonessential businesses, including dining, in nine zip codes within the five boroughs that have seen a recent rise in coronavirus cases.

The mayor sent the proposal to the New York state government on Sunday.

New York state has already moved forward to close schools without testing and nonessential businesses in violation of the law in those zip codes that have seen a rise in cases, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Sunday.

The state is taking over from local governments in hot spots, which Cuomo said “have not done an effective job of enforcement.” There are currently 20 hot spot zip codes in the state, Cuomo told reporters during a press conference.

On Friday, after the state’s daily count of new cases topped 1,500 for the first time in May, Cuomo warned local governments that they would face fines if social distancing and mask rules were not enforced.

Hot spots are responsible for 21% of the new cases in New York, Cuomo said. Without the hot spot zip codes, the positivity rate in New York would be about .9%, he added. Fourteen people died in the state on Saturday.

The state will close businesses hot spots where the local governments cannot enforce compliance as well as close schools where localities are not performing testing, Cuomo said.

“Without testing we can’t assure parents and teachers of the safety of that school,” Cuomo said.

Indoor dining was permitted to reopen in New York City on Wednesday at 25% capacity for the first time since it was shut down in March.

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 4, 2020 • No Comments • National News

MattGush/iStockBY: BILL HUTCHINSON, ABC NEWS

(MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) — A Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, police officer was killed and another was wounded when they responded to a domestic incident and came under attack by a gunman who died at the scene, authorities said.

Myrtle Beach Police Chief Amy Prock identified the slain officer as Jacob Hancher, who was sworn in as a police officer less than a year ago after serving as a department community service officer for four years.

“He was a dedicated public servant, who upheld his oath to protect this community and made the ultimate sacrifice,” Prock said at a news conference early Sunday. “He cared about the people he served (and) served with, and absolutely loved the Myrtle Beach. I ask of you today to please keep Jacob, his family and his fellow officers in your prayers.”

Myrtle Beach police officials said the shooting erupted around 10 p.m. Saturday in an area of motels and private residences about two blocks from the Atlantic Ocean.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), which is leading the investigation, issued a statement on Sunday saying Hancher and another officer were responding to a domestic call when the shooting erupted.

“Following the exchange of gunfire, the suspect was discovered deceased,” reads the statement.

A second officer was wounded in the gunfight and taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the statement.

It was not immediately clear if the alleged gunman, whose name was not released, was shot by the officers or died from a self-inflicted gunshot.

No further information was released about the deadly confrontation.

Neighborhood residents told The Sun News of Myrtle Beach that they heard multiple shots fired in the gun battle.

Hancher is the first Myrtle Beach police officer killed in the line of duty in 18 years, and the 37th officer involved in a shooting in South Carolina in 2020, according to the statement from SLED.

In 2019, there were a total of 45 officer-involved shootings in South Carolina, including one involving a Myrtle Beach police officer, officials said.

A preliminary report from the FBI shows that Hancher was the 38th U.S. law enforcement officer feloniously killed in 2020. During the same time period in 2019, 33 officers were feloniously killed. The FBI report shows that at least eight officers killed this year were the victims of an ambush and two others died in unprovoked attacks.

Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune posted a statement on Facebook about the shooting, saying, “I am humbly asking for your heartfelt prayers for our MBPD. They need our community to show them love, support and strength.”

In addition to being a police officer, Hancher served as a volunteer member of the Horry County, South Carolina, Fire Rescue Department, the agency said in a Twitter post.

“Our hearts go out to Hancher’s family, friends, loved ones, law enforcement colleagues and fellow team members here at HCFR during this difficult time,” the fire department’s statement reads.

Hancher was also a member of the Catholic Church of St. James in Conway, South Carolina, church officials said in a statement posted Sunday morning on Facebook that included a photo of Hancher.

Church officials said Hancher was part of a contingent that traveled to Honduras in 2017 to do missionary work.

“For those who were able to serve alongside him, they learned of his kindness and selfless service,” reads the statement from officials at the church. “We are deeply saddened by his passing. We ask for your prayers for his family, friends, and fellow officers who are mourning his loss.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., also posted a message of condolences on Twitter, saying he was just in Myrtle Beach on Friday speaking with a group of police officers.

“The cops need our support now more than ever,” Graham said. “I’ve never known a more difficult time to be a police officer.”

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 3, 2020 • No Comments • National News

ABC NewsBY: DANIEL MANZO, ABC NEWS

(NEW YORK) — Tropical Storm Gamma is gaining strength Saturday morning and now has winds of 65 mph. The storm is moving northwest at 9 mph and is about 75 miles south of Cozumel, Mexico.

Satellite imagery of Gamma shows a rather robust convection occurring over the warm waters of the western Caribbean Sea.

On the current forecast track, Gamma will make landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula later Saturday and then begin to weaken.

The main threat right now for Gamma in Mexico will be the 15 inches of rain that will be possible in some areas, which could produce life-threatening flash flooding near where the storm makes landfall. A separate area of heavy rain, far away from the center of Gamma, could bring up to 20 inches of rain over the Mexican states of Campeche, Tabasco and Chiapas. This could produce major flash flooding and mudslides.

After impacting the Yucatan Peninsula, Gamma will emerge in the Gulf of Mexico. However, steering currents will become quite weak and it does not appear Gamma will have much opportunity to strengthen as it meanders for the better part of the upcoming week. Another Tropical system will try to sneak in behind Gamma, likely reaching the Gulf of Mexico by the middle of next week.

It remains unclear how some of this will play out, including whether this second tropical disturbance will have any opportunity for strengthening and how it steers through the Gulf of Mexico. Currently, the system has a 40% chance of development in the next five days. It’s too early to tell whether any of this tropical activity is a threat to the U.S.

In California, there were a couple of new daily record high temperatures on Friday, including Escondido, which hit 105 degrees, Palmdale, which hit 101 degrees and Sandberg, which hit 93 degrees. Anaheim tied its record of 101 degrees. In Arizona, Tucson hit 103 degrees, which tied its all-time October record that was previously set just this past Thursday.

There will be a brief period of elevated fire conditions due to gusty, dry winds Saturday morning in parts of Southern California. It will also be another hot day across California and the desert southwest, where temperature records will be possible again.

However, there is some good news for the western U.S., which has been plagued by record heat and dry weather. A major pattern change is in sight for the region in the upcoming week.

Temperatures will drop some 10 to15 degrees over the course of the upcoming week, from the 90s down into the 80s and even 70s. This is quite a welcome relief for the region. It even looks like some beneficial rain will arrive in Northern California by next weekend.

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 2, 2020 • No Comments • National News

narvikk/iStockBy WILLIAM MANSELL, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 1 million people worldwide.

Over 34.2 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The criteria for diagnosis — through clinical means or a lab test — has varied from country-to-country. Still, the actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some national governments are hiding or downplaying the scope of their outbreaks.

Since the first cases were detected in China in December, the virus has rapidly spread to every continent except Antarctica.

The United States is the worst-affected country, with more than 7.2 million diagnosed cases and at least 207,789 deaths.

California has the most cases of any U.S. state, with more than 822,000 people diagnosed, according to Johns Hopkins data. California is followed by Texas and Florida, with over 776,000 cases and over 709,000 cases, respectively.

Nearly 190 vaccine candidates for COVID-19 are being tracked by the World Health Organization, at least nine of which are in crucial phase three trials.

Here is how the news is developing Friday. All times Eastern:

Oct 02, 1:28 pm
HHS secretary appears before House committee

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar appeared on Capitol Hill Friday morning after testing negative for the coronavirus.

He tweeted that out of an abundance of caution he was tested and would testify before Congress as scheduled. He also wished the Trumps and “all those with COVID-19 a swift and complete recovery.”

Azar repeated that sentiment in his opening statement before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis.

He also said the U.S. is making progress on the health crisis and encouraged people to “wear a face covering when you can’t watch your distance.”

Chairman James Clyburn, D-S.C., sent along his well wishes to the Trumps, but then quickly blamed the president for his response to the virus as “a failure of historic proportions.”

“We wish for all of them a speedy and complete recovery. As Americans, we pride ourselves on being the most scientifically advanced nation in the world with the best doctors and public health experts,” Clyburn said. “That is why it has been so heartbreaking to watch the administration squander this legacy by refusing to lead, ignoring our scientists and putting politics over the health of the American people.”

He later said it was a mistake that Trump refused to coordinate a national strategy and left up the response to the states.

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., had a tense exchange with Azar when she pressed him about whether the president’s rallies have contributed to a rise in coronavirus cases and whether the HHS secretary has ever privately advised the president to stop or to wear a mask.

Azar said he wouldn’t discuss his conversations with the president.

“Are you proud of the job you have done?” Waters asked.

“I don’t like to speak in those terms,” Azar responded, “206,000 people have died.”

— ABC News’ Anne Flaherty and Mariam Khan

Oct 02, 4:46 am
House passes symbolic COVID-19 stimulus bill

The House passed a $2.2 trillion coronavirus stimulus relief bill late Thursday night, with a close 214-207 vote.

In some last-minute drama, 18 Democrats voted no on the bill. Many who were against the bill are moderates who are very unhappy with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and leadership for staging what they call a “show” vote on a bill that will never become law.

The Republican-led Senate is not expected to take up the measure.

The House bill is largely symbolic and puts on the record what Democrats have been calling for for months: economic relief for those impacted by the pandemic.

The bill would restore the $600 federal unemployment benefits that expired in July and would include another round of direct checks to Americans at $1,200 per taxpayer and $500 per dependent.

It would also extend the Paycheck Protection Program to help small businesses, a benefit that expired in early August.

A bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill is still possible. Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are still having discussions. Pelosi announced late Thursday that she and Mnuchin have exchanged paper and are still deep in negotiations.

“We made a lot of progress over the last few days, we still don’t have an agreement, but we have more work to do. And we’re going to see where we end up,” Mnuchin told reporters Wednesday.

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