Coronavirus News: June 22 – Cases Rise in 18 States, Germany’s R0 Rate Jumps to 2.88
The critical R0 figure in Germany rose from 1.79 to 2.88 in one day, according to the Robert-Koch-Institut. A few days earlier it had been below 1.0. R0, pronounced “r naught,” is a mathematical term that indicates how contagious an infectious disease is. Based on a seven-day average, the reproduction rate jumped to 2.03, according to RKI statistics from Sunday.
You can add coins, namely nickels, dimes, and quarters, to the list of items for which there is a shortage in the United States, along with toilet paper and disinfectant wipes. “What’s happened is that, with the partial closure of the economy, the flow of coins through the economy has gotten all – it’s kind of stopped,” Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell said during a virtual hearing of the House Financial Services Committee last week, noting that shuttered banks and businesses have contributed to the shortage.
The number of new coronavirus cases rose in 18 states across the South, West, and Midwest of the United States. Seven states reported new single-day records over the weekend while five reported record single-day figures earlier in the week. The United States reported more than 30,000 new cases on Friday and Saturday, the highest daily totals since May 1, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
California reported 4,515 new confirmed cases on Sunday, the highest figure in the state since the pandemic began. Also on Sunday, Missouri said it had recorded 397 new cases and Oklahoma reported 478 new cases, which were both records.
The increase in new cases in Florida led the PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia to say that the state “has all the makings of the next large epicenter.” The state’s Department of Health issued guidance recommending social distancing and the wearing of masks, and told people to avoid gatherings of more than 50 people.
Meanwhile, the numbers are only getting worse in Texas, which reported three days of record highs last week. More than 1,100 new cases were reported on Friday and on Saturday in Harris County, the most populous county in the state. Houston, the largest city in Texas and fourth largest in the country, is the county seat.
Health officials in the United States are reporting that more young people are testing positive for Covid-19. The shift has been recorded in Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, and parts of Florida, and other states that reopened fairly early. In Texas, people under 30 comprised a majority of new cases in several counties last week and the median age for newly diagnosed cases in Florida is 37.
Officials in the United Kingdom are dealing with a sudden outbreak of illegal raves. One event in Manchester last weekend was highly publicized in the press there, and officials are struggling to address the issue. “We can’t say for certain that we can prevent all such events from taking place,” said Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham in a statement on Friday, adding that “there is no question of us turning a blind eye or adopting a permissive approach.”
(Photo: Accura Media Group)
