The United States saw more than 126,000 new COVID-19 infections Friday, setting a record for new cases for a third straight day, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University.
Roughly 9.7 million people across the country have been infected with the virus as hot spots continue to erupt across the country, stretching from the heartland to the West and leaving state and local officials grappling with impressing the magnitude of the situation on their constituents, CBS News’ Tom Hanson reports.
“I’m not going to mince any words when it comes to the spread of the coronavirus,” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said Friday. “We’re on a very dangerous path.”
According to Hancock, COVID-19 hospitalizations jumped 40% in the Colorado city over the last week alone.
Denver’s “Home by 10” curfew will go into effect on Sunday, but Hancock warns that more severe options are looming.
“There’s another stay-at-home order in our future unless we act with urgency and care for one another to change the behavior that is leading to these increasing cases,” he said.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is stepping up National Guard presence at airports as fears of a second wave there grip the state that earlier this year was the global epicenter of infections.
The Guard will be enforcing a requirement for travelers to New York to get a coronavirus test before and after arrival, if they want to avoid a 14-day quarantine.
In Oregon, Governor Kate Brown ordered a two-week pause on social activities in counties with high case loads. She urged residents to “limit your social interactions to your own household” in a Friday press conference.
“For those of you who have scheduled events with other people for the coming weekend, please cancel them. We need your help,” Brown said.
Stronger measures are already taking effect across the ocean in Europe. Luxury department stores in Milan closed Friday in a partial lockdown, while drivers in Athens rushed home in advance of Greece’s three-week lockdown.
Asked in a virtual interview Friday whether he would advocate for a national lockdown. Dr. Anthony Fauci told England’s Oxford Union Debate Society “we’re not in that place now.”
While acknowledging there was little appetite for Europe’s stay-at-home orders domestically, he reiterated the need to wear masks and social distance.
Fauci also said a vaccine may be available as early as November.
“I don’t like over-confidence, but I’m cautiously optimistic that a vaccine will take us out of this very difficult position,” he said.