White House preps for 2nd wave; AHA calls for emergency declaration extension — 4 COVID-19 updates

Gabrielle Masson and Mackenzie Bean -

COVID-19 cases are rising in 19 states, with the U.S. reporting more than 30,000 new infections June 19, the nation's highest daily total since May 1, according to The New York Times.  

Four updates:

1. Single-day COVID-19 cases hit a record high worldwide June 21, according to the World Health Organization. Total known infections jumped by 183,020 in 24 hours, with nearly 9 million global cases reported June 22. The previous record was 181,232 new cases June 18, when WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, warned that "the world is in a new and dangerous phase." 

2. Twenty-nine U.S. states and territories recorded rising seven-day averages of new COVID-19 cases, The Washington Post reports. Florida and South Carolina each broke new case records for the third consecutive day, while Missouri and Nevada reported record case counts June 20, according to The New York Times. 

3. The White House is preparing for a possible second wave this fall, Peter Navarro, PhD, director of trade and manufacturing policy, said during a June 21 interview on CNN's "State of the Union." The federal government is working to replenish the national stockpile of medical supplies "in anticipation of a possible problem this fall," Dr. Navarro said. 

"We don't necessarily expect a second wave but prudence dictates that we plan for it," he said in a later statement cited by The Wall Street Journal.

4. The American Hospital Association is urging HHS to extend its public health emergency declaration, which is set to expire July 25. The declaration grants healthcare providers certain resources and flexibilities to care for COVID-19 patients, which will be needed past July, AHA President and CEO Richard Pollack said in a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar. Mr. Pollack asked HHS to extend the declaration until various criteria are met related to supply chain, testing volume, intensive care unit capacity and death figures. 

Snapshot of COVID-19 in the U.S.

Cases: 2,280,969

Deaths: 119,977

Recovered: 622,133

Counts reflect data available as of 8:45 a.m. CDT June 22.

 

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