Virtual DNC includes moment of silence for George Floyd
Monday’s first night of the Democratic National Convention included a moment of silence for George Floyd. Participants in the virtual convention, prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, paused during the broadcast to observe the moment of silence for Floyd, who died in police custody on May 25 in Minneapolis after a former officer knelt on his neck for nearly eight minutes, despite Floyd’s repeated statements that he couldn’t breathe. Floyd’s brother, Philonise, was one of Monday night’s speakers: “When this moment ends, let’s make sure we never stop saying their names,” he declared, referring to Floyd and other Black Americans whose deaths have sparked continuing protests and calls for racial equality in America and around the world.
COVID-19 numbers
Here’s the latest data on COVID-19 coronavirus infections and deaths.
Latest reported numbers globally per Johns Hopkins University
Global diagnosed cases: 21,912,218
Global deaths: 774,616. The United States has the most deaths of any single country, with 170,559.
Number of countries/regions: at least 188
Total patients recovered globally: 13,907,711
Latest reported numbers in the United States per Johns Hopkins University
There are at least 5,444,115 reported cases in 50 states + the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. This is more than in any other country.
U.S. deaths: at least 170,559. New York State has the greatest number of reported deaths in the U.S., with 32,846.
U.S. total patients recovered: 1,865,580
U.S. total people tested: 68,056,780
The greatest number of reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S. is in California, with 634,252 confirmed cases out of a total state population of 39.51 million. That is second only to Sao Paulo, Brazil, which has 702,665 cases, as the most reported cases of any single region in the world.
COVID-19 headlines
US reports under 40,000 new cases for the first time since June
For the first time since June, the U.S. on Monday reported fewer than 40,000 new COVID-19 cases, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. There were 35,112 new cases of COVID-19 reported Monday, the first time since June 28 that fewer than 40,000 cases were reported in a single day. It’s also far fewer than the record single-day count of more than 77,000 new cases, which was set on July 16. As of Tuesday morning, a total 5,444,115 cases of COVID-19 were reported in the U.S., with at least 170,559 deaths. The downward trend is an encouraging sign: The nationwide number of new cases has continued to decrease in recent weeks, according to an internal memo from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, obtained by ABC News Sunday night
UNC Chapel Hill to go remote after COVID-19 outbreak
Just one week after its first day of classes, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has reversed course and shifted all undergraduate classes to remote learning. The move follows several outbreaks of COVID-19 on campus: In the week from August 10-16, the campus’ positivity rate increased nearly fivefold, from 2.8% to 13.6%, officials said. That translates to 130 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in students and five cases in employees, according to UNC Chapel Hill’s own COVID-19 dashboard. There have been at least four clusters of infections on campus, defined as five or more cases in close proximity: three of them in dormitories and a fourth at a fraternity. The UNC Chapel Hill situation highlights the challenge schools and colleges are facing nationwide as they struggle with how to re-open for in-person learning while also curbing the spread of COVID-19.