US states halt reopenings as coronavirus resurges

Governors of several US states have halted or rolled back steps to reopen their economies due to resurgence in coronavirus cases, although President Donald Trump insisted that the pandemic nears its end across the country.

Eight states, including California and New York moved to extend coronavirus restrictions as health authorities reported new single-day highs of freshly diagnosed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new virus.

On Wednesday, the national daily total cases of the infection hit 52,000, according to Johns Hopkins University that compiles data on the pandemic.

The figure marks the biggest one-day spike since the start of the epidemic in the United States, which so far recorded a total number of 2,685,806 confirmed cases and 128,061 virus deaths.

“The spread of this virus continues at a rate that is particularly concerning,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom, who dialed back reopening of the state’s economy on Wednesday.

US virus cases rise by 47,000, biggest one-day spike of pandemic

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Newsom ordered bans on indoor dining, the closure of bars and stepping up enforcement of social distancing and other measures in 19 counties.

California has also moved to re-activate four non-hospital sites, as more Californians need to be hospitalized and require intensive care than at any prior point in the pandemic.

The state has registered a total number of 238,681 cases of COVID-19 and 6,169 deaths as of Wednesday.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo also warned on Wednesday that there are “dark clouds on the horizon.”

“We’ve been through Hell and back, but this is not over and this can still rear its ugly head anywhere in this nation and in this state” Cuomo said.

He said that states such as Texas, Florida and Arizona, which reopened too fast, now have to close again, with a surge in new cases and hospitalizations in recent days.

“Now they’re all singing a different tune,” Cuomo said. “Now they’re all starting to say, ‘We better take this seriously. We better start wearing masks.’ They’re going backwards on their reopening plan.” 

New York has recorded 394,079 confirmed cases of the diseases and 32,043 deaths.

Cuomo criticized President Donald Trump, who in recent weeks claimed that the pandemic is near its end in the United States.

“He denied the reality of the virus,” Cuomo said.

The governor cited warnings from White House health advisor Anthony Fauci, that the US is “going in the wrong direction” over handling of the epidemic, and that the death toll “is going to be very disturbing.”

Fauci said on Tuesday the country could see 100,000 new coronavirus cases daily unless action is taken to reverse the epidemic.

Trump, however, said in an interview on Wednesday that the virus will simply “disappear.”

Asked whether he really believes so, Trump said, “I do. Yeah sure. At some point. And I think we’re going to have a vaccine very soon too.”

“We’re headed back in a very strong fashion ... And I think we’re going to be very good with the coronavirus,” said the president. “I think that at some point that’s going to sort of just disappear. I hope.”

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The US president, who is seeking re-election in November, is under fire for downplaying the threat of the pandemic and putting pressure on the states to reopen their economy soon.

Trump has also refused to promote simple safety measures such as wearing a mask.

But on Wednesday, he eventually said that he “thinks masks are good.”

Trump said, "I'm all for masks" and "would have no problem" wearing one when he is in close quarters with other people. He, however, said he did not think mask-wearing needed to be mandatory.

Meanwhile, New Mexico Governor Michelle Grisham extended the state’s emergency public health order through mid-July and said authorities would “aggressively” enforce mandatory mask rules.

“I want to be as clear as I can possibly be: New Mexico, in this moment, still has the power to change the terrible trajectory of this virus,” he said.

“But our time is limited. And we are staring down the barrel of what Texas, Arizona and many other hard-hit states are grappling with,” Grisham added.

In Indiana, Republican Governor Eric Holcomb suspended the state’s phased reopening until at least mid-July.

“We just have to accept the fact ... that again this virus is on the prowl and it is moving, and it’s moving even within our borders,” he said.

According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, concern about the epidemic has reached its highest level in more than a month.

US citizens' concerns about coronavirus jump as cases surge: Poll

Americans’ anxieties over the spread of the novel coronavirus have risen to the highest level in more than a month, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Seven in 10 Republicans said they were personally concerned about the virus’ spread, up from six in 10 in previous polls.

About nine in 10 Democrats said they are similarly worried, a level of concern that has not changed.

Globally, a number of 10,694,060 people have so far been infected and 516,210 others lost their lives to the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University.

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