The United States saw a record number of new coronavirus cases in a single day, with 50,203 new infections reported on Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University.
It took a little more than two months for the US to record its first 50,000 coronavirus cases.
At least five states — Arizona, California, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas — had record-high totals of new case reports on Wednesday.
Here’s what you need to know about the pandemic today:
US “on target to reach a vaccine by year’s end, or early next year,” FDA commissioner says: The United States remains on target to have a Covid-19 vaccine available by the end of 2020 or early next year, US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn said Thursday.
“We expect two of these vaccines to go in the late stage of clinical trials, which are large clinical trials, in this month,” Hahn said on ABC’s Good Morning America. “We are on target to reach a vaccine by year’s end or early next year, so I’m cautiously optimistic.
Quarantine hotel sex scandal linked to coronavirus outbreak in Melbourne: Australian officials have launched a judicial inquiry amid allegations a fresh coronavirus outbreak in the state of Victoria was sparked by some contracted workers not following protocols at a hotel used to quarantine international arrivals — including reportedly having sex with people under lockdown.
Middle East at crucial point: The Middle East is at a “critical threshold” as countries across the region have started to ease their lockdowns and the coronavirus pandemic speeds up, Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, regional director for World Health Organization’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office.
New cases of coronavirus in Israel and Palestinian Authority at record levels: Weeks after appearing to have the spread of coronavirus firmly under control, both Israel and the Palestinian Authority are now seeing new cases emerging at record levels. Israel recorded 966 new cases of coronavirus Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Health — the number of new infections per day has tripled in the last two weeks and has jumped nearly 50-fold since mid-May. The Palestinian Authority reported 330 new cases Wednesday, which was also a record daily high.
Groom died of coronavirus two days after his wedding and 80 guests have been infected: In India, a man died two days after his wedding after becoming infected with novel coronavirus in the eastern state of Bihar. Then 80 guests tested positive for the virus.
German slaughterhouse placed under extended quarantine: Germany’s Toennies meat processing plant — the epicenter of a fresh coronavirus outbreak in the country — will have its mandatory quarantine period extended for a further two weeks, until July 17, the Health Ministry in North Rhine-Westphalia said Wednesday.
