Coronavirus Updates: US has 1 million new COVID cases in first 10 days of November

COVID-19 Live Updates, News and Information

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Study finds newborns rarely contract COVID at hospital

Most cases that were contracted were not serious.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The U.S. has surpassed 1 million new confirmed coronavirus cases since the start of November.

The tally of cases in just 10 days shows the reach of the virus amid a strong fall surge.

Several states posted new highs Tuesday, including 12,000 new cases in Illinois and more than 7,000 in Wisconsin, where the governor planned to take the unusual step of delivering a live address to the state urging unity and cooperation to fight the virus.

The death toll is also soaring and hospitals in several states are at the breaking point. Indiana reported 63 new deaths Tuesday.

What to know about coronavirus:

How coronavirus changed the New York region

Do you have coronavirus symptoms?

NYC COVID-19 positivity rate tracker

Here are more of today's headlines:

Knicks employees test positive

Three employees of the New York Knicks have tested positive for coronavirus during routine screenings. They are all asymptomatic and under quarantine.

As a result, the MSG training center has been temporarily closed to allow for a thorough cleaning of the facility.

2 NYC businessmen accused of selling phony COVID-19 product

Two men are under arrest in Queens and accused of selling bogus sanitation cards they claimed would kill the COVID-19 virus. Pho Shan Wong and Zhen Wu, managers of a Queens business, surrendered to police on Tuesday morning.

Federal investigators say the men were selling the so-called "Virus Shut Out Cards." They allegedly claimed the cards were air sanitizers with a sterilization rate of 99%.

Syracuse, Albany universities going remote as virus surges

The University at Albany has switched to remote learning and Syracuse University will do the same next week. They are the latest colleges to switch to online classes as COVID-19 cases surge around New York. Syracuse University on Monday said it would immediately suspend all in-person events sponsored by school and move classes online next week. Separately, University at Albany president Havidán Rodríguez said the school would switch to remote learning for the rest of the semester because of a spike in cases.

Bound Brook School District switches to virtual learning

On Tuesday, the Bound Brook School District was notified of another positive COVID case. The person who tested positive was an employee of an after-school program. As a result, the district has made the decision to close all district schools to teachers and students and switch to full virtual learning until November 30.

Grocery stores again limit sale of toilet paper, paper towels

As COVID-19 cases surge again across the country, shoppers are stocking up and stores are putting limits on certain items. Experts say shoppers fear another round of shortages in stores in the coming months. Grocery story chain Kroger announced it's bringing back product limits to help prevent those shortages. The company is limiting purchases of toilet paper, paper towels, disinfecting wipes and hand soap to two per customer.

CDC releases updated guidelines for Thanksgiving

The CDC has posted its most specific guidance yet on Thanksgiving, emphasizing that the safest option for the holiday is celebrating only with people in your household or taking extra precautions like wearing masks and keeping your distance if you celebrate with others. A safe Thanksgiving during a pandemic is possible, but health experts know their advice is as tough to swallow as dry turkey: Stay home. Don't travel. If you must gather, do it outdoors.

New restrictions in New Jersey after 'devastating' numbers

Cases of the coronavirus continue to surge in New Jersey, as the state reported its highest daily total in seven months ahead of new restriction set to take effect Thursday. Gov. Phil Murphy said Tuesday there were 3,877 new positive cases, bringing the state total to 260,430. There were 21 additional fatalities, raising the state death toll to 14,661. The single day total was the highest since April 24, when 4,247 cases were reported. Nearly 700 of the new cases were in Essex County, where officials in Newark say the current positivity rate is at 19%. They've put in restrictions that go beyond the state, mandating that all non-essential businesses close at 8 p.m. each night.

"These numbers are devastating," Murphy tweeted. "We are still in the midst of a pandemic. Wear a mask. Social distance. Stay safe."

COVID positivity climbs on Staten Island, 'day of action' underway

Health care workers were at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal in St. George Tuesday, handing out PPE and offering COVID tests as the city tries to stop a second wave. That's because positivity rates are on the rise, and specifically, in the Tottenville section, it's now over 6.5%. That's prompted this so-called "Day of Action." Staff and volunteers are fanned out across the island, not only at the Ferry Terminal but also in several shopping centers, again offering PPE, information, and testing.

Newborns don't appear to get severe COVID

There is some relief for expectant parents with a new study finding it is extremely rare for newborns to get a severe case of COVID in the hospital. Researchers studied newborns who tested positive within a month of being born. Sixty-six newborns out of 10,000 births contracted the coronavirus. Of those who did, 28 had severe infections, while 88% of babies were out of the hospital by the end of the study. Researchers say this evidence supports allowing mothers with COVID-19 to spend time with their newborns. The study was published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health.

Northwell Health Labs unveils newest COVID-19 testing machines

With COVID-19 cases rising across the region and the country, Northwell Health Labs showed off the latest technologies being employed to combat the novel coronavirus.

More MVC closures

COVID-19 cases have shut down more motor vehicle offices in New Jersey. Officers in Bayone, Eatontown and Cherry Hill have closed after employees tested positive for COVID. They join already closed centers in West Deptford, Oakland, Paterson, Runnemede and Trenton.

NY positivity rate surpasses 3%

New York's statewide positivity rate has increased to 3.09% -- including a positivity rate of 5.59% in the microcluster focus areas. There were 32 COVID-19 deaths in New York on Monday. New York State's position during the pandemic is affected by an ongoing surge of COVID-19 throughout the United States. According to Johns Hopkins University, New York State has had the nation's third-lowest positivity rate over the past week, behind Vermont and Maine.

Connecticut, New Jersey add to travel advisory list

Maine and New Hampshire were added to Connecticut and New Jersey's travel advisory list, while no states or territories were removed. There are currently 46 states and territories that meet the criteria for the Tri-State Travel Advisory, though only 42 are on the quarantine list.

NYC COVID-19 update

Mayor Bill de Blasio reported Tuesday 795 new coronavirus cases and a 2.31% daily positivity rate. Hospitalizations were up higher than the last few days, with 92 patients.

New 911 EMS mental health teams

New York City is implementing a new program to help with mental health emergencies. Each team will consist of EMS health professionals and mental health crisis workers. The pilot program is set to launch in February 2021 and begin in two high-need communities. NYC Health and hospitals will help train new Mental Health Teams and provide ongoing case conferencing. This means the NYPD will no longer be the default response to non-violent situations related to mental health.

Know your NYC COVID Zone

You can find your COVID zone at NYC.gov/covidzone.