COVID-19 Updates: Just 4 deaths in New Jersey, only 2 in New York

COVID-19 Live Updates, News and Information

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Concern over rising COVID-19 cases in the Midwest and SouthReena Roy has more on the cluster of cases.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Deaths in the Tri-State area related to the novel coronavirus continue to drop, with just four additional deaths in New Jersey reported Monday and only two in New York state. Connecticut reported three deaths from Friday through Monday.

The toll remains high, though, with a total of 25,204 deaths in New York, 14,025 in New Jersey, and 4,444 in Connecticut.

"Our numbers reflect the work of everyone in this state, and the number of ICU patients and hospitalizations have reached new lows again," Governor Andrew Cuomo said. "That is extraordinary given where we were just a few months ago. We are fighting on two fronts to protect our progress: We are fighting against the rise of cases across the nation, and we are fighting against lack of compliance within our own state. While most establishments are complying, it's the few that are not in compliance that pose a threat to our progress. This is an enforcement issue, not an information issue. I need the local governments and the local police departments to enforce - it's that simple."

The State Liquor Authority and State Police Task Force visited 770 establishments in New York City and Long Island Sunday and observed 19 establishments that were not in compliance with state requirements.

Here are more of today's headlines:

HOW THE VIRUS SPREADS INDOORS

It's a fierce debate taking place across the Tri-State Area and the country right now, whether students and teachers should be heading back to the classroom and how it can be done safely.

For the first time, we're getting a glimpse of what you can't see in the air -- how viruses spread indoors. Researchers at the University of Minnesota did a first of its kind study showing how viruses can spread indoors and how filtering germs out of the room can be maximized depending on where the ventilation system is located.

MURPHY SPEAKS ON EXECUTIVE ORDER

President Donald Trump's proposed $400 a week unemployment compensation to succeed the expired $600 a week benefit, with the state paying for a quarter of it, is "just not workable," New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday.

This a day after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called the executive order "impossible," "laughable" and "just a chapter in the book of Washington COVID mismanagement."

Murphy addressed the president's executive order, which was signed at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, over the weekend during a news conference on the coronavirus outbreak.

ARMBAND TECHNOLOGY

One school district in New Jersey is employing a new technology to stay ahead of the coronavirus as schools prepare to reopen amid the pandemic.

The Butler School District is planning to require students to wear armbands with Bluetooth technology to provide daily temperature readings and other health information.

ANTONIO BANDERAS TESTS POSITIVE

Antonio Banderas says he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is celebrating his 60th birthday in quarantine.

The Spanish actor announced his positive test in an Instagram post on Monday. Banderas said he would spend his time in isolation reading, writing and "making plans to begin to give meaning to my 60th year to which I arrive full of enthusiasm."

"I would like to add that I am relatively well, just a little more tired than usual and hoping to recover as soon as possible following medical instructions that I hope will allow me to overcome the infection that I and so many people in the world are suffering from," wrote Banderas.

NEARLY 300,000 NYC FAMILIES OPT FOR ALL-REMOTE LEARNING

The city's plan calls for a mix of in-person and remote learning with students taking turns in classrooms when they return in the fall, but more than a quarter of students have decided to go with the all-remote option instead. Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday said that 74%, more than 700,000 students, will be taking part in the city's blended learning plan. 26% of students will be taking part in remote-only digital learning. He said that is consistent with the survey families took earlier this summer. About 15% of teachers have requested to be a remote teacher, and the city is working to approve them. The rest will take part in the in-person blended learning plan.

107 SCHOOLS DISTRICTS HAVEN'T SUBMITTED REOPENING PLANS

Governor Andrew Cuomo said Monday that 107 school districts in New York state did not submit their reopening plans. "How they did not submit a plan is beyond me," he said. If districts don't submit a plan by this Friday, they can't open. New York City submitted a supplemental plan last Friday which is being reviewed.

WHO: VIRUS NOT SHOWING SIGNS OF SEASONAL PATTERN

COVID-19 "has demonstrated no seasonal pattern" so far, World Health Organization (WHO) emergencies chief Dr. Mike Ryan told ABC News Monday. "What it has clearly demonstrated is: you take the pressure off the virus, the virus bounces back," Dr. Ryan warned. "You can call that a second wave, you can call that a second spike, you can call it a flare-up, you can call it anything you like," he said. "Take the pressure off the virus, the virus will bounce back. And that's what we would say to countries in Europe: keep the pressure on the virus." Many countries in Europe -- like France, Germany, Spain and Italy -- had major outbreaks but when they took action they were able to suppress it, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. "We all want to see schools safely reopened but we also need to ensure that students, staff and faculty are safe. The foundation for this is adequate control of transmission at the community," Dr. Tedros said. "My message is crystal clear: suppress, suppress, suppress the virus. If we suppress the virus effectively, we can safely open up societies."

NJ LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES

New Jersey is preparing to commit $155 million to the reopening of their long-term care facilities. "We will direct $25 million in CDC Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity Funding through the New Jersey Department of Health to support our new staff testing program," Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday. The NJ Department of Health will release a directive setting mandatory benchmarks for the state's long-term care facilities as they look to reopen to visitors and resume normal operations. The directive will establish phases for reopening based on the time since a last outbreak, as well as establishing strong baseline infection-control measures, requirements for PPE stockpiling and requirements for resident and staff testing - including weekly coronavirus tests for all staff.

DISNEY WORLD HOURS

Starting in September, Disney World will shorten its operating hours.

HOWELL HOUSE PARTY ARREST

One person is facing charges for allegedly hosting a massive party in New Jersey. Pictures show police responding to the crowds at the home in Howell on Sunday. According to police, 300 people attended the pop-up party.

CDC MIS-C CONCERNS

The Centers for Disease Control has growing concerns about the coronavirus' effect on children. The agency believes that about 600 children have come down with a rare illness that is linked to COVID-19. Experts say multi-system inflammatory syndrome attacks a child's vital organs. It's been found in kids in more than 40 states, as well as the District of Columbia. Of those 600 children, 10 have passed away. Doctors also say Latino and Black children are especially coming down with the mysterious illness -- they make up nearly three-quarters of all the cases.

NYC CHECKPOINTS LIST

New York City is continuing to hold checkpoints at various locations to try to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Hundreds of nursing homes still aren't allowing visitation amid coronavirus pandemic

Dan Krauth reports nearly five months after the coronavirus pandemic started, thousands of families in New York still haven't been able to visit their loved homes in nursing homes