Coronavirus Live Updates: NY marks lowest 1-day death toll since start of pandemic

COVID-19 Live Updates, News and Information

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Monday, September 21, 2020

New York state reported one death, while New Jersey reported 2 fatalities.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- New York State recorded only one death Sunday to COVID-19, Governor Andrew Cuomo said Monday, making it the lowest one-day death toll from the virus in the state since the start of the pandemic.

Nationwide, ABC News reports there were increases in cases in 29 states, plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico. There were also increases in the daily rate of positivity in 15 states and DC; increases in hospitalizations in 17 states, DC and Puerto Rico; and increases in daily deaths in 16 states and Puerto Rico.

New cases in the U.S. peaked in late July and had been declining steadily ever since. However, after weeks of decline, new cases appear on the rise again across the country.

Potential sources for the rise in cases include a link to Labor Day weekend and to hotpots at universities and schools.

What to know about coronavirus:

Back to school information

How coronavirus changed the New York region

Do you have coronavirus symptoms?

What's Open, What's Closed in the Tri-State area

Here are more of today's headlines:

1st day of remote learning in New York City

Roughly 90,000 New York City school students returned to the classroom for in-person learning Monday, but for everyone else, it was an experiment in remote learning.

NJ child care assistance

The New Jersey Department of Human Services opened up the window for a new COVID-19 child care tuition assistance program. Families with children ages 5-13 and incomes of up to $75,000 a year can apply online at https://www.childcarenj.gov/.

CDC removes airborne COVID transmission statement, cites error

The Centers for Disease Control updated a document Friday without fanfare that updates the agency's position on how the virus spreads, then removed the new guidance Monday saying it was posted in error. The document said person-to-person and coughing/sneezing/breathing is the primary ways the virus is transmitted through droplets, but the agency then said there is growing evidence that airborne droplets after a sneeze or cough -- droplets that linger in the air -- are of concern.

Low-risk high school sports resume in NY

Low-risk high school sports across New York resumed Monday, including field hockey, tennis, soccer, cross country, and swimming. They can practice and begin playing. Meanwhile, high-risk sports including football, wrestling, rugby, and hockey are allowed to practice, but cannot begin competition.

High-risk sports can resume practice, but not competition.

Majority of Americans report no confidence in Trump when it comes to safety of COVID-19 vaccine

A poll by ABC News/Ipsos shows the majority of Americans do not trust President Donald Trump to confirm the safety of a potential COVID-19 vaccine. A total of 69 percent of people surveyed did not trust the president to vouch for the safety of a vaccine. Sixteen percent of those said their confidence level was "not so much;" while 53 percent said it was "none at all."

Some students in NYC head back to school

The first day of school is in-person for just 90,000 students in New York City's Pre K, 3-K, and special education schools. According to Mayor Bill de Blasio, a total of 734 schools are opening open for in-person learning this week. 1,050 community based early childhood education programs also begin. Learning bridges also began on Monday. This involves 3600 preschoolers in the program at the beginning, and families can continue to apply as seats open up.

"Those 90,000 plus students still are the largest number of students starting in person anywhere in the country," Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza told Eyewitness News Monday morning. "So it's important for us to get it right. And it's important for us to make sure everyone is safe and secure as they start in-person learning."

Stay informed with ABC7's NYC COVID-19 positivity rate tracker

As New York City public schools inch closer to reopening in-person learning, much of the success will rely heavily on schools keeping the COVID rate of infection in check. According to the city, public schools can only stay open if the COVID positivity rate stays below 3%. To stay informed, you can follow ABC7's NYC COVID-19 positivity rate tracker.

MORE NEWS: Watch Eyewitness to a Pandemic

The sense of doom grew, especially after March 1, when the first confirmed case arrived in Manhattan. Soon, there was a hotspot in New Rochelle, and small curfews and containment zones across the area offered a hint of a frightening future we still thought we could avoid.