The Ellis County Health Department on Wednesday announced a new probable case of COVID-19 in the county.

Testing has been sent to a private lab for confirmation, the department said, noting contacts will be notified. The probable case is in home isolation pending results.

The Ellis County Health Department on Wednesday announced a new probable case of COVID-19 in the county.Testing has been sent to a private lab for confirmation, the department said, noting contacts will be notified. The probable case is in home isolation pending results.Read the entire release below:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593019514770.png" alt="Screen Shot 2020-06-24 at 12.23.07 PM.png" />
 <figcaption>Screen Shot 2020-06-24 at 12.23.07 PM.png</figcaption>
 </figure>

New probable case of coronavirus reported in Ellis Co.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s call for another round of stimulus checks to most taxpayers is getting a lukewarm endorsement from his GOP allies on Capitol Hill, but it’s emerging as an early area of potential agreement with Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the next coronavirus bill.

In a fractured Washington, that could be a foundation of a winning coalition as lawmakers inch toward talks on the fifth, and possibly final, coronavirus relief measure before November’s elections.

Trump told an interviewer Monday that he supports another round of direct economic stimulus payments similar to the $1,200 checks issued to most individuals earlier this year.

“Yeah, we are,” Trump told a correspondent for Scripps television stations. “We will be doing another stimulus package. It’ll be very good. It’ll be very generous.”

On Tuesday, neither Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin — the lead White House negotiator on the first package — nor Trump’s GOP allies raced to endorse the idea.

“As we’ve said before, we’re talking about a bunch of different ideas that we may need to do in another bill,” Mnuchin said after a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans where the topic received little discussion. “We’re going to take our time and make sure that we’re thoughtful. Whatever we do, it will be much more targeted, much more focused on jobs.”

Congress passed the first round of checks nearly unanimously in March as part of a coronavirus response bill, at a cost of almost $300 billion. Both parties said the aid was essential as coronavirus lockdowns brought the economy to a near standstill. The jobless rate is still high at almost 15% nationwide, though retail sales have rebounded.

House Democrats are fully onboard with another round, having included direct payments in a more than $3 trillion measure that they pushed through the House in May. But views in the GOP are more mixed, despite Trump’s support.

“He’s always wanted a second round of stimulus checks, and probably for good reason,” said Sen. Ken Cramer, R-N.D., who mostly endorsed the idea. “What we do next in addition to something like that should be very targeted, very specific to restarting, really restarting the economy. ... I think direct contribution installments to individuals could be a nice, a nice stimulus.”

Skeptics of direct stimulus payments say they are not targeted enough, but they have an undeniable political appeal, especially with the elections less than five months away.

Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has made it clear that he does not want negotiations with Democrats and Pelosi on another COVID-19 response bill to begin until next month.

Negotiations on the legislation are also likely to center on providing another round of aid to states and local governments and extending unemployment benefits — though not the $600 per week supplement enacted in March.

“My preference would be to extend unemployment insurance, but to do that in a more limited way, and a more targeted way,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who also wants adjustments to payroll subsidies for businesses and aid to states and local governments seeking help with their ballooning budget deficits.

Most Republicans know that Trump’s posture means it’s likely a cinch that another round of direct payments will make it into the upcoming bill, despite their reservations. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., discounted a reporter’s suggestion that there’s “pretty strong skepticism” by Republicans toward another set of stimulus checks.

“I don’t think it got to the point you can say that,” Blunt said.

Several Republicans, however, said they want to tighten eligibility for the stimulus payments to try to control costs.

“But we need targeted tailoring of any kind of stimulus measures if we really want to get it to the people who are hurting the most,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593001408779.png" alt="President Donald Trump spoke with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday. Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Donald Trump spoke with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday. Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s call for another round of stimulus checks to most taxpayers is getting a lukewarm endorsement from his GOP allies on Capitol Hill, but it’s emerging as an early area of potential agreement with Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the next coronavirus bill.In a fractured Washington, that could be a foundation of a winning coalition as lawmakers inch toward talks on the fifth, and possibly final, coronavirus relief measure before November’s elections.Trump told an interviewer Monday that he supports another round of direct economic stimulus payments similar to the $1,200 checks issued to most individuals earlier this year.“Yeah, we are,” Trump told a correspondent for Scripps television stations. “We will be doing another stimulus package. It’ll be very good. It’ll be very generous.”On Tuesday, neither Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin — the lead White House negotiator on the first package — nor Trump’s GOP allies raced to endorse the idea.“As we’ve said before, we’re talking about a bunch of different ideas that we may need to do in another bill,” Mnuchin said after a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans where the topic received little discussion. “We’re going to take our time and make sure that we’re thoughtful. Whatever we do, it will be much more targeted, much more focused on jobs.”Congress passed the first round of checks nearly unanimously in March as part of a coronavirus response bill, at a cost of almost $300 billion. Both parties said the aid was essential as coronavirus lockdowns brought the economy to a near standstill. The jobless rate is still high at almost 15% nationwide, though retail sales have rebounded.House Democrats are fully onboard with another round, having included direct payments in a more than $3 trillion measure that they pushed through the House in May. But views in the GOP are more mixed, despite Trump’s support.“He’s always wanted a second round of stimulus checks, and probably for good reason,” said Sen. Ken Cramer, R-N.D., who mostly endorsed the idea. “What we do next in addition to something like that should be very targeted, very specific to restarting, really restarting the economy. ... I think direct contribution installments to individuals could be a nice, a nice stimulus.”Skeptics of direct stimulus payments say they are not targeted enough, but they have an undeniable political appeal, especially with the elections less than five months away.Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has made it clear that he does not want negotiations with Democrats and Pelosi on another COVID-19 response bill to begin until next month.Negotiations on the legislation are also likely to center on providing another round of aid to states and local governments and extending unemployment benefits — though not the $600 per week supplement enacted in March.“My preference would be to extend unemployment insurance, but to do that in a more limited way, and a more targeted way,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who also wants adjustments to payroll subsidies for businesses and aid to states and local governments seeking help with their ballooning budget deficits.Most Republicans know that Trump’s posture means it’s likely a cinch that another round of direct payments will make it into the upcoming bill, despite their reservations. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., discounted a reporter’s suggestion that there’s “pretty strong skepticism” by Republicans toward another set of stimulus checks.“I don’t think it got to the point you can say that,” Blunt said.Several Republicans, however, said they want to tighten eligibility for the stimulus payments to try to control costs.“But we need targeted tailoring of any kind of stimulus measures if we really want to get it to the people who are hurting the most,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

Debate continues on sending another virus stimulus check

WASHINGTON (AP) — The next few weeks are critical to tamping down a disturbing coronavirus surge, Dr. Anthony Fauci told Congress on Tuesday — issuing a plea for people to avoid crowds and wear masks.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a>&nbsp;to watch a replay of the testimony

Fauci and other top health officials also said they have not been asked to slow down virus testing, in contrast to Trump’s claim last weekend that he had ordered fewer tests be performed because they were uncovering too many infections. Trump said earlier Tuesday that he wasn’t kidding when he made that remark.

“We will be doing more testing,” Fauci, infectious disease chief at the National Institutes of Health, pledged to a House committee conducting oversight of the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic.

The leading public health officials spent more than five hours testifying before the committee at a fraught moment, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.

Fauci told lawmakers he understands the pent-up desire to get back to normal as the U.S. begins emerging from months of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But that has “to be a gradual step-by-step process and not throwing caution to the wind,” he said.

“Plan A, don’t go in a crowd. Plan B, if you do, make sure you wear a mask,” Fauci said.

Troubling surges worsened Tuesday in several states, with Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada and Texas setting single-day records for new coronavirus cases, and some governors saying they’ll consider reinstating restrictions or delaying plans to ease up in order to help slow the spread of the virus.

Arizona, where Trump was headed for a speech at a Phoenix megachurch, reported a new daily record of nearly 3,600 additional coronavirus infections Tuesday. Arizona emerged as a COVID-19 hot spot after Republican Gov. Doug Ducey lifted his stay-home orders in mid-May. Last week he allowed cities and counties to require masks in public places and many have done so.

Texas surpassed 5,000 new cases for a single day for the first time — just days after it eclipsed 4,000 new cases for the first time — as America’s largest pediatric hospital began taking adult patients to free up bed space in Houston. The infection rate in Texas has doubled since late May. And Nevada surpassed a record one-day increase for the fourth time in the past eight days. Other states also were experiencing worrisome surges, including Louisiana, Utah and South Carolina.

Another worrisome trend: an increase in infections among young adults. Fauci said while COVID-19 tends to be less severe in younger people, some of them do get very sick and even die. And younger people also may be more likely to show no symptoms yet still spread the virus.

If people say, “’I’m young, I’m healthy, who cares’ — you should care, not only for yourself but for the impact you might have” on sickening someone more vulnerable, Fauci said.

About 2.3 million Americans have been infected and some 120,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Republican Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia asked if Fauci regretted that the American public wasn’t urged sooner to wear face masks, and then interrupted before the visibly annoyed scientist finished answering.

Fauci said he didn’t regret the change in recommendations. Early in the pandemic there was a “paucity of equipment” for health workers “who put themselves daily in harm’s way” and “we did not want to divert” those scarce supplies, he said.

Scientists eventually recommended the general public use cloth masks, after they better understood that people with no symptoms could be spreading the virus —

Trump, meanwhile, doubled down on testing claims that have public health experts appalled, tweeting Tuesday:

“Cases are going up in the U.S. because we are testing far more than any other country, and ever expanding. With smaller testing we would show fewer cases! “

Less testing in fact means more infections going undetected. The U.S. was slow in ramping up and currently is testing about 500,000 people a day. Many experts say to control the spread of the virus, it should be testing 900,000 or more.

Brett Giroir, a Health and Human Services assistant secretary, told lawmakers Tuesday the next step is testing patient samples in large batches to stretch limited supplies, which would expand U.S. screening between fivefold and tenfold.

Instead of testing each person individually, health workers would pool samples from 50, 100 or more people from the same office or school, for example. A negative result would clear everyone, while a positive would require each person to be individually re-tested.

And Dr. Robert Redfield, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, added that it’s now recommended for workers in nursing homes — hard-hit by the virus — to be tested weekly.

As for the anxiously awaited vaccine, Fauci said he believes “it will be when and not if” it arrives, and he’s “cautiously optimistic” that some vaccine could be available at the end of the year.

More than a dozen vaccine candidates are in various stages of testing around the globe, and the U.S. next month is poised to begin the largest study — in 30,000 people — to get the needed proof that one really works. Meanwhile, countries, including the U.S. under a program called “Operation Warp Speed,” are beginning to stockpile millions of doses of different shots, in hopes at least some will prove usable.

Health officials assured lawmakers Tuesday that there won’t be shortcuts on safety.

“We absolutely must maintain regulatory independence and make the right decision for the American people based on the science and the data,” said Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn.

Democrats blasted Trump for confusing the public with erroneous statements — from testing to masks to unproven treatments — and ignoring the public health experts’ advice.

“It costs lives,” Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida said of Trump’s false claims. She urged the public health specialists to do more to counter the president: “We really expect you to be more outspoken.”

Pushed on whether schools should reopen in August and September, Redfield insisted that will vary not just by state but by school district, depending on how many infections are in a particular area.

“Many jurisdictions will be reopening schools,” and CDC will soon issue some guidelines to help, he said.

Fauci noted that schools should tailor their decisions to local conditions, saying some might need few restrictions and others more. He offered the same advice to colleges, saying they should assume some students will get infected and that there must be ways to keep them and their classmates safe.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government’s top infectious disease expert told a House committee on Tuesday he believes “it will be when and not if” there will be a COVID-19 vaccine and that he remains “cautiously optimistic” that some will be ready at the end of the year.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a> to watch a replay of the testimony

Dr. Anthony Fauci has returned to Capitol Hill at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1b92ce21f8ddf7eefb634b92fee38fed">fraught moment</a>&nbsp;in the nation’s pandemic response, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.

Fauci was testifying along with the heads of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Since Fauci’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e64f20bbacb7d48d15e1d76339220486">last appearance at a high-profile hearing</a>&nbsp;more than a month ago, the U.S. has been emerging from weeks of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But it’s being done in an uneven way, with some states far less cautious than others. A trio of states with Republican governors who are bullish on reopening — Arizona, Florida and Texas — are among those seeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/feb4c26d9364497cf82ee7c0c1b1b3d5">worrisome increases in cases</a>.

Last week, Vice President Mike Pence published an opinion article in The Wall Street Journal saying the administration’s efforts have strengthened the nation’s ability to counter the virus and should be “a cause for celebration.”

Then Trump said at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1a59b4efe97f2249d414ae4f0b3c6495">his weekend rally in Tulsa</a>&nbsp;that he had asked administration officials to slow down testing, because too many positive cases are turning up. Many rally goers did not wear masks, and for some that was an act of defiance against what they see as government intrusion. White House officials later tried to walk back Trump’s comment on testing, suggesting it wasn’t meant to be taken literally.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey said during Tuesday’s hearing that Trump’s testing comment at the rally “was an extremely reckless action, and unfortunately it continues the president’s pattern of ignoring the advice of his own public health experts.”

Trump, departing the White House for a visit to Arizona on Tuesday, played down those comments, saying under his administration the U.S. is doing more testing than any other country. Trump’s trip includes a rally at a megachurch.

Fauci has recently warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f401d034122b820a89773432cbf51152">the U.S. is still in the first wave</a>&nbsp;of the pandemic and has continued to urge the American public to practice social distancing. And, in a recent ABC News interview, he said political demonstrations such as protests against racial injustice are “risky” to all involved. Asked if that applied to Trump rallies, he said it did. Fauci continues to recognize widespread testing as critical for catching clusters of COVID-19 cases before they turn into full outbreaks in a given community.

About 2.3 million Americans have been sickened in the pandemic, and some 120,000 have died,&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">according to data from Johns Hopkins University</a>.

Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is joined by CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield, FDA chief Dr. Stephen Hahn and the head of the U.S. Public Health Service, Adm. Brett Giroir.

Giroir was tapped by the White House to oversee the expansion of coronavirus testing. But he gained notoriety after a whistleblower complaint flagged him for trying to push&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0fbe485717c9a74e6d6c48aee7d208ae">a malaria drug touted by Trump</a>&nbsp;to treat COVID-19 without conclusive scientific evidence. The FDA has since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/33f67f8aa5ef2280215087f8e5364017">withdrawn its emergency use authorization</a>&nbsp;for hydroxychloroquine.

“There have been a lot of unfortunate missteps in the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Pallone said. “As communities across the country ease social distancing guidance and reopen their economies, it is critically important that both the administration and Congress remain focused on containing the spread of the coronavirus and providing the resources and support Americans need during this time of crisis.”

There is still no vaccine for COVID-19, and there are no treatments specifically developed for the disease, although the antiviral drug remdesivir has been shown to help some patients, as well as a steroid called dexamethasone, and plasma from patients who have recovered.

Since Fauci last testified, hospital physicians have become more skilled in treating coronavirus patients with the techniques and medications at their disposal. The U.S. continues to ramp up testing, with some 27.5 million Americans, or more than 8% of the population, tested thus far. But most communities still lack enough health workers trained in doing contact tracing, the work of identifying people who have had interactions with an infected person. That could make it more difficult to tamp down emerging outbreaks.

The Energy and Commerce Committee has oversight over drugs and vaccines, among other facets of the U.S. health care system. Committee Democrats have been harshly critical of the administration. However, not all Republicans have lined up to defend the White House. Some GOP members were growing concerned early in the year that the administration wasn’t doing enough to prepare.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592928665531.png" alt="Dr. Anthony Fauci prior to his testimony on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Anthony Fauci prior to his testimony on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The next few weeks are critical to tamping down a disturbing coronavirus surge, Dr. Anthony Fauci told Congress on Tuesday — issuing a plea for people to avoid crowds and wear masks.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a>&nbsp;to watch a replay of the testimonyFauci and other top health officials also said they have not been asked to slow down virus testing, in contrast to Trump’s claim last weekend that he had ordered fewer tests be performed because they were uncovering too many infections. Trump said earlier Tuesday that he wasn’t kidding when he made that remark.“We will be doing more testing,” Fauci, infectious disease chief at the National Institutes of Health, pledged to a House committee conducting oversight of the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic.The leading public health officials spent more than five hours testifying before the committee at a fraught moment, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.Fauci told lawmakers he understands the pent-up desire to get back to normal as the U.S. begins emerging from months of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But that has “to be a gradual step-by-step process and not throwing caution to the wind,” he said.“Plan A, don’t go in a crowd. Plan B, if you do, make sure you wear a mask,” Fauci said.Troubling surges worsened Tuesday in several states, with Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada and Texas setting single-day records for new coronavirus cases, and some governors saying they’ll consider reinstating restrictions or delaying plans to ease up in order to help slow the spread of the virus.Arizona, where Trump was headed for a speech at a Phoenix megachurch, reported a new daily record of nearly 3,600 additional coronavirus infections Tuesday. Arizona emerged as a COVID-19 hot spot after Republican Gov. Doug Ducey lifted his stay-home orders in mid-May. Last week he allowed cities and counties to require masks in public places and many have done so.Texas surpassed 5,000 new cases for a single day for the first time — just days after it eclipsed 4,000 new cases for the first time — as America’s largest pediatric hospital began taking adult patients to free up bed space in Houston. The infection rate in Texas has doubled since late May. And Nevada surpassed a record one-day increase for the fourth time in the past eight days. Other states also were experiencing worrisome surges, including Louisiana, Utah and South Carolina.Another worrisome trend: an increase in infections among young adults. Fauci said while COVID-19 tends to be less severe in younger people, some of them do get very sick and even die. And younger people also may be more likely to show no symptoms yet still spread the virus.If people say, “’I’m young, I’m healthy, who cares’ — you should care, not only for yourself but for the impact you might have” on sickening someone more vulnerable, Fauci said.About 2.3 million Americans have been infected and some 120,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.Republican Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia asked if Fauci regretted that the American public wasn’t urged sooner to wear face masks, and then interrupted before the visibly annoyed scientist finished answering.Fauci said he didn’t regret the change in recommendations. Early in the pandemic there was a “paucity of equipment” for health workers “who put themselves daily in harm’s way” and “we did not want to divert” those scarce supplies, he said.Scientists eventually recommended the general public use cloth masks, after they better understood that people with no symptoms could be spreading the virus —Trump, meanwhile, doubled down on testing claims that have public health experts appalled, tweeting Tuesday:“Cases are going up in the U.S. because we are testing far more than any other country, and ever expanding. With smaller testing we would show fewer cases! “Less testing in fact means more infections going undetected. The U.S. was slow in ramping up and currently is testing about 500,000 people a day. Many experts say to control the spread of the virus, it should be testing 900,000 or more.Brett Giroir, a Health and Human Services assistant secretary, told lawmakers Tuesday the next step is testing patient samples in large batches to stretch limited supplies, which would expand U.S. screening between fivefold and tenfold.Instead of testing each person individually, health workers would pool samples from 50, 100 or more people from the same office or school, for example. A negative result would clear everyone, while a positive would require each person to be individually re-tested.And Dr. Robert Redfield, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, added that it’s now recommended for workers in nursing homes — hard-hit by the virus — to be tested weekly.As for the anxiously awaited vaccine, Fauci said he believes “it will be when and not if” it arrives, and he’s “cautiously optimistic” that some vaccine could be available at the end of the year.More than a dozen vaccine candidates are in various stages of testing around the globe, and the U.S. next month is poised to begin the largest study — in 30,000 people — to get the needed proof that one really works. Meanwhile, countries, including the U.S. under a program called “Operation Warp Speed,” are beginning to stockpile millions of doses of different shots, in hopes at least some will prove usable.Health officials assured lawmakers Tuesday that there won’t be shortcuts on safety.“We absolutely must maintain regulatory independence and make the right decision for the American people based on the science and the data,” said Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn.Democrats blasted Trump for confusing the public with erroneous statements — from testing to masks to unproven treatments — and ignoring the public health experts’ advice.“It costs lives,” Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida said of Trump’s false claims. She urged the public health specialists to do more to counter the president: “We really expect you to be more outspoken.”Pushed on whether schools should reopen in August and September, Redfield insisted that will vary not just by state but by school district, depending on how many infections are in a particular area.“Many jurisdictions will be reopening schools,” and CDC will soon issue some guidelines to help, he said.Fauci noted that schools should tailor their decisions to local conditions, saying some might need few restrictions and others more. He offered the same advice to colleges, saying they should assume some students will get infected and that there must be ways to keep them and their classmates safe.----------WASHINGTON (AP) — The government’s top infectious disease expert told a House committee on Tuesday he believes “it will be when and not if” there will be a COVID-19 vaccine and that he remains “cautiously optimistic” that some will be ready at the end of the year.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a> to watch a replay of the testimonyDr. Anthony Fauci has returned to Capitol Hill at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1b92ce21f8ddf7eefb634b92fee38fed">fraught moment</a>&nbsp;in the nation’s pandemic response, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.Fauci was testifying along with the heads of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services.Since Fauci’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e64f20bbacb7d48d15e1d76339220486">last appearance at a high-profile hearing</a>&nbsp;more than a month ago, the U.S. has been emerging from weeks of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But it’s being done in an uneven way, with some states far less cautious than others. A trio of states with Republican governors who are bullish on reopening — Arizona, Florida and Texas — are among those seeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/feb4c26d9364497cf82ee7c0c1b1b3d5">worrisome increases in cases</a>.Last week, Vice President Mike Pence published an opinion article in The Wall Street Journal saying the administration’s efforts have strengthened the nation’s ability to counter the virus and should be “a cause for celebration.”Then Trump said at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1a59b4efe97f2249d414ae4f0b3c6495">his weekend rally in Tulsa</a>&nbsp;that he had asked administration officials to slow down testing, because too many positive cases are turning up. Many rally goers did not wear masks, and for some that was an act of defiance against what they see as government intrusion. White House officials later tried to walk back Trump’s comment on testing, suggesting it wasn’t meant to be taken literally.House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey said during Tuesday’s hearing that Trump’s testing comment at the rally “was an extremely reckless action, and unfortunately it continues the president’s pattern of ignoring the advice of his own public health experts.”Trump, departing the White House for a visit to Arizona on Tuesday, played down those comments, saying under his administration the U.S. is doing more testing than any other country. Trump’s trip includes a rally at a megachurch.Fauci has recently warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f401d034122b820a89773432cbf51152">the U.S. is still in the first wave</a>&nbsp;of the pandemic and has continued to urge the American public to practice social distancing. And, in a recent ABC News interview, he said political demonstrations such as protests against racial injustice are “risky” to all involved. Asked if that applied to Trump rallies, he said it did. Fauci continues to recognize widespread testing as critical for catching clusters of COVID-19 cases before they turn into full outbreaks in a given community.About 2.3 million Americans have been sickened in the pandemic, and some 120,000 have died,&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">according to data from Johns Hopkins University</a>.Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is joined by CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield, FDA chief Dr. Stephen Hahn and the head of the U.S. Public Health Service, Adm. Brett Giroir.Giroir was tapped by the White House to oversee the expansion of coronavirus testing. But he gained notoriety after a whistleblower complaint flagged him for trying to push&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0fbe485717c9a74e6d6c48aee7d208ae">a malaria drug touted by Trump</a>&nbsp;to treat COVID-19 without conclusive scientific evidence. The FDA has since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/33f67f8aa5ef2280215087f8e5364017">withdrawn its emergency use authorization</a>&nbsp;for hydroxychloroquine.“There have been a lot of unfortunate missteps in the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Pallone said. “As communities across the country ease social distancing guidance and reopen their economies, it is critically important that both the administration and Congress remain focused on containing the spread of the coronavirus and providing the resources and support Americans need during this time of crisis.”There is still no vaccine for COVID-19, and there are no treatments specifically developed for the disease, although the antiviral drug remdesivir has been shown to help some patients, as well as a steroid called dexamethasone, and plasma from patients who have recovered.Since Fauci last testified, hospital physicians have become more skilled in treating coronavirus patients with the techniques and medications at their disposal. The U.S. continues to ramp up testing, with some 27.5 million Americans, or more than 8% of the population, tested thus far. But most communities still lack enough health workers trained in doing contact tracing, the work of identifying people who have had interactions with an infected person. That could make it more difficult to tamp down emerging outbreaks.The Energy and Commerce Committee has oversight over drugs and vaccines, among other facets of the U.S. health care system. Committee Democrats have been harshly critical of the administration. However, not all Republicans have lined up to defend the White House. Some GOP members were growing concerned early in the year that the administration wasn’t doing enough to prepare.

🎥 Fauci: Next few weeks critical to tamping down virus spikes

TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Laura Howard announced Monday, The Kansas Neurological Institute (KNI) has 12 new positives cases in five staff members and seven residents, according to a media release.

Howard also announced&nbsp;that one staff member at Osawatomie State Hospital (OSH) has tested positive for COVID-19. This is the first positive case at OSH in either residents or staff.

To protect the identity of staff and residents at each hospital,&nbsp;no further information will be released.

Friday, June 19, an employee at OSH reported a positive test result to the hospital’s infection control nurse. In coordination with the Miami County Health Department, all 11 residents on the unit who were in close contact with the positive employee will be tested as a priority. A testing strategy that reaches beyond those working or living on the unit is currently being discussed and several steps have been taken to further maximize safety precautions already in place to minimize risk of further exposure:

“This is an extremely stressful time for patients, their loved ones and our staff members,” OSH Superintendent Kristin Feeback said. “We recognize that communication with patients, families and staff is critically important, especially after a confirmed COVID-19 case. I appreciate our staff being so responsive and adaptive to the instructions given by local health officials to make sure we do all we can to prevent the spread of the virus as effectively as possible.”

Thursday, June 18, KNI reported one staff member and one resident in the same home on campus tested positive for COVID-19 and at least one more staff member was symptomatic. Officials at KNI worked in collaboration with the Kansas Department for Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Shawnee County Health Department to administer more than 80 tests to all staff working in the affected home as well as all residents in the building where that home is located. At the time of this release, those tests have resulted in positive cases in five staff members and seven residents in three living units covering two campus buildings. Three of the 12 positive cases at KNI are symptomatic, but zero currently require hospitalization.

KDHE and KNI and local health department officials are expanding testing on campus in the coming days to include all staff in potentially affected areas with a goal of an additional 200 staff tested by end of day today. Residents in all three affected living units have already been tested. KNI continues to follow similar PPE practices to those implemented at OSH.

“We are thankful to the health officials at the state and local level for their quick and effective communication and response,” KNI Superintendent Brent Widick said. “Our residents are like family and we work very hard to keep them safe, so this kind of news takes a real emotional toll on our staff.”

KNI reported its first two cases of staff members on April 17 this year. Both of those cases have been cleared.

TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Laura Howard announced Monday, The Kansas Neurological Institute (KNI) has 12 new positives cases in five staff members and seven residents, according to a media release.Howard also announced&nbsp;that one staff member at Osawatomie State Hospital (OSH) has tested positive for COVID-19. This is the first positive case at OSH in either residents or staff.To protect the identity of staff and residents at each hospital,&nbsp;no further information will be released.Friday, June 19, an employee at OSH reported a positive test result to the hospital’s infection control nurse. In coordination with the Miami County Health Department, all 11 residents on the unit who were in close contact with the positive employee will be tested as a priority. A testing strategy that reaches beyond those working or living on the unit is currently being discussed and several steps have been taken to further maximize safety precautions already in place to minimize risk of further exposure:<ul>
 <li>Any employee with direct, close contact with the positive employee has been contacted and begun a 14-day quarantine as instructed by the Miami County Health Department.</li><li>Any patients directly exposed to the positive employee are strongly encouraged to isolate in their room and wear a facemask anytime they leave their room.&nbsp;Patients on the unit where the employee worked will remain on the unit and are being closely monitored for any change in status. COVID-19 testing will be implemented at the appropriate time according to time of exposure.</li><li>At this time, there will be no admissions to the affected unit. All staff working on the affected unit are required to wear full personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times, to include nurses, other professionals, security and housekeeping.</li><li>Separate entrances and exits have been established on the affected unit to minimize exposure to staff and patients on other units.</li><li>The frequently touched surfaces in the affected unit are now being disinfected three times per shift.</li>
 </ul>“This is an extremely stressful time for patients, their loved ones and our staff members,” OSH Superintendent Kristin Feeback said. “We recognize that communication with patients, families and staff is critically important, especially after a confirmed COVID-19 case. I appreciate our staff being so responsive and adaptive to the instructions given by local health officials to make sure we do all we can to prevent the spread of the virus as effectively as possible.”Thursday, June 18, KNI reported one staff member and one resident in the same home on campus tested positive for COVID-19 and at least one more staff member was symptomatic. Officials at KNI worked in collaboration with the Kansas Department for Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Shawnee County Health Department to administer more than 80 tests to all staff working in the affected home as well as all residents in the building where that home is located. At the time of this release, those tests have resulted in positive cases in five staff members and seven residents in three living units covering two campus buildings. Three of the 12 positive cases at KNI are symptomatic, but zero currently require hospitalization.KDHE and KNI and local health department officials are expanding testing on campus in the coming days to include all staff in potentially affected areas with a goal of an additional 200 staff tested by end of day today. Residents in all three affected living units have already been tested. KNI continues to follow similar PPE practices to those implemented at OSH.“We are thankful to the health officials at the state and local level for their quick and effective communication and response,” KNI Superintendent Brent Widick said. “Our residents are like family and we work very hard to keep them safe, so this kind of news takes a real emotional toll on our staff.”KNI reported its first two cases of staff members on April 17 this year. Both of those cases have been cleared.

12 cases of coronavirus at Kan. Neurological Institute 

SPRINGDLE, AR. (AP) — Tyson Foods is looking into reports that China’s customs agency has suspended poultry imports from a Tyson facility in the United States after coronavirus cases were confirmed among its employees.

A Tyson spokesman said Sunday that the plant in question is in Springdale, Arkansas.

“At Tyson, we’re confident our products are safe and we’re hopeful consultations between the U.S. and Chinese governments will resolve this matter,” wrote spokesman Gary Mickelson in an email to The Associated Press.

“Our top priority is the health and safety of our team members, and we work closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to ensure that we produce all of our food in full compliance with government safety requirements,” the statement added.

Mickelson also noted that all global and U.S. health organizations, in addition to the U.S. Food &amp; Drug Administration, agree that there is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with food.

The announcement out of China on Sunday gave no details of the quantity of meat affected.

On Friday, Tyson Foods announced the results of coronavirus testing at its facilities in Benton and Washington Counties, Arkansas, and said that about 95 percent of employees who ultimately tested positive for the virus didn’t show any symptoms. Of the 3,748 employees tested, 481 tested positive for COVID-19, and 455 were asymptomatic.

There have been several other COVID-19 outbreaks at Tyson plants around the United States, including in North Carolina, Nebraska, and Iowa.

In November, China lifted a five-year ban on U.S. poultry. China had blocked U.S. poultry imports a month after an outbreak of avian influenza in December 2014, closing off a market that brought more than $500 million worth of American chicken, turkey and other poultry products in 2013.

SPRINGDLE, AR. (AP) — Tyson Foods is looking into reports that China’s customs agency has suspended poultry imports from a Tyson facility in the United States after coronavirus cases were confirmed among its employees.A Tyson spokesman said Sunday that the plant in question is in Springdale, Arkansas.“At Tyson, we’re confident our products are safe and we’re hopeful consultations between the U.S. and Chinese governments will resolve this matter,” wrote spokesman Gary Mickelson in an email to The Associated Press.“Our top priority is the health and safety of our team members, and we work closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to ensure that we produce all of our food in full compliance with government safety requirements,” the statement added.Mickelson also noted that all global and U.S. health organizations, in addition to the U.S. Food &amp; Drug Administration, agree that there is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with food.The announcement out of China on Sunday gave no details of the quantity of meat affected.On Friday, Tyson Foods announced the results of coronavirus testing at its facilities in Benton and Washington Counties, Arkansas, and said that about 95 percent of employees who ultimately tested positive for the virus didn’t show any symptoms. Of the 3,748 employees tested, 481 tested positive for COVID-19, and 455 were asymptomatic.There have been several other COVID-19 outbreaks at Tyson plants around the United States, including in North Carolina, Nebraska, and Iowa.In November, China lifted a five-year ban on U.S. poultry. China had blocked U.S. poultry imports a month after an outbreak of avian influenza in December 2014, closing off a market that brought more than $500 million worth of American chicken, turkey and other poultry products in 2013.

Hundreds test positive for virus at Tyson Foods plant 

By ALEX SMITH <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2020-06-18/as-kansas-and-missouri-reopen-new-research-says-states-still-lack-enough-contact-tracers-to-slow-covid-19">Kansas News Service</a>

Health experts say that contact tracers—health care workers whose job
 it is to reach out to individuals who may have been exposed to the 
coronavirus to instruct them to isolate—are essential to keep COVID-19 
from spreading. 

But updated research shows that both Kansas and 
Missouri lack adequate numbers of contact tracers even though both 
states have been gradually reopening for weeks. Still, some health 
officials dispute the findings.

While many cities, counties and 
states have made significant progress in COVID-19 preparedness, many 
others are still struggling on contact tracing, including Johnson 
County, Kansas, which has made huge strides in testing but still doesn’t
 have enough contact tracers.

“Right now, no,” wrote Johnson 
County health department spokeswoman Barbara Mitchell in an email, 
explaining that the county is currently understaffed and would be even 
further strained in the event of a new surge of COVID-19 cases.

Nationally,
 few states currently have enough of these workers, according to an 
analysis by NPR using data from George Washington University’s Contact 
Workforce Estimator.

Kansas currently has 12.33 contact tracers, 
including reserve workers, per 100,000 residents, short of the roughly 
17 per 100,000 needed, according to the analysis.

Missouri, 
meanwhile, has only .49 tracers per 100,000 residents, well below the 
roughly 14 per 100,000 needed there, the analysis shows.

However, 
the NPR analysis for Missouri only includes contact tracers working for 
the state health department, not those working in county and local 
health departments. The omission, which was not explained in the NPR 
report, likely makes the state’s capacity appear much lower than it 
actually is.

The George Washington University researchers based their estimates of contact tracer needs on 14-day case counts.

Health
 officials say that efforts to recruit contact tracers have been 
hampered by lack of funding and the time and effort required to hire and
 train these workers.

Kansas Department of Health and Environment 
spokeswoman Ashley Jones-Wisner wrote in an email that, so far, the 
state has generally managed to handle its contact tracing needs.

“Currently,
 our state has adequate contact tracers to assist local health 
departments with multiple surges should they request assistance,” 
Jones-Wisner wrote.

She explained that contact tracing is usually 
performed by people working in local and county health departments, and 
that state tracers are only used when local and county workers are 
overwhelmed.

She says that the state contact tracers, which 
include dozens of reassigned staff members and volunteers, have only 
been called upon to help in two local Kansas outbreaks, in Ford and 
Jackson counties.

Many state and local health departments, 
including Johnson and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas and Jackson County 
and the city of Kansas City in Missouri, are currently hiring full-time 
contact tracers to work on a temporary basis.

Missouri’s 
Department of Health and Senior Services did not immediately respond on 
Thursday to inquiries regarding contact tracers, but some local health 
departments in the Kansas City area indicated that they were struggling.

The
 Kansas City, Missouri, health department currently has a total of three
 full-time workers doing contact tracing, with other staff currently 
reassigned to do the work part time, according to spokesman Bill Snook.

Kansas
 City, Missouri has received no state or federal funding for contact 
tracing, Snook wrote in an email, and is currently funding the work 
through the local health levy.

Many of the city’s contact tracers have also been experiencing fatigue with the work.

“Some
 contacts or cases do not understand the need or want to comply our 
instructions which adds to the stress and emotional, mental and physical
 toll it takes on the multiple teams working multiple parts of the 
pandemic response,” Snook wrote in an email.

The Jackson County, 
Missouri, health department is aiming to complete its contact tracing 
team during the next two months, according to spokeswoman Kayla Parker.

Parker
 says the health department plans to have 10 contact tracers per 100,000
 residents, which she acknowledges is less than the recommended capacity
 of 15-30 tracers per 100,000. She notes that the health department did 
not receive the full amount of federal CARES funding it requested.

She says that lack of public cooperation also continues to derail contact tracing efforts.

“One
 obstacle we continue to face is resistance from some individuals in the
 community to provide information,” Parker wrote in an email. “In order 
to protect our population, it is imperative that people respond to our 
calls and give their contacts.”

Alex Smith is a health reporter for KCUR 89.3.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592578627821.png" alt="Ashley Peterson is a contact tracer for the Kansas City Health Department. Kansas City Health Department photo" />
 <figcaption>Ashley Peterson is a contact tracer for the Kansas City Health Department. Kansas City Health Department photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALEX SMITH <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2020-06-18/as-kansas-and-missouri-reopen-new-research-says-states-still-lack-enough-contact-tracers-to-slow-covid-19">Kansas News Service</a>Health experts say that contact tracers—health care workers whose job
 it is to reach out to individuals who may have been exposed to the 
coronavirus to instruct them to isolate—are essential to keep COVID-19 
from spreading. But updated research shows that both Kansas and 
Missouri lack adequate numbers of contact tracers even though both 
states have been gradually reopening for weeks. Still, some health 
officials dispute the findings.While many cities, counties and 
states have made significant progress in COVID-19 preparedness, many 
others are still struggling on contact tracing, including Johnson 
County, Kansas, which has made huge strides in testing but still doesn’t
 have enough contact tracers.“Right now, no,” wrote Johnson 
County health department spokeswoman Barbara Mitchell in an email, 
explaining that the county is currently understaffed and would be even 
further strained in the event of a new surge of COVID-19 cases.Nationally,
 few states currently have enough of these workers, according to an 
analysis by NPR using data from George Washington University’s Contact 
Workforce Estimator.Kansas currently has 12.33 contact tracers, 
including reserve workers, per 100,000 residents, short of the roughly 
17 per 100,000 needed, according to the analysis.Missouri, 
meanwhile, has only .49 tracers per 100,000 residents, well below the 
roughly 14 per 100,000 needed there, the analysis shows.However, 
the NPR analysis for Missouri only includes contact tracers working for 
the state health department, not those working in county and local 
health departments. The omission, which was not explained in the NPR 
report, likely makes the state’s capacity appear much lower than it 
actually is.The George Washington University researchers based their estimates of contact tracer needs on 14-day case counts.Health
 officials say that efforts to recruit contact tracers have been 
hampered by lack of funding and the time and effort required to hire and
 train these workers.Kansas Department of Health and Environment 
spokeswoman Ashley Jones-Wisner wrote in an email that, so far, the 
state has generally managed to handle its contact tracing needs.“Currently,
 our state has adequate contact tracers to assist local health 
departments with multiple surges should they request assistance,” 
Jones-Wisner wrote.She explained that contact tracing is usually 
performed by people working in local and county health departments, and 
that state tracers are only used when local and county workers are 
overwhelmed.She says that the state contact tracers, which 
include dozens of reassigned staff members and volunteers, have only 
been called upon to help in two local Kansas outbreaks, in Ford and 
Jackson counties.Many state and local health departments, 
including Johnson and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas and Jackson County 
and the city of Kansas City in Missouri, are currently hiring full-time 
contact tracers to work on a temporary basis.Missouri’s 
Department of Health and Senior Services did not immediately respond on 
Thursday to inquiries regarding contact tracers, but some local health 
departments in the Kansas City area indicated that they were struggling.The
 Kansas City, Missouri, health department currently has a total of three
 full-time workers doing contact tracing, with other staff currently 
reassigned to do the work part time, according to spokesman Bill Snook.Kansas
 City, Missouri has received no state or federal funding for contact 
tracing, Snook wrote in an email, and is currently funding the work 
through the local health levy.Many of the city’s contact tracers have also been experiencing fatigue with the work.“Some
 contacts or cases do not understand the need or want to comply our 
instructions which adds to the stress and emotional, mental and physical
 toll it takes on the multiple teams working multiple parts of the 
pandemic response,” Snook wrote in an email.The Jackson County, 
Missouri, health department is aiming to complete its contact tracing 
team during the next two months, according to spokeswoman Kayla Parker.Parker
 says the health department plans to have 10 contact tracers per 100,000
 residents, which she acknowledges is less than the recommended capacity
 of 15-30 tracers per 100,000. She notes that the health department did 
not receive the full amount of federal CARES funding it requested.She says that lack of public cooperation also continues to derail contact tracing efforts.“One
 obstacle we continue to face is resistance from some individuals in the
 community to provide information,” Parker wrote in an email. “In order 
to protect our population, it is imperative that people respond to our 
calls and give their contacts.”Alex Smith is a health reporter for KCUR 89.3.&nbsp;

Research: States still lack enough contact tracers to slow virus

PHOENIX (AP) — When the coronavirus flared in China’s capital this week, Beijing canceled flights, suspended reopenings and described the situation as “extremely grave.” But with cases rising in some U.S. states, local officials have balked at even requiring people to wear masks.

In the United States, which has the most confirmed cases and deaths in the world, authorities wrestled Wednesday with balancing demands for constitutional rights and personal freedom with warnings from health officials that being lax will have deadly consequences.

China responded to a new outbreak in Beijing by scrapping more than 60% of its flights to the capital, canceling classes and strengthening requirements for social distancing. It was a sharp retreat for the nation that declared victory over COVID-19 in March.

China’s actions follow about 137 new cases, a fraction of the number some U.S. states see each day. In Arizona, more than 1,100 people visited emergency rooms on Tuesday alone with positive or suspected cases. Alabama also is running out of hospital space, stirring impassioned debate over a mask requirement. Other states that haven’t mandated face coverings, like Texas and Florida, are seeing infections soar.

With masks becoming a political symbol, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has taken aim at President Donald Trump’s approach to the pandemic.

“Donald Trump wants to style himself as a wartime president. Unlike any other wartime leader, he takes no responsibility, he exercises no leadership, now he has just flat surrendered the fight,” Biden said Wednesday.

Biden has worn a mask repeatedly at public events, while Trump hasn’t, even on occasions such as touring auto factory floors when they are required. Aides say Trump believes they’re unflattering and that wearing one projects weakness.

The mask debate is playing out nationwide, notably in hard-hit states where face coverings have become a political and cultural debate.

Hundreds of medical professionals signed a letter urging Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey to require them. Facing mounting pressure to act as cases surge, the Republican said cities were free to mandate masks.

Ducey, who removed his mask before speaking to reporters, said there were vastly different rates of infection across the state.

“For some things, a statewide directive or executive order works very well,” he said. “If you have 12 or 13 counties that say ‘pound sand’ on an executive order ... it’s a self-defeating executive order.”

Ducey has attributed Arizona’s soaring cases to increased testing. The state has been doing more tests, which can yield more cases, but health experts say a better way to see if more people are getting sick is to look at the percentage of positive tests. When that percentage rises, it means the outbreak is worsening — not just that more people are getting tested.

Arizona has the nation’s highest seven-day average positive test rate: 17.7%, or about double the national average and well above the 10% threshold that health officials find worrisome. It also has the most new cases per capita in the U.S. in the past 14 days. The state’s leading hospital system says it’s almost running out of beds.

Ducey said roughly 300 National Guardsmen would help with contact tracing. Several restaurants and other businesses have closed because staff tested positive in the last week.

The same thing is happening in parts of Florida, where people under 35 are testing positive at a higher rate since the pandemic began, contributing to a surge in cases, officials said Wednesday.

The coastal city of St. Petersburg had three popular bars close after employees tested positive, and it’s now requiring workers who have contact with the public to wear masks — which some hard-hit cities in southern Florida have been doing for weeks.

Mayor Rick Kriseman said he also plans to require people to cover their faces in businesses and other public spaces.

“We can wear a mask, protect others and ourselves, or we can contribute to someone’s death. Maybe even our own,” Kriseman said.

The Democrat said Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has encouraged people to use masks but not mandated them.

DeSantis said he has no intention of closing Florida’s economy again despite the statewide spike in new cases, which topped 1,000 Wednesday for the 15th consecutive day. He said many of those getting sick are young and unlikely to suffer serious illness or death.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

Fears about growing numbers of infections in younger people pushed officials in the San Antonio area to order masks in public as infections keep rising in Texas.

“What we are doing here is to protect the life and safety of the San Antonio community,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg said, adding that most infections in the area are in people younger than 40.

Later Wednesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, said local governments could force businesses to require customers and workers to wear masks but that he wouldn’t issue a statewide order. The second-most-populated state set daily records for new COVID-19 cases, with 3,129, and hospitalizations. The 2,793 hospitalizations mark a daily high for the 10th time in 11 days.

In Montgomery, Alabama, where cases are spiking, the issue of masks erupted during a City Council meeting, where members rejected a proposal to mandate them at public gatherings of 25 or more.

Dr. Bill Saliski, a lung specialist at Jackson Hospital in Montgomery, called on the city to pass a mask requirement and declared: “If this continues the way we’re going, we’re going to be overrun.”

Some city leaders voiced concern about trampling on people’s rights.

“I think to make somebody do something or require somebody to wear something is an overreach,” councilman Brantley Lyons said.

Since the virus emerged in China late last year and spread worldwide, there have been more than 8.3 million confirmed cases and over 447,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. Experts say the true toll is much higher. The U.S. death toll has exceeded 117,000.

European nations, which embarked on a wide-scale reopening this week, watched Asia and the Americas with trepidation.

After lockdown restrictions were relaxed in Iran, Health Minister Saeed Namaki said he realized the extent of the challenge when he took a domestic flight.

“Many people have become careless, frustrated with wearing masks,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590784947764.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>PHOENIX (AP) — When the coronavirus flared in China’s capital this week, Beijing canceled flights, suspended reopenings and described the situation as “extremely grave.” But with cases rising in some U.S. states, local officials have balked at even requiring people to wear masks.In the United States, which has the most confirmed cases and deaths in the world, authorities wrestled Wednesday with balancing demands for constitutional rights and personal freedom with warnings from health officials that being lax will have deadly consequences.China responded to a new outbreak in Beijing by scrapping more than 60% of its flights to the capital, canceling classes and strengthening requirements for social distancing. It was a sharp retreat for the nation that declared victory over COVID-19 in March.China’s actions follow about 137 new cases, a fraction of the number some U.S. states see each day. In Arizona, more than 1,100 people visited emergency rooms on Tuesday alone with positive or suspected cases. Alabama also is running out of hospital space, stirring impassioned debate over a mask requirement. Other states that haven’t mandated face coverings, like Texas and Florida, are seeing infections soar.With masks becoming a political symbol, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has taken aim at President Donald Trump’s approach to the pandemic.“Donald Trump wants to style himself as a wartime president. Unlike any other wartime leader, he takes no responsibility, he exercises no leadership, now he has just flat surrendered the fight,” Biden said Wednesday.Biden has worn a mask repeatedly at public events, while Trump hasn’t, even on occasions such as touring auto factory floors when they are required. Aides say Trump believes they’re unflattering and that wearing one projects weakness.The mask debate is playing out nationwide, notably in hard-hit states where face coverings have become a political and cultural debate.Hundreds of medical professionals signed a letter urging Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey to require them. Facing mounting pressure to act as cases surge, the Republican said cities were free to mandate masks.Ducey, who removed his mask before speaking to reporters, said there were vastly different rates of infection across the state.“For some things, a statewide directive or executive order works very well,” he said. “If you have 12 or 13 counties that say ‘pound sand’ on an executive order ... it’s a self-defeating executive order.”Ducey has attributed Arizona’s soaring cases to increased testing. The state has been doing more tests, which can yield more cases, but health experts say a better way to see if more people are getting sick is to look at the percentage of positive tests. When that percentage rises, it means the outbreak is worsening — not just that more people are getting tested.Arizona has the nation’s highest seven-day average positive test rate: 17.7%, or about double the national average and well above the 10% threshold that health officials find worrisome. It also has the most new cases per capita in the U.S. in the past 14 days. The state’s leading hospital system says it’s almost running out of beds.Ducey said roughly 300 National Guardsmen would help with contact tracing. Several restaurants and other businesses have closed because staff tested positive in the last week.The same thing is happening in parts of Florida, where people under 35 are testing positive at a higher rate since the pandemic began, contributing to a surge in cases, officials said Wednesday.The coastal city of St. Petersburg had three popular bars close after employees tested positive, and it’s now requiring workers who have contact with the public to wear masks — which some hard-hit cities in southern Florida have been doing for weeks.Mayor Rick Kriseman said he also plans to require people to cover their faces in businesses and other public spaces.“We can wear a mask, protect others and ourselves, or we can contribute to someone’s death. Maybe even our own,” Kriseman said.The Democrat said Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has encouraged people to use masks but not mandated them.DeSantis said he has no intention of closing Florida’s economy again despite the statewide spike in new cases, which topped 1,000 Wednesday for the 15th consecutive day. He said many of those getting sick are young and unlikely to suffer serious illness or death.For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.Fears about growing numbers of infections in younger people pushed officials in the San Antonio area to order masks in public as infections keep rising in Texas.“What we are doing here is to protect the life and safety of the San Antonio community,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg said, adding that most infections in the area are in people younger than 40.Later Wednesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, said local governments could force businesses to require customers and workers to wear masks but that he wouldn’t issue a statewide order. The second-most-populated state set daily records for new COVID-19 cases, with 3,129, and hospitalizations. The 2,793 hospitalizations mark a daily high for the 10th time in 11 days.In Montgomery, Alabama, where cases are spiking, the issue of masks erupted during a City Council meeting, where members rejected a proposal to mandate them at public gatherings of 25 or more.Dr. Bill Saliski, a lung specialist at Jackson Hospital in Montgomery, called on the city to pass a mask requirement and declared: “If this continues the way we’re going, we’re going to be overrun.”Some city leaders voiced concern about trampling on people’s rights.“I think to make somebody do something or require somebody to wear something is an overreach,” councilman Brantley Lyons said.Since the virus emerged in China late last year and spread worldwide, there have been more than 8.3 million confirmed cases and over 447,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. Experts say the true toll is much higher. The U.S. death toll has exceeded 117,000.European nations, which embarked on a wide-scale reopening this week, watched Asia and the Americas with trepidation.After lockdown restrictions were relaxed in Iran, Health Minister Saeed Namaki said he realized the extent of the challenge when he took a domestic flight.“Many people have become careless, frustrated with wearing masks,” he said.

US virus outbreaks stir clash over masks, personal freedom

The Ellis County Health Department on Friday announced a new positive case of COVID-19 in Ellis County.

The department said the new case was identified through contact tracing from another state, and said contacts will be notified. The individual has mild symptoms, is in home isolation and is a contact of a known positive case from outside Ellis County.

The release noted the individual is not associated with the Hays Larks baseball program.

The Ellis County Health Department on Friday announced a new positive case of COVID-19 in Ellis County.The department said the new case was identified through contact tracing from another state, and said contacts will be notified. The individual has mild symptoms, is in home isolation and is a contact of a known positive case from outside Ellis County.The release noted the individual is not associated with the Hays Larks baseball program.Read the entire release below:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592587845060.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

New case of coronavirus identified in Ellis County

WICHITA –&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly on Thursday visited and toured Spirit AeroSystems’ new assembly line making ventilators for the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the public health crisis progressed, Spirit shifted their production to making ventilators to ensure hospitals would have the necessary lifesaving equipment to treat COVID-19 patients. The ventilators are portable and suitable for long-term care, ambulatory settings, and ICUs. They are providing the ventilators to local units, FEMA’s strategic stockpile, other states, and countries around the world.

“I applaud Spirit’s quick action to pivot their manufacturing capabilities to produce ventilators, the men and women I met today exemplify what it means to be a Kansan – innovative, courageous, and selfless,” said Governor Kelly. “This crisis has produced many challenges for our families, businesses, and communities. The staff at Spirit are working hard in anticipation of a possible second wave, and we appreciate them for helping not just Kansans, but people across the world.”

Vyaire Medical Inc and Spirit AeroSystems are collaborating to build ventilators at this facility in Wichita in response to COVID-19. Vyaire is the world’s largest healthcare company fully dedicated to respiratory care. This partnership will increase production of ventilators and other related respiratory equipment for COVID-19 patients who need it the most.

In addition to the national stockpile request, Vyaire is working with state and private hospital and health system clients to ensure delivery of ventilators to areas of greatest need. The manufacturing and supply collaboration will help to balance the needs of clinicians urgently treating patients at the bedside with the commitment to fill or replenish strategic stockpiles.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592516459782.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly at Spirit AeroSystems Thursday afternoon-photo courtesy office of Kansas governor" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly at Spirit AeroSystems Thursday afternoon-photo courtesy office of Kansas governor</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA –&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly on Thursday visited and toured Spirit AeroSystems’ new assembly line making ventilators for the COVID-19 pandemic.As the public health crisis progressed, Spirit shifted their production to making ventilators to ensure hospitals would have the necessary lifesaving equipment to treat COVID-19 patients. The ventilators are portable and suitable for long-term care, ambulatory settings, and ICUs. They are providing the ventilators to local units, FEMA’s strategic stockpile, other states, and countries around the world.“I applaud Spirit’s quick action to pivot their manufacturing capabilities to produce ventilators, the men and women I met today exemplify what it means to be a Kansan – innovative, courageous, and selfless,” said Governor Kelly. “This crisis has produced many challenges for our families, businesses, and communities. The staff at Spirit are working hard in anticipation of a possible second wave, and we appreciate them for helping not just Kansans, but people across the world.”Vyaire Medical Inc and Spirit AeroSystems are collaborating to build ventilators at this facility in Wichita in response to COVID-19. Vyaire is the world’s largest healthcare company fully dedicated to respiratory care. This partnership will increase production of ventilators and other related respiratory equipment for COVID-19 patients who need it the most.In addition to the national stockpile request, Vyaire is working with state and private hospital and health system clients to ensure delivery of ventilators to areas of greatest need. The manufacturing and supply collaboration will help to balance the needs of clinicians urgently treating patients at the bedside with the commitment to fill or replenish strategic stockpiles.

Gov. praises Spirit Aero Systems team for COVID-19 ventilator production

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 262 to a total of 11,681, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 262 to a total of 11,681, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 247<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592413557201.png" alt="Wednesday June 17, 2020 KDHE Image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday June 17, 2020 KDHE Image</figcaption>
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KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

TOPEKA —Governor Laura Kelly&nbsp; discussed  current trends in the number of COVID-19 cases in Kansas counties during her press briefing on Monday.

Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment also joined the presentation and answered questions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592257031644.png" alt="The map used during Monday's press briefing -courtesy office of Kansas Governor" />
 <figcaption>The map used during Monday's press briefing -courtesy office of Kansas Governor</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —Governor Laura Kelly&nbsp; discussed  current trends in the number of COVID-19 cases in Kansas counties during her press briefing on Monday.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F695916957913310%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment also joined the presentation and answered questions.

🎥  Governor on  COVID-19 trends in Kansas counties

The Ellis County Health Department on Monday announced an additional positive case of coronavirus in the county.&nbsp;

The new case was identified through contact tracing from another county. The health department said the individual is exhibiting mild symptoms and is in hone isolation, noting that contacts will be notified.

The Ellis County Health Department on Monday announced an additional positive case of coronavirus in the county.&nbsp;The new case was identified through contact tracing from another county. The health department said the individual is exhibiting mild symptoms and is in hone isolation, noting that contacts will be notified.Read the entire release below<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592239588475.png" alt="" />
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New case of COVID-19 reported in Ellis County

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Jeremy Rooks works the evening shift at a fast-food restaurant these days to avoid being on the street past dusk. He needs somewhere to go at night: He and his wife are homeless after the extended-stay motel where they had lived since Thanksgiving evicted them in April when they couldn’t pay their rent.

They should have been protected because the Georgia Supreme Court has effectively halted evictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. But Rooks said the owner still sent a man posing as a sheriff’s deputy, armed with a gun, to throw the couple out a few days after rent was due.

The pandemic has shut housing courts and prompted most states and federal authorities to initiate policies protecting renters from eviction. But not everyone is covered and a number of landlords -- some desperate to pay their mortgages themselves -- are turning to threats and harassment to force tenants out.

“Every day, they tried to basically get us out of there. It was basically like a game to them,” said Rooks, who wasn’t able to make his rent at the Marietta, Georgia, motel after his employer paid him late and his wife was laid off in the pandemic. “One of us had to stay in a room at all times because they wouldn’t redo the keys for us.”

The evictions threaten to exacerbate a problem that has plagued people&nbsp; like Rooks long before the pandemic, when landlords across the U.S. were filing about 300,000 eviction requests every month.

In Kansas, Gov. Laura Kelly says she is considering using part of Kansas’ share of federal coronavirus relief funds to help people struggling to pay their rent or mortgage because of economic problems tied to the pandemic. 

On May 26, Kelly canceled an executive order that had banned landlords from pursuing new evictions or lenders from starting to foreclose on home mortgages. She said she had to lift the order because keeping it in place would have stressed lenders and businesses that rent homes and apartments. But she said creating a new relief program would be a top priority.

Data and analytics real estate firm Amherst projects that 28 million renters, or about 22.5% of all households, are at risk of eviction. Tenant advocates expect that number to increase significantly unless protections are put in place, and project that many of those affected will be African Americans and households led by women, both of which historically are more likely to be evicted.

In a sign of what could happen nationally, Virginia has seen a crush of proceedings since eviction hearings resumed May 18. About 700 cases already have been heard statewide, according to Christie Marra, director of housing advocacy for the Virginia Poverty Law Center. On top of that, 2,200 cases are on the docket for the end of June and early July in Richmond, which has one of the country’s highest eviction rates.

Rachel Garland, an attorney at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia, said her group has experienced a spike in calls from tenants who lost their jobs due to the lockdown and fear being evicted. Philadelphia had the fourth-highest eviction rate in the country.

“Even if they can’t be evicted right now, if the courts are closed, the landlords are sending threatening emails, text messages, asking for rent, threatening to lock tenants out,” Garland said.

Alieza Durana of Princeton University’s Eviction Lab said affected tenants face high rates of depression and suicide from the stress, along with mounting debt and homelessness. Additionally, court judgments and debt collection actions against renters are reported to credit bureaus, affecting their ability to access housing for years.

Jose Ortiz, deputy director of Essex/Newark Legal Services, which includes New Jersey’s largest city, said he’s heard complaints from tenants who have been asked to exchange sex for rent and instances where landlords have threatened to alert immigration authorities about tenants living in the country without legal permission if they don’t pay their rent.

“They are not working. They don’t have the income to pay their bills and they are afraid about what will happen once the eviction ban is lifted,” Ortiz said. “Are they going to be displaced? Is there going to be a mad rush to the courthouse to get these tenants evicted?”

Tenants also are complaining about landlords locking them out and shutting off utilities.

Unable to pay her April rent in full on her townhouse in Millersville, Maryland, Dawn McBride said she began getting texts from her landlord suggesting she find work at Walmart or Costco. She said the landlord then tried to get her to sign a rent-deferral agreement, but wouldn’t let her fully read it. She ultimately was handed a 30-day notice to vacate because her lease was month-to-month, a strategy landlords increasingly are using.

“Honestly, it stresses me out a lot because it’s me and my children,” said McBride, who lost her pet-sitting job. “And, you know, I’m just like, `Where are we going to go?’”

Some tenants facing eviction have turned the table on landlords and are organizing rent strikes. From New York to Chicago to San Francisco, tenants are banding together and demanding landlords negotiate with an eye toward forgiving their rent entirely until the pandemic ends.

Many like Diana Hou, who lost her job with a political campaign and has helped organized a rent strike in her Brooklyn building with her half-dozen roommates. are pushing for legislation at the state and federal level to provide rent and mortgage relief.

“Many of us are worried about our prospects of securing housing without income and with a looming debt of unpaid rent. For the majority of the house, not being able to secure housing would mean homelessness in the middle of a pandemic,” Hou said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590531890706.png" alt="In Kansas, Governor Kelly canceled an executive order that had banned landlords from pursuing new evictions." />
 <figcaption>In Kansas, Governor Kelly canceled an executive order that had banned landlords from pursuing new evictions.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Jeremy Rooks works the evening shift at a fast-food restaurant these days to avoid being on the street past dusk. He needs somewhere to go at night: He and his wife are homeless after the extended-stay motel where they had lived since Thanksgiving evicted them in April when they couldn’t pay their rent.They should have been protected because the Georgia Supreme Court has effectively halted evictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. But Rooks said the owner still sent a man posing as a sheriff’s deputy, armed with a gun, to throw the couple out a few days after rent was due.The pandemic has shut housing courts and prompted most states and federal authorities to initiate policies protecting renters from eviction. But not everyone is covered and a number of landlords -- some desperate to pay their mortgages themselves -- are turning to threats and harassment to force tenants out.“Every day, they tried to basically get us out of there. It was basically like a game to them,” said Rooks, who wasn’t able to make his rent at the Marietta, Georgia, motel after his employer paid him late and his wife was laid off in the pandemic. “One of us had to stay in a room at all times because they wouldn’t redo the keys for us.”The evictions threaten to exacerbate a problem that has plagued people&nbsp; like Rooks long before the pandemic, when landlords across the U.S. were filing about 300,000 eviction requests every month.In Kansas, Gov. Laura Kelly says she is considering using part of Kansas’ share of federal coronavirus relief funds to help people struggling to pay their rent or mortgage because of economic problems tied to the pandemic. On May 26, Kelly canceled an executive order that had banned landlords from pursuing new evictions or lenders from starting to foreclose on home mortgages. She said she had to lift the order because keeping it in place would have stressed lenders and businesses that rent homes and apartments. But she said creating a new relief program would be a top priority.Data and analytics real estate firm Amherst projects that 28 million renters, or about 22.5% of all households, are at risk of eviction. Tenant advocates expect that number to increase significantly unless protections are put in place, and project that many of those affected will be African Americans and households led by women, both of which historically are more likely to be evicted.In a sign of what could happen nationally, Virginia has seen a crush of proceedings since eviction hearings resumed May 18. About 700 cases already have been heard statewide, according to Christie Marra, director of housing advocacy for the Virginia Poverty Law Center. On top of that, 2,200 cases are on the docket for the end of June and early July in Richmond, which has one of the country’s highest eviction rates.Rachel Garland, an attorney at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia, said her group has experienced a spike in calls from tenants who lost their jobs due to the lockdown and fear being evicted. Philadelphia had the fourth-highest eviction rate in the country.“Even if they can’t be evicted right now, if the courts are closed, the landlords are sending threatening emails, text messages, asking for rent, threatening to lock tenants out,” Garland said.Alieza Durana of Princeton University’s Eviction Lab said affected tenants face high rates of depression and suicide from the stress, along with mounting debt and homelessness. Additionally, court judgments and debt collection actions against renters are reported to credit bureaus, affecting their ability to access housing for years.Jose Ortiz, deputy director of Essex/Newark Legal Services, which includes New Jersey’s largest city, said he’s heard complaints from tenants who have been asked to exchange sex for rent and instances where landlords have threatened to alert immigration authorities about tenants living in the country without legal permission if they don’t pay their rent.“They are not working. They don’t have the income to pay their bills and they are afraid about what will happen once the eviction ban is lifted,” Ortiz said. “Are they going to be displaced? Is there going to be a mad rush to the courthouse to get these tenants evicted?”Tenants also are complaining about landlords locking them out and shutting off utilities.Unable to pay her April rent in full on her townhouse in Millersville, Maryland, Dawn McBride said she began getting texts from her landlord suggesting she find work at Walmart or Costco. She said the landlord then tried to get her to sign a rent-deferral agreement, but wouldn’t let her fully read it. She ultimately was handed a 30-day notice to vacate because her lease was month-to-month, a strategy landlords increasingly are using.“Honestly, it stresses me out a lot because it’s me and my children,” said McBride, who lost her pet-sitting job. “And, you know, I’m just like, `Where are we going to go?’”Some tenants facing eviction have turned the table on landlords and are organizing rent strikes. From New York to Chicago to San Francisco, tenants are banding together and demanding landlords negotiate with an eye toward forgiving their rent entirely until the pandemic ends.Many like Diana Hou, who lost her job with a political campaign and has helped organized a rent strike in her Brooklyn building with her half-dozen roommates. are pushing for legislation at the state and federal level to provide rent and mortgage relief.“Many of us are worried about our prospects of securing housing without income and with a looming debt of unpaid rent. For the majority of the house, not being able to secure housing would mean homelessness in the middle of a pandemic,” Hou said.Jay Martin, executive director of the Community Housing Improvement Program, which represents 4,000 building owners in New York, said he doesn't condone rent strikes but sympathizes with tenants' plight.“Renters need a bailout,” Martin said, adding that landlords are supporting federal proposals that would cover back rent and future payments. Without those measures, he predicted a drop in property and real estate taxes that would sap state and city budgets.The federal government’s $2.2 trillion coronavirus rescue package includes eviction moratoriums for most people living in federally subsidized apartments, as well as homes covered by federally backed mortgages. A second $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill passed in May by the U.S. House would provide about $175 billion to pay rents and mortgages, but has almost no chance of passing in the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate.State and local lawmakers across the country also are stepping in with assistance and proposals aimed at averting a wave of evictions.New Jersey lawmakers passed a $100 million rent relief bill, while in Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf signed legislation directing $175 million of the federal coronavirus rescue package to rent and mortgage relief. Boston is providing $8 million for rental assistance, Baltimore has designated $13 million in federal coronavirus relief funding to start a rental assistance program, and Philadelphia provided $10 million to help about 13,000 people with their rent.Other proposals would offer long-term payment plans for those unable to afford rent and programs like mediation before cases head to housing court.“We have to do something,” said Philadelphia Council member Helen Gym, whose bill would prevent evictions until two months after the state’s emergency order was lifted.“We can’t go back to business as usual in a city that evicts 18,000 people a year,” she said. “That is just not sustainable.”

Coronavirus Update