The Latest: Florida reports 2,564 cases, 38 new deaths

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida’s much-watched coronavirus numbers stayed on a downward trend Sunday, with the state reporting 2,564 new cases and another 38 deaths in advance of the Labor Day holiday.

State officials have reported 12,001 deaths since the pandemic began, including 152 non-residents who died in Florida. The state has tallied 646,431 COVID-19 cases so far.

The numbers reported Sunday represent a sharp decline from the record coronavirus deaths reported just four weeks ago: 277 on Aug. 11. Another record was set on July 12, when the state reported 15,300 new cases.

Data reports released by the state each day reflect COVID-19 fatalities in recent weeks, but just confirmed in the past 24 hours. Positive test results also take days to appear.

Saturday’s daily report from the Department of Health reported 3,656 new cases of people infected with COVID-19 and 61 deaths. On Friday, the state had 3,198 new cases and 103 deaths.

Monitoring Florida’s COVID-19 statistics: These are the numbers to watch. »

Based on the downward trend in numbers of new cases, Palm Beach County is moving to Phase 2 of its reopening on Tuesday.

Nearly 4.8 million people have been tested for COVID-19 statewide, producing an overall positivity rate of 13.49%, state health officials say. Another 4.13 million people have tested negative.

The state’s latest pandemic data report puts the daily positivity rate at 5.06%. That rate reflects only new infections based on COVID-19 testing and does not count people who previously tested positive for the disease.

India sees record surge of 90,632 cases in 24 hours

India saw another record surge of 90,632 cases in the past 24 hours, as infections spread to smaller cities and parts of rural India.

According to the Health Ministry, India’s caseload reached 4,113,811, slightly short of Brazil’s confirmed 4,123,000 infections. The ministry on Sunday also reported 1,065 deaths for a total of 70,626.

More than 1 million cases have been detected in India in less than two weeks. Authorities say India’s daily testing exceeds 1 million now.

Dr. Randeep Guleria, a government health expert, said India is seeing a resurgence with over 70% of its nearly 1.4 billion people still susceptible to infections: “We could say that we are seeing some sort of a second wave in certain parts of the country.”

India’s recovery rate was 77.23%, leading to a decline in the fatality rate to around 1.73% , the ministry said.

Europe reports summer was leanest tourist season in its history

BRUGES, Belgium — Bruges mayor Dirk De fauw first realized something was desperately wrong with European tourism when on a brisk March morning he crossed the Burg square in front of the Gothic city hall and there was nothing but silence.

“There are always people. Always,” De fauw said. That morning?

“Nothing. Nobody is on that large square” at the heart of one of Europe’s most picturesque cities, he said.Six months later, as Europe’s meanest tourist summer season in history is starting to draw to a close, COVID-19 is yet to loosen its suffocating grip on the continent.

If anything the pandemic might tighten it over the coming months, with losses piling up in the tens of billions of euros across the 27-nation European Union, and the continent’s vaunted government support and social security system under increasing strain to prop up the sector.

The upheaval so far, the bloc’s executive European Commission said, shows that “revenue losses during the first half of 2020 for hotels, restaurants, tour operators, long distance train operators and airlines were roughly 85-90%.” No country has been exempt in an area spanning from Greece’s beaches to the trattorias in Rome and the museums of Paris.

Read the story here.

Doctor: Former Italian premier Berlusconi ‘in delicate phase’ of illness

ROME — Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi is responding “optimally” to COVID-19 treatment but is the most vulnerable type of patient and is in “the most delicate phase” of the virus, his personal doctor said Sunday.

Dr. Alberto Zangrillo repeated Sunday that he nevertheless remained “cautiously optimistic” about Berlusconi’s recovery.

The three-time premier turns 84 in a few weeks and has had a history of heart problems that required being fitted with a pacemaker several years ago. He checked into the San Raffaele hospital in Milan early Friday after testing positive for the virus earlier in the week. At the time he had the early stages of a lung infection.

“The patient is responding optimally to treatment,” Zangrillo told reporters outside the hospital. “This doesn’t mean we can claim victory because, as you know, he belongs to the most fragile category,” given his age.

Nevada reports 390 new virus cases

CARSON CITY, Nev. — Nevada health officials on Saturday reported 390 additional COVID-19 cases and 13 new deaths, bringing the statewide totals to 71,102 confirmed cases and 1,388 deaths.

The vast majority of cases and deaths in Nevada have occurred in Clark County, which includes metro Las Vegas.

In other developments, Reno officials said a one-day closure of a small section of a downtown street for limited on-street food and drink service would be a test for helping restaurants whose operations are crimped by restrictions on mass gatherings.

Reno’s experiment Saturday follows the lead of other cities.

Missouri analysis adds dozens more virus deaths

ST. LOUIS — Missouri added 77 COVID-19 related deaths to its total Saturday, most of which occurred weeks or months ago.

The state’s Department of Health and Senior Services blamed technical issues in a tweet for the spike that brought the state’s total number of deaths since the pandemic began to 1,639. The newly reported deaths included five that occurred over the past 24 hours, with the bulk occurring from June to August.

“Through continuing efforts to ensure data transparency and quality, DHSS analysts discovered an inconsistency in death certificate diagnosis codes when compared to case information contained in DHSS disease surveillance systems,” health officials said in a tweet. “After thorough analysis and evaluation, these additional COVID-19-associated deaths were identified. We expect to report more (although not as many as today) of these on Sunday as we work to complete this evaluation of cases.”

Health officials also reported that the number of confirmed cases had risen by 1,987 to 92,202.

Amid the rise in cases, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson announced Friday in a social media post that bars, restaurants and nightclubs must continue to restrict capacity to 50% and close no later than 11 p.m. each night. The restrictions were originally set to end Sept. 7.

San Diego State issues stay-at-home order over weekend

SAN DIEGO — San Diego State University has issued a Labor Day weekend stay-at-home order for students living on campus to limit the spread of COVID-19 as they return for the school year.

KNSD-TV reported that the order is in effect Saturday and will last through 6 a.m. Tuesday. The announcement was made Saturday, a day after the university reported an additional 120 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases linked to students both on and off campus. The university said those who violate the order could face disciplinary action, but it did not detail what those consequences would be.

Fraternities, sororities quarantined in Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE — Nine fraternities and sororities are under quarantine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison after 38 students tested positive for the coronavirus.

The orders from UW-Madison and Dane County health officials affect 420 Greek life students, who have been instructed to quarantine for two weeks, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

UW-Madison is requiring coronavirus tests for students who live in the 38 Greek life houses. The university didn’t say if the cases were linked to parties or large gatherings.

So far, 440 UW-Madison students have tested positive for the virus, according to the university.

Read more on colleges’ attempts to fight the virus on campus here.

Iowa judge keeps bars closed while suit works way through courts

DES MOINES, Iowa — An Iowa judge has refused to allow some Des Moines area bars to reopen while their lawsuit challenging Gov. Kim Reynolds’ bar closures makes its way through the courts.

The Des Moines Register reports Polk County Judge William Kelly emphasized the importance of public health in his explanation of the ruling denying a temporary injunction to the bar owners in Polk and Dallas county.

Attorney Billy Mallory, who is representing the bar owners, says he’ll appeal the denial while preparing for trial, where he will seek a permanent injunction. The suit alleges bars closures in Dallas and Polk counties are unconstitutional and unfairly targets some businesses, while restaurants and coffee shops can stay open.

In the Aug. 27 order, Reynolds required the closing of bars in Black Hawk, Johnson, Linn and Story counties. Those counties, along with Polk and Dallas, are considered hot spots for coronavirus infections.

Statewide, cases rose Saturday by 1,024 to 69,006. There’s been 23 new deaths to bring the total to 1,160, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health.

German soccer team allows 4,500 fans to attend match

BERLIN — German soccer team Union Berlin allowed 4,500 fans at its 2-1 win over Nuremberg in a preseason exhibition match.

It was the first game any professional German soccer team played in front of so many fans since the pandemic forced the suspension of the Bundesliga in March. No fans were allowed once the league resumed after a two-month break.

Fans were only permitted to attend the game – a celebration of 100 years of Union’s stadium – under certain conditions.

Tickets were for club members only, personalized and non-transferable to ensure contact-tracing is possible. The supporters needed to show ID and their club membership card before entering and wear masks when not in their allocated place.

Stewards asked fans too close to move. Journalists had their temperatures taken and were seated apart.

Brazilian horror park reopens as drive-thru

SAO PAULO — A large Ferris wheel with red lights illuminates a gloomy path at a horror theme amusement park in Brazil. A line of cars carrying spectators moves slowly as actors dressed up as werewolves and witches approach the vehicles with outstretched arms. Another apocalyptic scene appears on the sidewalk: two zombies devouring a victim.

People in dozens of cars gathered on Friday at the Hopi Hari amusement park in the city of Vinhedo, in the state of Sao Paulo. The horror theme park, closed because of the pandemic, reopened with a change aimed at preventing the spread of the new coronavirus: people enjoy the scary entertainment without getting out of the car.

Hopi Hari provides weary families who have been cooped up for months with the thrill of ghosts, ghouls and monsters in a drive-thru option. During the 2.7-kilometer (1.6-mile) tour that takes around 30 minutes to be completed, visitors pass through seven main attractions that include short reproductions of horror movies such as “The Exorcist.”

“They are adapting, and this is very nice. It allows us to leave our home and have fun,” said 61-year-old Jose Purgato, who went to the park with his family.

Sao Paulo is the Brazilian state with the largest number of coronavirus cases reported – more than 800,000 – and about 31,000 confirmed deaths from COVID-19.

Some Brazilian cities have offered drive-in cinemas and even a circus for people watching from cars.

“We were locked at home for such a long time,” said 31-year-old Tariana Souza, who described the horror theme amusement park as “an escape from our routine.”