President Donald Trump is faced with uncertainties in the upcoming elections as well as calls for better handling of the novel coronavirus from health experts in the U.S.
Fauci Gives Nod to Birx's Comments on Asymptomatic Cases
On Monday, top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci agreed with Dr. Deborah Birx's observations about asymptomatic cases in the country despite President Donald Trump's criticism of Birx.
Fauci was referring to Birx's comments about the country entering a "new phase" of the pandemic that is centered on asymptomatic cases in different parts of the country.
Trump said in a tweet that Birx's statements were made to get on the side of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. However, Fauci noted that Birx was referring to "inherent community spread" in several states.
Fauci added that community spreading driven by asymptomatic infections is a more difficult crisis to control. In asymptomatic patients, it can be difficult to determine whether a person is infected due to a lack of symptoms, he said.
Florida Teenagers Succumb to COVID-19
Florida, one of the hardest-hit states in the U.S., saw the death of two teenagers, 14 and 17, as confirmed by the local health department.
The state now has a total of seven minors who have passed away due to complications brought about by the novel coronavirus. More than 38,000 minors have been infected with COVID-19 in the state.
Florida Education Association President Frederick Ingram said news of the new deaths among minors in the state could be "traumatizing, especially in a school setting."
As of Monday, Florida has logged a total of 491,884 confirmed coronavirus cases and 7,157 fatalities from the fast-spreading disease.
California Gov. Sees Downtrend in Cases
In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom said intensive care unit admissions and new hospitalizations from COVID-19 have been on a downtrend over the past days.
However, Newsom also noted that the local government should remain alert since the "virus is not going away." He added that the Central Valley region remains a hard-hit area and it is unclear when restrictions will be lifted.
Aside from a decline in hospitalizations, the state also saw its positive results rate decline to seven percent in the last two weeks, marking a significant milestone for one of the hardest-hit states in the country.
As of Monday, California has logged a total of 514,901 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 9,388 deaths.
Houston to Fine Residents Who Refuse to Wear Masks
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said on Monday that the local government is hoping stricter implementation of mask-wearing will help reduce the number of new coronavirus cases in the metropolitan area.
Turner revealed that residents who are seen without a mask when they step out of their homes will be fined up to $250 by local police as part of the local government's efforts to stop further infections.
As of Sunday, Houston has logged nearly 50,000 confirmed infections, as well as 472 deaths from the virus, while throughout Texas, the total infection toll stands at 461,266 and the death toll is nearing 7,500.
