Stay-home efforts, governor missteps, strained hospitals: News from around our 50 states

Alabama

Montgomery: The state on Friday added almost 3,000 coronavirus cases, the highest number reported in a single day since the pandemic began. Health officials believe many of those cases arose from Halloween parties, sporting events and other group gatherings. “This is a new record for us,” State Health Officer Scott Harris said. “Overall, we believe the number accurately shows that Alabama is seeing increased community transmission of COVID-19.” Harris said unlike past surges of that size, the increase is not due to a large data dump of previously backlogged reporting. He did, however, acknowledge that a few of the cases may be from the past few weeks. The Alabama Department of Public Health said a preliminary analysis indicates a large number of the cases are from social gatherings of more than 10 people, such as fall or Halloween parties, sporting events, work-related meetings, and church-sponsored activities.

Alaska

Anchorage: The state’s largest airport became one of the nation’s busiest in recent months as disrupted shipping patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic increased cargo activity. Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport jumped from the 38th busiest in the U.S. to the eighth busiest based on aircraft operations since the first quarter of 2020, The Anchorage Daily News reports. The Anchorage facility experienced a 25% increase in cargo volume from July to September compared to the same period last year, the airport said. Nearly 1 million tons of cargo moved through the airport during those three months. Freight volume increased 13.6% in the first nine months of the year compared to the same period last year, the airport said. More people embraced online shopping and boosted international air shipments, Anchorage airport Director Jim Szczesniak said.

Arizona

Phoenix: A woman whose father died from COVID-19 criticized Gov. Doug Ducey on Friday for leaving the state with his wife to celebrate the couple’s wedding anniversary amid the coronavirus outbreak. Kristin Urquiza, who has previously voiced criticism of President Donald Trump for his handling of the pandemic, posted her biting criticism of Ducey in a video on Twitter from a cemetery. She said she learned from a friend of Ducey’s travel while going to the cemetery to tell her father about an academic award she had received. “I came here to celebrate with my dad, but my dad is dead, and he’s dead because the person in charge lied and because the governor of this state went along with it. And now he has the luxury to go celebrate his wedding anniversary with his wife. Well, good for you,” she said. “People are dying. It is as bad now as it was when my dad got sick in June.”

Arkansas

Little Rock: As the state reported another record spike in coronavirus cases and a new high for hospitalizations Friday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he didn’t expect a panel he formed to address the surge would call for a widespread closure of businesses. Hutchinson signed an order Friday to create a COVID-19 Winter Task Force that will look at ways to better coordinate the COVID-19 caseload statewide and ways the state can assist hospitals in increasing their staff resources to manage the surge. The panel, primarily comprised of hospital leaders from around the state, will be chaired by the governor and will begin meeting Monday, he said. The panel will also assess ways to increase compliance with the state’s mask mandate and other steps Arkansas can take, though the Republican governor again expressed resistance to further restrictions on businesses. “We don’t want to shut down, and I don’t expect that to be the result of this task force,” he said.

California

Sacramento: For months, Gov. Gavin Newsom has pleaded with Californians to resist the temptation to socialize with friends and relatives outside their household. Turns out, he’s the one who couldn’t resist. Newsom acknowledged Friday that he attended a birthday party with a dozen friends Nov. 6 at the posh French Laundry restaurant in wine country north of San Francisco. “While our family followed the restaurant’s health protocols and took safety precautions, we should have modeled better behavior and not joined the dinner,” he said in a statement. His choice could harm his credibility and alter his messaging as the state of nearly 40 million enters a critical holiday stretch with virus cases surging and health officials blaming the increase on social gatherings. Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, a professor of public policy communication at the University of Southern California, noted people across the state have been canceling birthday parties, funerals and other important events to abide by the rules. Now, if Newsom tries to tighten the rules again, he may have lost some credibility.

Colorado

Denver: Gov. Jared Polis outlined a plan Friday to organize hospitals’ response to the coronavirus. But he shied away from issuing a statewide stay-at-home order even as cases have surged to their highest levels since the pandemic began. Polis said during a news conference that hospitals must prioritize increased staffing and capacity and scale back elective procedures if they become overwhelmed by patients with the virus. He also said the state’s inter-hospital transfer system could be used to prevent health care facilities from becoming overwhelmed. “These are our darkest days as a nation. They are our darkest days as a state,” Polis said. “It’s going to take all of us working together to get through the weeks and months ahead.” Polis said as a last resort, the state could open its overflow alternative care centers. Health officials estimate 1 in 110 people is contagious with the virus statewide, and the infections are higher in populous areas like Denver, where an estimated 1 in 64 people is contagious.

Connecticut

Hartford: The state’s two U.S. senators and the governor were self-isolating Saturday after a member of Gov. Ned Lamont’s staff tested positive for the coronavirus. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy each tweeted Saturday that they had not had close contact with the staffer but were taking the step out of an abundance of caution. Lamont’s chief spokesperson, Max Reiss, identified himself as the senior staff member who had tested positive in a release posted to Twitter on Friday. Reiss wrote he wasn’t sure how or where he had contracted the virus. In a news release Friday, Lamont’s office said contact tracing had begun, and all members of the administration who have been within 6 feet of Reiss for 15 minutes or more will self-quarantine for 14 days. In addition to Lamont, chief of staff Paul Mounds and chief operating officer Josh Geballe will self-quarantine.

Delaware

Dover: The state has reported its first flu case for the season as coronavirus cases continue to rise to new records. The flu case involved a Kent County child under the age of 5. Health officials are urging people to get the flu vaccine. It is recommended for people 6 months of age and older. “The flu vaccine won’t prevent COVID-19, but it is effective at preventing the flu,” said Dr. Karyl Rattay, director of the state’s Division of Public Health. “The flu vaccine decreases the number of people who need to be treated for the flu. This means more health care supplies, resources and professionals will be available on the front lines to fight the pandemic.” Health officials anticipate the number of flu cases in the state will rise after Thanksgiving if people don’t get the vaccine beforehand. And that will put pressure on the health care system, which is already concerned about controlling the spread of coronavirus.

District of Columbia

Washington: Thousands of people came to the Million MAGA March on Saturday, but many of them didn’t wear masks, despite D.C.’s mask mandate, WUSA-TV reports. A majority of the protesters gathered at Freedom Plaza did not wear face coverings. Many protesters, as well as a few counterprotesters, were in D.C. over the weekend to support unfounded election fraud claims and to support President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign. Families and older people were more commonly seen practicing mask-wearing. Among those who did, many donned masks featuring American flags or patriotic themes. There were also masks that read “Trump 2024.”

Florida

Miami: The Florida Department of Health said Saturday that the state logged 4,452 new coronavirus cases, with 3,151 current hospitalizations. Miami-Dade, which has the largest number of cases, has now surpassed the grim milestone of 200,000 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, according to state statistics. More than 3,700 people in the county have died from the virus. The number of patients being treated for COVID-19 in Florida hospitals has risen in recent weeks. The state’s online census of hospitals showed numbers hovering between 2,000 and 2,200 for most of the past month. The state’s outbreak peaked over the summer, with nearly 10,000 patients being treated in late July. The new cases bring the state’s known total to 875,096. Officials also added another 44 deaths Tuesday, bringing the resident death toll to 17,489. It’s unclear how the reported case numbers were affected by Tropical Storm Eta, which forced the closure of some testing sites for a few days.

Georgia

Macon: Democratic state Sen. David Lucas of Macon entered the hospital Wednesday after being diagnosed with COVID-19, his wife, Macon-Bibb County Commissioner Elaine Lucas, told local news outlets Thursday. The 70-year-old Lucas was elected to the state Senate in 2012 and represents a middle Georgia district including parts of Bibb, Houston and Jones counties and all of Twiggs, Wilkinson, Hancock and Washington counties. He served in the state House from 1974 until 2011 and was briefly out of office before winning the Senate seat. Lucas was reelected to another two-year term this year. Lucas is at least the sixth person in the 56-member state Senate to be diagnosed with the respiratory illness. At least two House members have also been diagnosed. The Tuskegee University graduate has focused on rural, health and local issues. He underwent emergency bypass surgery in 2018.

Hawaii

Honolulu: State health officials have reported 110 newly confirmed coronavirus cases and no new deaths. The figures reported Friday bring the statewide total to 16,412 cases. The state has reported 222 deaths from the virus since the beginning of the pandemic, with 173 deaths on Oahu, 31 on Hawaii island, 17 on Maui and one from Kauai who died on the mainland, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports. Friday’s newly reported figures break down to 92 infections on Oahu, eight on the Big Island, two on Kauai, one on Maui and seven Hawaii residents diagnosed outside the state, according to the state Department of Health. The new cases came from 4,860 coronavirus tests, meaning the state’s positivity rate was 2.3%. There have been 14,172 confirmed cases on Oahu, 1,459 in Hawaii County, 443 on Maui, 106 on Lanai, 75 on Kauai and 17 on Molokai. There have also been 138 Hawaii residents diagnosed outside the state.

Idaho

Boise: Gov. Brad Little on Friday mobilized the Idaho National Guard and restricted group sizes to 10 or fewer to fight the coronavirus as infections and deaths surge across the state. The Republican governor during a remotely held news conference said the moves are needed because health care facilities are within weeks of having to ration care due to workers out sick with COVID-19. “We are in the middle of an unprecedented and dangerous time in our state’s history,” Little said. “With every day that passes, we are breaking records with the number of COVID deaths, the number of overall hospitalizations and the number of new cases in communities all across our state.” The restrictions are a return to stage 2 of his Idaho Rebounds plan to reopen the economy while slowing the spread of the virus. Bars, nightclubs and restaurants can operate, but customers must be seated. The limit of 10 people doesn’t apply to religious or political gatherings.

Illinois

Chicago: Local health officials issued a stay-at-home advisory for the suburban Chicago area Friday, one day after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot also urged residents to stay home to fight a surge in COVID-19 cases. The Cook County Department of Public Health’s advisory is similar to the steps taken by Lightfoot ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Both take effect Monday; last 30 days; advise residents and visitors to venture out only for essential needs, such as going to work or grocery shopping; and set limits on the size of gatherings. Both also stop short of making the restrictions mandatory. The announcement from the county came as Illinois set a record for confirmed and probable cases for the fourth straight day. Friday’s single-day total of 15,415 shattered the record set Thursday by more than 2,700, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. “It’s gaining on us and getting ahead of us,” said the director of the state’s health department, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, who repeatedly referred to the virus as “the enemy” as she urged the public to continue to take precautions such as wearing masks.

Indiana

Indianapolis: State health officials reported nearly 8,500 newly confirmed coronavirus infections Saturday, a new single-day high that is 28% more than the previous high set two days earlier. Meanwhile, most of the state fell under a new governor’s order beginning Sunday reinstating limits on crowd sizes after weeks of steep increases in coronavirus-related deaths and hospitalizations. The state health department on Saturday also recorded 25 more COVID-19 deaths, pushing the state’s total fatalities since March to 4,888, including confirmed and presumed coronavirus infections. The 8,451 new infections reported Saturday blew past the some 6,600 that state health officials announced Thursday in what was the first time daily reported infections had topped 6,000. Gov. Eric Holcomb’s new order limits crowd sizes to 25 people in the highest-risk red counties under the state’s assessment map and 50 people in the next-riskiest orange counties, with larger events needing approval from health officials. The state health department’s latest assessment places 87 of the state’s 92 counties in those categories.

Iowa

Des Moines: The number of Iowans hospitalized with the coronavirus has set another record. The state said 1,279 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 on Saturday, up from 1,261 the day before. Iowa also reported 4,432 new cases and 13 additional deaths as of Sunday morning to give the state 184,685 cases and 1,985 deaths. Over the past week in Iowa, 1 in every 95 people in the state was diagnosed with the coronavirus, and the rate of new cases in the state remained the third-highest in the nation, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Iowa has more than doubled over the past two weeks from 1,605.86 new cases per day Oct. 31 to 3,785.71 new cases per day Saturday. The state said 95 of Iowa’s 99 counties had a 14-day positivity rate above 15% on Sunday. Iowa surpassed 5,000 new confirmed coronavirus cases in a single day for the first time Friday.

Kansas

Topeka: Some churches in the state suspended indoor, in-person worship services, and the capital city’s zoo even tightened its rules, as the the state set another record Friday for new coronavirus cases. Public health officials in the Kansas City area urged new limits on restaurants and gatherings on both sides of the Kansas-Missouri state line. But Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly publicly promised leaders of the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature again Friday that she has no plans to shut down businesses, as she did for five weeks under a statewide stay-at-home order this spring. The bishops of the two Episcopal Church dioceses that cover Kansas this week directed their congregations to suspend services and meetings. The diocese covering western Kansas suspended public worship and meetings for two weeks. For eastern Kansas, Bishop Cathleen Chittenden Bascom suspended indoor, in-person services through Dec. 13, though she is allowing outdoor gatherings if people wear masks and social distance. Bascom said the hope is to resume indoor, in-person services two weeks before Christmas.

Kentucky

Frankfort: The state reported 3,303 new coronavirus cases Saturday, with 11 deaths, Gov. Andy Beshear announced, breaking the single-day record for new cases in the state for the second day in a row. Saturday’s total marked the third time last week the state broke its daily case record, after reporting a then-record of 2,700 on Wednesday and a then-record of 3,173 on Friday. Kentucky also has been setting weekly records over the past month or so and appeared on target to top those. Beshear urged Kentuckians to take the virus seriously, saying additional steps may be coming if the numbers don’t improve. The commonwealth’s testing positivity rate has risen to 8.95%. There were 1,378 people hospitalized Saturday due to the coronavirus, 308 in intensive care units and 167 on ventilators. “So please, do your part. Do your civic duty. Wear your mask. There is so much suffering out there right now,” Beshear said. “If we’re not careful, it’s going to get even worse than this, which is almost unimaginable compared to where we were months ago.”

Louisiana

New Orleans: Gov. John Bel Edwards marked a sharp increase in the daily number of new COVID-19 cases in the state Friday with a renewed call for residents to wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines to avoid dangerous spikes in cases plaguing other states. “We can turn this around,” Edwards said. “We’ve just got to start now.” Edwards said the state recorded 2,812 confirmed new cases Friday. In addition, he said, there were 680 cases labeled “probable.” He and Dr. Joseph Kanter, acting assistant state health secretary, said the probable tag is being used for cases detected through the increased use of antigen tests, which result in quick on-site results and are less expensive and easier to administer than the more widely test known as a molecular or PCR test, Kanter said. But they also are deemed less accurate.

Maine

Portland: A wave of coronavirus cases that hit the state after a wedding is a case study in why it’s important to avoid gathering amid the pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report about the deadly outbreak. The outbreak, based around an August wedding and reception in the Millinocket area, killed at least seven people and sickened at least 177. The CDC’s report, issued Friday, said an investigation into the wedding showed noncompliance with standard procedures to slow the spread of the virus. The CDC reported that Maine health authorities “likely undercounted cases of illness that were linked to the event, and the attack rate for the reception guests is thus a conservative estimate.” It also said none of the people who were hospitalized or killed in the outbreak were guests at the wedding reception. The report was produced by staff of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and published by the federal agency.

Maryland

College Park: The University of Maryland’s College Park campus will transition to mostly online courses after the school’s Thanksgiving break due to concerns about rising COVID-19 cases. The school’s president, Darryll Pines, told the university community in a letter that students who plan to travel from campus for the holiday should remain away until the end of the semester. Students who choose to remain in residence halls for Thanksgiving may stay until the end of the semester. “Like many of you, I wish for a return to normalcy for our university, including the full resumption of in-person classes and extracurricular activities. Yet this virus continues to demand vigilance, patience and perseverance,” Pines said. “I believe the actions outlined above are prudent, data-driven, and in the best interests of our university community.” The school will also be providing campuswide coronavirus testing the week prior to Thanksgiving break.

Massachusetts

Worcester: The state is planning to open a field hospital in the city to prepare for a possible overflow of COVID-19 patients as the disease continues to surge again in the state. The facility at the DCU Center in Worcester will include 240 beds. It should be ready to take in patients as early as the first week of December. The partner for the site will be the University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center. The state has begun recording more than 2,000 newly confirmed cases daily of the disease caused by the coronavirus. On Thursday, the state reported that there have been more than 10,000 confirmed deaths from the disease in Massachusetts since the start of the pandemic. The state will likely other field hospitals if needed, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker said at a press conference Friday. He said the number of new cases has been trending in the wrong direction since the end of the summer. “The trajectory now is sustained and troubling, and everybody needs to step up,” Baker said.

Michigan

Lansing: At least two more state legislators have tested positive as the coronavirus continues surging to record heights. All told, at least seven lawmakers have tested positive this year, while an eighth died from a suspected case. The House canceled votes Thursday due to infections among members. The Republican-led Legislature had already been scheduled to break until Dec. 1, though it faces pressure to act to curb the virus after GOP legislators successfully challenged Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s use of emergency powers to issue restrictions. Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey told radio station WJR that the infection rates “are very alarming,” as are rising hospitalizations. He opposes the governor’s call to codify the state health department’s face-covering rule in law. But wearing a face covering or not, he said, “is not a political statement; it’s just something out of respect.” He, like Whitmer, urged people to think carefully about holiday gatherings. The state on Friday reported 8,516 new confirmed cases – its fourth straight daily high – and 113 deaths, including 83 that occurred previously and were identified by a review of death certificates.

Minnesota

Minneapolis: Gov. Tim Walz indicated Friday that he’s planning to announce additional restrictions this week aimed at indoor activities involving young adults ages 18 to 35 in hopes of slowing the rapid spread of the coronavirus. The Democratic governor would not give specifics about those plans, but he reiterated that he’s not contemplating another lockdown such as the one he imposed last spring. Walz said officials have gotten “better at understanding who’s getting this, where they’re getting it and when they’re getting it.” Another factor, he said, is “tolerance – of what people will and will not do.” Minnesota health officials on Saturday reported 35 new deaths and a record 8,703 new coronavirus cases. The Star Tribune reports the state’s one-day case count came on a record volume of about 52,311 newly completed tests. Since the pandemic arrived in Minnesota in March, the state’s pandemic tallies include 216,028 positive cases, 12,915 hospitalizations and 2,874 deaths. Residents of long-term care and assisted-living facilities accounted for 27 of the newly announced deaths and 1,981 deaths since the start of the pandemic. Numbers released Saturday show health care workers have accounted for 17,453 positive cases.

Mississippi

Jackson: As cases of coronavirus rise in the state, health officials are warning that schools and extracurricular activities could turn into hot spots. Several high school sports teams have had to cancel or postpone games due to infections in recent weeks. More than 9,000 students and almost 800 teachers were quarantined for coronavirus exposure in Mississippi last week, according to the state Department of Health. Since the start of the school year, about 4,500 students have tested positive for the virus. “The schools have become one of the bigger issues this week,” State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers said during an online conversation Friday hosted by the Mississippi State Medical Association. “When we look at what’s going on in the schools, now is not the time to change our course. We need to continue to do those things that we did early on to make sure that we prevent transmission in those settings.” While students and staff are generally safe during learning time in classrooms, infections are occurring during other hours, such as when participating in after-school activities, gathering for lunch or socializing in school hallways, Byers said.

Missouri

O’Fallon: With the number of new COVID-19 cases soaring and hospitals nearing capacity, St. Louis County’s executive, Dr. Sam Page, announced strict new regulations Friday that seek to slow the spread of the disease. For four weeks starting Tuesday, St. Louis County residents are being told to stay home except to go to work or school, shop, exercise, or get medical care. Residents were advised to establish social groups of 10 or fewer relatives and/or friends. The four-week period includes Thanksgiving but ends before Christmas. Also, in-person service at bars and restaurants will be shut down, though carry-out and outside dining will be allowed. Businesses, gyms and places of worship will be reduced to 25% capacity, down from 50%. Those inside must wear masks. “This won’t be easy, and this won’t be fun,” said Page, a Democrat. The city of St. Louis, which is not part of the county, separately issued an order late Thursday prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people, effective Saturday. Missouri health officials reported the state’s biggest one-day increase in COVID-19 cases on Sunday, with 6,346, amid record hospitalizations across the state, increasing about 23% in one week to 2,523.

Montana

Kalispell: A northwestern Montana judge has denied a request by the state health department for preliminary court orders to require five Flathead County businesses to enforce health orders aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus. District Judge Dan Wilson said Thursday that the Department of Public Health and Human Services failed to justify immediate action against the businesses, saying they were making reasonable efforts to comply with Montana’s mask mandate. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public health officials agree that face masks are effective at mitigating the spread of the coronavirus when they are widely worn. Attorneys for the health department argued the businesses did not take “reasonable measures” to enforce the mask mandate put in place by Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock on July 15 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Nebraska

Omaha: The state will see tighter coronavirus restrictions in less than two weeks if the number of infected people getting hospitalized continues to increase at its current rate, based on new benchmarks announced Friday. Gov. Pete Ricketts said he will impose new social-distancing mandates on bars, restaurants and other places where people gather if the number of hospitalized virus patients rises to 25% of the state’s overall hospital bed capacity. As of Thursday night, the state’s hospitals held 905 virus patients – about 20% of their current capacity, Ricketts said at a news conference. The number of patients has been growing by about 25 per day, and if that trend continues, Nebraska’s hospitals would reach the 25% benchmark in about 11 days. “This is a very serious situation for our hospitals, and we all need to be a part of slowing down the virus,” Ricketts said via a video link livestreamed at the Capitol.

Nevada

Carson City: A day after announcing he’d tested positive for the coronavirus, Gov. Steve Sisolak warned Saturday that Nevada’s response to the pandemic was at “a critical juncture” as the state reported a record number of new confirmed cases for the second day in a row. “Today, we recorded 2,269 new cases, including mine,” Sisolak said on Twitter. “I again want to underscore the importance for Nevadans to stay home when they can to help protect themselves and our communities.” The new cases announced Saturday with 15 additional deaths increased the state’s totals to 119,006 cases and 1,908 deaths. Sisolak warned Nevadans earlier in the week that if the state fails to slow the spread of the virus within two weeks, he will be forced to reimplement stricter measures. He asked residents to commit to a “Stay-at-Home 2.0” mentality to ensure the state’s hospitals don’t become overwhelmed. According to data from Johns Hopkins University and the COVID Tracking Project, Nevada’s seven-day rolling averages for daily new cases, daily deaths and testing positivity all increased in the past two weeks.

New Hampshire

Concord: Representatives of the state’s hospitality industry said Friday that they will need a new round of federal coronavirus funding as outdoor dining ends and there’s no active business travel. “The next three, four, five months is really going to be the toughest stretch,” said Mike Somers, CEO and president of the New Hampshire Lodging & Restaurant Association, during a virtual meeting with U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. Tom Boucher, CEO of Great New Hampshire Restaurants, said outdoor dining accounted for about 35% of his restaurants’ revenue in the third quarter. But business was down at about 30% at every location this week, and more losses are expected, he said. “That’s it – it’s over now, until it gets warm again,” he said. Boucher said his company will have spent $500,000 on COVID-19-related expenses by the end of this year on items such as air purifiers and dividers.

New Jersey

Atlantic City: The city’s top casino is laying off or cutting the hours of 422 workers in what it says is a direct reaction to strict new indoor dining limits imposed by Gov. Phil Murphy. The Borgata sent a letter to workers Friday afternoon outlining the cuts. Casino President Melonie Johnson said the cuts were in response to limits that took effect Thursday night under which indoor dining must halt from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The casino is laying off 73 workers and reducing the hours of 349 others. Bob McDevitt, president of the main Atlantic City casino workers’ union, said he did not know of any other casino that had done layoffs since the limits were announced Monday. Murphy’s order came as the coronavirus rate of infection and number of cases climb higher in New Jersey and across the country. He said Monday that Health Department officials say indoor settings make it easier for the virus to spread compared with outdoors.

New Mexico

Santa Fe: The state reported an additional 1,180 known coronavirus cases and 10 deaths as preparations began for a two-week near-lockdown ordered by the governor. The cases reported Saturday increased the statewide total to 63,171 cases, while the death toll rose to 1,208. Data from Johns Hopkins University and the COVID Tracking Project and analyzed by the Associated Press shows the seven-day rolling averages for new daily cases, daily deaths and testing positivity all increasing over the past two weeks in New Mexico, with the daily deaths average more than doubling from 5.9 deaths Oct. 30 to 13.4 on Friday. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, on Friday ordered many businesses to close and asked residents to stay home starting Monday following a steady increase in infections, hospitalizations and deaths. Grocery stores, pharmacies, day cares, gas stations and other essential businesses can still operate. But they are being told to minimize operations and in-person staffing to the greatest extent possible. Restaurants may provide curbside pickup and delivery services, but on-site dining is prohibited.

New York

New York: The city’s coronavirus test results have not reached the level that would trigger a shutdown of public school buildings, so schools will remain open for now, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday. “Thankfully, schools will remain open on Monday, but we have to keep fighting back with everything we’ve got,” de Blasio said on Twitter. The mayor had warned Friday that schools could close as soon as Monday if the city crossed the threshold set earlier of 3% of coronavirus tests citywide coming back positive over a seven-day period. The rate stayed short of that on Sunday, at 2.57%, he said. New York City’s public school system, by far the nation’s largest with more than a million students, was one of few big-city districts to reopen classrooms this fall after the pandemic forced schools across the United States online in the spring. Parents were given a choice of all-remote instruction or a “blended learning” system with students in class some days and learning online the other days. About 280,000 students have attended in person, fewer than city officials had expected.

North Carolina

Raleigh: Students, faculty and staff at North Carolina State University will be required to show proof of a negative coronavirus test before returning to campus in the spring. The school announced the new policy Friday, WNCN-TV reports. The decision comes after more than 1,000 cases forced the school to move mostly to remote classes during the fall semester. Some students welcomed the decision. “I saw some other schools did that this year, and they’re still on campus, and their rates aren’t that high,” student Jonathan Weks told the news outlet. “So I think it’s a good idea, especially if we want a healthy campus.” Those returning to campus will be required to get tested three to five days before the semester starts. The university said anyone who refuses to comply can face disciplinary action. The school also plans to expand its testing capabilities, as it expects several thousand students and staff members to be tested every week.

North Dakota

Bismarck: Hospitalization rates due to complications from COVID-19 continue to rise in the state, with 17 patients admitted to medical facilities in the past day, state health officials reported Sunday. A total of 322 people are currently hospitalized with the virus. The state reported 10 deaths in the past day, for a total of 736 fatalities since the start of the pandemic. The death toll is the eighth-highest per capita in the country at more than 96 deaths per 100,000 people, according to the COVID Tracking Project. Figures compiled Saturday by hospital officials showed 14 staffed intensive care beds and 179 staffed inpatient beds available statewide. The state Department of Health on Saturday ordered a mask mandate for the first time during the pandemic. The state reported 935 positive tests for the coronavirus in the past day. There were 2,494 new cases per 100,000 people in North Dakota over the past two weeks, which ranks first in the country for new cases per capita. Johns Hopkins University researchers say 1 in every 79 people in North Dakota tested positive in the past week.

Ohio

Columbus: Initial claims for unemployment compensation continue to rise along with the state’s number of coronavirus cases, the state reported Friday. For the week ending Nov. 7, 21,868 Ohioans filed claims for unemployment, according to the Department of Job and Family Services. That’s a 3% increase from the previous week, when 21,263 Ohioans filed claims, but nearly 20% higher than October figures. The state also said Ohioans filed 260,855 continuing unemployment claims last week, a figure considered a more reliable indicator of economic strength and one that has slowly decreased over the past few weeks. As coronavirus cases soar in Ohio, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has warned he could order another shutdown of restaurants and bars. The industry has criticized the announcement, saying that there’s no evidence they are a cause of spread and that such a move would be economically devastating. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Ohio has risen over the past two weeks from 2,644 new cases per day Oct. 29 to 5,612 new cases per day Nov. 12, according to an Associated Press analysis of data provided by the COVID Tracking Project. The state saw another single-day record high of 8,071 cases added Friday.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: Two members of the state House of Representatives confirmed Friday that they have tested positive for the coronavirus, just days after a swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol in which many lawmakers and their families weren’t wearing masks or practicing social distancing. Republican state Reps. Kevin Wallace of Wellston and Tammy Townley of Ardmore both confirmed in statements to the Associated Press that they have tested positive. Wallace said he tested positive before Wednesday’s swearing-in ceremony and took his oath privately, without any other members present. Townley tested positive after participating in the ceremony. She said she had previously tested positive for coronavirus antibodies this summer and had “zero reason” to believe she was a transmission risk. There’s evidence that reinfection is unlikely for at least three months even for people who had a mild case of COVID-19, but there’s still a lot about the coronavirus that scientists don’t know. House Democratic leader Rep. Emily Virgin said all of the House Democrats wore masks during Wednesday’s events, and she’s disappointed that some of her Republican colleagues won’t follow guidelines recommended by health officials.

Oregon

Salem: Gov. Kate Brown on Friday announced a statewide two-week “freeze” that will limit restaurants and bars to takeout only and close gyms, indoor and outdoor recreational facilities. If people do not abide by the governor’s latest mandates, which restrict social gatherings to six people, they could face a citation, fine or arrest. The freeze, which will take effect starting Wednesday and run through Dec. 2, aims to limit group activities and slow the spread of COVID-19. The state is experiencing a spike in coronavirus infections and has reached record-high positivity rates and hospitalizations in November. During Friday’s press conference, officials gave grim descriptions of the state’s current situation: “Likely the most dangerous time in Oregon,” “the roughest days of the pandemic” and “dark days ahead.” The latest set of restrictions is the most stringent since the start of the pandemic.

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia: Health officials in the state’s third-most populous county ordered schools Friday to temporarily halt classroom instruction in what they said was an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The Montgomery County Board of Health mandated that all public and private K-12 schools in the suburban Philadelphia county offer virtual instruction for two weeks beginning Nov. 23. The order affects tens of thousands of students in more than 20 public school districts along with students of charter, private and parochial schools. Spiking COVID-19 numbers are prompting other Pennsylvania school districts to take action. Pittsburgh Public Schools announced Friday that more than 800 children who resumed classroom instruction just last week – all of them special needs students and English language learners – would have to go back to remote learning. In central Pennsylvania, Derry Township School district canceled in-person classes from Friday until Nov. 30.

Rhode Island

Providence: The state reported more than 700 new cases of the coronavirus Friday. The Rhode Island Department of Health also reported four additional deaths due to COVID-19 on Friday to bring the state’s total to 1,254. Hospitalizations are at their highest level since May, and Gov. Gina Raimondo has warned residents that the worsening crisis could soon overwhelm area hospitals and force officials to enact tougher restrictions on businesses and activities. Raimondo, a Democrat, blamed the virus’s spread on people flouting the rules and continuing to have indoor gatherings with family and friends. Under new rules Raimondo announced earlier this month, masks are required whenever people are with others with whom they don’t live, even when outdoors. Restaurants, bars, gyms and other businesses must end in-person service at 10 p.m. on weeknights and 10:30 p.m. weekends. The seven-day rolling average of the positivity rate in Rhode Island has risen over the past two weeks from 3.02% on Oct. 28 to 4.81% on Wednesday.

South Carolina

Columbia: New coronavirus cases leaped by 9,272 in the state for the week ending Saturday, rising 14%. South Carolina ranked No. 38 among states for where coronavirus was spreading the fastest, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. The worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Newberry, Pickens and Fairfield counties. Adding the most new cases overall were Greenville County, with 1,402 cases; Spartanburg County, with 725 cases; and Richland County, with 683. Weekly case counts rose in 27 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week’s pace were in Greenville, Horry and Lexington counties. The share of South Carolina test results that came back positive was 7.3% in the latest week, compared with 5.7% in the week before, a USA TODAY Network analysis of COVID Tracking Project data shows. Across the state, 95 people died in the latest week. In the previous week, 80 people died.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: State health officials on Sunday reported 23 deaths due to the coronavirus in the past day, increasing the total number of fatalities to 219 in the past 15 days. Officials had reported 53 new deaths Saturday, the highest single-day total of the pandemic. Sunday’s reported deaths included 11 women and 12 men. Seventeen of the fatalities were residents over 80 years old. South Dakota’s death count is the 21st highest per capita in the country at about 70 deaths per 100,000 people, according to figures compiled Saturday by John Hopkins University researchers. State officials confirmed 1,199 new COVID-19 cases in the past day, lifting the total to 65,381 since the start of the pandemic. The COVID Tracking Project said there were nearly 2,062 new cases per 100,000 people in South Dakota over the past two weeks, which ranks second in the country behind North Dakota for new cases per capita. One in every 86 people in South Dakota tested positive in the past week.

Tennessee

Nashville: A federal judge will not block a nationwide eviction ban while Tennessee landlords pursue a legal challenge alleging the moratorium has infringed on their property rights and unfairly caused them financial harm. U.S. District Judge Mark Norris denied the landlords’ request to pause the sweeping eviction ban as their lawsuit makes its way through court. Instead, Norris said the landlords – all based in Memphis – hadn’t proved they were suffering “irreparable harm” from the eviction ban. “The fact is, despite plaintiffs’ creative framing, at bottom plaintiffs are likely to suffer monetary damages, not irreparable harm, and their bevy of constitutional claims do not change this conclusion,” Norris wrote in his decision released earlier this month. “Therefore, because plaintiffs have failed to establish the irreparable harm factor, the court need not consider the remaining preliminary injunction factors.”

Texas

El Paso: The top elected official for El Paso County said he is unhappy with a state appeals court ruling overturning his order closing nonessential businesses to slow the spread of the coronavirus, but he won’t appeal it. County Judge Ricardo Samaniego said in a news release late Friday that to say he was disappointed by the ruling “would be a huge understatement. Unfortunately, I don’t believe it would be fruitful to continue to pursue litigation options, but I wholeheartedly intend to use my legal authority to do everything possible to save as many lives as I can.” Earlier Friday, the Eighth Court of Appeals in El Paso ruled against the order closing nonessential businesses including gyms and salons, sending the case back to a district judge who had upheld it with instructions to halt the shutdown. State Attorney General Ken Paxton sued to overturn the order Samaniego issued in October, despite a surge that has overwhelmed hospitals and funeral homes in the border city.

Utah

Salt Lake City: Ski resorts in the state have started to prepare reopening plans with additional safety precautions intended to keep guests safe during the coronavirus pandemic. Recreational planning company Ski Utah has listed six resorts in northern Utah with undetermined opening dates, FOX13 reports. Solitude Mountain Resort announced in a statement that it is not scheduled to open Nov. 20 as originally planned, citing lack of early season snowfall as one of the reasons. The decision was made in consideration for space to allow visitors to practice social distancing and avoid the potential for large crowds, officials said. “I think it was a great call,” Ski Utah spokesperson Anelise Bergin said. “When opening day comes, you’ll actually see more terrain open than we typically would on an opening day.” Brighton Resort told FOX13 that its resort hopes to open three or four chair lifts by the Thanksgiving holiday if it can do so while preventing long waiting lines. Some resorts have planned for other safety precautions including serving prepackaged meals and encouraging online ticket sales.

Vermont

Montpelier: After the state saw its highest daily number of coronavirus cases to date last week, Gov. Phil Scott announced new restrictions on social gatherings Friday, closing bars and clubs to in-person service and banning multiple-household gatherings, both indoors and out. He also announced a pause of recreational sports leagues, outside of the Vermont Principal’s Association sanctioned sports. “I want to be clear: We’re in a new phase of this pandemic. The days of very low risk are over,” the Republican governor said. Many of the state’s clusters and outbreaks are traced to private gatherings such as baby showers, tailgate parties, deer camps and barbecues “where multiple households are getting together and not wearing masks or staying physically separated for long periods of time,” he said. The recent surge in cases came 12 days after Halloween, when people gathered for parties. Such activities are still happening even though the state had been warning against them for weeks, Scott said. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Vermont has risen over the past two weeks from 22 on Oct. 29 to 49.71 new cases per day Thursday.

Virginia

Richmond: Gov. Ralph Northam on Friday announced substantial new statewide restrictions on gatherings and certain businesses in an effort to slow rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. The state’s cap on gatherings will be reduced from 250 people to 25, the state’s mask requirement will be applied to younger children, the number of spectators allowed at athletic events will be reduced, and alcohol sales will be prohibited at dining and drinking establishments after 10 p.m., the Democratic governor’s office said in a news release. Those and other new restrictions were set to take effect Sunday at midnight. “COVID-19 is surging across the country, and while cases are not rising in Virginia as rapidly as in some other states, I do not intend to wait until they are. We are acting now to prevent this health crisis from getting worse,” Northam, who is a physician, said in the release. The gathering ban will apply to events such as weddings but won’t affect schools or restaurant capacity, said Northam’s spokeswoman, Alena Yarmosky. Restaurants were already subject to capacity limits due to requirements that patrons remain socially distanced.

Washington

Olympia: Gov. Jay Inslee on Sunday announced new restrictions on businesses and social gatherings for the next four weeks as the state continues to combat a rising number of coronavirus cases. Starting at 11:59 p.m. Monday, a host of businesses must close their indoor services, including fitness facilities and gyms, bowling centers, movie theaters, museums, zoos and aquariums. Retail stores – including grocery stores – must limit their indoor capacity to 25%. Also starting at that time, indoor social gatherings with people from more than one household are also prohibited unless attendees have either quarantined for 14 days before the gathering or tested negative for the coronavirus and quarantined for seven days. Beginning at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, restaurants and bars will be limited to to-go service and outdoor dining with tables seating no more than five people.

West Virginia

Charleston: The state has set another weekly record for the number of confirmed coronavirus cases, even with one day left to count. Health statistics released Sunday showed there were 3,718 positive cases reported statewide from Nov. 9 through Saturday. That six-day mark broke the record of 2,696 cases set for the seven days in the previous week. The state set three daily marks for confirmed cases in the past week, including a record 821 cases Friday. Daily records have been set seven times in the past three weeks. There had been no daily records set in the six weeks prior to that, an indication of the recent surge in the virus. The past week’s cumulative cases are more than triple the number of confirmed cases reported for the week ending Sept. 1. Gov. Jim Justice on Friday announced that face coverings will be required at all times in businesses and other indoor spaces. He first issued an indoor mask order in July that did not require masks if social distancing was possible. The new mandate requires masks at all times except when eating or drinking.

Wisconsin

Madison: It took the state seven months to log 100,000 confirmed coronavirus cases. It took only 36 more days to double that number. On Friday – a mere 18 days later – the state blew past 300,000 cases, breaking a record daily high set just a day earlier. There were 7,777 new cases reported by the state Department of Health Services on Friday, breaking Thursday’s record by 280 and pushing the state’s overall total since the pandemic started to 301,165. Wisconsin has also logged 2,573 COVID-19 deaths, and many of the state’s overwhelmed hospitals reported that they were at or nearing capacity. Amid rising calls for action – and just days after the election – Republicans who have fought Gov. Tony Evers over his past attempts to curb the spread of the virus seemed to be softening their tone. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, in his newsletter to constituents, on Thursday urged them to wear masks, avoid gatherings and follow other recommendations to fight the virus. Vos sued Evers to overturn his “safer at home” order in May, and he opposes the statewide mask mandate that’s been in effect since August, arguing that it’s unconstitutional. The Wisconsin Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in that case Monday.

Wyoming

Cheyenne: The state’s first new public health orders to limit spread of the coronavirus since last spring are coming soon, but what they will be remains to be seen, Gov. Mark Gordon said Friday. State officials since May have been relying on people to decide for themselves if they want to keep the virus in check by wearing masks, keeping a safe distance away from others and avoiding crowds. That isn’t working. COVID-19 cases and deaths have been surging since September, appearing on a chart not like a curve but a “trajectory,” said Gordon, a Republican. “It’s time that Wyoming woke up and got serious about what it’s doing,” Gordon said at a news conference. “We’ve relied on people to be responsible, and they’re being irresponsible. They think somehow this is all nonsense.” People are being “knuckleheads” about the virus, Gordon said. Wyoming now ranks behind only the Dakotas for new coronavirus cases per 1,000 people, according to Johns Hopkins University’s database on the virus. Hospitals are setting up tents to make room for intensive care patients, Gordon said.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stay-home efforts, governor missteps: News from around our 50 states