Coronavirus updates: 785 new cases Sunday in Utah; worldwide deaths top 600,000

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SALT LAKE CITY — Here are the latest updates on COVID-19 from Utah and around the world.

If you’re on a mobile device and can’t see the updates below, click on this link.

Sunday, 08:05 pm

Top health officials have changed their minds about face masks — but for good reasons

It's true that back in February and March, health officials such as Dr. Anthony Fauci and US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams advised the general public not to wear face masks.But for the past several months, Fauci, Adams, the CDC and the World Health Organization have all agreed that wearing face masks is critical in stopping the spread of the coronavirus. That's because doctors and scientists now know much more about how easily the virus spreads. — Holly Yan, CNN

Sunday, 04:37 pm

Congress confronts new virus crisis rescue as pandemic grows

It stands as the biggest economic rescue in U.S. history, the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief bill swiftly approved by Congress in the spring. And it's painfully clear now, as the pandemic worsens, it was only the start.With COVID-19 cases hitting alarming new highs and the death roll rising, the pandemic's devastating cycle is happening all over again, leaving Congress little choice but to engineer another costly rescue. Businesses are shutting down, schools cannot fully reopen and jobs are disappearing, all while federal emergency aid expires. Without a successful federal plan to control the outbreak, Congress heads back to work with no endgame to the crisis in sight.

“It’s not going to magically disappear,” said a somber Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., during a visit to a hospital in his home state to thank front-line workers.— Associated Press

Sunday, 04:32 pm

Most of 85 young virus cases in Texas county diagnosed this month

Most of the 85 young children in a South Texas county who are known to have contracted the coronavirus tested positive this month amid a surge in the state, a health official said Sunday.Nearly all of the children, most of whom are 1 year old or younger, are expected to recover on their own, Annette Rodriguez, the Corpus Christi-Nueces County public health director, told The Associated Press by phone. One of the children died, but officials are still trying to determine if COVID-19 was the cause, she said.— Associated Press

Sunday, 03:31 pm

FDA approves Quest COVID-19 test for 'pooled' sample use

The Food and Drug Administration has given emergency approval to a new approach to coronavirus testing that combines test samples in batches instead of running them one by one, speeding up the process.The FDA said Saturday that it reissued an emergency use authorization to Quest Diagnostics to use its COVID-19 test with pooled samples. It is the first test to be authorized to be used in this way.— Associated Press

Sunday, 03:09 pm

Virus rebounds around the world, deaths top 600,000

The coronavirus pandemic has found fresh legs around the world, as confirmed deaths pass 600,000 and countries from the U.S. to South Africa to India struggle to contain a surge of new infections. Hong Kong issued tougher new rules on wearing face masks, Spain closed overcrowded beaches and Germany reported another outbreak at a slaughterhouse.The World Health Organization said that 259,848 new infections were reported Saturday, its highest one-day tally yet.— Associated Press

Sunday, 01:16 pm

785 new cases Sunday in Utah

The Utah Department of Health is reporting 785 new diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in the state Sunday.The numbers bring Utah's count to 34,117 total confirmed cases since the pandemic began. No new deaths were reported Sunday; the state's death toll remains at 243.The health department estimates that 12,960 of those cases are active and 20,915 are recovered, which it defines as a case that was diagnosed more than three weeks ago and did not result in death.The department says 462,822 total Utahns have now been tested for COVID-19.—Graham Dudley, KSL.com

Sunday, 11:11 am

Utah's most vulnerable population hit hard

Amid an upward trend in COVID-19 cases across Utah, the state’s most vulnerable population is taking a hit. Of the 20 deaths the Utah Department of Health announced this week, 16 of them were older than 65 years old and eight of them were long-term care facility residents.“Right now it’s really challenging,” said Dr. Allyn Nakashima, a physician at UDOH who oversees the state’s investigation into COVID-19 cases at long-term care facilities.“If there’s a lot of community spread, health care workers are part of the community, so they get infection and bring it into the facility,” she said.—Matt Rascon, KSL TV

Sunday, 09:26 am

What it takes to open schools during a pandemic

From tiny masks for preschoolers to pallets of disinfectant wipes, Granite School District’s warehouse is brimming with supplies intended to get school off to a safe, successful launch.Under normal circumstances, it’s no small feat fulfilling supply orders for the state’s second-largest school district prior to the start of the academic year.In a time of pandemic, the school district has also dealt with supply chain issues and anticipating the types and amounts of supplies that schools will need when they open next month.—Marjorie Cortez, KSL

Sunday, 07:15 am

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

Are mask mandates constitutional?

760 COVID-19 cases, 8 deaths reported in Utah Saturday

Dress rehearsal: MLB holds first COVID-era exhibitions

As virus surges in some US states, emergency rooms swamped

Read all of yesterday's COVID-19 news here

Coronavirus updates: 785 new cases Sunday in Utah; worldwide deaths top 600,000

Updated - July 19, 2020 at 8:06 p.m. | Posted - July 19, 2020 at 7:15 a.m.

(AP Photo, File)

Top health officials have changed their minds about face masks — but for good reasons

Congress confronts new virus crisis rescue as pandemic grows

Most of 85 young virus cases in Texas county diagnosed this month

FDA approves Quest COVID-19 test for 'pooled' sample use

Virus rebounds around the world, deaths top 600,000

785 new cases Sunday in Utah

Utah's most vulnerable population hit hard

What it takes to open schools during a pandemic

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

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Coronavirus updates: 785 new cases Sunday in Utah; worldwide deaths top 600,000

Updated - July 19, 2020 at 8:06 p.m. | Posted - July 19, 2020 at 7:15 a.m.

(AP Photo, File)

Top health officials have changed their minds about face masks — but for good reasons

Congress confronts new virus crisis rescue as pandemic grows

Most of 85 young virus cases in Texas county diagnosed this month

FDA approves Quest COVID-19 test for 'pooled' sample use

Virus rebounds around the world, deaths top 600,000

785 new cases Sunday in Utah

Utah's most vulnerable population hit hard

What it takes to open schools during a pandemic

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

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