Trump, stewing over election loss, silent on virus as cases climb at alarming pace

Associated Press, CNN

President Donald Trump has publicly disengaged from the battle against the coronavirus at a moment when the disease is tearing across the United States at an alarming pace.

Trump, fresh off his reelection loss to President-elect Joe Biden, remains angry that an announcement about progress in developing a vaccine for the disease came after Election Day. And aides say the president has shown little interest in the growing crisis even as new confirmed cases are skyrocketing and hospital intensive care units in parts of the country are nearing capacity.

Public health experts worry that Trump’s refusal to take aggressive action on the pandemic or to coordinate with the Biden team during the final two months of his presidency will only worsen the effects of the virus and hinder the nation’s ability to swiftly distribute a vaccine next year. Read more:

Here’s an update on all developments. Scroll or swipe further for in-depth coverage.

  • Microsoft said it has detected attempts by state-backed Russian and North Korean hackers to steal valuable data from leading pharmaceutical companies and vaccine researchers.
  • With a COVID-19 vaccine drawing closer, public health officials across the country are gearing up for the biggest vaccination effort in U.S. history — a monumental undertaking that must distribute hundreds of millions of doses, prioritize who’s first in line and ensure that people who get the initial shot return for the necessary second one.
  • Incoming White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain says President-elect Joe Biden will appoint a “COVID coordinator” who will lead the administration’s pandemic response.
  • Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Thursday sounded an alarm about restrictions imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic, saying they shouldn’t become a “recurring feature after the pandemic has passed.”
  • California on Thursday became the second state — behind Texas — to eclipse a million known cases, while the U.S. has surpassed 10 million infections, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
  • Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and his wife, Trudi, on Thursday urged people to forego gatherings and holiday travel plans as COVID-19 cases spike across the state.
  • U.S. Rep. Don Young announced Thursday that he has tested positive for COVID-19, a day after the 87-year-old won his 25th term in the U.S. House.
  • The crowds filling shopping areas ahead of the Diwali festival of lights on Saturday are raising hopes of India’s distressed business community after months of lockdown losses but also spawning fears of a massive coronavirus upsurge.

For more summaries and full reports, please select from the articles below. Scroll further for the latest virus numbers.

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Virus by the numbers

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Categories: Breaking News