California breaks record with over 12,000 new coronavirus cases
22 July 2020
California reported 12,807 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, setting a new record for daily infections and pulling the state past New York for most total confirmed cases in the United States, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
The state of play: California is one of a number of hotspots that has seen a surge of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to slam the brakes on the state's reopening plan and tighten restrictions on indoor activities.
- In addition to the more than 12,000 new cases, California reported 115 deaths and a seven-day average of 9,420 daily infections.
- Yes, but: Experts believe the number of coronavirus cases in California — as in many states — is actually much higher than the official tally, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The big picture: With over 409,000 confirmed cases, California has now surpassed New York's total of about 408,000.
- New York was once the epicenter of the pandemic but has successfully flattened its infection curve through stringent lockdown measures and a phased, data-based reopening plan.
- California managed to turn its outbreak around after it appeared to be heading toward disaster March — only to find cases skyrocketing three months later.
Go deeper: The coronavirus lessons of California
Transcripts show George Floyd told police "I can't breathe" over 20 times
Section2Newly released transcripts of bodycam footage from the Minneapolis Police Department show that George Floyd told officers he could not breathe more than 20 times in the moments leading up to his death.
Why it matters: Floyd's killing sparked a national wave of Black Lives Matter protests and an ongoing reckoning over systemic racism in the United States. The transcripts "offer one the most thorough and dramatic accounts" before Floyd's death, The New York Times writes.
The state of play: The transcripts were released as former officer Thomas Lane seeks to have the charges that he aided in Floyd's death thrown out in court, per the Times. He is one of four officers who have been charged.
- The filings also include a 60-page transcript of an interview with Lane. He said he "felt maybe that something was going on" when asked if he believed that Floyd was having a medical emergency at the time.
What the transcripts say:
- Floyd told the officers he was claustrophobic as they tried to get him into the squad car.
- The transcripts also show Floyd saying, "Momma, I love you. Tell my kids I love them. I'm dead."
- Former officer Derek Chauvin, who had his knee on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes, told Floyd, "Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk."
Read the transcripts via DocumentCloud.