US COVID-19 Infections Surpass 150,000 in a Day... New York City Schools May Face Closures

New Jersey COVID Test Positivity Rate Soars to 12%

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The number of new COVID-19 cases in the United States exceeded 150,000 on the 12th (local time), marking the highest level since the COVID-19 outbreak.

New Yorkers are lining up to get tested for COVID-19.
[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

According to statistics from Johns Hopkins University, 153,496 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the U.S. on that day. The daily new COVID-19 infections in the U.S. surpassed 100,000 earlier this month and eventually rose to 150,000. This is the highest number recorded since data collection began.

As COVID-19 infections spread, local governments are strengthening their responses. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the possibility of closing all public schools in the city as early as Monday (the 16th). This comes about two months after resuming classes in a hybrid format combining in-person and remote learning in late September.

Mayor de Blasio had previously set a standard to suspend in-person classes if the COVID-19 test positivity rate in New York City exceeded 3%. The average positivity rate in New York City rose to 2.85% over the past week.

However, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, who had previously clashed with Mayor de Blasio over school attendance issues, stated that while the mayor has the authority to order school closures, "the problem does not originate from the schools," delivering a sharp remark.

Starting from this day, New York State has mandated that restaurants, bars, and gyms, which pose a high risk of transmission, must cease operations after 10 p.m.

Phil Murphy, governor of New Jersey, a neighboring state of New York, assessed that the possibility of a complete suspension of in-person schooling is low, but has granted local governments the authority to regulate business operations of non-essential sectors after 8 p.m.

New Jersey's COVID-19 test positivity rate surged to 12%. New Jersey had previously banned dining inside bars and restaurants after 10 p.m., ahead of New York State.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.