A7
THE ASTORIAN • SATuRdAy, JuNE 27, 2020
US hits all-time high in daily cases
OBITUARIES
Jewell Esther Smotherman
States reimpose
virus restrictions
Salem
May 1, 1919 — June 20, 2020
By MICHELLE R. SMITH
and FRANCES D’EMILIO
Associated Press
Texas and Florida clamped
down on bars again Friday in
the biggest retreat yet amid
a surge across the South and
West that sent the number of
confirmed new coronavirus
infections per day in the U.S.
to an all-time high of 40,000.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
ordered all bars closed, while
Florida banned alcohol con-
sumption at all such estab-
lishments. Together the two
states joined the small but
growing list of those that are
either backtracking or put-
ting any further reopenings
of their economies on hold
because of comeback by the
virus.
Abbott had pursued up to
now one of the most aggres-
sive reopening schedules of
any state and had not only
resisted calls to order the
wearing of masks but had
also refused until last week
to let local governments take
such measures.
“It is clear that the rise
in cases is largely driven by
certain types of activities,
including Texans congregat-
ing in bars,” he said. “The
actions in this executive order
are essential to our mission to
swiftly contain this virus and
protect public health.”
The Florida agency that
governs bars acted after the
daily number of confirmed
cases neared 9,000, a record
that was almost double the
previous mark set just two
days earlier.
Texas,
meanwhile,
reported more than 17,000
confirmed new cases in the
past three days, with a record
high of nearly 6,000 on
Thursday. The day’s tally of
over 4,700 hospitalizations
was also a record.
A number of the hard-
est-hit states, including
Texas, Florida, Arizona and
Arkansas, have Republican
governors who have resisted
mask-wearing requirements
and echoed President Don-
Ross D. Franklin/AP Photo
Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey speaks about the latest coronavirus data at a news
conference on Thursday in Phoenix.
ald Trump’s desire to quickly
reopen the economy.
In Oregon, the Oregon
Health Authority said the
state should brace for “expo-
nential growth” in new coro-
navirus infections by the
middle of July, according to
the latest modeling released
Friday.
The grim forecast sug-
gests Oregon could see any-
where from 910 new daily
infections to an astound-
ing 5,030 a day by July 16,
depending on the level of
spread.
Amid the surge, the
White House coronavirus
task force, led by Vice Presi-
dent Pence, was scheduled to
hold its first briefing in nearly
two months on Friday after-
noon signaling the adminis-
tration’s recognition that it
cannot ignore the alarming
increases.
Meanwhile, the number of
confirmed new infections in
the U.S. per day soared past
the previous high of 36,400,
set on April 24, during one
of the deadliest stretches in
the crisis so far, according to
the count kept by Johns Hop-
kins University. The average
number of new cases per day
has risen about 60% over the
past two weeks, according to
an Associated Press analysis.
While the increase is
believed to reflect, in part,
greatly expanded testing,
experts say there is ample
evidence the virus is making
a comeback, including rising
deaths and hospitalizations
in parts of the country, espe-
cially in the South and West.
Deaths from the corona-
virus in the U.S. are down
to around 600 per day, com-
pared with about 2,200 in
mid-April. Despite the rise
in cases, some experts have
expressed doubt that deaths
will return to that level,
because of advances in treat-
ment and prevention and also
because a large share of the
new infections are in younger
adults, who are more likely
than older ones to survive.
The virus is blamed for
124,000 deaths in the U.S.
and 2.4 million confirmed
infections nationwide, by
Johns Hopkins’ count. But
U.S. health officials said the
true number of Americans
infected is about 20 million,
or almost 10 times higher.
Worldwide, the virus has
claimed close to a half-mil-
lion lives, according to Johns
Hopkins.
In addition to closing bars
again, Abbott scaled back
restaurant capacity and shut
down rafting operations and
said any outdoor gatherings
of more than 100 people will
need approval from the local
government. The move came
as the number of patients at
Texas hospitals statewide
more than doubled in two
weeks.
On Thursday, Arizona
put on hold any further
efforts to reopen the econ-
omy, with Republican Gov.
Doug Ducey saying the num-
bers “continue to go in the
wrong direction.” Arizona
reported over 3,000 addi-
tional infections Thursday,
the fourth day in a week with
an increase over that mark.
Nevada’s
governor
ordered the wearing of face
masks in public, Las Vegas
casinos included.
Elsewhere around the
world, China moved closer to
containing a fresh outbreak in
Beijing. Another record daily
increase in India pushed the
caseload in the world’s sec-
ond most populous nation
toward half a million. And
other countries with big pop-
ulations like Indonesia, Paki-
stan and Mexico grappled
with large numbers of infec-
tions and strained health care
systems.
South Africa, which
accounts for about half of
the infections on the African
continent with over 118,000,
reported a record of nearly
6,600 new cases after loosen-
ing what had been one of the
world’s strictest lockdowns
earlier this month.
Jewell Esther Smoth- moving to Salem, Ore-
erman was born May 1, gon, to a retirement facil-
1919, the ninth of 11 girls ity in 2016. While living in
Warrenton, she
born to JPC and
worked in var-
Louiza
Wil-
liams in Birch
ious canneries,
retiring in 1982.
Tree, Missouri.
She
was
At 101 years old,
very active in
she went to sleep
the Warrenton
and awoke in her
United Method-
savior’s arms on
ist Church, and
June 20, 2020.
had
accepted
Jewell
was
Jesus as her sav-
preceded
in
death by her hus- Jewell Smotherman ior at an early
band, Otto Smo-
age. She was
therman, and son, Lowell a member of the Veter-
Smotherman, her mother, ans of Foreign Wars Aux-
father and all of her sisters. iliary and, as long as she
She leaves behind a son was able, she supported
and daughter-in-law, Ger- the Warrenton baseball and
ald and Katena Smother- basketball teams.
man, four grandchildren, 12
A graveside service will
great-grandchildren and 13 be held at 11 a.m. Tues-
great-great-grandchildren. day at Ocean View Cem-
Jewell moved from etery, for family and close
Birch Tree to Clatsop friends.
Caldwell’s Luce-Lay-
County in the early 1940s,
living in Astoria for a ton Mortuary is in charge
short time, then purchas- of the arrangements. Please
ing a home in Warrenton in sign our online guest book
1944, where she lived until at caldwellsmortuary.com
Geraldine A. Humpal
Waukee, Iowa
Jan. 2, 1930 — June 23, 2020
Geraldine A. Humpal,
90, passed away June 23,
2020, at Legacy Pointe in
Waukee, Iowa.
She was born Jan. 2,
1930, in Des Moines,
Iowa, the daughter of Don-
ald H. and Doris E. (Gie-
brich) Kast.
She attended Seaside
High School during World
War II, but graduated from
Roosevelt High School in
1947 in Des Moines. Then
she continued her educa-
tion at Drake University,
obtaining a degree in sub-
stitute teaching.
Geraldine married Mer-
lin J. Humpal on April
8, 1949, in Des Moines,
where they made their
home and raised their chil-
dren, and later retired to
Seaside, Oregon. In 2018,
they returned to Waukee to
be closer to family.
They celebrated their
71st anniversary this
spring.
Geraldine is survived
by her husband, Merlin; six
children, Alice Doolittle,
of Johnston, Iowa, Teresa
Revell, of Brooklyn Park,
Minnesota, James (Candi)
Humpal, of Detroit, Mich-
igan, Tim (Kim) Humpal,
of Waukee, Iowa, Beth
(Larry) Doolittle, of Red-
ding, Iowa, and Erin (Nick)
Doolittle, of Mount Ayr,
Iowa; 13 grandchildren; 25
great-grandchildren; and a
sister, Evelyn Christensen,
of Racine, Wisconsin.
Westover Funeral Home
in Des Moines is in charge
of arrangements (ilesfuner-
alhomes.com).
Pregnant women added to virus risk groups
By MIKE STOBBE
Associated Press
NEW YORK — The
nation’s top public health
agency
on
Thursday
revamped its list of which
Americans are at higher
risk for severe COVID-
19 illness, adding pregnant
women and removing age
alone as a factor.
The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention also
changed the list of under-
lying conditions that make
someone more suscepti-
ble to suffering and death.
Sickle cell disease joined the
list, for example. And the
threshold for risky levels of
obesity was lowered.
The changes didn’t
include adding race as a
risk factor for serious ill-
ness, despite accumulating
evidence that Black people,
Hispanics and Native Amer-
icans have higher rates of
infection,
hospitalization
and death.
Agency officials said the
update was prompted by
medical studies published
since CDC first started list-
ing high-risk groups. They
sought to publicize the infor-
mation before Independence
Day weekend, when many
people may be tempted to go
out and socialize.
“For those at higher risk,
we recommend limiting
contact with others as much
as possible, or restricting
contacts to a small number
of people who are willing
to take measures to reduce
the risk of (you) becoming
infected,” said CDC Direc-
SEVENDAY FORECAST FOR ASTORIA
TODAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
tor Dr. Robert Redfield.
The same advice holds
for people who live with
or care for people at higher
risk, Redfield added.
Previously, the CDC said
those at high risk of serious
illness included people aged
65 years and older; those
who live in a nursing home
or long-term care facility;
and people with serious heart
conditions, obesity, diabe-
tes, liver disease, chronic
kidney disease, chronic lung
disease and conditions that
leave them with weakened
immune systems.
In the changes, CDC
created categories of peo-
ple who are at high risk and
people who might be at high
risk.
Those who are at high
risk include people with
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
chronic kidney disease,
chronic inflammatory lung
disease, obesity, serious
heart conditions, sickle cell
disease, Type 2 diabetes
and weakened immune sys-
tems because of organ trans-
plants. The threshold for
obesity concern was low-
ered from a body mass index
of 40 down to 30.
The CDC said people are
at increasing risk as they get
older, but it removed people
65 and older as a high risk
group.
The list of people who
might be at high risk includes
pregnant women, smokers
and those with asthma, dis-
eases that affect blood flow
to the brain, cystic fibrosis,
high blood pressure, demen-
tia, liver disease, scarred or
damaged lungs, Type 1 dia-
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
betes, a rare blood disor-
der called thalassemia and
people who have weakened
immune systems due to HIV
or other reasons.
Pregnant women joined
the list on the same day
a CDC report found they
accounted for about 9% of
lab-confirmed COVID-19
cases in women of child-
bearing age. About 5% of
women of childbearing age
are pregnant at any given
time.
The report showed that
pregnant women had higher
rates of hospitalization,
of admission to a hospital
intensive care unit and of
winding up on a breathing
machine vs. young women
who weren’t pregnant.
There was no clear evidence
of a higher death rate among
REGIONAL FORECAST
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
Seattle
63 52
A shower
66 53
67 56
Spotty morning Areas of low
showers
clouds
63 54
64 53
65 51
65 51
A passing
shower
Decreasing
clouds
Chance of a
shower
Showers
possible
Aberdeen
Olympia
62/53
65/53
Wenatchee
Tacoma
Moses
Lake
UNDER THE SKY
TODAY'S TIDES
Astoria through Thursday
Tonight’s Sky: Before midnight,
Ursa Major is high above the
northwestern horizon.
Astoria / Port Docks
Temperatures
High/low ................................ 68/56
Normal high/low .................. 65/51
Record high .................. 84 in 1896
Record low .................... 39 in 1966
Precipitation
Thursday ................................. Trace
Month to date ........................ 1.99”
Normal month to date ......... 2.26”
Year to date .......................... 37.60”
Normal year to date ........... 35.87”
Forecasts and graphics provided by
AccuWeather, Inc. ©2020
Time
6:06 a.m.
7:29 p.m.
7.1 12:33 a.m. 2.4
7.4 12:53 p.m. -0.1
Cape Disappointment
5:42 a.m.
7:10 p.m.
Source: Jim Todd, OMSI
Hammond
SUN AND MOON
Sunrise today .................. 5:26 a.m.
Sunset tonight ............... 9:11 p.m.
Moonrise today ........... 12:37 p.m.
Moonset today ............... 1:05 a.m.
First
Full
Last
New
5:53 a.m.
7:18 p.m.
Warrenton
6:01 a.m.
7:24 p.m.
Knappa
6:43 a.m.
8:06 p.m.
Depoe Bay
June 28 July 4 July 12 July 20
4:53 a.m.
6:25 p.m.
6.8 12:07 p.m. 0.0
7.3
none
7.3 12:04 a.m. 2.7
7.7 12:26 p.m. -0.1
7.4 12:17 a.m. 2.5
7.8 12:37 p.m. 0.0
7.3 1:34 a.m.
7.6 1:54 p.m.
2.0
0.0
6.7 11:35 a.m. -0.4
7.3
none
City
Atlanta
Boston
Chicago
Dallas
Denver
Honolulu
Houston
Los Angeles
Miami
New York City
Phoenix
San Francisco
Wash., DC
Today
Hi/Lo/W
Sun.
Hi/Lo/W
85/71/pc
80/67/t
87/69/pc
91/75/t
89/59/pc
89/74/pc
88/75/t
80/62/pc
93/82/pc
86/74/t
107/79/s
71/56/pc
94/76/s
87/73/t
83/67/pc
85/67/t
91/75/pc
92/61/pc
88/74/s
89/77/t
75/63/pc
94/79/pc
90/72/pc
105/78/s
67/54/pc
89/74/t
Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy,
c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms,
r-rain, sf-snow fl urries, sn-snow, i-ice.
73/47
Kennewick Walla Walla
81/52 Lewiston
87/54
83/54
Hermiston
The Dalles 85/53
Enterprise
Pendleton 75/41
82/50
76/59
La Grande
78/45
73/54
NATIONAL CITIES
High (ft.) Time Low (ft.)
Pullman
83/51
66/53
Salem
77/50
Yakima 84/55
Longview
63/52 Portland
71/55
Spokane
79/56
67/51
67/50
Astoria
ALMANAC
pregnant women, however.
It’s not completely sur-
prising, said Dr. Denise
Jamieson, chair of obstet-
rics and gynecology at the
Emory University School of
Medicine. Pregnant women
have been found to be at
higher risk from other infec-
tious respiratory diseases,
likely because the lungs
decrease in the volume as
the uterus grows, Jamieson
said.
What is surprising, she
said, is that the CDC didn’t
place pregnant women in the
highest risk category.
“To me this is the most
compelling evidence to date
that pregnant women are at
increased risk,” said Jamie-
son, who spent 20 years at
the CDC as a reproductive
health expert.
Corvallis
73/52
Albany
73/53
John Day
Eugene
Bend
76/52
79/43
80/46
Ontario
92/56
Caldwell
Burns
85/44
88/55
Medford
85/53
Klamath Falls
84/43
City
Baker City
Brookings
Ilwaco
Newberg
Newport
Today
Hi/Lo/W
83/44/pc
67/51/s
62/54/c
71/52/c
60/48/c
Sun.
Hi/Lo/W
63/48/t
65/52/s
64/54/sh
70/50/sh
58/49/sh
City
North Bend
Roseburg
Seaside
Springfi eld
Vancouver
Today
Hi/Lo/W
65/52/c
79/55/pc
62/53/c
76/52/c
70/55/c
Sun.
Hi/Lo/W
63/53/pc
68/52/c
65/53/sh
66/51/sh
71/53/sh