June 24, 2020 Update

Again - a super busy day - as you can tell from the lateness of the post.  But here we go!

CORONAVIRUS STATS

Nationally, the CDC reports 2,336,615 cases with 121,117 fatalities.
Utah:  18,784 cases (up 484 from yesterday); 1,256 hospitalizations; 163 deaths (no change from yesterday)
Utah County:  3,447 cases (up 92 from yesterday); 175 hospitalizations; 22 deaths (no change from yesterday)

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• Thanks to some BYU engineers, there is a new ventilator ready to hit the market that will help those suffering from the respiratory virus, but also save hospitals money. They just got emergency approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to head to manufacturing.
• Brigham Young University says they’re planning to see students return to the Provo campus this fall. They are opening hybrid, online, and socially distanced in-person classes and are set to begin on August 31, 2020.
• Intermountain Healthcare is pushing back the October opening of their new hospital in Spanish Fork until April 2021. Intermountain Hospital Administrator Francis Gibson shared that economic pressures like lower patient volumes from the COVID-19 pandemic and the current recession are factors that led to the delay.
• New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are imposing a 14-day quarantine on incoming travelers from states with a high transmission rate of the coronavirus. So far, those states are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, Utah and Texas.  On the other hand, who would want to go to New York, New Jersey or Connecticut (unless you are Mayor Kaufusi whose kids live in two of those states)?

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

THE MAYOR'S DAY

Today, Mayor Kaufusi:

• Participated in a phone call with the American Public Power Association

• Held a meeting on housing in Provo

• Met with a few groups of citizens

FUN STUFF

Are you ready for the next get to know you from the Mayor's Office? Well, here it is! Introducing the Mayor's office useless superpowers! I hope you enjoy our less-than-useful talents!

• Mayor: I have the uncanny ability to tell when people are lying to me.
• Wayne: I can sit down on a couch in the same room as a dog (almost any size) and the dog will make its way to my lap, whether I like it or not.  
• Isaac: I have the ability to cross my left pinky toe unaided and on-demand.
• Dixon: I have the ability to perceptibly observe the obvious to those who are unable.
• Nicole: I can escape a predator in heels (unless they're really fast, or I don't have enough of a head start, or enough advanced notice, or motivation to run).
• Kaye: I have the ability to tell people off and have them thank me afterwards for being so nice.
• Amber: I am able to argue about anything on a moments notice (when I feel like it).