it golden. tonight, the breaking news as we come on the air -- florida and texas marking their deadliest days yet in the coronavirus. hospital icus at or near capacity. the tearful nurse tonight who held her patient's hand until the end. and 72 nfl players testing positive for covid. deaths climbing in 27 states. in florida that grim new record, 156 lives lost in 24 hours. more than 50 hospitals there without any icu beds available. record deaths in texas, too, tonight where refrigerated trucks have now been brought in. in houston tonight, the army setting up a new covid ward. the mother of triplets who thought she beat covid. her husband says her kidneys and liver never recovered. he says she died after failing to receive a transplant, saying there were no open beds. tonight the debate over wearing masks in the u.s. after the head of the cdc said, if we all wore masks, we could have

this under control in weeks. tonight inside the meetings, the rage in some communities. the governor of georgia banning all cities and counties from requiring masks. in oklahoma the only governor to test positive for covid, he says he will not mandate masks. but tonight governors in several states who initially resisted now changing course saying the numbers do not lie. the race for a vaccine in the u.s. and the new turn tonight. are the russians trying to steal intelligence, targeting researchers right here in the u.s.? the president holding an elaborate event at the white house, the focus not on the virus but the damage control. vice president pence putting out an image with dr. anthony fauci after the white house targeted fauci this week. and tonight the new polls. trump versus biden and what they now show. the devastating fire on board that u.s. navy ship overnight. the new emergency that led to an evacuation. the investigation into the gruesome death of an army paratrooper from ft. bragg.

he disappeared during a memorial day camping trip with fellow soldiers. his dismembered body later washing up on shore. the key detail from his own family and what they're saying tonight. we're also following the developing scene in new york city tonight, the deadly scaffolding collapse in midtown manhattan. good evening. it's great to have you with us here on this thursday night. there are some difficult headlines tonight involving the coronavirus. the deadliest day yet in both florida and texas. cases rising in 40 states tonight, and by the end of the day today, july will already have more reported cases of the virus of any month since this pandemic began, and just in as we were coming on tonight, the covid tracking project now reporting a record number of cases from the states today -- 71,000 cases in 24 hours alone. and tonight as we always do here, the numbers, the lives lost -- more than 138,000

americans lost to this virus. in florida tonight that record daily toll, 156 deaths in 24 hours. texas, that record high death toll as well -- 129 lives lost. army medical specialists have arrived in houston to help the city's overtaxed hospitals there. and in san antonio tonight, hospitals and morgues are running out of space. refrigerated trucks have now been brought in. arizona's hospitals are facing staffing shortages there, and one out of every four people tested in arizona now are positive. and amid all of this there is a raging debate over masks in this country. in georgia with cases and deaths rising, the governor there has now banned all local governments from requiring people to wear masks. we all know it's easy to get lost in all of these numbers night to night, but we want to stay on the stories of the families affected in this country, the doctors and nurses affected, too. tonight here the tearful respiratory therapist who was determined to make sure her patient did not die alone. abc's victor oquendo leading us off from florida tonight.

>> reporter: florida facing its deadliest day yet. the virus claiming 156 lives in just 24 hours. tonight in miami, the epicenter, hospitals are now at 95% capacity. this plea from the front lines. >> as an icu nurse, i beg you to take this virus seriously. >> reporter: doctors say there is an urgent need for plasma. the governor says he's working with the white house to get more of the drug remdesivir. >> if something is not done to dramatically alter our course, we could be in a more dire situation than what we are in. >> reporter: nearly 14,000 new cases reported. lines for testing lasting hours. the wait for results for some taking weeks. >> pull your mask a little bit forward. >> reporter: i went in for a test this morning. the nurse telling me the labs are simply overwhelmed. it sounds frustrating. on average now how long does it i take for the labs to get the results back? >> 14 days. >> two weeks? >> two weeks, and i've had patients up to 18 days, and it was very frustrating. >> reporter: these delays couldn't come at a worse time. a new study from "the lancet" shows the speed of testing is

the most critical factor for success of contact tracing to slow the spread. in texas, long waits for test results, too, and hospital space is maxed out. the army opening up a new ward in houston. 24-year-old paola castillo spent a month on a ventilator in texas. she almost didn't make it. >> it's just a miracle that i'm alive. it was god speaking to me, and it's like he gave me a second chance to live my life again. >> reporter: this week after 79 days in the hospital fighting covid, paola was strong enough to go home. but for analise long, the surge at texas hospitals created a worst-case scenario for her family. >> that's the person that's got your back, you know. you can trust them with anything. >> reporter: the 47-year-old mother of triplets beat covid in march, but her kidneys and liver never recovered. her husband says when doctors tried for a transplant, there were no open beds. analise losing her battle. >> that was the hardest thing.

is that she gave it her all. >> reporter: in arizona, officials ordering refrigerated trucks as they run out of room in morgues. 600 nurses headed there to help. respiratory therapist beth taylor says she was connected to by video with the family when the breathing tube of their loved one was removed. >> i held his hand and stroked his hair till he passed. >> reporter: she says the family was aware of the moment he died. >> i will never forget the crying and screaming from the other side of that video chat. i want that family member, those family members to know that i sat with him and i held his hand until he passed and that he was not alone. >> reporter: deaths from the virus now climbing in 27 states as nearly half the country either pauses or reverses re-opening. in georgia, which re-opened early, the governor signing an executive order banning cities from passing their own mask mandates. >> we shouldn't need a mask mandate for people to do the right thing. >> reporter: the governor welcoming the president

yesterday, who told our affiliate wsb, georgia's done it all right. >> georgia's been great, because you kept it down and re-opened and you're getting close to having 100% re-opened and you kept the virals level down, which is an incredible tribute. >> reporter: but cases, hospitalizations and deaths are climbing in georgia. the mayor of atlanta accusing the president of breaking the law when he landed. >> by not having on the mask, president trump did violate law in the city of atlanta. >> so let's get to victor oquendo now. victor, we saw that you got tested today. many of our correspondents are doing that from time to time because you've been so dutiful out there reporting on this. 14 days, up to 18 days to wait for results there, so you'll keep us posted. it just illustrates how long people are waiting across the country. and in the meantime, i know you have news tonight. the governor of georgia taking legal action? >> reporter: david, this is setting up to be a legal showdown in georgia. governor brian kemp filing a lawsuit seeking to block atlanta from rolling back parts of its

re-opening, including closing down dining rooms and that all important mask mandate. he says he's doing this on behalf of struggling businesses, david. >> all right. victor, thank you. so while the governor there tries to block any mayor from mandating masks in georgia, the heated debate only growing across this country. it was just this week the head of the cdc said, if we all wear masks, we could have it under control in weeks. but tonight we take you inside the community meetings where there is real push-back. here is marcus moore. >> reporter: tonight, emotions running high at this meeting over masks in schools. >> this is the exact opposite of what we need to be doing. we are supposed to be physically distancing, wearing masks. >> reporter: anti-mask protesters erupting in boos. the utah county commission suspending the meeting before debate could even begin. >> i think it's a political hoax, and i am against the masks. >> since when do we have a constitutional right to put other people's lives in danger? we can't smoke in public places. >> reporter: police arresting this louisiana man, accused of

backing his car into an officer after refusing to wear a mask in a walmart. a fierce debate in tulsa, oklahoma. the city passing a mandatory mask ordinance. >> my rights are civil rights! >> don't be stupid. do what you're supposed to do to help your family, your friends and other people. >> reporter: oklahoma governor kevin stitt becoming the first governor to test positive for covid on tuesday, the same day he was seen in a meeting without a mask. stitt refusing to issue a statewide order. >> how do you enforce it? are we going to put people in jail? >> reporter: today, the governors of colorado and arkansas, who both previously opposed statewide mask orders, now reversing course. alabama's governor kay ivey also initially resisting mask and stay-at-home orders saying this just two weeks ago. >> you know, you shouldn't have to order somebody to do what is just in your own best interest. >> reporter: but with the state setting a record for hospitalizations on wednesday, the governor now issuing a statewide mask order. >> the numbers and the data over the past few weeks are

definitely trending in the wrong direction. >> reporter: as texas hit a record number of daily deaths, the governor now pleading with residents to follow his mask order issued two weeks ago. >> there's only one thing that can slow the spread, and that is by people adopting the use of wearing a face guard of some sort. >> marcus moore with us tonight from dallas. marcus, on this front, more major retailers are saying shoppers must wear masks in their stores? >> reporter: yeah, david. target, cvs and walgreens are following in the footsteps of walmart, kroger and kohl's and will soon require masks in all of their stores as the covid cases continue to rise across the country. david. >> all right, marcus moore from texas. thank you, marcus. now to the race for a vaccine here in the u.s. and the nuclear turn tonight. new allegations this evening that hackers linked to the russian government are trying to steal intelligence on vaccines from researchers right here in the u.s. here's our chief justice correspondent pierre thomas tonight. >> reporter: tonight, as u.s., canadian, and british scientists

race to find a vaccine to fight covid-19, allegations that russian intelligence is trying to steal that critical research. >> i think that's pretty appalling, to have the russian government engaged in that endeavor i think needs calling out. >> reporter: the nsa warning tonight that the group apt29, also known as cozy bear, suspected of having ties with the kremlin's domestic and foreign intelligence services, is trying to hack researchers working on the vaccine. >> russia not only can derive benefit economically by speeding up their own development of a vaccine, but they could also disrupt our efforts to develop a vaccine. >> reporter: the allegation, which the kremlin denies, potentially more evidence of russian aggression towards america after its targeting of the u.s. election in 2016. threat of cyberattacks targeting vaccine development growing. the u.s. in may warning that china-affiliated hackers were trying to steal covid-related research. >> so pierre thomas with the news, and the russians allegedly

trying to hack researchers here in the u.s. and, pierre, while we have you, in the meantime, you have new reporting on the massive hack on twitter we reported on last night here that hit former president barack obama, joe biden, and bill gates among so many others. >> reporter: victims sent the scam more than $117,000. tonight the fbi is investigating, david. >> pierre thomas tonight, thank you. meantime, with the coronavirus worsening, an elaborate event at the white house today. the focus was not the virus. and tonight here the new polls. trump versus biden and what they now show. here's our chief white house correspondent jonathan karl tonight. >> reporter: with the covid-19 crisis getting even worse, president trump staged an elaborate photo-op on the south lawn of the white house on an entirely different issue. red and blue pick-ups, a crane and massive weights to symbolize government regulations. also, unfounded dire predictions of what will happen if he loses re-election. >> people have worked all their lives to get into a community, and now they're going to watch it go to hell.

not going to happen, not while i'm here. >> reporter: the president made no mention whatsoever of the alarming increase in coronavirus cases, something he has rarely talked about for weeks. today, larry hogan, the republican governor of maryland and the head of the national governors' association, offered a blistering critique, writing in "the washington post," quote, instead of listening to his own public health experts, the president was talking and tweeting like a man more concerned about boosting the stock market or his re-election plans. >> this is revisionist history by governor hogan. >> reporter: the president has also faced blow-back for his administration's attacks on dr. anthony fauci. >> i have concluded that he is like the man who refuses to ask for directions. all of the answers are there. the scientists have the answers. >> reporter: the president's attacks, not just against fauci, but on sunday he retweeted former game show host chuck

woolery who said doctors and the cdc were, quote, lying. woolery today revealed his own son has been diagnosed with covid-19, and he deleted his twitter account. and now at the white house, damage control. officials are insisting dr. fauci remains an important advisor. vice president pence posting a picture of him at a task force meeting. and yesterday, the president talked over the phone to dr. fauci, their first conversation in weeks. but doubts about the president's handling of the virus are hurting him politically. a new poll shows him trailing joe biden by 15 points. >> all right, so let's get right back to jon again with us tonight, and, jon, the president obviously well aware of those polls. he's now shaking up his campaign replacing his campaign manager? >> rorter: brad parscale is out. bill stepian, who has been a trump political adviser since the last campaign, is the new campaign manager, and the president signaled he will also step up his political activities in the coming weeks. he said that he would, quote,

have many exciting things to announce over the next eight weeks. he listed some of them -- some areas anyway -- education, immigration, regulations, but, david, no mention whatsoever of covid-19 or of public health. >> all right. jon karl tonight, thank you. the u.s. navy has finally put out the fire that burned for four days on a warship in san diego. overnight fire crews were forced to briefly evacuate after the ship began to list further to its side from all the water being pumped in. the navy continues to investigate how the fire started and whether the badly damaged ship can be saved. if so, it could cost billions. we're going to turn now to the investigation into the gruesome death of an army paratrooper from ft. bragg. he disappeared during a memorial day camping trip with fellow soldiers on the outer banks. his dismembered body washing up days later, and the key detail his family wants investigators to know tonight, and news this evening that the army is now offering a $25,000 reward. here's erielle reshef. >> reporter: tonight, weeks after his brutal killing, the

grief-stricken family of slain army paratrooper enrique roman-martinez demanding answers. >> it was so cruel what they did to him. like, why did they have to do that to him? >> reporter: the 21-year-old mysteriously vanishing from a memorial day weekend camping trip with fellow ft. bragg soldiers near south core banks, north carolina. >> and when was the last time you saw him? >> so, we all went to bed at 12:03, and that is the last time we saw him. >> reporter: the army saying roman-martinez was last seen may 22nd wearing just blue shorts. his friends reporting him missing about 19 hours later. his phone and wallet left at the campsite. a week later his dismembered remains discovered washed up. his death ruled a homicide. his sister says something just doesn't add up. >> my brother can't see without his glasses, so for him to walk out in the middle of the night without his glasses, it's not likely. >> reporter: the commanding general for the 82nd airborne division saying his unit is in

mourning, writing, we will not stop in our pursuit to bring those responsible to justice. and, david, army investigators are offering a $25,000 reward for any information that leads to an apprehension and conviction in this case. david. >> all right, erielle reshef tonight. erielle, thank you. and when we come back, we're tracking that deadly scaffolding collapse right here in new york city. images coming in from the scene in a moment. in a moment. wait, what's that? that's just the low-battery warning. oh, alright. now it's all, "check out my rv," and, "let's go four-wheeling." maybe there's a little part of me that wanted to be seen. well, progressive helps people save when they bundle their home with their outdoor vehicles. so they've got other things to do now, bigfoot. wait, what'd you just call me? bigfoot? ♪ my name is daryl.

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specific players were not named, and not all players have been tested. it comes amid negotiations over how to open training camps safely later this month. we also have an update tonight from "jeopardy!" host alex trebek on his cancer fight. >> i've been continuing my treatment, and it is paying off, though it does fatigue me a great deal. my numbers are good. i'm feeling great. >> trebek, who is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer, sharing that message today. he says he hopes to be able to start taping new episodes in september. and, alex, we like the goatee. when we come back here tonight, the brother who always protects his little sister. but what he did this time got the attention of the superheroes and us. roes and us. thousands of women with metastatic breast cancer, which is breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, are living in the moment and taking ibrance. ibrance with an aromatase inhibitor is for postmenopausal women

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suffering the loss of a loved one, suffering economic hardship. the country is crying out for leadership, leadership that can unite us, leadership that brings us together. that's what the presidency is - the duty to care, to care for all of us, not just those who vote for us, but all of us. i promise you this: i won't traffic in fear and division. i won't fan the flames of hate. i'll seek to heal the racial wounds that have long plagued our country,

not use them for political gain. i'll do my job and i will take responsibility, i won't blame others. you know, i've said from the outset of this election, that we're in the battle for the soul of this nation. what we believe and maybe most importantly, who we want to be, it's all at stake. when we stand together, finally as one america, we'll rise stronger than we were before. i'm joe biden and i approve this message. i'm joe biden walk to end alzheimer's alzheis everywhere.tion all of us are raising funds for one goal: a world without alzheimer's and all other dementia. because this disease isn't waiting, neither are you. go to alz dot org slash walk.

finally the brother who is the real superhero. 6-year-old bridger walker has always looked out for his little sister. they were at a friend's house last week when a dog charged at his sister. bridger protected her. he told his family, i stepped to the side in front of my sister so that the dog wouldn't get her. i kept moving so it couldn't get past. they say the dog jumped at them and got a hold of bridger's cheek. bridger was rushed to the e.r., a two-hour procedure, 90 stiches, but he is okay, and his little sister is unharmed. his parents saying bridger told them, i always wanted to ride in an ambulance, but not like this. maybe i can ride home in one, too. so many have been moved by bridger's bravery. the little superhero has been recovering at home in his superhero outfits. tonight actor tom holland, who plays spider-man, talking to bridger dressed as spider-man. >> you are so brave, mate, and

we are all so proud of you. >> reporter: and bridger in his captain america uniform too, hearing from the other captain america, actor chris evans. >> this is a message for bridger. hey, bridger, captain america here. how are you doing, buddy? pal, you're a hero. what you did was so brave, so selfless. your sister is so lucky to have you as a big brother. your parents must be so proud of you. >> reporter: and tonight bridger and his family have a new message for the superheroes who reached out to bridger and to everyone who has written to them. we are so appreciative of all the kind words, love and prayers, they said, and they've now asked that donations be made to charities including the wounded warrior project to help the heroes on the front lines as their little superhero gets better right by his sister's side. we are all proud of bridger. way to go. good night. we are rapidly approaching the start of the new school

year. for districts around the bay area the decision about whether to bring kids back to the classroom may be out of their hands. >> allow the beauty professional to get creative on the best ways that they can perform their services. >> we do indoor dining right. how about an outdoor haircut? it's not an option right now, but that could change. i'm kris reyes. no masks for witnesses. what they'll be wearing instead according to a new ruling for an upcoming trial in san francisco. abc 7 news starts right now. >> announcer: building a better bay area for a safe and secure future. this is abc 7 news. this recent uptick in cases in california has really been a very sobering experience. we know we're in this through the fall. >> a reality check from california's lieutenant governor possibly foreshadowing a statewide decision on how schools will resume class in the upcoming semester. good evening. thank you for joining us. i'm ama daetz. >> and i'm dan ashley.

as coronavirus activity surges throughout the state the reality of resuming in person classes drops with each passing day. california's averaging about 8,000 new cases per day. hospitalizations are near record high levels. nearly 7,000 patients are in the hospital at last check. the state's death rate set another new record with an average of 84 deaths per day over the past two weeks. in the bay more than 38,000 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus. the rolling average of new cases represented by the yellow line on this graph continues to set record highs. against this grim backdrop we are still working to build a better bay area. balancing the needs of our physical health with our economic health and other factors like education of course. and on that topic school starts in a matter of weeks. for some students, and it's becoming increasingly unlikely that they will take classes on campus. abc 7 news has learned that governor newsom will force all schools to re