'It's not safe': States step in as COVID-19 surges

[NFA] State governors across the United States were more forceful in their warnings, telling residents it was not safe to go out, as COVID-19 infections soared to new records.

Conway G.

Gittens reports.

"It's just not safe.

And it might not be safe for a while yet." A dire warning this week from Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, as the coronavirus pandemic rages across all regions.

Reported new COVID-19 infections hit a record 142,279 on Wednesday- the eighth day above the 100,000 mark, according to a Reuters tally.

The number of hospitalizations also surged to a record - of at least 64,939.

There were 1,464 deaths on Wednesday – the most since summer.

The White House seems to be sitting silently by.

There's been no new action or announcements for weeks, even as new cases soar.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi was outraged in her weekly press briefing on Thursday: "The President and the Republicans in Congress have ignored by delay, distortion, denial, deaths have been caused and what are they doing now?

Continuing to ignore in spite of these numbers." Without any leadership on the federal level, state governors are stepping up, ordering bar, restaurants, gyms and other public establishment to close early.

(SOT: TONY EVERS, WISCONSIN GOVERNOR, DEMOCRAT) "Wisconsin, this is serious!

The crisis is urgent." Evers issued an executive state order this week urging residents to stay home as much as possible - only leaving to get food, medicine or to get tested.

In Indiana, Governor Eric Holcomb is limiting activity county-by-county, hoping to avoid a statewide shutdown as COVID-19 hospitalizations in his state reach an all-time high.

Hospital officials there expect the numbers to double over the coming weeks.

(SOT: ERIC HOLCOMB, INDIANA GOVERNOR, REPUBLICAN) "Because our front line medical personnel are nurses and assistants and doctors are exhausted and overwhelmed, and need us all to do the things that we can on the outside that will slow the number of patients that need hospitalization." Hospitals in Lubbock, Texas as so over-run, two of them are setting up mobile medical tents.

Texas is the first state to surpass a million cumulative coronavirus cases and is accounting for over 10 percent of all cases across the United States.

In El Paso, officials are bringing in 10 temporary refrigerated morgue trailers.

Rising COVID-19 cases around the country are so troubling, doctors are urging Americans not to have large Thanksgiving gatherings this year.

(SOUNDBITE WITH DR. MARK ESCOTT – AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH) “The strongest advice is don’t gather with people outside of your household this Thanksgiving.” For some Americans looking forward to the holidays to bring some joy during a tough year - the pandemic may have taken that away too.