Washington, July 6 (RHC)-- U.S. President Donald Trump has falsely claimed 99% of coronavirus cases in the U.S. were “harmless.”  This comes as more people close to the Trump administration test positive for COVID-19. 

Former Republican presidential candidate and Trump ally Herman Cain is being treated in the hospital for the disease.  Cain was present at Trump’s June 20 Tulsa rally, where at least eight campaign staffers tested positive for coronavirus. 

Kimberly Guilfoyle also tested positive for COVID-19.  She is a senior Trump campaign official and the partner of Donald Trump Jr.

Coronavirus cases continue to surge across most of the United States, with nearly 2.9 million confirmed cases and 130,000 reported deaths — around one-quarter of the global death toll and global cases, though both numbers are believed to be significant undercounts of the true toll. 

On Sunday, the seven-day average for new cases reached a record high for the last month.  Cases are still on the rise in some of the country’s most populous states, including Florida, California and Texas, where Governor Greg Abbott has reversed course, ordering face coverings to be worn in public across most of the state. 

Officials in Texas, Florida and Arizona say the states’ early reopenings helped fuel the explosion in cases.  Despite skyrocketing cases, crowds still packed many of the open beaches in coastal cities for the Fourth of July holiday weekend, sparking further fears of new spikes.