U.S. Trade Adviser Peter Navarro announced on Sunday that the White House is preparing for a possible second wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that is expected to hit the country in the fall.

In a report by CNN, the trade adviser said the Trump administration is stockpiling medical supplies and testing kits in anticipation of another wave of virus cases.

The move came as health officials reported an alarming increase across multiple states located in the South and West.

According to an analysis by ABC News, over 12 states hit record highs of new COVID-19 cases on Friday, including California, Utah, Arizona and Florida, which saw a three-day streak of more than 4,049 new coronavirus cases from Thursday to Saturday.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the rise in the number of positive cases is likely attributed to the increase in testing.

He also cited the state's increasing number of available bed spaces in hospitals and the decreasing mortality rate.

The analysis also found an increase in hospitalizations involving COVID-19 patients in 17 states, including Alaska, Alabama, Georgia, Hawaii, and Oklahoma.

Shifting Demographics

In recent weeks, health officials in Southern U.S. states have reported a shift in demographics, citing that more young people are now testing positive for the virus.

The trend has been recorded in Florida, Georgia, Texas, and other states.

While some officials attributed the surge to more aggressive testing, many say they stem from failing to observe COVID-19 guidelines such as wearing face masks and social distancing, KTLA 5 reported.

In Mississippi, a health officer linked the new cases to fraternity rush parties, where participants do not adhere to social distancing.

In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott said last week that majority of the state's new cases involves people under the age of 30, who may have attended the Memorial Day parties or visited bars.

Meanwhile, over 62 percent of the new cases reported in Florida during mid-June involved people aged 45 and under.

Last week, the median age for newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases was 37.

Demographic data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on June 15 showed that the virus has more severe outcomes on specific communities such as the Blacks and Hispanics, Brookings reports.

Preventive Measure

As COVID-19 cases spike across Southern and Western states, more health experts are calling on state officials to enforce an order requiring the use of face masks in public places.

On Thursday, California Governor Gavin Newsom imposed a statewide mask order that requires the state's 40 million residents to wear face coverings whenever they leave their homes.

Previously, the state only required essential-business employees to wear masks.

Three other states namely Arizona, Florida, and Texas have yet to issue statewide mandates despite days of record-high spikes.

In Arizona and Texas, the governors refused to impose statewide orders and instead allowed city mayors and county officials to enforce the wearing of face masks in their respective areas.

But mayors in Florida were not given authority.

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