always forgets about at the end of the show? yeah, him. i'm not going to say his name. this is "nightline." tonight, the growing covid toll on the young and the restless. now, states seeing a surge in cases. more than half of patients, young. and losing the battle to the coronavirus. a broadway star at the prime of his life, the warning tonight for young americans. plus, unlocking the pandemic. six months since the outbreak. now cities under siege. our medical expert standing by. what we're learning about how the virus may spread. "nightline" starts right now. with juju chang. >> good evening. thanks for joining us. tonight, the coronavirus

claiming the lives of more than 130,000 americans as 38 states report mounting numbers of cases. a surprising percentage of relatively young people are being hard-hit, including nick cordero, who died of the virus. it's not just the elderly at risk. for many across the country, this past weekend was a declaration of independence unlike any other. thousands publicly social distancing guidelines ignored. from michigan to new jersey to delaware, as though a global pandemic wasn't under way. some celebrations were cancelled. but in atlanta, hundreds of people packed night clubs, dancing, sharing hookahs, the mayor just testing positive.

all this as the number of covid cases in the u.s. continues to rise. 38 states reporting increases. nine have hit record highs. >> people are dying. people are getting sick. with a disease that we right now are still trying to find out how to even find a cure for. >> in florida, the number of cases has surpassed 200,000. in texas, more than 8,000 people hospitalized. it's a clash between people taking the virus seriously, and those who appear not to. like this woman in arizona, who posted a video of herself throwing masks to the ground. >> i can't do it because i'm a blond white woman? >> this comes as the state sees a record high in cases, officials saying the latest surge could be the most dangerous yet. >> it's going to be very

disturbing, i guarantee that. >> with the death toll near 130,000, the u.s. with the most cases anywhere in the world. and those under 50 accounting for nearly 58% of reported cases. and 6% of deaths. this 31-year-old has been fighting covid since march. her doctors say she may now have asthma for life. >> i thought it was really dangerous for the elderly, until i got it. i exercised before this. and it hit me like a ton of bricks. >> although you think you're isolated in a vacuum, you're not. you're part of the propagation of the pandemic. it's your responsibility to yourself as well as to society to avoid infection. >> as too many americans have learned, this virus doesn't discriminate by age. nick cordero was a talented

actor who commanded the spotlight, like in this performance at the tonys. ♪ >> and on tv, on shows like "blue bloods." but on sunday, he lost his nearly four-month battle with covid-19. he was just 41. his wife announcing his death on instagram, writing, god has another angel in heaven. my heart is broken as i cannot imagine our lives without him. in 2014, he was nominated for a to tony for "bullets over broadway". >> he takes this kid under his wing. teaches him you need to make complicated decisions. do you want to live in love, or

in fear? ♪ >> in mid-march, the seemingly healthy father fell ill. >> the tipping point happened one morning. we were eating breakfast, and i asked him to change elvis' diaper. i heard a huge thump. and i ran into the bedroom, and he had fallen. he had fainted. >> he was initially diagnosed with pneumonia, then covid-19. weeks later, he was sedated and on a ventilator in the hospital. then he started having clotting issues. in the hope of saving his life, his right leg was amputated. after a little more than a month on a ventilator, his wife announced he had woken from his coma. >> dada is awake! yay! >> still, he was very weak. but she remained opic.

ev dancing hospal thers joine >> after a 95-day uphill battle, she said good-bye to him yesterday. posting that she sang his song "live your life" one more time to him, holding his hand. tributes pouring in. zach braff tweeted, i can honestly tell you, i've never met a kinder human being. this woman knows that all too well. >> something as simple as talking, who would have ever thought it would be this difficult. >> in early march, this 28-year-old mother of two was diagnosed with covid-19.

>> it felt like i was using all the energy i had just to stay alive. >> you literally thought you were going to die. >> yes, i was looking at pictures of my husband and kids. >> she knew her asthma could make the effect of the virus much worse. >> i remember texting my husband and telling him i can't fight anymore. >> she went to the e.r. twice. doctors telling her, her organs were on the verge of shutdown. from her hospital bed in a special covid unit, she took to facebook, one last prayer on her lips. >> i was ready to give up. then i had to remind myself of who i am. and whose i am, trusting the lord with everything within you. >> but she pushed through. making it home for a two-week isolation. >> so this is where i have been

since march 14th. self-isolation at its finest, y'all. it has been miserable. >> before finally getting the all-clear to see her children again. >> i'm excited, i'm getting ready to hug my kids. ah! >> we followed up with her in late april, just as georgia was allowing restaurants and some businesses to reopen. a decision she was not a fan of. >> so many people have lost their lives to this virus. and i know it's not over yet. it's still out and about. >> over the past weekend, there have been more than 7,000 new cases reported in georgia. she's been through this once before, and hopes others take this surge as seriously as she was once forced to. >> my daughter told me i have a

chance of contracting the virus again. i do not want covid-19 again. i thought i would not make it out of the hospital. but fortunately i made it out. i'm very grateful for that. >> let's turn to arizona, after reopening in may, there were three times as many covid-19 cases in june as there were in march, april, and may combined. to understand the battle to contain the virus, i spoke to the mayor of phoenix earlier. thanks for joining us. >> thanks for having me. >> mayor, your home state of arizona has the highest number of covid cases per capita of anywhere in the u.s. you said arizona closed too late and opened too early. what went wrong? >> when we reopened, the governor allowed pretty much

everything to reopen, including bars and night clubs. young people out toasting that we had defeated covid, but we had not. leading to a large infection rate, and scary numbers. >> you said there's a staggering positivity rate that you have just learned? >> 28.8% of pcr tests in my county were positive. i've not seen numbers this high. they tell me if we were doing the appropriate levels of testing, it would be below 2%. >> it's been two months since the governor lifted the stay at home order. what steps could get phoenix back on track? >> we need everyone to help. including staying home as much as possible, and when you go out, face masks are required. we need people to do it. i would like us to look at whether a restaurant should be open for in-person dining, particularly in crowded areas. really any indoor, large gathering can lead to

unacceptable levels of transmission. >> you're often at odds with the state's governor and with president trump, who came to your community for a rally. how do you work through these differences of opinion? >> i'm asking the federal government to look past politics and help us. texas, houston, has federal government testing still. we would like to have that in phoenix. we're doing an all hands approach in phoenix. librarians, public works workers all helping. but we need help from the federal government. >> what advice do you have for other mayors? >> look at public health data. follow the centers for disease control guidelines, and don't open until you have 14 days of declines. >> mayor, thank you, and stay safe. >> thank you. coming up next, what some experts are saying about how the virus could spread. could it be more contagious?

so i'm gonna hold on promoting you this quarter. cool? drop the taco. get in the car. does this sentra feel like a compromise to you? wait, what...? the handling is good, right? no compromise there. nope! watch this... umm... b-brie...brie brie! rear automatic braking. so if this nissan sentra isn't gonna compromise, why should you? you're right! atta girl. the all-new nissan sentra. with more standard safety features than any other car in its class. with more standard safety features step up. prep up. up. prep up. to help keep you free from the risk of hiv. from the makers of truvada, there's another prep option: descovy for prep. a once-daily prescription medicine that helps lower the chances of getting hiv through sex. it's not for everyone. descovy for prep has not been studied in people assigned female at birth. talk to your doctor to find out if it's right for you. step up. for health and body. prep up for your one and only love or many loves. for kings, this queen, and you royals in between.

for my now. our now. and my future. our future. step up. prep up. descovy is another way to prep. descovy does not prevent other sexually transmitted infections, so it's important to use safer sex practices and get tested regularly. you must be hiv-negative to take descovy for prep. so you need to get tested for hiv immediately before and at least every 3 months while taking it. if you think you were exposed to hiv or have flu-like symptoms, tell your doctor right away. they may check to confirm you are still hiv-negative. serious side effects can occur, including kidney problems and kidney failure. rare, life-threatening side effects include a build-up of lactic acid and liver problems. the most common side effect was diarrhea. tell your doctor about all the medicines and supplements you take, or if you have kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis. if you have hepatitis b, do not stop taking descovy without talking to your doctor. ask your doctor about your risk of hiv and if descovy for prep is right for you. words are loud but actions are louder. step up. prep up. with descovy for prep. get help paying for descovy for prep. learn more at stepupprepup.com ♪

((cat 2) flook at that!ic (cat 2) i gotta get my paws on that! (cat 1) it's friskies farm favorites! (cat 2) the winning farm-ula. (woman vo) feed their fantasy. ♪ friskies (cat 1) look! friskies ocean favorites! yum! try nature's bounty sleep3, a unique tri-layer supplement that calms you, helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer great sleep comes naturally with sleep3. only from nature's bounty. this virus is testing all of us. and it's testing the people on the front lines of this fight most of all. so abbott is getting new tests into their hands,

delivering the critical results they need. and until this fight is over, we...will...never...quit. because they never quit. ♪ ♪ we've always put safety first. ♪ ♪ and we always will. ♪ ♪ for people. ♪ ♪ for the future. ♪ ♪ and there has never been a summer when it's mattered more. wherever you go, summer safely. get zero percent apr financing for up to five years on select models and exclusive lease offers.

reinventing. it's what with comcast business, your small business can work faster, with powerful internet from the nation's largest gig-speed network. work safer, with all your connected devices automatically protected by securityedge. and work anywhere, with comcast business at home, our new business-grade internet solution for remote workers. whatever your business needs, comcast business has the solutions to help you not just bounce back, but bounce forward. call or go online to find out more.

and the hidden smiles. the foggy glasses, and the sore ears. the determined looks, and the muffled laughs. a simple piece of fabric makes a big statement: i care. let's all do our part to slow the spread. wear a mask. learn more at covid19.ca.gov. ♪ it's been roughly half a

year since the start of the covid outbreak. america facing a hellish first 100 days. now, the resurgence in cases across the country, and the race to contain it in the summertime. earlier today, i spoke to dr. jen ashton and dr. darrian sutt sutton. dr. jen, give us the overview on why we're having such a tough time controlling the outbreak, compared to other countries? >> i think it's important to realize the united states is unlike any other country in many ways. we're geographically diverse, and we have a different health care infrastructure. sometimes better, sometimes worse. it's really important to remember that the general

consensus among public health officials is that those confirmed cases literally just represent the tip of the iceberg. we heard the cdc director say he thinks it could easily be ten times that many cases here in the u.s. and the reason why we're having trouble controlling the virus, the virus is sneaky, it's very transmi transmissible, and it can spread in all types of environments. it's been proven a challenge, to say the least. >> dr. sutton, you're an e.r. doctor on the front lines. what do you think needs to be done to get the rates down? >> yes, juju. i noticed there is a difference in messaging sometimes, depending on what people feel is appropriate with regards to social distancing and wearing a

mask. so we need a clear, concise universal messaging. wearing a mask and social distancing can help. >> and it's not too little, too late, when it comes to masks? >> i don't think it's too little, to late. i think we're still in the middle of stage one of the pandem pandemic. i try to encourage people that any difference helps. i don't believe it's too little, too late. >> dr. jen, you mentioned transmissibility. covid is mutatining do we help stop the spread? >> when people hear that the virus is mutating, and it's more airborne, that can make people feel anxious.

viruses mutate for a living. some are neutral, some make it weaker. but as you stated, there is some evidence that a recent mutation has made the virus more transmissible. so it's about how large a particle, how long it can last in the air. it's smaller, lighter, can travel farther. and the precautions become even more important, the distance, and wearing masks. >> and i want to get your thoughts on president trump's comments over the weekend. saying it's 99% harmless. but that doesn't align with the facts of how covid is hitting the population.

>> not only does it not align with the data as we have it right now. right now the u.s. fatality rate is about 4.8%, which is a problem. we still don't know the exact fatality rate. but for people who have lost loved ones to covid-19, i don't think they're brushing it off. and in medicine, i have a saying, something only has to happen once. if it happens to you and it's serious, it's a problem. and i think right now, the virus has shown we need to take it seriously for sure. >> dr. jen ashton and dr. sutton, thank you to you both. >> thank you. up next, the little girl changing the world by sharing the healing power of art. cancer won't wait. it won't wait for a convenient time or for hospitals to get back to normal again. that's why, at cancer treatment centers of america, we aren't waiting.

we're right here, still focused on the only thing we do, providing world-class cancer care, all under one roof. because cancer isn't just what we do, it's all we do. cancer treatment centers of america. call now for an appointment. got it. it's slippery. nooooo... noooo... nooooo... yeeeesss... quick, the quicker picker upper! bounty picks up messes quicker and each sheet is 2x more absorbent, so you can use less. hey look, i got it. bounty, the quicker picker upper. wow. jim could you ipop the hood for us?? there she is. -turbocharged, right? yes it is. jim, could you uh kick the tires? oh yes. can you change the color inside the car? oh sure. how about blue?

that's more cyan but. jump in the back seat, jim. act like my kids. how much longer? -exactly how they sound. it's got massaging seats too, right? oh yeahhhhh. -oh yeahhhhh. visit the mercedes-benz summer event or shop online at participating dealers. get 0% apr financing up to 36 months on select new and certified pre-owned models.

n95 white green hospital blue. these are the colors of one nation uniting in gratitude

thank you for showing us that we never stopped being... the home of the brave.

♪ finally tonight, the art of healing. this 10-year-old loves painting. helping people, and sharing her love of art. creating a charity making over

2,500 art kits with her family, sending it to kids in need during the pandemic. >> hopefully these will go out today. >> saying art is a powerful form of therapy, and spreading hope and sunshine to others, too. one small artist making big strokes to change the world. that's "nightline." see you back here tomorrow at the same time. thanks for staying up with us. good night, america. from hollywood, it's "jimmy kimmel live," with guest host anthony anderson. tonight, tracee ellis ross. and washington, d.c., mayor, muriel bowser. and now, anthony anderson. >> hello, and welcome to "jimmy kimmel live."

i am your host for the next two nights, anthony anderson. jimmy is taking the summer off to do whatever the hell white people do. polo? ice fishing? i don't know. so he asked me to guest host, which, the word guest doesn't seem quite right. when you invite a guest over for dinner, you don't make them show up to an empty house and cook their own damn food, do you? but i'm happy to be guest-hosting the show. i'm a little less happy about guest-parenting jimmy's badass kids while he's away. hold on. hey, billy! i told you, don't touch the stove, boy! when you burn yourself, just put some tussin on it. anyway, don't worry, loyal jimmy kimmel viewers. tonight you are in good hands. good, chapped, overly-sanitized hands. i'd like to also say hello to my virtual sidekick. are you there, guillermo?