Coronavirus Watch: Surge in cases isn't because of testing

President Donald Trump again defended the nation's booming number of coronavirus cases as a function of testing, arguing that the U.S. is only reporting more cases because it's testing more people.

That's not the case, health experts say. Increased testing cannot account for the increase in positive test rates, hospitalizations and deaths. In fact, officials say we need to be doing even more testing. Read more on that here.

It's Thursday, and this is the Coronavirus Watch from the Paste BN Network. Here's the most significant news of the day, as of 12:30 p.m. ET:

• A shelter-in-place order was issued at the U.S. Naval Air Facility Atsugi in Japan because of an ongoing investigation of positive coronavirus cases, the base announced Thursday.
• A Tulsa official said President Donald Trump's rally and protests "more than likely" contributed to the spike in cases in the last week.
• In Mississippi, the number of cases linked to an outbreak at the state Capitol has grown to 36, which includes 26 legislators, according to the state health officials.
• California and Texas reported their highest single-day death tolls Wednesday. California reported 149 coronavirus deaths, and Texas reported 98.
• The mayor of Houston canceled the Republican Party's in-person convention that was scheduled for next week as cases and deaths spike in Texas.
• Today's numbers: More than 3 million people have tested positive for the virus in the U.S., and more than 132,000 have died. Worldwide, more than 12 million people have tested positive for the virus, and more than 550,000 have died. See the numbers in your area here, and see where cases are rising here.
• Another 1.3 million workers filed first time claims for unemployment insurance last week, the Labor Department said Thursday. That latest round of applications means roughly 50 million Americans have made initial jobless benefits claims in just 16 weeks.

Running out of at-home activities to do with your kids? Try these nine backyard science experiments.

Do you have questions about the coronavirus? You can submit them through this form, and we'll answer them. Kim from Bristow, Virginia, asks: Do I have the potential to expose myself to COVID-19 when I'm walking my dog if I don't have a mask on and there are neighbors walking a distance ahead of me?

Remember, face masks aren't intended to protect the wearer from contracting the coronavirus – they protect others.

There's always some degree of risk when leaving the home, and the more closely you interact with others and the longer that interaction, the higher the risk of spread. Researchers have also said for months now that micro-droplets of infectious coronavirus could be airborne for hours, and a World Health Organization official acknowledged yesterday that airborne transmission in crowded, closed and poorly ventilated settings cannot be ruled out. We put together a visual explainer on how and why that happens.

But if you're walking outside and maintaining social distance, there's a lower risk. Make sure to wear a face mask and wash your hands thoroughly when you get home.

As for your dog: A small number of pets worldwide, including cats and dogs, have been reported to be infected with the coronavirus, mostly after close contact with people with COVID-19. So be sure to treat pets as you would other human family members. Don't let them interact with people outside the household.

As always, thank you for subscribing! We appreciate you trusting the Paste BN Network with this important information. Know someone that could benefit from these daily updates? Forward them this email so they can sign up here.

– Grace Hauck, Paste BN breaking news reporter, @grace_hauck