Jeffrey epsteins coconspirator transferred to a federal Detention Center in new york. This morning, how prosecutors are working to keep Ghislaine Maxwell behind bars, and why she will not appear in person at a key hearing. Those stories plus with a little help from his friends. Beetles star ringo starr turns 80 today celebrating with a starstudded virtual concert. Well take you live to london. And the one, the only tom hanks. Hes live. His first tv interview since his coronavirus diagnosis. Today, tuesday, july 7th, 2020. Announcer from nbc news this is today with Savannah Guthrie and hoda kotb live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. Hey, guys. Welcome to today. So happy youre joining us on this tuesday morning. Craig and i are sitting here. Savannah is off today. And i got to tell you, i believe shes bummed to be off today. And theres one reason why two words. Tom hanks. Tom is going to be joining us. Its his First Television interview. I know savannah is going to be missing him, but we look forward to speaking with tom about that. A bona fide national treasure. Dont be surprised if she calls in and crashes that. I wouldnt doubt that. I wouldnt doubt that. But lets get started with the coronavirus this morning. According to the latest numbers from the cdc, more than 381,000 cases have been reported in the u. S. In the past week. That is the most for any sevenday period so far. And with many of the outbreaks linked to large gatherings, dr. Anthony fauci is pleading with all americans to maintain strict social distancing. Meantime, Harvard University just revealed its plan for the new school year. Only 40 of undergraduates will be allowed on campus this fall including any firstyear students. But all classes will be taught online. Whats not changing, though, the cost of tuition and fees at harvard. Nearly 50,000 for the academic year. We do have two reports for you this morning. Were going to start with Miguel Almaguer whos in l. A. For us. Reporter Los Angeles County is one of the worst hot spots in the nation. The number of cases here are exploding and many simply cant get tested. All comes as cases are on the rise in more than two dozen states. A sign things could get much worse. Reporter this morning, a new stunning surge in coronavirus cases plaguing hot spots around the country. A troubling trend for some hospitals already on the brink. We are still knee deep in the first wave of this. And i would say this would not be considered a wave. It was a surge or a resurgence of infections. Reporter at least 35 states are showing increases in ten states with a 100 spike in recent weeks. Even those who tried to keep their distance catching the virus. I isolated myself from everybody. Except one family. The family across the street. Reporter with states like texas, arizona, and california all reporting a Record Number of hospitalizations. Among the most dangerous hot spots for the virus, Los Angeles County. With more cases here than in 44 states. With nearly 3 million americans testing positive for the virus, hospitals in cities like houston are reaching capacity. This is very, very disturbing situation. Our teams are stretched. We are managing it, but we cant sustain this trajectory for many weeks. Reporter as florida continues to see the nations highest single day record for new infections, the governor says he believes the situation has stabilized. While miami is closing down restaurants and gyms. More than half of new cases in arizona are patients under 44 years old. And a Staggering Number are still waiting to be tested. I found i was exposed. So i want to make sure everybodys okay. Reporter the mayor of atlanta said to be a contender as joe bidens running mate testing positive herself, but showing no symptom. This is startling for me. Because weve been so very careful. Reporter the stunning number of new cases comes after fourth of july scenes like these leaving doctors stunned by total disregard for social distancing. Were fighting two wars. War number one is the covid virus. War number two is stupidity. Miguel, dr. Fauci did have a lot to say. He talked about the Current Situation were facing and what did he say led to it . Reporter dr. Fauci alluded to the fact that simply we may have reopened this country too early. Here is what he had to say just a short time ago. The current state is really not good in the sense that as you know we had been in a situation we were averaging about 20,000 new cases a day. And then a series of circumstances associated with various states and cities trying to open up in the sense of getting back to some form of normality has led to a situation where we now have recordbreaking cases. Reporter this morning many governors are reevaluating now quickly we reopened. And say new measures plb implemented. Miguel, thank you. Turning now to those mounting questions about how coronavirus is spread. Is it more airborne than previously thought . Nbcs Gabe Gutierrez has that part of the story. Gabe, good morning to you. Reporter craig, good morning. A group of about 240 scientists essentially wants the w. H. O. To be more blunt. We spoke with one of those researchers who says he thinks the agency is avoiding talking much about airborne transmission because he says it might scare people. This morning as coronavirus cases surge across the u. S. , americans are trying to make sense of what that surge means and how to protect themselves. One key question, is the virus more airborne . According to hundreds of scientists around the world, yes. Do you think that the w. H. O. Has down played the threat of airborne transmission . Yes. I think that they have and what that means is that there may not be as much attention to ventilation and mask wearing as there ought to be. Reporter dr. Don milton is among the more than 200 scientists publishing an open letter to the World Health Organization urging the agency to revise its guidelines the w. H. O. Said the virus spreads by large respiratory droplets that quickly fall to the floor. But dr. Milton says the virus lingers. Do masks and social distancing make a difference . Doctors believe they do especially if the virus is airborne many point to the increased cases in areas that have reopened and where attitudes about those safety precautions have become more lax does it surprise you how polarizing the mask debate has become in the United States . Its really troubling and saddening to see that happen reporter but if deaths have remained low, are we better at treating the disease doctors continue to develop better strategies to combat coronavirus. In icus, doctors now delay putting patients on a ventilator instead treating them with 100 oxygen and on their stomachs to allow better blood and air flow. And patients are getting new treatments like convalescent plaz that the antiviral drug remdesivir and most recently story roids. If younger people are driving the latest spike will the death rate remain low not necessarily. Given concerns over who young patients could infect next the older and more vulnerable. Mary anderson in florida is worried about her three children going back to school this fall im really worried that if we dont have the mask mandate in place, that the chances of them getting this, bringing it home to me, passing it onto my dad who is 85 or my motherinlaw who is 75 is pretty significant. Reporter and that mother you just heard from, shes from the tampa area on monday the Florida Department of education ordered all schools in the state to reopen in august they need to submit a safety plan, a reopening plan with safety measures. Craig, hoda . So gabe, if the World Health Organization does declare the virus airborne, from a practical standpoint what does that mean for how we protect ourselves from this thing Going Forward . Reporter well, craig, a lot potentially. If the virus does indeed linger in the air for more than previously thought, that Scientists Say that that could require masks and more so in indoor settings even with proper social distancing. Also stronger ventilation systems would be needed in some buildings especially schools and nursing homes, craig all right Gabe Gutierrez for us this morning. Gabe, thank you. Now to the white house where President Trump has lashed out at nascar driver Bubba Wallace in the wake of the sports ban on the Confederate Flag this morning wallace is responding incomes nbcs White House CorrespondentPeter Alexander has the very latest there. Hey, peter good morning reporter good morning to you. President trump is trying to capitalize on americas growing Cultural Divide fueling racial resentment his latest targets include some of the most popular sports among his largely White Conservative base defending the Confederate Flag and singling out nascars top black driver President Trump is expanding his attacks against stoking racial divisions now calling on nascars only black fulltime driver Bubba Wallace to apologize for what the president says was just another hoax after the fbi determined last month that wallace was not the target of a hate crime when a noose was found in his assigned garage at talladega speedway in fact, it was not wallace but his teammates who found the noose and alerted nascar the racing community at the time lining up behind wallace bringing him to tears. Wallaces response on monday, always deal with the hate being thrown at you with love even if its hate from the potus the president is also falsely claiming nascar is seeing its lowest ratings ever. Blames its recent ban of the Confederate Flag does he believe nascar should fly the Confederate Flag why dont they fly it here it was mentioned in the broader context of the fact he rejects this notion that somehow nascar men and women who go to these sporting events are racist reporter nascar in a statement says it continues to stand tall with bubba, our competitors, and everyone who makes our sport welcoming and inclusive for all racing fans. As for ratings, nbc sports says last weekends race was up nearly 50 over last year. And lindsey graham, a close ally of the president , is directly refuting President Trump ive lived in South Carolina all my life, and if youre in business, the Confederate Flag is not a good way to grow your business i dont think Bubba Wallace has anything to apologize for. Reporter and seizing on another cultural controversy, the president is also criticizing two sports franchises the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians for considering a change to their mascots that many see as offensive. Inflaming tensions by tweeting they name teams out of strength not weakness but now two franchises look like theyre going to be changing their names in order to be politically correct. Speaking to some of the president s allies, theyre expressing real frustration over the president s latest attacks they say less than four months to refocus his attention on his accomplishments and on joe biden, not on racial divisions but they acknowledge the president is the one driving the train. Hoda Peter Alexander at the white house. Peter, thank you we have a lot more to get to this morning including the criminal charge now facing the white woman who called police on a blackbird watcher in central park who asked her to leash her dog. Nbcs Morgan Radford has been following this story shes in central park for the very latest. Morgan, good morning reporter craig, thats right. Good morning were standing at the entrance of the ramble. This is a section of central park where that incident first occurred that video has now been viewed more than 40 million times and the reality of it is it really struck a chord with people all across the country what they believe they saw in that was an abuse of racial stereotypes. Thats why that now infamous call to police may have consequences in court. Im going to tell them theres an africanamerican Man Threatening my life. Reporter this morning amy cooper, the woman at the center of t facing a criminal charge im being threatened by a man in the ramble. Please send the cops immediately. Reporter Manhattan District Attorney announcing that cooper is being charged with falsely reporting an incident in the third degree, a criminal misdemeanor. In the video from the late may encounter, cooper whos white calls out the race of bird watcher Christian Cooper no relation after he asked her to put a leash on her dog in an area of central park that requires dogs to be leashed. Im in the ramble and theres a man, africanamerican, who is recording me and threatening me and my dog reporter the incident caught on camera just hours before george floyd died in the hands of Minneapolis Police helped spark a National Debate on racial bias. Cooper was fired from her job, an Investment FirmFranklin Templeton her former company saying they do not tolerate racism of any kind and she also had to temporarily surrender her dog back to its rescue group we spoke to Christian Cooper after the incident i thought, well, this is definitely an attempt at racial intimidation and i could either capitulate to it or do what im doing. Reporter amy cooper issued a public apology in may saying she reacted emotionally and made false assumptions about his intentions when, in fact, i was the one who was acting inappropriately by not having my dog on a leash adding, i hope a few mortifying seconds in a lifetime of 40 years will not define me in his eyes and that he will accept my sincere apology. Her attorney responding to the charge monday writing, the rush to judgment by some in the public in this cancel culture epidemic will be proven as wrong as cancel culture itself she lost her job, her home, and her public life. Now some demand her freedom . How many lives are we going to destroy over misunderstood 60second videos on social media . That third degree charge carries a maximum of one year in prison, but the more likely outcome is counseling, community service, or a discharge amy cooper will be arraigned in october. Craig . Morgan radford from central morgan, thank you. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp is activating up to 1,000 National Guard troops after a weekend of gun violence and protests in atlanta. Five people died including an 8yearold girl. At least 30 other people were hurt National Guard troops are being called to protect the state capitol, the governors mansion, and state patrol headquarters which was vandalized by protesters over the weekend. Now to some huge news from the nfl. Super bowl mvp Patrick Mahomes isnt going anywhere any time soon thats because the 24yearold quarterback has agreed to a tenyear extension with his Kansas City Chiefs worth an eye popping 503 million holy, holy. Its the richest contract in professional sports history. Mahomes, of course, led the chiefs to their first super bowl title in 50 years. That was back in february. Remember the win over the 49ers . You know who remembered that del. Your son del remembered it because your son del was living in that jersey thats the only sports jersey he has hes got a cardboard cut out in the basement of Patrick Mahomes. Life size. Does he heres the thing about that deal, you know the way a lot of these deals are structured, they dont necessarily see all that money, his guaranteed amount 477 million thats unbelievable unbelievable first half billion dollar contract in sports history speaking of sports, next half hour well look at the unique challenges facing pro sports leagues like the nba, like the nhl as they try and resume their seasons but right now why dont we check the weather . Where, oh, where is mr. Roker . Look who is that. How was the holiday weekend, hon . It was terrific we had a great time. Hope you guys did too. And we got a lot of heat to talk about all across the country big area dome of upper level high pressure. Jet stream up to the north so that high will build. We look for a full week of 90plus degree temperatures across the northern interior states and into the southwest. Itll feel like its over 100 degrees. Look at this heat wave detroit already had five consecutive days of 90 degrees or more. Theyre going to continue. Its going to feel like 100 in st. Louis today. 97 in rochesters huntsville, 96 degrees wednesday the heat index will be 92 in messina, new york, way up state. 100 in chicago itll feel like 102 in Oklahoma City and going into the end of the week, it will these are actual air temperatures. Temperatures in the 90s in philadelphia, mid90s orlando. Nashville, youll see temperatures in the low 90s and dallas will flirt with triple digits all week long were going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds is for above and bey. An ex