#Pence cancels campaign events in COVID-19 hotspots Florida, Arizona

The Trump campaign has postponed Vice President Mike Pence’s campaign events in Arizona and Florida this week “out of an abundance of caution” as both states face spikes in coronavirus cases, according to NBC News reporter Josh Lederman.

Pence is still expected to visit those states to meet with their governors and local officials, though they will be limited to official White House events, the network quoted a campaign official.

The Florida Department of Health reported nearly 10,000 new cases of COVID-19 Saturday, raising its total to more than 132,500. Deaths in the state hover at nearly 3,400.

The Arizona Department of Health Services also reported a surge, with nearly 3,600 new cases between Friday and Saturday. The state tallies more than 70,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with some 1,500 deaths.

Despite coronavirus spikes in California, Texas and other states as well, Pence, who oversees the White House Coronavirus Task Force, declared during a briefing Friday that the US had “flattened the curve,” or had the disease under control.

He called the extent of testing across the county a “national accomplishment.”