The White House coronavirus task force is warning states about an uptick in coronavirus test positivity rates in a number of new cities this week. Task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said there are encouraging signs across the South, a region hit hard by a surging pandemic in recent weeks, but she outlined new areas of concern in a private phone call with state and local officials Wednesday, according to a recording of the call obtained by the journalism non-profit Center for Public Integrity. "We are concerned that both Baltimore and Atlanta remain at a very high level," Birx said on the call. "Kansas City, Portland, Omaha, of course what we talked about in the Central Valley (in California)."