- The US just broke its own world record for daily coronavirus cases, which it set just a few days ago.
- Well over 100,000 Americans received a positive COVID-19 diagnosis on Wednesday, and there’s no telling what the peak of this wave will be.
- The daily COVID-19 caseload is trending up in at least 36 states, and the number of hospitalizations is also rising.
The world is dealing with the worst coronavirus resurgence so far, with the US and several European countries registering hundreds of thousands of new cases each day. But it’s America that’s breaking records with unsurprising regularity. On Friday, the country reached 100,000 cases, a new world record that toppled India’s 97,894 cases set on September 17th. Experts warned at the time that the figure would continue to climb in the coming weeks if people continue to disregard the safety measures that can reduce the spread and help communities manage their local COVID-19 caseloads. The use of face masks in public and even at home, regular hand hygiene, social distancing, and the ventilation of indoor spaces are all simple measures that can stock the virus in its tracks. Neither method is foolproof, and there’s no way to eliminate the risk, but combining all of them reduces the chances of catching COVID-19.
The US reported well over 100,000 cases on Wednesday, which is a new world record. The figure is at nearly 103,000 cases (Johns Hopkins) or over 107,500 (Coronavirus App). We’ve already explained that there can be some discrepancies between trackers, as the data collection methodology can differ. But there’s no mistake about it, America has just reported another record-breaking figure, and there’s no telling what the peak of this wave will be.
The nationwide 7-day average of new infections is now at nearly 90,000 cases, reports CNN. That’s an increase of about 108% in just one month.
Overall, almost 9.5 million Americans have contracted the infectious disease this year, and that’s just the number of cases that were confirmed via a COVID-19 case. More than 233,000 people died so far, and the death toll might reach alarming new highs in the coming months.
Roughly 1,000 Americans die of COVID-19 complications each day, more than twice fewer than in March and April when the daily averages hovered between 2,000 and 2,500 victims. The number of deaths dropped dramatically even though the number of cases tripled compared to the March and April highs.
Various medical advances in a short period of time allowed doctors to save more COVID-19 patients and treat life-threatening complications. Several drugs can reduce the risk of complications and can help patients recover faster. But experts warn that the death toll will continue to increase if the number of daily infections increases.
CNN explains that at least 36 states are reporting more new cases than in the previous weeks. The Johns Hopkins tracker shows that only three states are trending in the right direction — Alabama, Mississippi, and Johns Hopkins.
Public health experts fear that more Americans will let their guard during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and choose to meet friends and family indoors. Dr. Anthony Fauci urged people to avoid Thanksgiving events this year to reduce the risks. The record number of COVID-19 cases is an indication that coronavirus community transmission is very high across the US. And the highly infectious virus doesn’t spare anyone if it can bypass defenses.
Our daily update is published. States reported 1.2 million tests and 103k cases – the highest daily case count to date. 52k people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 and today’s death toll was 1,116. pic.twitter.com/tO1qSzn3pe
— The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) November 5, 2020
More than 52,000 people are hospitalized with coronavirus, according to the COVID Tracking Project. That’s lower than the more than 60,000 hospitalizations recorded in mid-April and then again in late-July, but the figure is also trending upwards. The increased pressure on medical systems can have disastrous effects, as a lack of beds and personnel could prevent some people from getting life-saving COVID-19 therapies.
Several states in Europe have already started implementing some forms of lockdowns. The restrictions vary and aren’t as severe as the total shutdown from March and April. Still, France, Germany, and the UK are imposing new measures meant to limit the virus’s spread without shutting off the economy.
