More
than 100,000 Americans are in the hospital with COVID-19, at the same time the
nation recorded its single-worst daily death toll since the start of the
pandemic. Data from the covid tracking project show 100,226 people were
hospitalized on Wednesday with the disease caused by the coronavirus - a figure
that has been steadily rising for weeks. Meanwhile; 2,760 new deaths were
reported, surpassing the previous record from April 15 when 2,752 people died. The
number of hospital beds occupied by Covid-19 patients far outpaces peaks in
mid-April and July of about 59,000. Early last month, the number of
hospitalizations again reached that mark and has been on an upward progression
ever since. More than 273,000 people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19 since
the first cases were detected in January. News of the record breaking statistic
comes the same day the U.K. announced a major step in its race to develop
coronavirus immunizations; formally approving Pfizer and the German company
BioNTech's vaccine for emergency use. Even with a vaccine in sight; the U.S.
continues to grapple with a major surge in new coronavirus infections. Health
officials are imploring Americans to stay home for the holidays. The Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert R. Redfield warned Wednesday that things are likely to get
worse over the winter months. He predicted deaths could reach ‘close to 450,000’
by February if Americans fail to take more health precautions, such as wearing
a mask. This month though February will be ‘the most difficult in the public
health history of the nation;’ he said.
The local battle
Los Angeles County; with the highest
number of cumulative confirmed infections in the country; reported 408,396
cases; according to Johns Hopkins University. Illinois's Cook County had
310,722 confirmed cases.
0 Comments