The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has now reported more deaths caused by COVID-19 than any other country in the world. Its latest models show that more than 20,000 more Americans could die in the next 21 days (three weeks). That’s nearly 1,000 deaths per day.
What We Know:
- The grim forecast was published by the CDC on Friday, along with additional statistics. It estimated a total of 173,000 American deaths by late August. As of Monday, there have been over 154,000 COVID-19 related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic in the country.
- Across the U.S., public health experts and local officials have warned the public to not take a growing threat too lightly, as a record is being broken every day at this point. Prevention guidelines such as hand washing, mask-wearing, and social distancing mostly continue to suppress the spread. These messages are primarily targeted towards the country’s younger demographic, who are unfortunately causing greater spread in communities.
- New Jersey is an example of a state handing the pandemic well, but even after Gov. Phil Murphy reported a day with no deaths on Thursday since March, the rise in daily cases has grown since last month. Positive COVID-19 cases averaged around 350 a day in late June, while at the end of last month that number spiked to 550 a day.
- Murphy’s concern has risen due to New Jersey residents not taking sufficient action. The home-rental giant, Airbnb, reported over 30 listings that violated its safety policies. This includes a party of nearly 700 people which was disbanded by New Jersey officers last weekend. “We are standing in a very dangerous place,” the governor stated.
- Moreover, Mayor Greg Fischer of Louisville, Kentucky, announced another concerning trend detailing that about 20% of the current COVID-19 cases in the city were recorded over the last seven days. As of Saturday, Kentucky has reported over 500 new cases, including a dozen of cases in children under three years old or younger.
- This resurgence in the pandemic has led to a hard-fought debate on whether states should reopen schools or not. Many school districts across the country have converted to an online format once again, or at the very least, offer hybrid options. The biggest argument among leaders is the fact that although the virus doesn’t impact the youth as hard as older people, they can still unwilling to carry it and infect others who are more vulnerable.
According to a new study published JAMA Pediatrics on Thursday, children under the age of five are capable of developing up to 100 times more genetic material in their noses when infected, than anyone else. Thus, making kids a transmission powerhouse compared to adults, who usually don’t handle the virus as well.
