US Covid-19 toll hits new daily record of 4.5K

VIRUS TEST FOR PASSENGERS ARRIVING IN U.S.

Washington, Jan. 13: The US death toll from

Covid-19 hit a new daily record of nearly 4,500, Johns Hopkins University said Tuesday evening.

As the health crisis rages out of control in the US, this was the first time the toll in the country hardest hit by the pandemic surpassed 4,000 in

24 hours. The US recorded more than 235,000 new cases of Coronavirus infection and 4,470 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins tally as of 8:30 pm (0130 GMT).

Around 131,000 people are now hospitalised in the US with Covid-19, said the Covid Tracking Project. The weekly average of fatalities is at its highest level since the pandemic started, it said.

Faced with these grim numbers and the presence of the new, more contagious Covid variant, authorities announced Tuesday that people wishing to fly to the US must show proof of a negative Covid test prior to departure.

The country, where health restrictions vary drastically between states and compliance can be spotty, is ultimately counting on a massive vaccination campaign begun in mid-December to bring the health crisis to an end.

But the effort is running behind, with just 9.3 million people having received the first of two injections of the two vaccines authorized in America. That is less than 10 percent of the population.

The nation with the world's largest economy has now recorded 22.8 million Coronavirus cases and more than 380,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

New York, Jan. 13: Anyone flying to the US will soon need to show proof of a negative test for Covid-19, health officials have announced. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requirement expands on a similar one announced late last month for passengers coming from the United Kingdom.

Covid is already widespread in the US, with more than 22 million cases reported to date, including more than 375,000 deaths. The new measures are designed to try to prevent travellers from bringing in newer forms of the virus that scientists say can spread more easily.

The CDC order is to take effect in about two weeks, on January 26. It requires air passengers to get a Covid-19 test within three days before their flight departs to the US, and to provide written proof of the test result to the airline. Travellers can also provide documentation that they had the infection in the past and recovered.

Airlines are ordered to stop passengers from boarding if they don't have proof of a negative test or a prior infection. “Testing does not eliminate all risk,” CDC Director Robert R. Redfield said. "But when combined with a period of staying at home and everyday precautions like wearing masks and social distancing, it can make travel safer,” he added.