Over 2,000 daily deaths
• Weeks of rising infection numbers are beginning to translate into U.S. fatality numbers not seen since May.
• With new infections surpassing 144,000 a day, the U.S. is seeing record hospitalizations.
• Face mask mandates are gaining momentum in GOP-led states. h Flu season is off to a slow start, which is good news, but the U.S. still is at risk of a “twindemic” this winter, especially with many hospitals already overwhelmed by COVID-19.
The daily coronavirus death toll rocketed to almost 1,900 on Wednesday as weeks of rising infection totals are beginning to translate into fatality numbers not seen since May. And the pandemic is only getting worse.
A fall uptick in cases is now killing Americans almost as quickly as the worst week of the summer surge. After that, deaths will be comparable only to the spring surge, when for more than a week daily deaths averaged over 2,000.
A record 144,133 infections were reported Wednesday. It was the ninth straight day the count surpassed 100,000 – and until nine days ago, the U.S. had never surpassed 100,000 cases. For days, nearly every state, or every state, has reported rising case counts. Nearly two-thirds of the states are reporting cases faster than they ever have before.
President Donald Trump and others had brushed aside the jump in infections, saying improved treatments have lessened COVID-19’s deadly impact. And for a while the average daily death total was well below 1,000.
That was then, this is now. The sheer number of infections has driven hospitalizations to record levels. And in the two days prior to Thursday, more than 3,200 deaths were reported.
The U.S. has more than 10.4 million cases and 241,900 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: 52.3 million cases and 1.28 million deaths.
Fauci: Pandemic won’t be around ‘a lot longer’
The nation’s preeminent infectious disease expert says the pandemic won’t be around “a lot longer” but probably won’t be eradicated, either. Dr. Anthony Fauci, speaking at a virtual health conference Thursday, said public health officials might need to “maintain control chronically” over COVID-19.
“It may be something that becomes endemic that we have to just be careful about,” Fauci said. “Certainly it’s not going to be a pandemic for a lot longer because I believe the vaccines are going to turn that around.”
U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its collaborator BioNTech released early study results Monday indicating that their vaccine candidate prevented more than 90% of infections with the virus that causes COVID-19. If all goes well FDA approval could come as soon as next month, but mass distribution of any vaccines remains months away.
New York City faces more restrictions as cases climb
New York City is facing new restrictions as infections and hospitalizations are again climbing. Bars, restaurants and gyms statewide must close at 10 p.m. daily, beginning Friday.
“This is our LAST chance to stop a second wave,” Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted. “We can do it, but we have to act NOW.”
New York State Restaurant Association CEO Melissa Fleischut called the latest restrictions a “huge blow.” But Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the outbreak across New York state was getting worse by the day.
Masks gain momentum among GOP governors
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, this week ordered masks for most public gatherings. Reynolds, who has long resisted calls from health professionals to issue a statewide mask mandate, cited the strain the surge in the state has placed on hospitals.
Republicans including Gov. Gary Herbert of Utah and Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio also issued mask mandates. But in South Dakota, Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken stepped in to break a 4-4 tie with the city council, rejecting a mask requirement. He cited the city of Fargo, North Dakota’s mask mandate, which he said has “made little to no impact.”