‘ Darkest days in modern medical history loom’

DAILY coronavirus- related deaths in the US have reached levels not seen since the early throes of the pandemic after a surge in the number of those hospitalised, an ominous sign that the current jump in cases is beginning to take its deadly toll and that more grim months lie ahead.

On Wednesday, the US recorded more than 2 200 new deaths – the highest single- day increase since May 6. The figure kept the 7- day average of deaths above 1 600, a figure comparable to that during the first spike in cases and fatalities, and brought the US death total to more than 261 000.

Though fewer people who test positive for the coronavirus now die of it, the sheer number of those infected has mushroomed in recent weeks. That, in turn, has fuelled an increase in deaths, and experts say the figures could get worse in the months ahead as people travel and gather for the holidays.

“Unless we have a sea change in public attitudes and greater adherence to public health control measures, we’re likely to see things worsen,” said Sten Vermund, dean of the Yale School of Public Health.

On Wednesday alone, the US recorded more than 185 000 new coronavirus cases – a figure that dwarfs the daily numbers from May, when at the high point, the US recorded a little more than 33 000 new cases in a day.

That is in part due to a significant expansion in testing, but there is little doubt the US is undergoing its most serious outbreak since the initial surge.

The proportion of deaths among Covid- 19 patients has fallen, partly because doctors have learnt ways of treating the disease and partly because those now getting infected are younger on average. But they are flooding hospitals. On Wednesday night, total hospitalisations stood at more than 89 000 – a record.

Several states and local jurisdictions have tightened coronavirus- related restrictions in recent weeks to try to stem the virus’s spread.

Joseph Varon, chief of staff at United Memorial Medical Centre in Houston, said his hospital had opened two additional wings to accommodate the influx of patients expected after Thanksgiving. The hospital has been taking patients flown in from El Paso, Texas, where the National Guard has been called in to help deal with the large number of bodies.

He said the US stood to face “the darkest days in modern American medical history”.

Varon said some patients were waiting longer to come to the hospital – and therefore arriving sicker – because of what he termed “corona fatigue syndrome”.

President- elect Joe Biden also addressed coronavirus “fatigue” in a Thanksgiving speech on Wednesday urging Americans not to let down their guard out of impatience with the pandemic’s duration.

Yet the death numbers come at a time when it seems increasingly likely that an end to the pandemic is in sight. Three pharmaceutical partnerships or companies have announced positive results from late- stage trials of a vaccine: Pfizer and its German partner, Biontech, in addition to Moderna, have reported vaccines that were 95% effective in clinical trials. A vaccine from Astrazeneca was 70% effective on average, with up to 90% efficacy in a smaller group that got a lower dosage.

Still, the vaccines need approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, and it will take time to produce enough to inoculate a significant portion of the population.