US now averaging 100,000 new COVID-19 infections a day

The U.S. is present averaging 100,000 caller COVID-19 infections a day, returning to a milestone past seen during the wintertime surge successful different bleak reminder of however rapidly the delta variant has dispersed done the country.

Health officials fearfulness that cases, hospitalizations and deaths volition proceed to soar if much Americans don’t clasp the COVID-19 vaccine. Nationwide, 50% of residents are afloat vaccinated and much than 70% of adults person received astatine slightest 1 dose.

“Our models amusement that if we don’t (vaccinate people), we could beryllium up to respective 100 1000 cases a day, akin to our surge successful aboriginal January,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention manager Rochelle Walensky said connected CNN this week.

It took the U.S. astir 9 months to transverse the 100,000 mean lawsuit fig successful November earlier peaking astatine astir 250,000 successful aboriginal January. Cases bottomed retired successful June, averaging astir 11,000 per day, but six weeks aboriginal the fig is 107,143.

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Hospitalizations and deaths are besides expanding rapidly, though each are inactive beneath peaks seen aboriginal this twelvemonth earlier vaccines became wide available. More than 44,000 Americans are presently hospitalized with COVID-19, according to the CDC, up 30% successful a week and astir 4 times the fig who were hospitalized successful June. More than 120,000 were hospitalized successful January.

The seven-day mean for deaths besides increased, according to Johns Hopkins University. It roseate from astir 270 deaths per time 2 weeks agone to astir 500 a time arsenic of Friday. Deaths peaked astatine 3,500 per time successful January. Deaths usually lag down hospitalizations arsenic the illness usually takes a fewer weeks to kill.

The concern is particularly dire successful the South, which has immoderate of the lowest vaccination rates successful the U.S. and has seen smaller hospitals overrun with patients.

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The Southeast has seen a much than 50% leap successful fig of hospitalized COVID patients — a regular mean of 17,600 implicit the past week compared with 11,600 to the erstwhile week, the CDC says. Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky correspond 41% of the nation's caller hospitalizations, the CDC says, doubly their wide stock of the population.

Alabama and Mississippi person the lowest vaccination rates successful the country: little than 35% of residents are afloat inoculated, according to the Mayo Clinic. Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas are each successful the lowest 15 states.

Florida makes up much than 20% of the nation's caller cases and hospitalizations, triple its stock of the population. Many agrarian counties person vaccination rates beneath 40%, with the authorities astatine 49%.

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Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, portion encouraging vaccinations, has said helium volition not enforce statewide disguise mandates oregon different measures. Running for reelection adjacent twelvemonth and eyeing a 2024 Republican statesmanlike bid, helium and President Joe Biden person verbally sparred successful caller days. DeSantis has accused the Democratic president of wanting bargain Floridians' “freedoms,” portion Biden has said DeSantis should “get retired of the way” of section officials if helium doesn't privation to combat the outbreak.

In immoderate parts of the U.S., hospitals are scrambling to find beds for patients. Houston officials said immoderate patients were transferred retired of the metropolis — 1 arsenic acold arsenic North Dakota.

Dr. David Persse, Houston's main aesculapian officer, said immoderate ambulances were waiting hours to offload patients astatine Houston country hospitals due to the fact that nary beds were available. Persse said helium feared this would pb to prolonged respond times to 911 aesculapian calls.

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“The wellness attraction strategy close present is astir astatine a breaking point. ... For the adjacent 3 weeks oregon so, I spot nary alleviation connected what’s happening successful exigency departments,” Persse said Thursday.

In Missouri, 30 ambulances and much than 60 aesculapian unit volition beryllium stationed crossed the state to assistance transport COVID-19 patients to different regions if adjacent hospitals are excessively afloat to admit them, Republican Gov. Mike Parson announced Friday.

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