The US is about to start the pandemic about five million cases of coronavirus – and as experts have pointed out in the past, the true number of infections could be many times higher.
The US is about to start the pandemic about five million cases of coronavirus – and as experts have pointed out in the past, the true number of infections could be many times higher.
The high number means that the country contains about a quarter of the worldwide cases of the virus and also tops the list of the most reported deaths in the world. More than, 162,000 Americans have died.
The pandemic shows no sign of slow and coastal-to-coast health officials urging the use of face masks in public places and urging residents to avoid all kinds of social gatherings until the spread of the virus is under control.
As of this week, five states together account for more than 40% of all infections in the U.S.: California (with the most cases in the country), Florida, Texas, New York and Georgia.
New York, once the epicenter of the country, has been overrun by several states that have seen spikes in cases in recent months. The state now reports a positivity rate – how many people tested positive compared to how many were tested – of about 0.93%, according to the governor’s office.
“Despite rising infection rates across the country and in our region, we continue to see our numbers remain low, thanks in large part to the hard work of New Yorkers to change their behavior and our data-driven, phased reopening,” Gov. . Andrew Cuomo said in a statement Saturday.
California, which on Saturday reported more than 7,000 new cases for a total of more than 545,000, had a statewide positivity rate of about 6% in the past two weeks, according to health officials. Hospitalization across the state is declining, and there are now about 5,746 patients in hospitals across the state – down by more than 1,000 people from two weeks ago.
In Texas, the governor extended his disaster statement in response to coronavirus because the state counted its highest seven-day positivity: 19.41%. The previous high, 17.43%, was recorded around mid-July. More than 481,000 infections have been reported statewide and about 7,872 people remain in hospitals.
Thousands gather in small town in South Dakota
Because the virus is still prevalent in many U.S. communities, one city in South Dakota has begun to see visitors flock to the 80th annual City of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
The state has so far recorded one of the lowest number of cases with about 9,477 infections, according to the state’s health department.
The event, hosted in the city of about 7,000, has brought in a crowd of about 500,000 each year. And while officials say it will be a scaled-down version this year, hundreds of thousands of visitors are still expected from across the country – including hotspots such as Florida, Texas and Arizona.
There will be concerts, races and competitions on nearby campsites. City officials say they have recommended social distance guidelines and capacity limits for bars and restaurants, but none of that is legally enforced, the city manager told CNN.
Dr Carlos del Rio, a professor of infectious disease at Emory University, says he has no worries about the rally itself, as most will be outside. Instead, he worries about what will happen after hours, when people go to restaurants, bars and start gathering in indoor spaces.
“I am very worried that this event could potentially be a disaster,” he said. “Not only could there be a lot of transmission there, but a lot of people could get infected there and return to their home states and take over the virus there.”
The event runs through August 16th.
Schools are starting to welcome students back
As schools reopen for classes, researchers are still working to understand the spread and effects of the virus when it comes to children.
Research has shown that older children can transmit coronavirus just like adults and another study said that children under five have a higher viral load of the virus in their nose compared to older children and adults, as well as raising questions about how likely they are about the virus.
And although some U.S. officials have said that an infection poses less risk to younger populations, a 7-year-old boy without underlying health conditions died last week in Georgia, becoming the youngest victim in the state. Earlier this month, two teenagers in Florida died of coronavirus complications, bringing the total number of minors who died in relation to the virus in the state to seven.
In New York, which maintains a positivity rate of less than 1%, all school districts in the state were cleared to reopen, Cuomo said Friday, adding that plans could change as infection rates begin to spike again ahead of the planned reopening.
In Georgia, many schools have already reopened.
At least 260 students and eight teachers in the Cherokee County School District were quarantined after multiple students and teachers tested positive for the virus during the first week of school. In a statement on its website, the district reported positive cases in at least 11 students and two staff members. Among them was a second grader who tested positive for the virus after attending the first day of school.
Barrow County Schools announced that it would begin voluntarily this year after more than 90 staff members were forced to quarantine because they had a confirmed or suspected case of the virus or were exposed to someone who did so.
