According to a recent report, over 121,000 infections were reported in the United States on Thursday. This beats the record of the number of daily cases recorded just 24 hours previously. Increasing numbers were reported after the record set on Wednesday for over 100,000 cases. This is the first time in the history of the pandemic the United States has reached six-figures for the number of infections reported. More than 220,000 positive tests have been reported throughout the country.
This brings the total number of new virus cases for the last week to over 660,000. As the number of cases continues to increase across the nation, more and more Americans are being hospitalized. The COVID Tracking Project has determined there are currently over 53,000 patients located all over the United States. Physicians are issuing warnings that as these numbers continue to increase, there will be more deaths following.
Data from John Hopkins University shows more than 1,210 deaths were reported in the United States on Thursday. This was the third consecutive day more than 1,000 people were lost throughout the nation. The average number of deaths in the United States has now reached 895 per day. The data from John Hopkins shows these numbers are increasing quickly. Record-high deaths were reported by three different states on Thursday. These states are Tennessee, North Dakota and New Mexico.
Communities throughout the Midwest have been hit exceptionally hard. Outbreaks of the virus are continually becoming worse. Many are hoping these numbers will start to decrease with a COVID vaccine. The acceleration of hospitalizations in the Midwest has resulted in a sharp surge in new cases. This was the subject of a blog posted by the project on Thursday. According to the blog, the deaths reported in the Midwest are increasing just a few weeks after cases in this region began surging.
Data released by John Hopkins on Friday shows a minimum of 235,071 individuals living in the United States has died. The minimum number of cases since the beginning of the pandemic is 9,628,649. The report issued by John Hopkins late Friday morning shows reports of 21,133 new cases of the virus in addition to 144 deaths. On Thursday, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published an ensemble forecast.
The forecast estimated an additional 31,000 individuals may lose their lives to the virus during the following two and one-half weeks. Health officials in New Mexico have already been sounding the alarm for the past few weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic and stating the number of new virus deaths will reach a record high. During the past month, hospitalizations have increased by 260 percent. According to health officials and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, the expectation is hospital beds will become unavailable within just a few days.
According to the governor, the state is not moving anywhere near the right direction. She is urging the residents to follow available guidance for public health to help slow down the spread of COVID within the state. The governor believes if the correct precautions are not taken the result will be drastic decision making. She stated November will be horrible and followed by an incredibly bad December because the virus is now everywhere.
The presidential election took place during the first week of November. According to data from John Hopkins, since the focus of the country was on the election reports have been received by 20 states of at least one day with a record high for new cases. States with one-day record highs include Connecticut, Maine, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Colorado, North Dakota, Minnesota, Utah, Iowa, Idaho, Oklahoma, Indiana, New Hampshire, Illinois, Rhode Island, Michigan, Kansas, Ohio and Nebraska.
Reports were received from 31 states in October of a minimum of one day records broken for new cases for the entire month. One of the 38 states reporting more cases of new infections than the week previous is New Mexico. Data from John Hopkins shows the only states trending in the proper direction are Tennessee and Alabama. On Thursday, health officials in Minnesota reported an additional 3,900 new cases. This is the state’s highest daily total and the third consecutive day single-day cases have broken records.
State officials have been issuing warnings for Utah for the last few weeks. Another daily record was broken on Thursday with 2,807 new cases. In a statement by Governor Gary Herbert, he called the numbers discouraging and grim news. He predicted the dramatic increase would continue to impact the state unless behaviors were changed and modified. Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio issued warnings the virus would spread throughout the state with record cases of the virus reported on Thursday.
During a news conference, the governor stated the virus was everywhere and running or hiding from it was not possible. He believes the risk of catching COVID in every single country is real. Due to the spread of the virus throughout the United States, gatherings are being targeted by new state restrictions. The leaders of several states have implemented new measures in an attempt to slow down the spread of COVID. New measures in Connecticut will be in effect on Friday.
These measures will place new limitations on event spaces, religious ceremonies and restaurants. An announcement was made by the governor on Thursday restrictions would be tightened for private gatherings. These restrictions will be extended for the Thanksgiving holiday season. Public health officials across the nation have indicated gatherings are one of the major elements driving both the spread of the virus and the resulting surges. Recommendations were made by Governor Ned Lamont earlier in the week.
He believes residents should limit socializing and remain at home from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. New restrictions were announced by Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo. The restrictions go into effect on Sunday and include an advisory to remain at home on weeknights between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. and starting at 10:30 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday night. She requested voluntary compliance when she announced the new advisory to help cope with the increasing number of infections.
On Sunday, new restrictions went into effect requiring all recreational facilities, gyms and restaurants to close on Friday and Saturday night at 10:30 p.m. and on weeknights by 10:00 p.m. According to Governor Raimondo, restaurants can only remain open longer for takeout. She also stated the main cause of the virus spreading is gatherings including large house parties. She said if these types of gatherings are not stopped she will return with a shutdown order in two weeks
