Sunday was day 301 since the first case of coronavirus disease was announced in the United States, and it marked the day we passed 11 million cases.
We are experiencing an “unprecedented surge of hospitalizations.” Sunday’s hospitalization report, 69,864 patients, marked the sixth successive day with new hospitalization records. Yes, more hospitalizations than in the initial spike (first peak, 59,940 on 15 April 2020) and with far more states affected.
The steady rise in hospitalizations follows the steady rise in cases.
Regardless of which tool you check – CDC, Covid Tracking Project or Johns Hopkins – we had more than 1,000,000 new cases in the seven-day period ending Sunday 15 November. The CDC and Johns Hopkins reported more than 1 million on Saturday 14 November. Johns Hopkins data exceeded 1 million on Friday 13 November.
The numbers are so large as to be both scary and unfathomable. If you feel numb, you are not alone.
About the quote: Dr. Michael Osterholm is an advisor to Biden-Harris on COVID-19. He has said that many Americans have “pandemic anger” and also many do not believe it is a real public health problem. I have reports from ICU nurses in Texas and South Dakota who illustrate that observation with patient stories.
What escalating case rates mean
We will witness 2,000 – 3,000 COVID-19 deaths per day for the 10-day period after Black Friday (28 November – 07 December 2020) based on the 1,418,442 positive cases reported from 05-14 November. To date, the most reported deaths was 2,692 on 29 April 2020.
Read the 16 November edition of COVID-19 Memo from a News Hound for the details. And stories from around the country. Plus weekly data reports.
I began reporting on COVID-19 daily on 01 March 2020, nudged into making my family-and-friends summaries public. That’s what happens when you are a reporter at heart living in the epicenter of a global pandemic. (The first national case reported was from Seattle on 21 January. The first death, 29 February from Seattle.) On 20 July, I switched to three days a week; later, weekly (late Sunday or Monday with data from the prior week). There is an occasional mid-week edition, which may become more frequent during this latest onslaught and the administration change in DC.
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Known for gnawing at complex questions like a terrier with a bone. Digital evangelist, writer, teacher. Transplanted Southerner; teach newbies to ride motorcycles! @kegill, wiredpen.com