The US has recorded over 10 million coronavirus cases since the outbreak of the pandemic, according to data obtained from the Johns Hopkins University. As a result of this, the coronavirus cases in the country represented about one-fifth of all cases in the world.
The news of this current milestone is coming on the heels of cheering updates about a coronavirus vaccine trial and the constitution of a coronavirus advisory board by the President-elect Joe Biden. While Biden has promised to flatten the curve on the coronavirus and effectively control the spread of the virus, the latest milestone underscores the challenges the incoming administration will face.
George Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, while speaking to BuzzFeed News, described the development as a tragic milestone. He said the public should expect a rapid surge in the coming days.
The United States is currently witnessing a third wave of the pandemic that started in September. Initially, the increase in infections was only reported in the Upper Midwest and Great Plain states; however, the trend has shifted to almost every part of the country. Experts have described the current official figures of cases as a far cry from what actually may be the correct figures. This is due to the many people who may not have gotten tested but may have come down with the virus.
Hospitalizations due to the coronavirus have also been rising in recent days. Public health experts are concerned that the country may soon surpass the all-time hospitalization figures it witnessed during Spring when nearly 60,000 Americans were admitted in the hospital for the virus,
However, the death figures from those in the hospitals have significantly reduced. The experience of the medical professionals who are equipped with a better understanding of the physiology of the virus, including how to place patients in the best position to breathe, and the potency of steroids like dexamethasone, have helped hospitals around the country to record lower death rate from COVID-19.
But as the cases keep increasing in recent times, so has the death toll, which has passed the seven-day rolling average of 1,000 deaths per day. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and a member of the White House task force on the coronavirus had predicted a rise in cases as the country approached the fall and winter seasons. The increase, Fauci said, will be occasioned by the number of people staying indoors due to the holiday.
While the enhanced knowledge of medical personnel and the workable medical measures might have brought down the death rate, there’s the question of if there are enough workers to handle patients. When the health system becomes overwhelmed, it is difficult to ensure the best of healthcare.
The US is not alone in the list of countries experiencing a surge in the number of cases. Countries in Europe, such as the UK, Spain, Italy, and more, have battled rising cases. The UK is on a month-long lockdown to combat the spread of the virus to ensure low cases during the festive season.
Alexandra Phelan of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University said the only difference between the US and other countries was that unlike others, the US was unable to at some points bring the pandemic under control. He said that as the cases are rising in other countries, these countries are putting in place effective strategies to battle the virus – something the US is not doing.
Source: buzzfeednews.com
