The number of coronavirus cases in the US has already hit 7.6 million, which is the highest number in the world and makes 20% of the total cases worldwide. The first surge in these cases was observed in late March, but social distancing and other safety measures brought the number of cases down and stabilized the country by May. Now as the lockdown measures are eased, the coronavirus cases in the US are piling up again.
More than 56000 new coronavirus cases in the US were reported on Thursday according to data from Johns Hopkins, and the country is now averaging nearly 45000 cases of the virus daily. This is the highest daily number of cases the country has seen since August and twice the number of daily cases in June, and the number of deaths from the virus in the country has already crossed 213,000.
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The experts believe that the number of coronavirus cases in the US is very high ahead of the winter season which could be more challenging and deadly. According to the latest prediction by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the deaths from Covid19 in the US could reach around 233,000 by the end of October. The prediction made by the CDC was done by combining data using dozens of different models. They say on their website that there is an indication of an uncertain trend in the new coronavirus deaths in the country over the next month and they predict that around 2800 to 6800 more people could die from the virus in the country by the end of October. Previously they predicted that by the end of this week the deaths by the virus would reach 207000 to 218000.
Florida, California, and Arizona which were the hotspots of the virus in the summer season are now stabilized but the cases are surging in the other states including Wisconsin and North and South Dakota. Only Hawaii and Alabama are reporting a decline in cases. Moreover, the number of infections has surged in the whole country steadily for a consecutive of three weeks. However, the number of cases still haven’t reached the peak of July and August, when the country was averaging around 63000 cases a day. The number of people being hospitalized is also increasing as for the first time the number of hospitalizations has risen in the country since July with more than 33000 patients hospitalized.
As the winter season is nearing people with move their gatherings indoors, where the coronavirus is more likely to spread. Moreover, in flu season experts are worried that there could be a ‘twin-demic’. However, health experts believe that by adhering to safety measures of social distancing and wearing masks, and by getting the flu shots people can protect themselves.
So, why are the coronavirus cases in the US surging? The returning of students in schools could be one of the contributing factors. Almost 100,000 new infections were reported in the period when the students began returning to schools, and in that period the number of cases in a week in people aged between 18 and 22 rose by nearly 55% in the country. More than 130,000 new cases of the virus have been found at around 1300 colleges in America since the reopening.