The coronavirus pandemic now has over ten million confirmed cases with a rising death toll around the globe. As the crisis worsens in most countries, there is an increase in research on the virus. Currently, the majority is desperately hoping for some good news regarding the deadly coronavirus. As a result, there have been a number of false news spreading in different parts of the world.
For instance, in the past few weeks, nearly all countries eased their lockdown restrictions. Although the decision led to a surge in new coronavirus infections, a big number of people believe it was made because the virus is now not as deadly.
According to Harvard public health experts, there is no evidence to show any change in the coronavirus’s lethality. In a recent press release on Wednesday, the Harvard Global Health Institute emphasized on how the virus is unlikely to become “less deadly” anytime soon.
However, many people point out how the hospitalizations and the total number of deaths in the US are not as high. Prior to the first lockdown, the stats showed both were much more in number. To this question, Harvard experts say that the overall stats of the country are “misleading”.
Know more about coronavirus in the US here.
Both the death toll and hospitalizations are increasing in most states. Some states with a rising number of new cases are Florida, Texas, South Carolina, and Arizona. The statistics show fewer cases because of the recent decline in a few states. These states include New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.
The cases are declining in these states does not mean they are also decreasing in the country overall. In addition, there may be a threat of a resurgence in all three of the states as well.
Many people, especially New York are not following preventive measures for coronavirus. In other states, such behavior by the majority of the public was one of the primary reasons in coronavirus spikes.
Related: Political Pressure on the CDC Sidelines Public Health
Even if experts do consider the decline as good news, it should be noted that the average stats of the country have actually not been updated. The numbers are weeks behind the rise in infections.
In the press release, the Harvard experts wrote that “The rapid increase in cases in many states has been overshadowed because hospitalizations and death rates have not risen at the same pace. As a result, a false narrative is wrongly taking hold that COVID-19 has lost its teeth”
Read Global Institute’s report on coronavirus control here.
Furthermore, they also said that the number of new infections in states with major deadly coronavirus spikes including Arizona, Florida, and Texas is much higher than the testing. This shows that tracing and testing are becoming increasingly difficult.
Till now, nearly 132,000 people in the United States have died as a result of the coronavirus infection. In order to control coronavirus transmission while reopening the country, the Harvard Global Health Institute in collaboration with the Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard has made a plan which suggests changes at the federal level, better tracing team and testing, and many more.