WASHINGTON, Dec 16, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – The US set a new daily record of
Covid-19 cases Tuesday, with more than 248,000 infections registered in the
past 24 hours, the Johns Hopkins University virus monitor reported.
In the same period, 2,706 new deaths were recorded, according to data
compiled by AFP based on information released by the university.
Coronavirus infections have increased dramatically over the past month in
the United States — new daily cases have been recorded at or above the
200,000 mark in 10 of the past 13 days.
The number of hospitalized Covid patients — 113,000 — is also at its
highest level since the beginning of the pandemic in March, according to data
from the US Department of Health and Human Services.
The situation is starting to improve in the Midwest, where the number of
new daily cases and hospitalizations is decreasing.
However, the epidemic is picking up steam in the Northeast and the West,
according to the Covid Tracking Project, which compiles data from around the
country every day.
California is especially facing a dearth of available intensive care beds.
Fewer than 100 were available on Tuesday in the densely populated Los Angeles
county, home to 10 million people.
The large nationwide vaccination campaign launched on Monday will have no
effect on the current surge, health officials say, because it will take
months before enough people are immunized to make a difference.
Experts say that face masks and social distancing measures must remain in
use, especially during the end-of-year holiday period.