US Daily COVID-19 Cases Explode to 200,000... Thanksgiving Critical Point

Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida, USA, is bustling with travelers on the 22nd (local time) ahead of Thanksgiving. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Hana Na] In the United States, which is experiencing the third wave of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the number of new daily cases exceeded 200,000, marking the highest number of new confirmed cases since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Johns Hopkins University reported on the 27th (local time) that the number of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. was 205,557.

However, CNN reported on the 28th that since at least 20 states did not report new COVID-19 cases on Thanksgiving Day (the 26th), some of the numbers reported that day appear to be combined totals from Thanksgiving Day (the 26th) and the following day, the 27th.

With more than 100,000 new cases reported daily for 26 consecutive days, the average daily number of new cases in the U.S. over the past week has exceeded 166,000.

As of the 28th, the cumulative number of cases was approximately 13,177,000, with about 30% of the total cases occurring this month, according to CNN's analysis.

The number of COVID-19 deaths this month is also on the rise again. On the 24th, there were 2,146 deaths, and on the 25th, 2,297 deaths, marking two consecutive days with over 2,000 deaths. The average daily number of deaths over the past seven days was 1,477. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the number dropped to 1,406 on the 27th.

Visiting Professor Liana Wen of George Washington University said, "Vaccines will make a big difference in the spring and summer (next year)," adding, "Right now, vaccines will not make a difference." She warned that "we are passing through a critical point toward disaster," and that daily deaths in the U.S. could soon surge to between 3,000 and 4,000.

Jonathan Reiner, a medical professor at George Washington University, expressed concern that this Thanksgiving could become "the epicenter of all potential super-spreader events."

Despite travel warnings issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and health experts to prevent the resurgence of COVID-19, it is estimated that about 6.5 million people traveled by airplane and 50 million traveled by car during the holiday period.