Daily Deaths Exceed 2,700... Highest Since April
Concerns Over Healthcare System Limits... "Spread Over Next 2 Weeks Is Key"
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The number of patients hospitalized due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in the United States has exceeded 100,000 for the first time. The daily death toll also surpassed 2,700, marking the highest level since April. As winter, the season when COVID-19 initially spread, returns, there are concerns that the spread will worsen further.
According to CNN and other foreign media on the 2nd (local time), the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S. was recorded at 102,260, setting a new all-time high. This is the first time the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations has exceeded 100,000. The number of hospitalized patients has nearly doubled compared to when lockdown measures were imposed in April.
According to COVID-19 statistics from Johns Hopkins University, the cumulative confirmed cases in the U.S. have reached 13,919,431, approaching 14 million. The cumulative death toll has surpassed 270,000, reaching 273,368. The number of deaths reported in a single day was 2,731, the highest since April. As the season turns to winter in December, when COVID-19 first spread, the spread is showing signs of intensifying.
According to the U.S. political media outlet The Hill, Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), expressed concern, saying, "It will be dangerous for three months until February next year. It will be the most difficult period in the history of U.S. public health." The White House COVID-19 Task Force recently sent letters to state governments across the U.S., warning that "the current very high COVID-19 case rates and limited hospital bed capacity have created a dangerous situation." They further warned, "If cases increase further due to the impact of Thanksgiving, treatment and the overall operation of the healthcare system could be at risk."
There are even concerns that the U.S. healthcare system could collapse if the spread is not curbed. Some hospitals are reportedly approaching their capacity limits for accommodating COVID-19 patients. Philip Landrigan, head of the Global Public Health Program at Boston College, expressed concern, saying, "The fact that so many people are hospitalized shows that authorities have not properly controlled the pandemic. The virus is spreading very rapidly and simultaneously, which means it is out of control."
Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota and an advisor to President-elect Joe Biden, emphasized, "If a large number of infections occur after the Thanksgiving holiday, the healthcare system will reach its limit. Then, there will be a shortage of medical staff, and hospitalizations will no longer be possible. The next two weeks are very important."
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