Health

Daily coronavirus cases and deaths fall to their lowest levels since mid-March


The United States recorded its lowest daily totals of coronavirus cases and deaths in more than a year as officials continue to encourage the public to get vaccinated.

On Sunday, the country reported 6,725 new infections, which is the lowest single-day number since March 21, 2020, a DailyMail.com analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows.

It also marks the first time that the daily number of cases has fallen below 10,000 in more than a year, the analysis found. 

The U.S. recorded 124 new coronavirus-related deaths on Sunday, the lowest figure since 119 fatalities were reported on March 24, 2020. 

It comes as 20 U.S. states, and the District of Columbia, have administered at least one coronavirus vaccine dose to two-thirds of their adult populations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Twelve of those states – Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia – are in the Northeast.

Just two – Illinois and Minnesota – are in the Midwest and six – California, Colorado, Hawaii, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington – are in the west.

Vermont currently leads the pack with 81.7 percent of residents receiving at least one dose, according to CDC data.

This will help meet President Joe Biden’s goal of 70 percent of Americans receiving at least one COVID-19 vaccine by July 4. 

Despite the promising numbers  Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, says it is too soon for the country to declare victory against COVID-19.

‘We don’t want to declare victory prematurely because we still have a ways to go, but the more and more people that can get vaccinated, as a community, the community will be safer and safer.” he told The Guardian.

On Sunday, the U.S. recorded 6,725 new coronavirus cases, which is the lowest single-day total since March 21, and the first time cases have fallen below 10,000 in more than a year

On Sunday, the U.S. recorded 6,725 new coronavirus cases, which is the lowest single-day total since March 21, and the first time cases have fallen below 10,000 in more than a year

American also reported 124 new coronavirus-related deaths on Sunday, marking the lowest figure since March 24, 2020

American also reported 124 new coronavirus-related deaths on Sunday, marking the lowest figure since March 24, 2020

CDC data show that 20 states, and the District of Columbia, have administered at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose to two-thirds of their adult populations

CDC data show that 20 states, and the District of Columbia, have administered at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose to two-thirds of their adult populations

According to CDC data, 62.6 percent of all American adults have received at least an initial dose of the inoculation and 49.6 percent are fully vaccinated.

What’s more, 50.5 percent of the U.S. population, including children 12 and older, have been given at least one dose and 40.7 percent have completed their vaccine series.

To incentivize more residents to get vaccinated, some governors have announced lotteries with large cash prizes.

On Thursday, California revealed it will be offering the country’s largest pot of vaccine prize money – $116.5 million – including $1.5 million each for 10 residents. 

Additionally, the first two winners of the lottery in Ohio – which was the first state to launch any incentivization campaign – were recently unveiled with a 22-year-old winning the initial $1 million prize and a 14-year-old winning a full-ride scholarship to college.

With millions of people traveling for Memorial Day weekend and meeting friends and family for picnics or barbeques, health experts warn there is still a significant portion of the population that is unvaccinated and at risk.

‘As long as there is some degree of activity throughout the world, there’s always a danger of variants emerging and diminishing somewhat the effectiveness of our vaccines,’ Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) told The Guardian.

‘We cannot abandon public health measures when you still have a degree of viral activity in the broad community in the United States. Although we’re down to less than 30,000 infections per day that’s still a lot of infections per day.’ 

Dr Leana Wen, an emergency physician, told CNN that Americans who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 ‘should feel very well protected.’

But she says inoculated people still need to follow precautions, including wearing masks and social distancing.

‘Those who remain at risk are those who are unvaccinated, and that includes children who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated as well as adults who just have not been vaccinated yet,’ she said. 

‘And so those people who are unvaccinated are now still at high risk because we do have more transmissible variants, and unfortunately those individuals who don’t have immunity are not protected from these variants that can wreak a lot of havoc.’

Coronavirus cases are holding steady or declining in all but three states, California, Missouri and Washington, according to Johns Hopkins data

Coronavirus cases are holding steady or declining in all but three states, California, Missouri and Washington, according to Johns Hopkins data

California's seven-day rolling average hit 2,026 new cases per day, a 71% increase from 1,179 cases recorded on May 19, which health officials say is linked to a rise in infections in northern counties

California’s seven-day rolling average hit 2,026 new cases per day, a 71% increase from 1,179 cases recorded on May 19, which health officials say is linked to a rise in infections in northern counties

Meanwhile, cases are holding steady or declining in all but three states, California, Missouri and Washington, according to Johns Hopkins data.

On Sunday, California’s seven-day rolling average hit 2,026 new cases per day, a 71 percent increase from 1,179 recorded on May 19.

According to state health officials, the surge is being drive by a rise in case in the northern part of California.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Shasta County – 200 miles north of Sacramento – is seeing 9.1 new daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents and a positivity rate of 3.7 percent, while the statewide rate is at 0.9 percent.

Comparatively, Los Angeles County is reporting a daily rate of 1.8 new cases per 100,000 people and a positivity rate of 0.4 percent. 

‘Right now, Shasta County is a red tier county in a sea of orange and yellow counties,’ Kerri Schuette, program manager of the county’s public health department, told the Chronicle. ‘We still have a very high case rate.’ 

Missouri has seen a 16% rise in the seven-day rolling average of cases from 434 new infections recorded on May 19 to 505 cases on Sunday

Missouri has seen a 16% rise in the seven-day rolling average of cases from 434 new infections recorded on May 19 to 505 cases on Sunday

On Sunday, the seven-day rolling average of coronavirus cases in Washington hit 919, a 33% increase from the 689 cases recorded May 19

On Sunday, the seven-day rolling average of coronavirus cases in Washington hit 919, a 33% increase from the 689 cases recorded May 19

In Missouri, the seven-day rolling average of cases has risen 16 percent from 434 recorded two weeks ago to 505 recorded on Sunday, a DailyMail.com analysis of Johns Hopkins data found.

Just 52.7 percent of the adult population has received at least one dose and officials are seeing a rise in the number of infected young adults and children.

‘With graduation, we had schools that took senior trips and had students all on buses together for four to six hours,’ Linn County Health Department Krista Neblock told The Missouri Independent

‘The kids were developing symptoms and continuing with festivities. And they only got tested on a Monday, after they had gone around and infected a significant number of people.’  

On Sunday, the seven-day rolling average of infections in Washington hit 919, a 33 percent increase from the 689 cases recorded May 19, the analysis revealed.

Health officials say vaccine hesitancy is behind the slight uptick in cases as well as long-term care residents moving in and out of buildings, sometimes bringing the virus with them.

‘Vaccine hesitancy remains an issue among long-term-care workers nationwide,’ Chris Wright, a spokesman for the state’s Department of Social and Health Services, told the Seattle Times.

‘Now that hundreds of millions of doses of vaccine have been administered, hesitant employees can be assured that it is a safe and effective, and we hope they will choose to get vaccinated.’ 



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