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Summary
- The daily new coronavirus cases in the US hit a record high on 4 November with soaring infections as the country is on the brink of finding out its next President.
- Many scientists have warned about harsh winters on the horizon for the US, and it could reach the third peak of infections ahead of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Trump has ignored all health advisories of maintaining social distancing by holding public rallies. At the same time, Biden was barely seen in public without a mask and made public health a critical issue.
US has set a 1-day record for new coronavirus cases on 4 November. The average daily confirmed cases jumped to an all-time high in the US as the country lingers on a knife-edge for a President.
As per John Hopkins University, daily fresh coronavirus cases have risen 45% in the past 2 weeks to a record 7-day average of 86,352. Deaths have also increased by 15% to an average of 846 deaths every day.
A minimum of 111,897 new infections were recorded, as on 6 November, while hospitals in numerous states posted an increasing wave of patients in the country. Further, hospitalisations topped 50,000 for the first time in 3 months.
Coronavirus has infected more than 900 million people in the US and has killed 240,910 people till date.
A total of 9 states reported a record 1-day increase in cases including of Indiana, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Washington, Maine, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Rhode Island.
Difficult winter for the US ahead
The trend of surging coronavirus cases could send the US pandemic further into its third peak ahead of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Many scientists are warning of dangerous winters ahead as the virus is spreading rapidly and widely across the states.
WHO has stated that rates of more than 5% are concerning as they imply unnoticed community transmission.
Susan Bailey President of the American Medical Association noted that there are things Americans can do now to slow the trajectory of rising cases. She stated that Americans need to be stricter in taking precautions and must not be relaxed about physical distancing, wearing masks, and washing hands.
Dr Leana Wen public health expert at George Washington University stated that every metric is going in the wrong direction and the virus will persist at an accelerated speed and not come to a halt on its own.
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Experts have cautioned that hospitalisations are a troubling trend as they generally lag rising cases and suggest that there will be more casualties. Nationally, according to estimates by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, almost 140,000 more individuals in the US could die from COVID-19 by Inauguration day on 20 January.
Infected people allowed to vote
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidance to make it clear that all voters including those who are infected possess the right to vote, warning them to follow recommended public health guidance at polling sites on the election day.
While Trump has ignored the advice of health advisors on the need for social distancing by holding public rallies, Biden was rarely seen in public without a mask and made public health a vital issue.
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