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Deaths and hospitalizations due to covid reach an all-time high in the US

2020-12-04T06:09:11.085Z


The total number of deaths from coronavirus in one day set a new record and hospitalizations reached an all-time high.


The fears of grandparents in a covid-19 unit 1:08

(CNN) -

The total number of coronavirus deaths reported in a day set a new record on Wednesday and hospitalizations also hit an all-time high, as U.S. doctors and nurses are trying to find creative ways to handle the number. growing number of patients.

The numbers are grim.

More than 100,200 patients were in U.S. hospitals on Wednesday, according to the COVID Tracking Project.

Additionally, more than 2,670 deaths were reported on the same day, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Those totals have never been higher.

The stress on frontline healthcare workers has never been greater.

A Wisconsin county official told CNN: "The ICUs in our hospital and emergency rooms are still stretched beyond any reasonable limit and our healthcare workers, as well as our patients, need our help."

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And the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Wednesday that these next three months will be "the most difficult time in the history of public health in this nation."

Once licensed by the federal government, coronavirus vaccines should help mitigate the pandemic.

But experts believe it will not be until the spring when many Americans can receive them.

Right now, the situation in places like Dane County, Wisconsin, is dire.

Dane County Director Joe Parisi, who told CNN that resources are alarmingly depleted, said medical facilities are approaching capacity and that this was the worst of the pandemic.

Dr. David Andes, professor and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin, said its hospitals are 98% full.

"Our numbers are pretty out of control right now," he said.

Andes said hospitals are trying to overcome the crisis by finding new places to care for COVID-19 patients.

Some are receiving treatment in a children's hospital.

Some patients are being cared for by physicians who work outside of their specialties.

Many healthcare workers are signing up for additional shifts.

Other hospitals face similar lawsuits.

And while those facilities have been expanding capacity, opening up new areas, creating more double-occupancy rooms, and bringing in staff from outside their own system, "we no longer have levers to pull," said Dr. Jason Mitchell, medical director of Presbyterian Healthcare Services in New Mexico, he told CNN.

"When you run out of resources, be it doctors, nurses, beds or ventilators, you cannot provide (the best) care ... We are not there yet (but) we are very close as a state.

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A growing number of patients will stress the system, says CDC director

The number of COVID-19 patients in US hospitals will remain high for months, the top CDC official said Wednesday.

“The reality is that December, January and February are going to be difficult times.

In fact, I believe this is going to be the most difficult time in the history of public health in this nation.

In large part due to the stress that will be placed on our health care system, ”said Dr. Robert Redfield.

Daily coronavirus cases and deaths have also skyrocketed.

The United States has averaged 161,448 new cases a day over the past week, nearly 2.5 times the summer peak in July.

The daily average of COVID-19 deaths in the country over a week is 1,531, up from its summer high of around 1,130, but lower than the peak of the pandemic above 2,240 at the end of April.

But as coronavirus hospitalizations rise, the number of daily deaths is predicted to worsen.

And several experts recently warned that it could regularly exceed 2,000 and 3,000, and perhaps approach 4,000.

Health experts say they expect cases and hospitalizations to spike even more in the coming weeks, when infections from Thanksgiving gatherings begin to show.

And the CDC, like they did for Thanksgiving, is recommending that people postpone their travels during the upcoming winter break, Dr. Henry Walke, CDC's manager of covid-19 incidents, said Wednesday.

100 million Americans could be vaccinated in February

The world appears to be closing in on available covid-19 vaccines: On Wednesday, the UK became the first Western nation to approve one.

And the first doses are expected to be implemented throughout that country starting next week.

And two companies are preparing to ship vaccines to the United States, anticipating that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will give them emergency approval this month.

Initial supplies in both countries will be limited and the general population will not have access to them for months in 2021. A CDC panel recommended Tuesday that long-term care and health care workers get vaccinated first.

The vaccine candidates from Pfizer and Moderna are awaiting emergency use authorizations in the US An FDA panel is expected to meet to decide whether to authorize them on December 10 and 17, respectively.

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Assuming the vaccines are authorized, the first shipments of the vaccines could take place on December 15 and 22, respectively, according to a federal government Operation Warp Speed ​​document.

By February, 100 million Americans could be vaccinated against the coronavirus, Moncef Slaoui, the Operation's senior adviser, said Wednesday.

“All the investments we have made to expand and begin stockpiling vaccine manufacturing allow us to be confident that we will be able to distribute 20 million vaccines.

Enough to vaccinate 20 million people in the US in December, "Slaoui said in a briefing.

The United States has said that if both Pfizer and Moderna obtain emergency use authorization from the FDA in December, they could distribute 40 million doses of vaccines by the end of the month.

Each vaccine requires two doses, making it enough to fully vaccinate 20 million people.

Slaoui said he expected 60 million more vaccines by the end of January.

CDC: 14-day quarantine can be reduced to 7-10 days

New guidance from the CDC says that quarantine periods can be shorter than 14 days for some people exposed to COVID-19.

The CDC continues to recommend quarantine for 14 days as the best way to reduce the risk of spreading covid-19, said Walke, of CDC's covid-19 incidents.

But there are "two acceptable alternative quarantine periods."

The quarantine may end after 10 days without a COVID-19 test if the person reported no symptoms.

Or after 7 days with a negative result if the person has not reported symptoms.

People who have been exposed should still watch for symptoms for 14 days, especially if they finish the quarantine earlier, Walke said.

"I want to emphasize that we are sharing these options with public health agencies across the country, so they can determine how long the quarantine period should last in their jurisdictions based on local conditions and needs," said Walke.

"Everyone should follow this specific guide from local public health authorities on how long to stay in quarantine."

Shortening the duration can make it easier to quarantine people, Walke said, and reduce stress on the public health system as new infections rise rapidly.

States face climbing records

Tuesday was a record day of coronavirus devastation in many states, and local leaders are tackling it with new measures to combat the virus.

Oregon reported the highest number of deaths recorded in one day.

Texas set its record for coronavirus cases reported in one day, at more than 15,000.

And Mississippi has more COVID-19 patients in hospitals than ever, with more than 1,000, state officials said.

Mississippi has had a mask-wearing mandate since late October in certain counties where the spread of the virus was worst.

The governor added 13 counties to that list, meaning the mandate is now at 65% of the state's counties.

"This is a time when the virus is very present," Governor Tate Reeves told reporters.

"The risk of contracting it is greater due to the number of cases we are reporting, there are more viruses in the communities."

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear called Tuesday the "worst day in history" for coronavirus on "virtually every measure."

"This is the deadliest day we've ever had," Beshear said.

"If we don't all do our part, if we try to be the exception, then slowing this down will not work, and we will lose many more Kentuckians we love and care about."

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Los Angeles County in California also had its "worst day" yet when it comes to cases and hospitalizations, according to county health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer.

“However, it will probably not continue to be the worst day of the pandemic in Los Angeles County.

That will be tomorrow, and the next day and the next as cases, hospitalizations and deaths increase, "he said.

A modified stay-at-home order went into effect in the county on Monday, prohibiting eating outside and meeting with people outside of a single home.

CNN's Haley Brink, Naomi Thomas, Maggie Fox, Andrea Diaz, Jamie Gumbrecht, Jennifer Henderson, Rebekah Riess, and Lauren Mascarenhas contributed to this report.

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Source: cnnespanol

All news articles on 2020-12-04

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