COVID-19 Update: U.S. Cases Now Reaches 40 Million, 25,000 Cases Per Day Recorded Since Late May

John Hopkins University said the cumulative number of COVID-19 infections in the United States has exceeded 40 million since the start of the epidemic. The fourth wave driven by the delta variant is driving healthcare systems in several states to breaking point.

The New York Times said U.S. was averaging less than 25,000 cases per day on Memorial Day in late May, where many consider the formal start of summer. Still, by Labor Day, that figure had grown to almost 160,000.

According to USA Today, the daily case count in the United States is 316 percent more than it was during Labor Day weekend last year. Hospitalizations increased by 158 percent.

Since the start of the epidemic, 648,910 people have died due to COVID-19, with the daily mortality rate increasing by 55 percent in the last two weeks. The nation had an average more than 1,500 deaths per day for the first time since late March.

ROME, ITALY – MARCH 26: (EDITORS NOTE: Parts of this image have been obscured for privacy reasons) Doctors treat COVID-19 patients in an intensive care unit at the third Covid 3 Hospital (Photo by Antonio Masiello/Getty Images)

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More Than 100,000 Americans Hospitalized Due to COVID-19

According to a New York Times database, more than 102,000 Americans were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Sunday because of the coronavirus’s delta form sweeping the nation. For the first time since the first week of February, the average daily number of patients hospitalized by COVID-19 has surpassed 100,000. Consequently, medical institutions throughout the country are once again being pushed to or beyond capacity due to the virus’s unrelenting assault over the last 18 months. Last week, Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) said that just four adult ICU beds were available in the whole state, out of roughly 400.

Little believes the state is perilously close to enacting statewide crisis care requirements. He went on to say that someone would have to determine who could and couldn’t be treated. In mid-August, Arkansas had just eight ICU beds available. Last month, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) said that up to 1,500 National Guard troops will be sent to assist frontline health care workers. According to the Oregon Health Authority, only 50 of the 638 hospital beds in Oregon were available over the weekend. More than 75% of all inpatient beds in the nation are filled, according to the latest statistics from the Department of Health and Human Services.

After reaching a low point of about 500,000 vaccination doses per day in late July, providers are currently averaging around 950,000 daily doses. However, almost half of all Americans are still unvaccinated, allowing the delta strain to proliferate. In late September, the Biden Administration intended to make Covid-19 booster injections accessible to the entire population. On the other hand, Dr. Anthony Fauci stated on Sunday that it’s “possible” that only Pfizer’s injection would be authorized by Sept. 20. Moderna’s attack may be postponed for “at most a few of weeks.”

According to The Associated Press, the epidemic has caused a nursing shortage, prompting many hospitals to raise salaries substantially to keep employees on the job.

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