Covid Is Officially On The Rise Again In The U.S.

Topline

Coronavirus cases are once again on the rise in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University, with more cases added Wednesday than any day in over a month as declines in hospitalizations and deaths grind to a halt.

Health officials are framing vaccinations as a race against time.

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Key Facts

The U.S. added 86,903 new Covid-19 cases Wednesday—the highest in a single day since Feb. 13, according to Johns Hopkins.

The 7-day rolling average for new cases is also now on the rise, reaching 56,411 on Wednesday.

The rolling average had been on a steep decline since January, when it topped 250,000, but that decline slowed significantly in recent weeks and has now reversed to a rise once again, according to Johns Hopkins.

Hospitalizations and deaths have also stopped their rapid declines.

According to a New York Times tracker, U.S. hospitalizations actually rose from 38,565 Monday to 39,439 on Tuesday, which is the most recent date data is available.

The U.S. added 1,591 deaths on Wednesday, which was the most since March 13, according to the Times.

What To Watch For

Top health officials are framing the massive, ongoing vaccination effort as a race against time as much more contagious new variants start to dominate the United States. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky also warned Monday the U.S. could end up with “another avoidable surge” if precautions like mask wearing and social distancing are dropped.

Key Background

New, more contagious coronavirus variants are spreading rapidly across the U.S., with Walensky saying Monday two new variants already make up the majority of cases in California. The new variants have largely been blamed for a Covid spike recently in many European countries, most of which have much stricter restrictions in place than the United States. Despite the concerns about the new strains and warnings from health officials, several states have opted to drop longstanding Covid precautions, including mask mandates.

Big Number

13.4%. That’s how much of the U.S. population has been fully vaccinated, according to Johns Hopkins.

Surprising Fact

The U.S. no longer is at the top of the list for countries in terms of new cases. Brazil, which is averaging just under 70,000 cases a day, now has that unwanted distinction.

Further Reading

CDC director warns coronavirus variants could spark another avoidable surge (CNN)

Italy’s Warning: Covid Cases Spike Again As Vaccine Rollout Lags (Forbes)

Biden Slams Texas And Mississippi’s ‘Neanderthal Thinking’ In Dropping Covid-19 Restrictions And Mask Mandate (Forbes)

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