US surpasses 1 million COVID-19 cases in 10 days this month
The United States has surpassed 1 million new confirmed coronavirus cases in just the first 10 days of November, as the country recorded 200,000 new COVID-19 cases in one day on Tuesday, pushing the running total to more than 10 million. The U.S. remains the hardest-hit nation at nearly 240,000 deaths, with shocking new data now including a record 60,000 current hospitalizations.
The 1 million milestone came as governors across the nation are making increasingly desperate pleas with the public to take the fight against the virus more seriously. The Wisconsin governor planned to take the unusual step of delivering a live address to the state Tuesday, urging unity and cooperation to fight COVID-19. Minnesota’s governor ordered bars and restaurants to close at 10 p.m., and Iowa’s governor said she will require masks at indoor gatherings of 25 or more people, inching toward more stringent measures after months of holding out.
Several states posted records Tuesday, including more than 12,000 new cases in Illinois, 7,000 in Wisconsin and 6,500 in Ohio. Deaths – a lagging indicator, as it takes time for people to get sick and die – are climbing again, reaching an average of more than 930 a day. Hospitals are getting slammed. And unlike the earlier outbreaks, this one is not confined to a region or two. Cases are on the rise in 49 states.
While the first surge in the Northeast caught many Americans unprepared and cut an especially deadly swath through nursing homes, the second crest along the nation's Southern and Western rim was attributed mostly to heedless behavior, particularly among young adults over Memorial Day and July Fourth and hot weather that sent people indoors, where the virus spreads more easily. The fall surge similarly has been blamed largely on cold weather driving people inside and disdain for masks and social distancing, stoked by President Donald Trump and other politicians.
(c) Daily Sabah
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