The Latest: US hits new high for 7-day avg with 86,352 casesThe United States has set another record for daily confirmed coronavirus cases as several states posted all-time highs Wednesday, underscoring the vexing issue confronting the winner of the presidential race
November 5, 2020, 1:05 AM
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Should you get tested for COVID-19 after voting?
The United States has set another record for daily confirmed coronavirus cases as several states posted all-time highs Wednesday, underscoring the vexing issue confronting the winner of the presidential race.
Public health experts fear potentially dire consequences, at least in the short term.
Daily new confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. have surged 45% over the past two weeks, to a record seven-day average of 86,352, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Deaths are also on the rise, up 15% to an average of 846 deaths every day.
The total U.S. death toll is already more than 232,000, and total confirmed U.S. cases have surpassed 9 million. Those are the highest totals in the world, and new infections are increasing in nearly every state.
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HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:
— Poland reaches daily high of nearly 25,000 coronavirus cases
— Russia reports records in new daily virus cases, deaths
— South Korea approves single test for COVID-19 and flu
— Pints poured, retail therapy: England readies for lockdown to start Thursday to try to curb surge in coronavirus cases.
— Pope Francis urges people to follow recommendations from governments and health authorities amid a surge of infections across Europe.
— Sports venues throughout the U.S. were in play on Election Day. Professional sports teams offered their stadiums, arenas and practice facilities to provide more polling places during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Follow AP’s coronavirus pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:
TOPEKA, Kan. — Several dozen Kansas hospitals say they expect to deal with staffing shortages over the next week as the state continues to report an average of well over 1,000 new coronavirus cases a day.
The Wichita area’s two major health systems said Wednesday that almost 150 coronavirus patients were hospitalized, their highest numbers since the pandemic began.
The Ascension Via Christi system is trying to bring in about 60 nurses from outside Kansas to help with staffing, and it has converted space into two new units for COVID-19 patients.
The state’s average of 1,453 new cases a day for the seven days ending Wednesday is not a record, but is still more than double the level of a month ago.
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MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota hospitals are under pressure and ICU beds are nearing full capacity as coronavirus cases reach a new high and hospitalizations continue to surge.
The state Department of Health said that as of Wednesday afternoon, 887 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19, including 219 in intensive care.
Officials said ICU bed use is at 98% capacity in the Twin Cities area and 92% statewide. The vast majority of ICU beds are occupied by patients with ailments unrelated to COVID-19, but the rise in hospitalizations is straining capacity.
Minnesota reported a record-high 3,844 new cases of the coronavirus Wednesday and 31 deaths. The state has seen 160,923 cases and 2,530 deaths since the pandemic began.
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DENVER — Colorado health officials say that in the next two or three days they expect hospitalizations from the coronavirus to surpass the high levels seen in April.
The dean of the Colorado School of Public Health said Wednesday that if transmission continues at the current rate, the state’s hospitals will exceed capacity in their intensive care units by late December. Dr. Jon Samet added that ICU units could become overwhelmed sooner if people gather during the holidays.
Health officials said 8.92% of tests have come back positive over the past week. The World Health Organization recommends that the positivity rate stay below 5%.
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