24 December 2020 02:55 am
US, (Hindustan imes), Dec 23, 2020 - In the United States last week, someone died from Covid-19 every 33 seconds.
The disease claimed more than 18,000 lives in the seven days ended Dec. 20, up 6.7% from the prior week to hit another record high, according to a Reuters analysis of state and county reports.
Despite pleas by health officials not to travel during the end-year holiday season, 3.2 million people were screened at US airports on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Health officials are worried that a surge in infections from holiday gatherings could overwhelm hospitals, some of which are already at capacity after Thanksgiving celebrations.
And while the country has begun to administer two new vaccines, it may be months before the inoculations put a dent in the coronavirus outbreak.
The World Health Organization considers positive test rates above 5% concerning because it suggests there are more cases in the community that have not yet been uncovered.