As the United States surpasses 225,000 deaths and 8 million cases, the country saw its highest number of reported cases in a single day since the pandemic began.
This past Friday, October 23, had 83,000 reported cases, surpassing the previous single-day record in July, which hovered around 75,000. As explained by the New York Times, cases have been steadily rising over the course of October “with no plateau in sight.” In addition, COVID-19 hospitalizations have increased 40 percent in the past month.
Another wave is expected
Los Angeles continues to top the count of confirmed cases by county. However, more recently, the Midwest is also seeing surges. For example, cases in South Dakota remained below 500 per day until the beginning of October. Yesterday, new cases peaked at 1,040 and are expected to continue increasing.
The increase is concerning enough that the Oglala Sioux tribe ordered a week-long lockdown of Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. The shutdown, lasting through the morning of October 30, bans all nonessential travel and closes all nonessential businesses.
Oglala Sioux Tribe Locks Down! pic.twitter.com/4DlYM4a4Yi
— Oglala Sioux Tribe (@OSTOfficial1) October 23, 2020
As we approach winter, other parts of the world are also experiencing COVID-19 surges. Numerous countries are implementing curfews. According to Euronews, bars and restaurants in Italy are required to close by 6 p.m. Movie theaters, pools and gyms are shut down.
A hint of good news
Earlier this month, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases announced remdesivir is recommended to treat certain hospitalized patients with COVID-19. On October 22, the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the antiviral drug for use in adults and children over 12 years of age who weigh at least 88 pounds. For children under 12, clinical trials are ongoing to assess its safety.
In addition, though the city isn’t in the clear, a dive into San Francisco’s relative success with COVID-19 proves the efficacy of acting with strict caution. A Los Angeles Times’ report found that, despite being the second-densest city in the U.S., it has the lowest death rate per capita among the country’s most populous cities. Experts point to a strong partnership between public health officers and universities and a good example set by the tech industry.
“There is a general appreciation by the public of the importance of science,” UC San Francisco Department of Medicine Chair Dr. Robert Wachter said.
As Halloween approaches this upcoming weekend, check out our safety guide to have a COVID-19 safe celebration.
