Coronavirus in the U.S. is spreading like 'wildfire,' epidemiologist says

https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus-u-spreading-wildfire-epidemiologist-235613971.html

Akshay Syal
,NBC News•October 26, 2020

Coronavirus cases are climbing at an alarming rate in the U.S., raising fears that parts of the country are in a third wave of Covid-19.

Nationwide, cases Friday were 79,303, the second day in a row of record-setting confirmed new cases of the coronavirus. Over the weekend, the U.S. added 79,059 cases on Saturday and 64,603 cases on Sunday according to an NBC News tally. According to the COVID Tracking Project, the 7-day average for new cases of the coronavirus is 69,692, the highest number to date. There are also nearly 43,000 Americans hospitalized with Covid-19, the highest number since August 19th.

Fewer than 10 states in the country are not experiencing increases of infection.


•••••

Fauci and other experts are particularly concerned that the recent surge in cases is starting from a higher baseline of roughly 40,000 cases per day, compared with 20,000 cases per day during the summer surge.

“Each wave we start from a higher baseline and we start climbing,” Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health said, noting that during the summer, infections were rising most in the South and Southwest. "This time, it's all around the country and we're heading into winter, where the virus becomes more efficient in spreading."

•••••

Small gatherings are now playing a larger role in driving transmission, Smith said, and can be tied to the fatigue from a pandemic nearing its eighth month.

“Everyone wants to feel a bit of normalcy, even if for an evening,” she said.

As the U.S. heads into the winter holiday months, doubling-down on basic public health measures is even more crucial, especially wearing a mask and avoiding crowds and close contact in closed spaces with poor ventilation, experts say.

“When you're dealing with the first full winter of the worst pandemic that we have seen in a century, the capacity for chaos is there and is real," Hanage said. "The virus likes chaos."