US sets new COVID-19 hospital admissions record at over 60,000

© GETTY IMAGES
US sets new COVID-19 hospital admissions record at over 60,000

The United States set a new coronavirus hospitalization record on Tuesday, with around 62,000 people currently in hospital with the virus, according to the COVID Tracking Project.

The country also set another record for new coronavirus cases, with more than 130,000 in a single day, as the number of cases continues to climb.

Statistics illustrate the terrible toll the virus is taking as the pandemic continues to worsen in the United States. The increasing numbers show no signs of slowing down as winter approaches and more and more activity is moving indoors, where the virus spreads more easily.

The number of hospital admissions topped 60,000 for the first time, surpassing previous highs set in April and July.

Hospitalizations are lagging behind cases so the number of cases has been setting records for days, hospitalizations are now catching up. Deaths have not yet increased as sharply, but they still take a heavy toll of around 1,000 a day, and could rise further as deaths in turn lag behind hospital admissions.

The growing number of people in the hospital is straining capacity in parts of the country, with field hospitals being set up in places like Wisconsin and El Paso, Texas.

Video: Reporter Update: Next Steps for Potential Coronavirus Vaccines (CBS Pittsburgh)

Reporter Update: Next Steps For Potential Coronavirus Vaccines

Click to enlarge

NEXT

Public health experts are urging people to take precautions despite the onset of “COVID fatigue” after months of battling the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday released their strongest endorsement of the masks to date, noting that they protect both the wearer and others.

In addition to wearing masks, experts urge people to limit gatherings, especially indoors, and to wash their hands.

Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease specialist, told MSNBC on Tuesday that officials were noting that many infections were linked to small gatherings in homes.

“They now see infections less in large gatherings than in family gatherings, friends getting together, eight, ten people gathering for dinner in a social gathering, in which they feel, ‘Well, we know all the world here, we may not need to wear a mask “or” We may not need to be tested. “

Contrary to statements by Scott Atlas, a top advisor to President Trump, and the president himself, Fauci has urged more testing for asymptomatic people to prevent them from spreading the virus.

“Much more widespread testing on asymptomatic individuals will be very important as we move in and begin these months of indoor type gathering,” Fauci said.

News on Monday that a Pfizer vaccine was over 90% effective in an interim analysis provides a silver lining, but the vaccine is not expected to be widely available to the general public until spring at the earliest, which means that ‘There are still several months to come.