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Hospitals in the United States are on high alert over the more contagious news COVID-19[female[feminine stump that first surfaced United Kingdom and has since appeared in Colorado, California and now Florida.
Florida health officials this week announced they have evidence of the first identified case of the strain in Martin County. In a Twitter post Thursday night, the state’s health department said the man was in his 20s and had no travel history.
The fast-growing virus arrives as cases continue to increase at an unrelenting rate, reports CBS News’s Tom Hanson. More than 160,000 new COVID-19 infections were reported across the country on Friday, increasing the total number of cases above 20 million on the first day of 2021.
Nearly 350,000 Americans have died from the disease. In California alone, the virus killed 585 people on New Years Day – on the same day, 47,000 new cases were reported in the state, increasing the number of cases in hospitals.
“It’s like walking on water 30 meters below the surface,” said Scott Brickner, a nurse at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. “You’re already drowning but you just have to keep trying because that’s what you can do.”
COVID-19 kills one person every ten minutes in Los Angeles County.
Nationally, 40% of new cases are in southern states. Hospitalization in Texas has broken records for five consecutive days, an increase of 36% last month.
Against a bleak backdrop, provocative crowds danced in Philadelphia to protest the cancellation of the New Year’s Eve parade, and worshipers protested California’s limits on indoor gatherings.
“There is more to being here than being afraid of a virus,” said one person.
Meanwhile, the best hope of thwarting the virus – vaccines – was tainted in Wisconsin when a pharmacist admitted to forgery with vials in an Aurora Heath Center.
Jeff Blair, president of Aurora Health, said the individual was “suspended and admitted to intentionally removing the vaccine from the refrigeration.” The person is in custody and the case is now under criminal investigation.
“The 57 recipients of these vaccines have been notified. At this time, there is no evidence that the vaccinations are causing them any harm,” Blair said.
However, even under the best of circumstances, inoculating the nation has been difficult so far. This week, 20 million first doses were supposed to be in people’s arms this week, but only 12.5 million were given and less than 3 million were actually given.
Army General Gus Perna, who is in charge of vaccine distribution, expressed optimism about the deployment.
“It’s only been 12 days, there are two public holidays, there have been three major snowstorms, and I think the turnout will increase dramatically,” he said.
In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the goal was to vaccinate one million people by the end of January. The city has received 360,000 doses and administered around 98,000. Vaccination centers will be launched in an effort to speed up distribution.
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