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FILE PHOTO: A healthcare worker places a stretcher inside an ambulance at the entrance to the emergency room at Houston Methodist Hospital at Texas Medical Center as cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are increasing in Houston, Texas, United States, July 8, 2020. REUTERS / Callaghan O’Hare
(Reuters) – The United States topped 170,000 coronavirus deaths on Sunday, according to a Reuters tally, as health officials voice concerns about COVID-19 complicating the fall flu season.
Deaths rose by 483 on Sunday, with Florida, Texas and Louisiana leading the rise in deaths.
The United States has at least 5.4 million total confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, the highest in the world and likely undercoverage, as the country has still not ramped up testing to recommended levels. Cases are on the decline in most states except Hawaii, South Dakota, and Illinois.
Public health officials and authorities are concerned about a possible resurgence in the fall in cases early in the flu season, which will likely exacerbate treatment efforts for the coronavirus.
Centers for Disease Control director Robert Redfield warned the United States could have its “worst downfall” if the public does not follow health guidelines in an interview with Web MD.
A few months after the start of the pandemic, the US economic recovery from the recession triggered by the epidemic is still staggered, with some hot spots slowing their reopening and others closing businesses.
The Institute for Health Measurement and Assessment predicts an increase in COVID-19 cases in the coming months, leading to an estimated 300,000 total deaths by December and an almost 75% increase in hospitalizations.
Globally, there are at least 21.5 million cases of coronavirus and more than 765,000 confirmed deaths. The United States remains the global epicenter of the virus, with about a quarter of cases and deaths.
Reporting by Aurora Ellis; edited by Diane Craft
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