U.S. COVID-19 Cases Rise To Over 13 Million

The number of coronavirus infections in the United States surpassed 13 million on Friday, just six days after the country hit the 12 million threshold.

According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, the United States has had at least 13,047,202 infections, with at least 264,624 people dying from the virus.

The United States continues to lead the country with the highest number of coronavirus infections, followed by India with around 9.3 million, Brazil with 6.2 million and France with 2.2 million.

On November 21, Johns Hopkins University recorded that the United States had passed 12 million cases, just six days after the country reached a total of 11 million.

The United States also hit a new high of more than 90,000 people currently hospitalized for COVID-19 – a record number for the 17th consecutive day, according to the COVID monitoring project.

Of those hospitalized, 17,802 people are in the intensive care unit, which is the highest amount documented during the pandemic. A total of 5,979 people are on ventilators.

The rapid rise in infections across the country comes as experts warn of further spikes as the winter months approach, forcing many Americans to travel to where the virus can most easily spread.

Anthony FauciAnthony Fauci Vaccine skepticism emerges as Biden Trump’s early test encourages Americans to ‘come together’ during Thanksgiving proclamation despite coronavirus outbreak Kamala Harris, Stacey Abrams among nominees for person of 2020 year of Time PLUS magazine, the country’s leading infectious disease specialist, said cases are likely to stay high or continue to increase until December, January and February.

“If the outbreak continues to increase and you have over 100,000 infections per day and 1,300 deaths per day and the tally keeps increasing … I don’t see it being any different during the Christmas and New Years than Thanksgiving, ”Fauci told USA Today.

With the Thanksgiving holiday this week, public health experts and elected officials had warned citizens against traveling and gathering with people outside their immediate homes.

Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised against attending crowded parades, large indoor gatherings and crowded stores in an attempt to slow the outbreak. The agency also advised against travel last week, as cases increased across the country.

however, a Hill-HarrisX survey released Tuesday found that 57% of registered voters polled planned to attend a Thanksgiving rally, although only 23% said they would meet with family and friends “as usual.”

In his Thanksgiving Proclamation issued Wednesday, President TrumpDonald John Trump Venezuela judge orders jail time for 6 U.S. oil executives Trump says he will leave White House if Biden is declared Electoral College winner The Memo: Biden faces tough road on engagement to heal the nation PLUS challenged the advice of public health experts calling on Americans to congregate “in homes and places of worship” for the holidays.