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The United States passed four million coronavirus cases in November on Saturday, more than double the record of 1.9 million cases set in October.
Now, experts have warned Americans to expect the surge in cases to continue, in part due to the Thanksgiving holiday – which could worsen as the December holiday approaches.
“What we would unfortunately expect over the next two weeks in December is that we could see a surge superimposed on the surge we’re already in,” Dr Anthony Fauci said in an NBC interview. News’ Meet the Press on Sunday.
The government’s leading infectious disease expert added that officials “tried to get the word out for people, no matter how hard it was, not to really organize large gatherings,” but ultimately the travel industry has suggested that many Americans ignore calls to stay home.
Airlines and transportation officials report Americans traveled by the millions over the weekend, and in the midst of Black Friday retailers experienced large crowds and nightly queues despite government calls. and merchants to buy primarily online.
US surgeon general Jerome Adams acknowledged the surge on Sunday, adding that he expects the rise to continue. Covid-19 has now killed more than 265,000 people in America, with 1,192 new deaths from the virus reported on Saturday.
“I want to be frank with the American people, it’s going to get worse over the next few weeks,” he told Fox News on Sunday. “The actions we take over the next few days will determine how bad it is or whether or not we continue to flatten our curve.”
According to Covid-19 tracking data, more than 1.1 million people tested positive for the virus last week, an average of 170,000 people per day. On Saturday, public health officials reported a daily record of 91,635 hospitalizations.
In an interview with Fox News Sunday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said another state shutdown was not out of the question but, for now, he would “just beg people, especially during the holiday season, to continue [their] monitor.”
“In terms of stopping, I’m not planning, and I certainly don’t want to go that route,” added Murphy.
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson later told the show that a state lockdown was the last resort. “We’re not trying to shut down companies that are doing a good job,” said Hutchinson, a Republican. “We realize that you can really increase the problems at all levels if you start shutting down businesses, which puts people out of work before Christmas time.”
In New York City, officials announced that public schools will begin a gradual reopening of in-person learning starting December 7.
Retailers had reported a much more low-key Black Friday this year. “It’s not Black Friday. It’s not the people lining up like we’re used to, ”Marshal Cohen, chief retail analyst at The NPD Group, told NBC.
California tightens controls
Meanwhile, health officials in California’s largest cities – Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco – have now imposed the most stringent home-stay measures since the spring in response to the nationwide outbreak of case.
The state on Sunday reported 15,614 new cases of Covid-19 and 32 new deaths, bringing the state’s number to 1,198,934 cases and the death toll to 19,121 since the start of the pandemic, according to figures released by the California Department of Public Health.
Los Angeles County will impose a lockdown calling on its 10 million residents to stay at home from Monday.
Santa Clara County bans all high school, college, and professional sports and imposes a quarantine for those traveling to the area more than 250 miles away.
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