Coronavirus Watch: US is adding cases faster than one every second
For the first time, the United States is adding cases faster than one every second, and the nation is on track to set a record for new cases in a week.
Test positivity rates are rising, too. Forty-one states had a higher rate of people testing positive than the week before, an analysis of COVID Tracking Project data shows.
And about a thousand people are dying a day.
It's Friday, and this is the Coronavirus Watch from the Paste BN Network. Here's the most significant news of the day, as of 1:45 p.m. ET:
- Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said earlier this week the U.S. needs a national mask mandate and also expressed worry that the country is "not in a good place" with COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
- Grocery store workers have a heightened risk of COVID-19 infection, with one in five workers surveyed testing positive and most having asymptotic cases, a study published Thursday found.
- A Democrat-led congressional panel investigating the federal government's response to the coronavirus slammed the Trump administration's handling of the pandemic "as among the worst failures of leadership in American history."
- A judge in El Paso County, Texas, ordered a two-week shutdown of nonessential services starting at midnight Friday amid growing hospitalizations in the COVID-19 crisis.
- Across the world, Japan topped 100,000 infections, with nearly one-third coming from Tokyo, and India reported declining numbers a day after surpassing 8 million cases, second only to the U.S. Cases are surging in Europe as well, leading to new restrictions.
Halloween reminder: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises against traditional trick-or-treating this year.
- Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Health and UC Davis Children’s Hospital, says even in areas with a low risk of transmission, the door-to-door activity could spur an outbreak.
- If you're considering going out, check this out first: The Halloween & Costume Association and Harvard Global Health Institute released a color-coded map that shows coronavirus risk levels by county.
- For parents, here are some tips to keep your little ghosts happy, even without traditional trick-or-treating.
- Thinking about trying a Halloween drive-thru experience this year? We evaluate whether it's worth the trip.
Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 8.9 million cases and 228,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Globally, there have been more than 45.2 million cases and 1.1 million fatalities. See the numbers in your area here, and check out where cases are rising here.
Thank you for subscribing!
– Grace Hauck, Paste BN breaking news reporter, @grace_hauck