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Coronavirus Watch: 4M new US infections reported last week

Grace Hauck   | Paste BN

It initially took six months for the U.S. to report 4 million cases of COVID-19.

This week, it took just seven days to report 4 million cases, a Paste BN analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows.

Reporter Mike Stucka found 29 states set weekly records. With limited access to testing, asymptomatic cases and people testing at home, the real number is likely far higher.

Meanwhile, more than 121,000 people were in hospital beds with COVID-19, up nearly 30% from a week earlier, Department of Health and Human Services data show.

It's Thursday, and this is Coronavirus Watch from the Paste BN Network. Here's more news to know:

  • Staying "up to date" on COVID-19 shots means getting a booster shot, the CDC said in a change of its recommendations for vaccinated Americans. However, health officials also said they are not changing the qualifications for being “fully vaccinated."
  • 12- to 15-year-olds may get a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at least five months after the original two-dose regimen, the CDC said Wednesday. Boosters already are recommended for everyone 16 and older.
  • Chicago public schools closed for a second day Thursday as a deadlock between the teachers union and the school district over COVID-19 safety dragged on. Will other districts follow?

Your COVID-19 questions, answered. From vaccines to variants, information about the pandemic is constantly evolving. We’ve compiled a resource guide with everything we know about the virus and the best practices for keeping you and your family safe.

Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 57.8 million COVID-19 cases and 832,100 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, there have been more than 298 million cases and more than 5.6 million deaths. About 73% of people in the U.S. have received at least one vaccine shot, and about 62% are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. Among U.S. adults, 85% have received at least one shot, and about 73% are fully vaccinated.

Tracking the pandemic: See the numbers in your area here. See where cases are rising here. See vaccination rates here. And here, compare vaccinations rates worldwide and see which countries are using which vaccines.

– Grace Hauck, Paste BN breaking news reporter, @grace_hauck

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