COVID-19
One person dies in US of COVID-19 every 33 seconds
Last Updated on: January 11, 2021
US health officials have stated that last week, in the United States, someone died from COVID-19 every 33 seconds.
The disease claimed more than 18,000 lives in the seven days ending December 20, up 6.7 percent from the prior week to hit another record high, according to a Reuters analysis of state and county reports.
Despite pleas by health officials not to travel during the end-year holiday season, 3.2 million people were screened at US airports on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Reuters reported.
In addition to concerns over the high death rate, health officials are also worried that a surge in infections from holiday gatherings could overwhelm hospitals, some of which are already at capacity after Thanksgiving celebrations.
And while the country has begun to administer two new vaccines, it may be months before the inoculations put a dent in the coronavirus outbreak, Reuters reported.
US health data indicates over 18.1 million COVID-19 cases have been recorded in the US, and over 320,000 deaths.