Sharp Fall In US COVID Metrics
The United States reported the lowest daily data in two main COVID-19 metrics in recent months.
33662 new coronavirus cases were reported in the United States on Thursday, taking the national total to 32824389. The weekly daily infection average is 58353.
282 new deaths were reported in the country on the same day. With this, the COVID death toll in the U.S. increased to 586152, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University. The 7-day average of COVID deaths is 707.
These figures are far lower than the 7-day average in both the COVID metrics.
Most number of deaths – 52 – and new COVID cases – 4050 – were reported in New York.
In a great turn around, Michigan, which has been among the worst of the nation’s hot zones, reported no deaths on Sunday. The state, where an average of 10000 people were getting infected in recent weeks, reported only 55 new cases.
Test positivity rate has fallen to 6.8 percent.
While the worst-hit country’s new infections and death rates have come well under control, thanks to the massive federal vaccination campaign on a war footing, the world’s second worst COVID-affected country is going through a perilous stage of the pandemic.
India broke the global daily Covid-19 case record for a fifth consecutive day, with hospitals in capital New Delhi facing acute oxygen shortages. With more than 350,000 new infections reported on Sunday, the country’s total cases increased to 2,417,230.
A number of countries including the United States have offered much-needed medical supplies as devastating second wave is killing thousands each day in India.
The White House said the U.S. government is working around the clock to deploy available resources and supplies to India.
This assurance was given by the United States’ National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in a phone call with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval.
The United States has identified sources of specific raw material urgently required for Indian manufacture of the Covishield vaccine that will immediately be made available, NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne said in a statement.
To help treat COVID-19 patients and protect front-line health workers in India, supplies of therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be immediately be made available.
The U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is funding a substantial expansion of manufacturing capability for BioE, the vaccine manufacturer in India, enabling BioE to ramp up to produce at least 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2022.
Additionally, the United States is deploying an expert team of public health advisors from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and USAID to work in close collaboration with the U.S. Embassy, India’s health ministries, and India’s Epidemic Intelligence Service staff.
The United States also is pursuing options to provide oxygen generation and related supplies on an urgent basis.
India’s Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri announced that an Air India flight carrying 328 oxygen concentrators were flown from New York to New Delhi on Monday.
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