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California, Texas and Arizona have emerged as the new epicenter of the pandemic in the US. The regions reported a record increase in new cases of Covid-19.
“Obviously we are not in full control at the moment,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told the US Senate committee.
“I am very worried because it could be very bad,” he added as quoted by Reuters on Wednesday (1/7/2020).
Fauci said the daily increase in new cases could reach 100,000 unless a national push was made to quell the revived virus.
“We can’t just focus on areas that are experiencing a surge. That puts the whole country in danger, “he said.
Fauci said there was no vaccine guarantee, although preliminary data had been promising. “Hopefully there will be doses available early next year,” he hoped.
According to Reuters calculations, the Covid-19 case more than doubled in June in at least 10 states, including Texas and Florida. In parts of Texas and Arizona, hospital intensive care beds for Covid-19 patients are in short supply.
More than 126,000 Americans died because of Covid-19 and millions lost their jobs because states and big cities ordered residents to stay at home and business centers were closed. The economy contracted sharply in the first quarter and is expected to fall in the second quarter.
The European Union (EU) has excluded Americans from the “safe list” of countries where the bloc will allow unnecessary travel to begin on Wednesday. (Read: European Union Depak of the United States from the Safe Travel List)
The new increase in cases and hospitalizations has dimmed hopes that the worst conditions of human and economic pain have passed, prompting renewed criticism of US President Donald Trump as he seeks to be re-elected in elections on November 3.
His Democratic rival, Joe Biden, said that Trump’s “historic mismanagement” of the pandemic claimed lives and caused more damage than was needed for the US economy.
“It doesn’t have to be like this. Donald Trump disappointed us, “the 77-year-old former US vice president said in a speech in Delaware, where he unveiled the latest plans to tackle a pandemic that calls for more tests and employs 100,000 contract trackers.
In the past week California, Texas and Florida have closed the newly reopened bar, which according to public health officials is likely to be one of the biggest contributors to the recent surge in the Covid-19 case.
While New York, New Jersey and Connecticut added tourists from California and seven other states that had to quarantine themselves for 14 days after arrival. Texas and Florida took effect last week.
South Carolina has also emerged as a hot spot, reporting an increase of 1,755 cases in one day on Tuesday.
In Texas, where the number of new cases jumped to a one-day record of 6,975 on Tuesday, the Houston hospital said the bed was quickly filled with Covid-19 patients.
Dr. Marc Boom, chief executive of the Houston Methodist Hospital, told CNN that his hospital bed had seen a “very significant increase” in Covid-19 patients, even though the death rate had dropped.
Boom said he was worried about Independence Day celebrations this weekend, as Americans traditionally flock to the beach and camp to watch fireworks shows.
“To be honest, that scared me,” he said.
(ber)
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