Delta Covid Wave Dissipates: New Infections Fall Over 56% From Peak
News outlets report that new covid infections are significantly down nationally since the delta covid wave peaked in the first week of September. Other reports say pediatric hospital visits for covid have declined dramatically, even though children have returned to school.
USA Today:
New Infections Drop More Than 50% As Delta Wave Wanes
New coronavirus infections are down 56.8% nationwide since the delta variant surge peaked in the first week of September, a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. Cases are down in every region – the South, Mid-Atlantic, most of New England, the Midwest, the West. Some of the states hit hardest in the delta wave – Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, South Carolina and Tennessee – are reporting cases at a rate about one-sixth of where they were less than two months ago. Arkansas and Louisiana cases have fallen by more than three-quarters since then, too. (Bacon, Schnell and Ortiz, 10/26)
The Washington Post:
U.S. Cases Down Nearly 60 Percent Since Delta Variant Surge
New coronavirus infections in the United States have dropped nearly 60 percent since a September spike brought on by the more contagious delta variant, according to data compiled by The Washington Post. The seven-day average of infections stood at about 69,000 this week, figures show, reflecting a 58 percent drop from the latest surge’s peak around Sept. 13, when the average for that week was 164,475. (Jeong and Suliman, 10/27)
Bloomberg:
Pediatric Covid Hospital Visits Plunge In U.S. As Schools Reopen
Hospital admissions are declining sharply among U.S. children with Covid-19, even more than adults, quieting concerns for now that the return to school could trigger a major uptick in viral transmission. Daily pediatric admissions with confirmed Covid have fallen 56% since the end of August to an average of about 0.2 per 100,000, according to Department of Health and Human Services data. Among adults, new admissions fell 54% to 2.1 per 100,000 in the same period, the data show. (Levin, 10/26)
In related news about the spread of the coronavirus —
CIDRAP:
Study Links March Madness Parties To More County COVID Cases
A research letter yesterday in JAMA Network Open ties large gatherings of unvaccinated students and nonstudents at US universities during last spring's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) March Madness basketball tournament to COVID-19 outbreaks in the surrounding community. (Van Beusekom, 10/26)
Salt Lake Tribune:
More Than 200 Utahns Have Died Of COVID-19 In October Alone
Ten more Utahns died of COVID-19 in the past day, according to the Utah Department of Health. One of them was between the ages of 25 and 44, and four were 45-64. In the past week, 54 Utahns have died of the coronavirus. Since the beginning of October, the number of deaths totals 216 — 6.8% of the 3,159 COVID-19 deaths in the Beehive State since the pandemic began. And there are still five more days in the month. (Pierce, 10/26)
Dallas Morning News:
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson Tests Positive For COVID-19
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson says he tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday even though he was fully vaccinated. Johnson, 46, said in a statement that he experienced mild symptoms and wouldn’t attend any events he had scheduled for the rest of the week, including a City Council meeting Wednesday. He has repeatedly urged the public to get vaccinated against the virus and wear masks. He again asked the public to get inoculated and receive booster shots, if eligible. Being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can largely reduce a person’s risk of hospitalization and death from the virus, doctors say, but infections can still happen. (Bailey Jr., 10/26)
Also —
AP:
Beshear: Federal COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Available
Financial assistance is available for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred after Jan. 20, 2020, Gov. Andy Beshear said. The funds are available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. So far, 2,500 Kentuckians have received assistance for a total of more than $18 million, Beshear said Monday. (10/27)
Bay Area News Group:
Santa Clara County Considering 'Long COVID-19' Clinic At Valley Medical Center
Santa Clara County may establish a specialized clinic at Valley Medical Center that would help treat those with long term COVID-19 symptoms and is waiting on the recommendations of physicians at the hospital before it forges ahead. Long COVID, also known as long hauler syndrome, is a phenomenon where symptoms of the virus last more than a couple of months after initial infection and include fatigue, shortness of breath and memory problems. It’s estimated that around 15 to 25 million people in the United States may have long COVID, according to Brian Block, a UCSF doctor who joined supervisors for a special meeting on Tuesday to discuss the issue. (Greschler, 10/26)
Stat:
3 Takeaways From The Emergence Of The ‘Delta Plus’ Coronavirus Variant
Yet another version of the coronavirus is getting global attention, this one dubbed AY.4.2. It appears that it could be slightly more transmissible than the Delta variant — a marginal difference that experts say is more of a headache than a devastating gamechanger in the scope of the pandemic. Still, the emergence of AY.4.2 offers lessons about the ongoing evolution of the pathogen. (Joseph, 10/27)
