Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
2020: Deadliest Year Ever in US
AP: US Deaths In 2020 Top 3 Million, By Far Most Ever Counted
This is the deadliest year in U.S. history, with deaths expected to top 3 million for the first time — due mainly to the coronavirus pandemic. Final mortality data for this year will not be available for months. But preliminary numbers suggest that the United States is on track to see more than 3.2 million deaths this year, or at least 400,000 more than in 2019. U.S. deaths increase most years, so some annual rise in fatalities is expected. But the 2020 numbers amount to a jump of about 15%, and could go higher once all the deaths from this month are counted. (Stobbe, 12/22)
The Hill: 2020 On Track To Be Deadliest Year In US History
This year is on track to be the deadliest in U.S. history with a total of more than 3 million deaths expected by the end of December, due in large part to the coronavirus pandemic, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Associated Press reported Tuesday that preliminary numbers suggest the U.S. will have at least 3.2 million deaths by the end of 2020, about 400,000 more than in 2019. (Castronuovo, 12/22)
The Hill: US Tops 18M Coronavirus Cases
The U.S. topped 18 million confirmed COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic on Tuesday, clocking a grim milestone during a holiday week and growing concerns about a more contagious coronavirus strain discovered in the U.K. The U.S. surpassed 18 million cases midday Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University’s data, with the last 1 million cases being recorded within six days. (Coleman, 12/22)
CNN: New Coronavirus Cases In US May Be Leveling Off -- But More And More Are Being Hospitalized And Dying
An average of more than 200,000 people have tested positive for coronavirus every day for two straight weeks in the United States, a toll that has led to record numbers of people hospitalized and dying of the virus. The US reported over 195,000 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday, putting the seven-day average of daily new cases at just over 215,000, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. (Levenson, 12/23)
