Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Covid Cases, Deaths Drop To Levels Not Seen Since Summer 2020
CNBC: U.S. Covid Cases Hit Lowest Level Since June 2020
Covid cases in the U.S. have dropped to their lowest level since June as the nation prepares for Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of the summer travel season. The seven-day average of new infections is about 26,000 as of Sunday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. That is the lowest number since June of last year. (Repko, 5/23)
AP: New COVID-19 Cases Plummet To Lowest Levels Since Last June
New coronavirus cases across the United States have tumbled to rates not seen in more than 11 months, sparking optimism that vaccination campaigns are stemming both severe COVID-19 cases and the spread of the virus. As cases, hospitalizations and deaths steadily dropped this week, pre-pandemic life in America has largely resumed. Hugs and unmasked crowds returned to the White House, a Mardi Gras-style parade marched through Alabama’s port city of Mobile, and even states that have stuck to pandemic-related restrictions readied to drop them. However, health experts also cautioned that not enough Americans have been vaccinated to completely extinguish the virus, leaving the potential for new variants that could extend the pandemic. (Groves, 5/22)
The New York Times: Coronavirus Cases And Deaths In The United States Drop To Lowest Levels In Nearly A Year
The United States is adding fewer than 30,000 cases a day for the first time since June of last year, and deaths are as low as they’ve been since last summer. In much of the country, the virus outlook is improving. Nearly 50 percent of Americans have received at least one vaccine shot, and though the pace has slowed, the share is still growing by about two percentage points per week. (Morales and Grullón Paz, 5/24)
CNN: Half Of States Have Fully Vaccinated At Least 50% Of Adults. We Need To Keep Going To Prevent Future Outbreaks, Official Says
At least 25 states -- plus Washington, DC -- have now fully vaccinated at least half of their adults, data published Sunday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows. Those states are Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington state and Wisconsin. (Maxouris, 5/24)
The Hill: 12 New COVID-19 Cases, 2 Deaths Reported Among Navajo Nation
The Navajo Nation on Saturday reported 12 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths, according to the Navajo Department of Health. Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said in a statement on Twitter that health officials reported the total number of deaths for the tribe was 1,299 with the total number of cases being 30,767. More than 29,000 of those infected have recovered from their symptoms. Nez continued to encourage the tribe to take health precautions associated with COVID-19. (Oshin, 5/23)
The Hill: UK Variant Now Dominant In Los Angeles County
The Los Angeles County Health Department revealed on Saturday that the dominant coronavirus strain in the area originated in the United Kingdom. The department reported that the U.K. variant was detected more than half of the 40 specimens analyzed by the L.A. County Public Health Laboratory in the past week. The lab also discovered the Brazilian and South African variants. Two California variants were previously the most common strains circulating the county, the department noted, but testing in the past week did not detect either of the variants. (Schnell, 5/23)
