Death Toll Climbs In South, Midwest As US Nears Milestone Of 1918 Pandemic

Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi Ranks First In Nation For COVID-19 Deaths Per 100,000
While COVID-19 hospitalizations are on the decline in Mississippi, the state is now leading the nation in coronavirus-related deaths per capita. Mississippi has 306 COVID-19 deaths per 100,000, coming in slightly above New Jersey with 305 per 100,000. Since the virus came into the state in March 2020, over 9,100 residents have died from coronavirus-related causes. The Mississippi State Department of Health reported nearly 900 of those deaths in the month of August, when the delta variant ripped through the state and further inundated hospitals and intensive care units. (Haselhorst, 9/16)

Mississippi Clarion Ledger: COVID-19 Is Killing Mississippi's Unvaccinated Pregnant Women
Seven pregnant Mississippi mothers critically ill from COVID-19 infections never made it from the intensive care unit to the operating room. With breathing tubes down their windpipes, most hooked up to ventilators, the women deteriorated so rapidly doctors at the University of Mississippi Medical Center had no choice but to deliver their babies prematurely via bedside emergency Cesarean section, almost unheard of today. One mother recovered and went home. Two remain in the ICU. Four of the mothers are dead. None was vaccinated against the coronavirus. (Haselhorst, 9/16)

ABC News: Florida Surpasses 50K COVID Deaths After Battling Delta Wave 
Florida surpassed 50,000 coronavirus deaths since the pandemic began, health officials reported Thursday, with more than one fourth of those succumbing this summer as the state battled a fierce surge in infections fueled by the delta variant. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tallied 50,811 deaths after adding more than 1,500 COVID-19 deaths provided Thursday by the state's health department. Those reported deaths occurred over various dates in recent weeks. (Spencer and Licon, 9/16)

WUSF 89.7: AARP: Florida Nursing Homes Tie For Nation's Highest COVID Death Rate As Vaccinations Lag 
As the delta variant of the coronavirus caused Florida to become a hotspot for COVID-19 in late July and August, the state’s nursing homes also felt the brunt. Using federal data, the senior-advocacy group AARP released a report Wednesday that said 237 Florida nursing home residents died with COVID-19 during a four-week period that ended Aug. 22 — tied for the highest death rate in the nation. (Saunders, 9/16)

The Baltimore Sun: Maryland Surpasses 10,000 COVID-19 Deaths; Hogan Orders State Flags Lowered To Half-Staff In Remembrance 
More than 10,000 Marylanders have been killed by COVID-19 as of Thursday, a once-unthinkable death toll reflecting the severity of a pandemic that has killed millions more worldwide. Republican Gov. Larry Hogan ordered state flags to be lowered to half-staff in remembrance of those 10,011 who have died statewide from the coronavirus since March 2020. (Campbell, 9/16)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Averaging More Than 2,000 COVID-19 Cases A Day For The First Time Since January
The seven-day average of daily COVID-19 cases increased to more than 2,000 a day on Thursday — the first time it's been over 2,000 cases since January, according to state Department of Health Services data. The seven-day average was 2,063 cases on January 17. Now, the seven-day average is at 2,110 cases. The state reported 15 new COVID-related deaths Thursday. The seven-day average of daily deaths is 12, up 10 deaths from a month ago. (Bentley, 9/16)

Also —

The Washington Post: Coronavirus Approaches 1918 Influenza Pandemic Death Toll 
The United States just hit a grim milestone when it comes to the toll of the coronavirus, with now 1 in 500 Americans having died. But for some, an even-grimmer milestone is fast-approaching: When the death toll exceeds the 1918 influenza pandemic. We’re currently on-pace to surpass the 675,000 deaths that have been attributed to the last comparable pandemic in the coming days. The Washington Post’s tracker shows more than 668,000 deaths so far, with a still-increasing seven-day average of nearly 1,800 deaths per day. That means we’re likely to hit that number by early next week. ... But this moment also requires context. (Blake, 9/16)

NBC News: Covid Likely Led To A Rare Disorder That Left 8-Year-Old Girl Paralyzed
A Minnesota woman whose daughter has been hospitalized since March is urging people to get vaccinated and wear masks as the delta variant spreads and children return to the classroom. Lani Bauer’s 8-year-old daughter, Avella, was diagnosed with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), a condition that developed after she tested positive for Covid-19. (Bhojwani, 9/16)

And in covid research —

USA Today: Long-Haul COVID-19 Can Last Months. But Here’s Why Experts Are Optimistic About Recovery.
Workers find they're able to make it through a whole day again. Parents trust themselves with their own children. The brain fog descends less often, normal smells start to return, and racing hearts get more rest. Although COVID-19 may feel endless when symptoms linger a month or more after an infection, many people are back to feeling like themselves within about three months. Many more have recovered at six months, said Ravi Ganesh, who treats long-haul COVID-19 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.Everyone's path is different, though. (Weintraub and Leake, 9/17)

Fox News: Adults Ages 50 To 69 Most Likely To Report ‘Long COVID,’ UK Study Finds
An observational study out of the U.K. indicated that adults aged 50-69 reported so-called "long COVID," or symptoms months after initial COVID-19 infection, at the highest rates compared to all other age groups. Findings released Thursday from the Office for National Statistics drew from the Coronavirus Infection Survey, said to be the U.K.’s "largest regular survey of coronavirus (COVID-19) infections and antibodies," informing its pandemic response. (Rivas, 9/16)

CIDRAP: Comorbidities, Older Age Associated With Severe COVID In Kids
Among US children 17 and under, COVID-19 hospitalization was associated with older age and chronic comorbidities, including obesity or type 2 diabetes, according to a study yesterday in the Journal of Hospital Medicine. ... Factors associated with hospitalization were obesity or type 2 diabetes (aOR, 10.4), immunocompromised condition (aOR, 5.9), pulmonary disease (aOR, 5.3), cardiovascular disease (aOR, 5.0), asthma (aOR, 1.4), and private payer insurance (aOR, 1.16). While older children and adolescents were hospitalized at lower rates, the researchers note that those who were had a higher likelihood of severe illness. (9/16)

KHN: Scientists Examine Kids’ Unique Immune Systems As More Fall Victim To Covid 
Eighteen months into the covid-19 pandemic, with the delta variant fueling a massive resurgence of disease, many hospitals are hitting a heartbreaking new low. They’re now losing babies to the coronavirus. The first reported covid-related death of a newborn occurred in Orange County, Florida, and an infant has died in Mississippi. Merced County in California lost a child under a year old in late August. (Szabo, 9/17)