Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
It's Not Just Big Gatherings Driving Fall Surge; Small Ones Also A Threat, CDC Director Warns
CNN: The US Is Beginning To See A Resurgence Of Covid-19 Cases. Small Household Gatherings Are Helping Drive The Surge, CDC Chief Says
Small gatherings are becoming a growing source of Covid-19 spread, a leading health expert said, as at least 36 states are now reporting increased cases of the virus and hospitalizations are on the rise nationwide. "In the public square, we're seeing a higher degree of vigilance and mitigation steps in many jurisdictions," US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield said during a call with the nation's governors on Tuesday. Audio of the call was obtained by CNN. (Maxouris, 10/14)
The Washington Post: Coronavirus Cases Are Rising In U.S., Sparking Worries The Next Big Wave Has Begun
U.S. coronavirus cases are rising again, driven by rapid transmission in Midwestern states and sparking fears that a forewarned wave of infections this fall and winter has begun. For almost a month, new U.S. cases have been trending upward. Since Saturday, more than 20 states have hit a new high in their seven-day average of case counts, and more than half of those states set records again on Tuesday, according to data tracked by The Washington Post. (Wan and Dupree, 10/13)
Bloomberg: Midwestern States Surge Toward Top Of All-Time U.S. Covid Cases
North Dakota looks poised to become the No. 1 state in the nation by cumulative Covid-19 cases per capita, having surged past Florida and Mississippi with Louisiana just ahead. South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin and Montana are also quickly adding cases. (Levin, 10/13)
NPR: Americans Are Dying In The Pandemic At Rates Far Higher Than In Other Countries
During this pandemic, people in the United States are currently dying at rates unparalleled elsewhere in the world. A new report in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that over the last 5 months per capita deaths in the U.S., both from COVID-19 and other causes have been far greater than in 18 other high-income countries. "It's shocking. It's horrible," says Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, a professor of health policy and medical ethics at the University of Pennsylvania and one of the authors of the study. (Beaubien, 10/13)
In updates from the states —
Detroit Free Press: COVID-19 Hospitalizations Jump 80% In Michigan, Prompting Surge Fears
Coronavirus cases are rising in Michigan and COVID-19 hospitalizations have spiked 80% in recent weeks, climbing in all regions of the state, health officials warned Tuesday. "It is very possible that this is the beginning of a second wave," said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the chief medical executive and chief deputy director for health for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. (Shamus, 10/13)
The Salt Lake Tribune: Utah Governor Announces New Coronavirus Strategy As Cases Rise By 987
Declaring Utah’s continuing surge of coronavirus cases “unacceptable,” Gov. Gary Herbert announced the state will abandon its previous color codes for a new strategy that ties restrictions to local case numbers and testing rates. Masks will be required in several of Utah’s counties under the statewide order. (Alberty, 10/13)
