Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Surge Of New Covid Cases Shows Signs Of Ebbing
The Wall Street Journal: Newly Reported U.S. Covid-19 Infections Fall For Third Day
Newly reported Covid-19 cases in the U.S. were down again from a day earlier, as were deaths and hospitalizations, as the nation ended a three-day weekend. The U.S. reported more than 137,000 new infections for Monday, taking the total to more than 24 million cases, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University and made public early Tuesday morning. That represented a decline from the 177,918 cases reported a day earlier and was the third day in a row to register a day-over-day decrease. Monday’s figure was down from a week-earlier 213,304. (Martin, 1/19)
Pennlive.Com: Good COVID-19 News: Pa. Hospitalizations Fall Well Below Post-Thanksgiving Peak
Fewer than 4,600 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Pennsylvania as of Sunday, one of several hopeful indicators. Hospitalizations are well below the peak of about 6,300 that followed the Thanksgiving holiday, when COVID-19 patients pushed some hospitals near the breaking point. The number in intensive care, 945 as of Sunday, also was well below the peak. (Wenner, 1/18)
Democrat & Chronicle: COVID-19 Cases Fall In New York, But Not As Quickly As The Rest Of The Nation
New York reported 106,969 new cases of the coronavirus in the week ending Sunday, down 4.2% from the previous week. The decline was good news, but it wasn't as steep as the nation as a whole last week as COVID cases fell 11% from the previous week, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data show. (Spector and Stucka, 1/18)
WSYX: New Coronavirus Cases Fall Under 5,000 In Ohio Monday
New coronavirus cases dropped under 5,000 in Ohio for the first time in at least three weeks. The Ohio Department of Health reports cases increased by 4,312 to 831,066 total. The new case numbers are the lowest on the 21-day average. (White, 1/18)
WRAL.Com: With Holidays Behind Us, NC Reports Fewer New COVID-19 Cases, Deaths
While the numbers are still high and concerning, North Carolina has reported fewer new COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations, which could indicate that our post-holiday spike is subsiding. According to the state, over 8,000,000 COVID-19 tests have been performed in North Carolina. The state's percentage of positive cases is at 10%, which is still higher than experts want it to be but the lowest percentage reported since Dec. 23. (Patrick, 1/18)
AP: Nebraska COVID Hospitalizations Drop To Lowest Since Oct. 26
The number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus in Nebraska has dropped to its lowest point in nearly three months, according to state statistics. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services’ online virus tracker shows 429 people were hospitalized Sunday with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. That’s the lowest number since Oct. 26, when 427 people were hospitalized. The number of new daily cases jumped on Sunday, to 1.061 from 741 on Saturday and 672 on Friday, but was still well below the record 3,440 cases recorded on Nov. 16. State officials have confirmed 181,978 cases and 1,837 deaths in Nebraska since the pandemic began. (1/18)
AP: Iowa Virus Hospitalizations Rise Sunday, But Still Under 500
The number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus in Iowa rose over a 24-hour period this weekend, but remained below the threshold of 500 that plagued the state since October. The Iowa Department of Public Health said 484 people were being treated for COVID-19 in hospitals on Sunday, up 10 from Saturday but down from 505 on Friday. Saturday’s number of 474 was the first time since Oct. 18 that the number of people hospitalized was below 500. (1/18)
Anchorage Daily News: With Fewer New Cases And A Bolstered Workforce, Alaska’s COVID-19 Contact Tracing Is Finally Rebounding
Back in November, with COVID-19 cases surging and the state’s contact tracing corps overwhelmed, officials implored people testing positive to reach out on their own to the people they might have infected. But, now Alaska’s contact tracing effort is rebounding after several months of hiring and several weeks of decreased daily cases. At the moment, once contact tracers are notified of the new positive, they’ll reach out within the day, said Tim Struna, who heads up the section of public health nursing for Alaska. It takes on average statewide around three days between the time someone might pull into a drive-through testing site and get their nose swabbed to when a contact tracer calls them. (Krakow, 1/18)
