Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Covid US Death Count IS Likely Wrong. It's Far Too Low, Study Finds.
An estimated 14.3% of the US population had antibodies against COVID-19 by mid-November 2020, suggesting that that the virus has infected vastly more people than reported鈥攂ut still not enough to come close to the proportion needed for herd immunity, according to a study published today in JAMA Network Open. After adjusting for underreporting, the analysis revealed an estimated 46,910,006 infections with SARS-CoV-2 [and] 304,915 deaths from April to mid-November. ... In contrast, the CDC reported 10,846,373 COVID-19 cases and 244,810 deaths in that same time span. (Van Beusekom, 1/5)
The US reported its highest daily Covid-19 death count ever Tuesday -- a grim milestone that comes as state leaders work urgently to combat a slow pace of vaccinations. More than 3,770 American deaths were reported in one day -- more than two dozen above the country's previous record, set less than a week ago. (Maxouris, 1/6)
On a day the United States registered another record for Covid-19 patients in hospitals, the country passed 21 million cases of the coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University. The US, with 21,007,694 cases as of Tuesday evening, has almost as many as the next three nations -- India, Brazil and Russia -- have combined. The US has added 1 million cases in the past four days. (Maxouris, Hanna and Almasy, 1/5)
In related news about the covid crisis 鈥
Arizona, California and Rhode Island are among the hardest-hit places in the world at this stage of the pandemic, with the highest rates of Covid-19 infections per capita, according to a data analysis by NBC News. The sobering figures, reflected as rolling seven-day averages of new reported cases, highlight just how dire the situation is in the U.S., particularly as a new, more contagious variant of the coronavirus has emerged in several states. (Chow and Murphy, 1/5)
A new study found a 90% increase in hospitals reaching intensive care unit (ICU) capacity from July through December, with rural hospitals facing the biggest聽capacity issues. The study released Tuesday by the Epic Health Network looked at ICU occupancy rates at 809 hospitals in rural, suburban and metro areas from July through December. The study also explored the increase in nursing staff demand. The number of hospitals that reached 80% to 100% ICU capacity increased from 200 in July to nearly 400 in the middle of November. (King, 1/5)
The crush of patients with coronavirus is so severe in Los Angeles that on Tuesday they exceeded the normal capacity at Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital, which serves many Blacks and Latinos in America鈥檚 largest county. The hospital in the south part of the city, which has a capacity of 131 patients, was treating 215 patients, 135 of them with COVID-19, said Jeff Stout, the interim chief nursing and operating officer. (Melley, 1/6)
As coronavirus cases continue to climb, hospitals in North Texas are suspending or rescheduling elective surgeries in order to preserve staff and equipment for COVID-19 patients. Texas Health Resources, one of the region鈥檚 largest hospital operators, said it would suspend elective and nonessential surgeries and procedures at its 14 wholly owned hospitals, including major facilities in Dallas, Fort Worth and Plano.聽The suspension begins on Thursday and will continue 鈥渦ntil further notice,鈥 the company said. (Schnurman, 1/5)
A man who tested positive for the coronavirus after Christmas has posted several videos on social media warning others to wear their masks and learn from his mistake. "I didn't think masks would make that much of a difference," Chuck Stacey told CNN on Tuesday. "I was wrong." (Jackson, 1/5)
