In the past week (August 14 through 20), the U.S. reported about 930,000 new cases, according to the CDC. This amounts to:
- An average of 133,000 new cases each day
- 284 total new cases for every 100,000 Americans
- 14% more new cases than last week (August 7-13)
Last week, America also saw:
- 81,000 new COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals (25 for every 100,000 people)
- 4,500 new COVID-19 deaths (1.4 for every 100,000 people)
- 99% of new cases now Delta-caused (as of August 14)
- An average of 840,000 vaccinations per day (per Bloomberg)
COVID-19 cases continue to rise, with the U.S. seeing almost one million new cases this week (or more than one million, according to some non-CDC trackers). Deaths are also increasing, up 11% from last week and up almost 200% from late July. The vast majority of these deaths continue to occur in unvaccinated Americans.
In the South, hospitals are becoming overwhelmed—to a degree reminiscent of March 2020 in New York City. Seven states have seen more than 20 new COVID-19 patients entering the hospital for every 100,000 residents in the past week: Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Texas. In Florida, that number is over 30 new patients for every 100,000.
Children are accounting for a higher share of COVID-19 hospitalizations than at any previous point in the pandemic. Overall, last week, the U.S. saw four new COVID-19 patients under age 17 enter the hospital for every million children. In Florida, that number is about 12 for every million.
Still, even parts of the country without overflowing hospitals are seeing concerning case rises. The CDC now designates almost every state as “high transmission,” with over 100 new cases for every 100,000 residents and/or over a 10% test positivity rate. The only two states that don’t fit this category, Maine and Vermont, both have “substantial transmission.”
Vaccinations continue to slowly tick up: more than one million Americans were vaccinated for three days in a row this week, and 60% of the eligible population is now fully vaccinated. But we would still have a long way to go at this current pace to be fully protected against Delta—which now comprises 99% of U.S. cases, per the CDC.