In the past week (October 9 through 15), the U.S. reported about 600,000 new cases, according to the CDC. This amounts to:
- An average of 85,000 new cases each day
- 180 total new cases for every 100,000 Americans
- 13% fewer new cases than last week (October 2-8)
Last week, America also saw:
- 47,000 new COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals (14 for every 100,000 people)
- 9,000 new COVID-19 deaths (2.7 for every 100,000 people)
- 100% of new cases are Delta-caused (as of October 9)
- An average of 700,000 vaccinations per day (including booster shots; per Bloomberg)
COVID-19 cases continue to drop across the U.S., slowly but surely. We’re now reporting about 85,000 new cases a day, down from 97,000 new cases a day last week, down from 108,000 new cases a day the week before last.
Hospitalizations and deaths are falling nationwide as well. About 57,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, down 12% from last week. And about 1,200 people are dying from the disease each day, the vast majority of them unvaccinated.
Still, most states continue to experience “high transmission,” per the CDC’s categories. Hawaii, Florida, and Alabama, three states that saw intense Delta surges in recent months, have now joined California and Connecticut in crossing the threshold to “substantial transmission”—with under 100 new cases for every 100,000 people in the past week, according to the latest Community Profile Report.
Alaska, Montana, and Wyoming remain the most intense hotspots, with over 500 new cases for every 100,000 people in the past week. In Alaska, hospitals are still in crisis mode, with doctors forced to choose which patients they must prioritize for care. All three states are seeing case rates decrease, though, indicating that they may be past the peak of their surges.
While cases among children are trending slightly downward as well, the number remains much higher than at other points in the pandemic. In the week ending October 7, cases among children represented about one in four COVID-19 cases reported in the U.S., according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Vaccinations continue to be dominated by booster shots, with boosters making up between one-third and half of the doses administered each day this week. Already, 14% of U.S. seniors have received a booster dose, according to the CDC. 5% of the US population overall has received a booster dose. These numbers will only increase as Moderna and J&J boosters are authorized, following FDA advisory committee recommendations. (More on that later in today’s issue.)