The number of COVID-19 deaths per day in the United States dropped to its lowest point in more than a year on Sunday, when 222 fatalities were documented.
The United States saw the toll drop from 676 fatalities recorded on Saturday, according to Johns Hopkins University statistics. The data shows the number of daily deaths reached its lowest point since March 23, 2020, when 192 deaths were documented.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted the Sunday death toll is a decrease from 804 deaths per day recorded in the seven-day average for fatalities through Saturday. It was 968 the previous week.
According to the New York Times, the low death total for Sunday could reflect different reporting patterns of state and county COVID-19 statistics on weekends. Johns Hopkins University data typically shows a dip in deaths on Saturdays and Sundays.
Announcing the deaths-per-day drop at a White House COVID-19 response team briefing on Monday, CDC director Rochelle Walensky, however, warned the nation is entering its fourth week of “increased trends and cases.”
She reported CDC data documents a seven-day average of about 64,000 cases and 4,970 hospital admissions per day.
Walensky said young people are driving the latest uptick in COVID-19 cases, as the increasing rate of vaccination in older Americans is preventing the most serious cases among seniors.
“Cases are increasing nationally, and we are seeing this occur predominately in younger adults,” she said the briefing.
She cited the increasing spread of variants, but also a rise in youth sports and extracurricular activities as contributing to the steady increase in cases over the last four weeks.
“While we are watching these increased case counts with concern, the good news is that millions of Americans are stepping up every day to get vaccinated,” she said.
Greater than 75% of those aged 65 or older nationally have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and nearly 55% are fully vaccinated.
“What we’re seeing is both a decrease in emergency department visits as well as hospitalizations associated with that demographic,” Walensky said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
- California OKs Indoor Sports, Concerts as COVID Cases Plunge
- COVID Forces Stars Coach Rick Bowness to Leave Game
Source: Newmax
