On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a grim statement regarding the coronavirus crisis. According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the pandemic continues to accelerate, with over 150,000 new cases of the virus being reported on Thursday- the highest number of cases being reported in a single day thus far.
Although many countries around the world are eager to lift restrictions and ease social distancing measures, the infection rates of the virus continue to climb to unprecedented levels. According to the most recent tally by John Hopkins University, there have thus far been a total of 8,843,418 confirmed cases of the virus, with at least 465,475 reported deaths worldwide, The US has some of the highest number of cases worldwide, with a total of 2,268,093 COVID-19 cases and at least 119,854 resulting deaths.
According to a recent data analysis by CNBC, the US had more than 27,700 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, as the average daily cases continue to increase in wake of lockdown measures easing across many states. Compared to a week ago, the number of total cases increased by over 15% as of Thursday, and continue to grow by an average of 5% across 27 US states, including Texas, Arizona, California, and Oklahoma.
Coronavirus hospitalizations are also showing a continued increase across the US. The state of Texas saw the number of hospitalizations increase by over 84% since Memorial Day, with a total of 2,793 current hospitalizations as of June 17. According to the commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services Dr. John Hellerstedt, there is a heightened possibility that a second wave of the coronavirus could happen, especially with the increase in restriction-easing and lockdown measures.
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In wake of the continued climb in coronavirus cases, Tedros stressed the importance of increased testing and continued infection mitigation protocol. Donald Trump on the other hand, plans to continue with his scheduled campaign rallies and thus put the public in further risks of coronavirus infections. In a recent Wall Street Journal interview, the US president called coronavirus testing “overrated,” despite him and his team getting tested continuously for the virus.
Information for this briefing was found via the World Health Organization, CNBC, and The Wall Street Journal. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
