ATLANTA (AP) – The average daily number of new coronavirus cases in the United States fell below 100,000 for the first time in months in recent days, but experts warned on Sunday that infections remain high and precautions must be taken to slow the pandemic.
The seven-day moving average of new infections was well above 200,000 for much of December, dropping to about 250,000 in January, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, as the pandemic came back with a roar after hitting some places over the course of the year. time was tamed. summer.
That average fell below 100,000 for the first time since November 4 on Friday, and remained below 100,000 on Saturday.
“We still have about 100,000 cases a day. We’re still at around 1,500 to 3,500 deaths a day. The cases are more than two and a half times as common as those we’ve seen in the summer, ”said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on NBC’s “Meet the Press”. “It’s encouraging to see these trends coming down, but they are coming from an extraordinarily high place.”
On Saturday, the seven-day moving average for deaths was around 2,500. That number peaked at more than 3,300 earlier in the winter, according to Johns Hopkins.
The US saw a peak of more than 5,400 deaths on Friday – nearly half from Ohio, where authorities said earlier this week they planned to count more deaths over the course of a few days after discovering as many as 4,000 failed -reported COVID. -19 dead.
Walensky added that new variants, including one first discovered in the United Kingdom that appears more transferable and already registered in more than 30 states, are likely to lead to more cases and more deaths.
“It’s all real that we can’t let our guard down,” she said. “We have to keep wearing masks. We must continue with our current risk mitigation measures. And we must keep getting vaccinated as soon as that vaccine is available to us. “
According to data from Johns Hopkins, the US has recorded more than 27.5 million virus cases and more than 484,000 deaths.
With parents and political leaders eager to have children back in school across the country to learn in person, it’s important that people continue to take precautions, Walensky said.
“We all need to take responsibility for reducing that spread in the community, including wearing a mask so we can get our children and our society back,” she said.
The CDC released guidelines on Friday Outlining mitigation strategies needed to reopen or keep schools open.
Some teachers have expressed concerns about returning to class without being vaccinated, but the guidelines do not say it is necessary. Dr. Anthony Fauci said on ABC’s “This Week” that it would be “optimal” for teachers to be vaccinated, but that other measures outlined in the 24-page document could reduce their risk.
“Practically speaking, if you balance the benefit of getting the kids back to school with the fact that the risks are mitigated, if you follow the recommendations and these new guidelines from the CDC, then hopefully this is the concern. for both will take away sides, ”he said.
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