The U.S. reported a record of more than 500,000 new COVID-19 cases over the last week, The New York Times reported Oct. 27.
The U.S. is seeing record daily case averages as well, with the nation averaging 75,561 new cases daily over the past week. This figure is 41 percent higher than the average two weeks ago, according to NYT.
Four more updates:
1. At least 16 states reported a record weekly average for current hospitalizations Oct. 28, according to a CNBC analysis of data from Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University. Wyoming's hospitalizations were up 62 percent from the week prior, while New Mexico's jumped 50 percent and Nebraska's were up 24 percent, according to CNBC.
"This is no longer a slow-motion disaster," Gregory Poland, MD, director of the vaccine research group at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "This is a disaster in warp speed. And it's maddening to me as a physician because a whole lot of people have died and are dying."
2. Several states are seeing record death rates amid the surge. Tennessee's seven-day new death average was 39 deaths Oct. 28, marking a 91 percent jump from a week prior. In Idaho, average daily deaths jumped 77 percent to eight a day, according to CNBC.
3. Wisconsin reported record COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations Oct. 27, according to a state health department tweet. The state saw 5,262 new virus cases, 64 related deaths and 220 hospitalizations. As of Oct. 27, 1,385 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 statewide, including 339 intensive care patients, reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
4. Anthony Fauci, MD, voiced his support for a national mask mandate for the first time Oct. 28 during interviews with CNBC and the Journal of the American Medical Association. Dr. Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said such a mandate could help the country avoid more shutdowns.
Snapshot of COVID-19 in the U.S.
Cases: 8,859,642
Deaths: 227,703
Recovered: 3,518,140
Counts reflect data available as of 8:25 a.m. CDT Oct. 29.
More articles on public health:
Number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, state by state: Oct. 29
22 states where COVID-19 is spreading fastest, slowest: Oct. 29
How 7 states are responding to the latest COVID-19 surge