A recent article published in the Journal of American Medical Association has shown that COVID-19, which is the infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has now become the number one cause of death in the US. Currently, the infection is responsible for killing more people than cancer or heart disease.
At the beginning of the ongoing health crisis, it was assumed that the virus reached the US in late spring. However, studies conducted later confirmed that cases of the infection were present in the country at the same time the city of Wuhan in China was in lockdown.
These studies then led to further investigation on the spread of the virus across the US, highlighting that the total number of infections and deaths due to COVID-19 may actually be much higher than reported.
This is because there are a number of difficulties when it comes to collecting accurate data on the infection. For instance, many people do not get tested for the virus, which delays their diagnosis and does not come in the official record.
Others have also claimed many of the state governments have manipulated actual figures regarding the cases and deaths caused by the infection in order to prevent widespread panic or to reopen businesses.
Despite the difficulties, the U.S. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention’s data tracker has shown large numbers of deaths especially in specific groups including older adults, who are also already known to be an at-risk group.
The number of deaths also keeps increasing day by day. According to newer reports, the death rate in younger adults is also going up along with older adults.
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In the coming days, state health departments and health agencies are expecting the figures to increase even further due to the holiday festivities, a higher number of people traveling, and the rise of pandemic fatigue.
Regardless of the lockdowns imposed along with restrictions for controlling the coronavirus, new outbreaks and deaths are being recorded each day. However, health experts are comparing the trends of the pandemic during the lockdown and now.
When the US along with several other countries in the world was in lockdown, the death rate and the number of new infections being diagnosed each day were relatively low. It was after the end of lockdown restrictions that the country started reporting record highs each day.
By September, the average number of cases being diagnosed each day was over fifty thousand. This alone shows how cases rapidly grew and led to more deaths as the restrictions were eased and people stopped taking the health crisis as seriously as they did before.
Therefore, the CDC is now urging people to take preventive measures such as wearing a mask, avoiding crowded spaces, and maintaining physical distance strictly.
The agency has also suggested people delay travel plans and celebrate safely rather than going home and potentially spreading the virus to parents, siblings, relatives, and friends. Always remember, health should always be the priority. Celebrations and events come each year.
