due Archives - isrcer

Jeannie Mai Is Forced to Quit ‘DWTS’ Due to Hospitalization, and Fans Are Sad to See Her Go

November 2, 2020 [email protected]_84 due, DWTS, fans, forced, hospitalization, Jeannie, Mai, Quit, Sad

From Woman’s Day

It looks like Jeannie Mai will not be taking home the mirrorball trophy on season 29 of Dancing With the Stars. The TV host was forced to leave the competition after being hospitalized and diagnosed with epiglottis. DWTS made the announcement on its social media pages, writing that “Jeannie has inspired us, along with millions of fans, with her energy and dedication. We wish her a full and speedy recovery.”

Mai confirmed to Good Morning America that she is leaving the show because of the diagnosis. “My doctors discovered a health concern with my throat which requires immediate attention and surgery,” she said. “I am heartbroken that my DWTS journey has to end here.”

Many fans are heartbroken over the loss of Mai to the show, and they are sending their well-wishes for her recovery. “I always look forward to your dances, your energy and your overall radiance, but your health is way more important than anything,” one fan commented. “So sad to lose her, she is a great competitor,” another fan said. “Wish her a quick recovery.” “Praying for her and sending lots of positive vibes for a speedy recovery,” one fan added.

Oh no!!!!! @jeanniemai I always look forward to your dances, your energy and your overall radiance, but your health is way more important than anything. Wishing you a speedy recovery!

— ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻Doe Eyes✊🏻✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿 (@__Doe_Eyes__) November 2, 2020

So sad to lose her, she is a great competitor. Wish her quick recovery!

— Wear the mask (@Condi1836) November 2, 2020

Noooo I loved her energy so much! Get well soon girl

— Tashley☆ (@TashleyJ03) November 2, 2020

Dang…. praying for her and sending lots of positive vibes for a speedy recovery. ❤️

— Avery Gale® – Author (@avery_gale) November 2, 2020

I am so sad to hear this. 😔 She has been an amazing competitor this season on @DancingABC!!!! We’ll miss you @jeanniemai!!!!! Hope you get well soon!!! 🥰

— Eliza Jones (@egjones1088) November 2, 2020

Other competitors on the show have also chimed in with their own messages of love. “We love you Jeannie!” Nev Schulman said. “We all love you so much,” Chrishelle Stause agreed.

DWTS also confirmed that in light of Mai’s departure from the show, Monday night’s episode will no longer be a double elimination as was intended, but will instead “feature the eight remaining couples and a single elimination.”

What Is Epiglottis?

Epiglottis is a condition that occurs when the small “lid” that covers your windpipe swells and blocks air flow to your lungs, according to Mayo Clinic. Healthline notes that epiglottis is most commonly caused by a bacterial infection, but can also be the result of other respiratory infections. Epiglottis can be potentially life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. In Mai’s case, this means surgery.

We are wishing Mai a speedy recovery and hope to see her back on her feet soon. (Maybe even in season 30 of DWTS?)

Tune in Monday

health

Bentley elementary school moves to online due to number of teachers quarantined

November 2, 2020 [email protected]_84 Bentley, due, Elementary, Moves, Number, Online, quarantined, school, teachers

BURTON, MI — Due to the number of teachers currently quarantined, Bentley Community Schools’ Barhitte Elementary School will move to virtual learning for two weeks starting Monday, Nov. 2.

Students will return to Barhitte on Monday, Nov. 16, Superintendent Kristy Spann wrote in a Sunday, Nov. 1 letter.

The switch to remote learning comes after too many staff had to quarantine, Spann said. However, staff are still able to teach remotely.

Related: Michigan sets new daily record with 3,792 new coronavirus cases Saturday, Oct. 31

Parents whose child left his or her device at Barhitte will be able to pick it up from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Regarding food, you can pick up meals for the next two days tomorrow

Food pickup at Barhitte will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. or 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. After that, meal pickups will be on Wednesdays and Fridays at Bentley High school from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. or 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Michigan reported a record number of new daily coronavirus cases Saturday, Oct. 31, with 3,792 new confirmed cases of the novel respiratory virus statewide.

State health officials also confirmed 31 new coronavirus-related deaths Saturday – 20 of which were newly discovered through a vital records review.

Since the start of the pandemic, Michigan has confirmed 178,180 positive cases and 7,340 COVID-19 deaths, according to data updated Saturday by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. There also are another 19,226 probable cases and 359 probable deaths.

Read more:

Rise in COVID-19 cases prompts Saginaw schools superintendent to call for staying online all semester

Flint schools CFO to leave district for assistant superintendent job in Clio

Mott Community College freshman wins national culinary competition

See fall 2020 count day numbers for Genesee County school districts

Source Article …

health

Paralympic athlete, others work through Ability360 gym closure due to COVID-19

November 1, 2020 [email protected]_84 Ability360, athlete, closure, COVID19, due, Gym, Paralympic, Work

For people with disabilities, Ability360’s fitness center is not just a gym. It’s a gift, a lifeline, a privilege, a necessity.

The 45,000-square-foot fitness center, part of a 62,000-square-foot campus tucked in a business area east of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and along the light rail route, is the first of its kind in the western United States and one of only a few in the nation.

Its equipment is designed with accessibility in mind. For example, the lap pool has a lowered bench for transferring directly from a wheelchair to the water. The fitness room features strength, cardio and free weight equipment like any gym, but they’re designed to accommodate people with disabilities.

The campus is also home to a slew of nonprofits that help people with various disabilities and is typically bustling with activity. Ability360’s fitness center started the year with 2,800 members.

For those with recent injuries, the gym is a place to see and meet others who have coped with and grown stronger from their injuries, a place for encouragement.

For others, it’s the only place they ever get to use accessible equipment. It might be the only reason they leave the house.

For a select few, like those who had been training to play in the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, it’s one of the best and most adaptive training facilities in the state.

“This is a place like nowhere else,” said Ability360 vice president and general manager Gus LaZear. “It’s warm, it’s welcoming, people are friendly but also keep you accountable for working out.”

Like many gyms, Ability360 shut down March 17. But when other gyms raced to reopen, Ability360 leaders were more cautious. They serve a more vulnerable population.

The Arizona Republic followed three Ability360 members over several months, documenting as they coped with the rollercoaster of closures and re-openings at the facility they described as being like a second home, a place where their disability didn’t define them.

When Ability360, a Phoenix gym for people with disabilities closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they adapted.

Arizona Republic

For a Paralympic athlete, Ability360 is essential

Joe Jackson, 30, has been paralyzed from the waist down since being injured during a Hamilton High School football game in 2005.

Breaking his C6 vertebrae in his lower neck left him without the ability to sweat, meaning he can quickly overheat — a common result of spinal cord injuries.

He didn’t used to have to think about it because of the air conditioned rooms at Ability360. He’d been going there three to five days a week for sessions spanning several hours since the gym’s opening in 2011.

Ability360’s focus on accessibility has been a “game-changer” for Jackson, he said.

Jackson in 2007 started playing quad rugby and joined Ability360’s team, which practiced three times per week for three hours at a time at the facility on top of regular games and tournaments.

In 2017, Jackson became a member of the U.S. Paralympic wheelchair rugby team,

health

Detroit Free Press/TCF Bank Marathon expects surge due to pandemic

November 1, 2020 [email protected]_84 Bank, Detroit, due, expects, Free, Marathon, pandemic, PressTCF, surge

Wright Wilson, Special to Detroit Free Press
Published 6:01 a.m. ET Nov. 1, 2020

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Last SlideNext Slide

The same novel coronavirus pandemic that forced the annual Detroit Free Press/TCF Bank Marathon into virtual mode this year might actually cause an upward spike in entrants for the 2021 event.

During the spring quarantine period, as the weather turned warmer and gyms had not yet opened, people started spending their time outdoors. Many discovered — or rediscovered — distance running. The effect might be noticeable next year, when organizers hope to return to a live event.

“I think we’re going to see an influx of new runners,” race director Barbara Bennage said. “As some of our partners have said, ‘running isn’t closed.’ I think we will see an uptick of runners. It’s cyclical; it goes up and down. It was on a down trend, but we’re seeing the numbers start to pick up again.”

[ Detroit Free Press/TCF Bank Marathon Michelob ULTRA runner of the week: Diane Hyde ]

There’s already early interest in next year’s race, tentatively scheduled for the third weekend in October.

Runners take a selfie on the starting line during the 42nd Annual Detroit Free Press/TCF Bank Marathon in Detroit on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. (Photo: Melanie Maxwell, Detroit Free Press)

When this year’s race format was changed in July, runners were given the option of deferring their entry fee to 2021, and several thousand of them did. Runners could also have requested a partial refund, or participate in the virtual event, which allowed entrants to choose a time, date and race route that was convenient for them. They were responsible for reporting their finish times.

When the virus first had a serious presence in the state in March, just over 11,000 runners had signed up for the marathon and its related races.

[ COVID-19 can’t stop two men who have run every race ]

“We continued to keep registration open until July, when we made the decision (to go virtual),” Bennage said. “But we ended up with just over 3,700 finishers in all the distances. We were pleased with that. I’ve seen a lot of social media footage of them crossing the finish line.”

She also noted that some people deferred their entry but came back to re-enter this fall’s event and run virtually.

“They had been training, and they didn’t want that training to go for nothing,” Bennage said. “They were saying they missed the in-person race, the chance to run over the (Ambassador) bridge and in the (Detroit-Windsor) tunnel, but they were glad we offered an opportunity to run in their backyard.”

One of the responsibilities race organizers have is “keeping the buzz alive, even though it turned virtual,” Victor Reynolds, a Detroit marathon ambassador, said.

“I was actually pretty surprised leading into race weekend,” he said. “On every social media I belong to, there were posts about the virtual marathon. It was so exciting – it still felt

health

Power out due to Hurricane Zeta? Here’s how long the food in your fridge, freezer will last | Hurricane Center

October 29, 2020 [email protected]_84 center, due, Food, Freezer, fridge, heres, Hurricane, Long, power, Zeta

If you’re living in the New Orleans metro area, you likely don’t have power right now.

Aside from wondering when the lights will come back on, your next thought might be figuring out what to do the food in your refrigerator or freezer.

About 470,000 people without power in Louisiana after Hurricane Zeta

Most of the outages are in the New Orleans metro area.

If the power is still out at your home, do not open your freezer or refrigerator if possible.

Fridges will typically keep food cold for about four hours if not opened, according to the Food and Drug Administration. A full freezer should maintain a safe temperature for about 48 hours if the door stays closed as well. If your freezer is half-full, it should maintain its temp for about 24 hours.

In the meantime, it’s a good idea to fill up an ice chest with ice and add perishable foods to enjoy until power is restored.

Once the power is back, though, it’s time to start clearing out what might be spoiled. If your refrigerator reads 40 degrees or lower and the freezer reads 0 when you re-open it, your food should be safe, and frozen food that still retains ice crystals should be safe.

Hurricane Zeta may have sped its way across metro New Orleans, but what it left in its wake were downed trees, streets littered with debris an…

A general rule of thumb: Perishable food that is held at temperatures higher than 40 degrees for more than two hours may be unsafe to eat. That is because bacteria multiply quickly between 40 and 140 degrees.

Even foods that are deemed safe to eat should be thoroughly heated and cooked to minimum safe temperatures.

And, as always, when in doubt throw it out.

For more tips on preparing for a hurricane or power outage, head here.

Preparing for a hurricane: What to buy, what to eat, what to throw out in your kitchen

Now is the time to check your hurricane prep supplies. Along with generators, battery-powered radios or TVs, flashlights, electric candles (so…

Ann Maloney contributed to this report.

MORE COVERAGE:

When will power come back on in New Orleans? Entergy hopes to get it fixed 'through the weekend'

About 400,000 Entergy customers were without power as of 7 a.m.

90% to have electricity restored within 10 days, Entergy says

Jefferson Parish asks residents to stay home, limit warm water usage after Hurricane Zeta: report

Traffic lights are out throughout the parish.

Why did Hurricane Zeta intensify so quickly? Lack of wind shear, forecaster says

Forecasters underestimated storm’s strength but nailed its track

Source Article …

health

Dr. Fauci warns of a ‘whole lot of pain’ due to coronavirus pandemic in the coming months

October 29, 2020 [email protected]_84 coming, coronavirus, due, Fauci, lot, months, Pain, pandemic, warns

White House coronavirus advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNBC in an interview Wednesday that the United States is “going in the wrong direction” as coronavirus cases rise in 47 states and infected patients overwhelm hospitals across the country.

“If things do not change, if they continue on the course we’re on, there’s gonna be a whole lot of pain in this country with regard to additional cases and hospitalizations, and deaths,” the White House coronavirus taskforce member said in an interview Wednesday evening on “The News with Shepard Smith.”

States in the northeast held the virus in check over the summer, but are seeing cases climb again. New York topped half a million confirmed cases while hospitalizations in New Jersey crossed 1,000 for the first time since July.

Fauci noted, however, that cities like New York and Philadelphia are more equipped to deal with the surge, whereas locations in the northwest and heartland are going to have a more difficult time with the pandemic.

“They never had the kind of hospital and intensive care facility and flexibility that some of the larger hospitals in larger cities have,” said Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “They’re concerned that if the trajectory continues, they may be in a position where they are going to be strapped for things like intensive care beds,” said Fauci.

In the Midwest, cases and hospitalizations are surging at record numbers. Wisconsin had a 7-day positivity rate of 28% while Minnesota reported its highest number of Covid-19 hospitalizations to-date. Hospitalizations have tripled in less than three weeks in El Paso, Texas. Joel Hendricks, the Chief Medical Officer at El Paso’s University Medical Center even warned about the possibility of rationing hospital care there during an interview with NBC’S Gabe Gutierrez.

“Rationing of care is the worst thing doctors ever want to talk about,” said Hendricks. “Having said that, we have looked at that, we’re in the process of looking at that.”

Dr. Fauci told Smith that he doesn’t foresee the United States taking the same lockdown measures that Melbourne, Australia took to curb its summer spike in cases. Melbourne only reopened Wednesday after spending three months shutdown.

“There is very little appetite for a lockdown in this country,” said Fauci. “There’s going to be major pushback both from above and at the local level, however, what Melbourne did, what Australia did as a country, was very successful.”

Dr. Fauci suggested doubling down on masks, distancing, and avoiding crowds and congregations amid Americans’ coronavirus fatigue, and added that the country would “be much better than we’re doing right now.”

For more of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s interview with Shepard Smith, watch the full interview above.

Source Article …

health

Pence’s office says he did not attend swearing-in due to CDC guidelines

October 27, 2020 [email protected]_84 attend, CDC, due, Guidelines, Office, Pences, swearingin

Asked why Pence did not attend the ceremony, the official said in a statement: “As has been the case, the vice president has been adhering to the CDC guidelines for essential personnel.”

The decision comes days after five Pence aides, including his bodyman and Marc Short, his chief of staff, tested positive for coronavirus.

In the wake of the cases among his staff, Pence has insisted on maintaining an aggressive campaign schedule — a decision which runs counter to the CDC’s guidelines recommending individuals self-quarantine in the event of close contact with a person who has tested positive for coronavirus.

And though Pence has been heeding the guidelines at the events himself, he continues to host campaign events that actively ignore CDC guidelines on mask usage and social distancing among his supporters.

So far, Pence and second lady Karen Pence have continued to test negative for the virus. But Pence’s decision to continue to travel, given that he leads the White House’s coronavirus task force, has drawn scrutiny.

The administration official underscored that Pence is taking precautions on the road, saying that the vice president “has been wearing a mask on the helicopter, airplane, off the plane and onto the stage, in his cabin.”

Pence skips public health recommended self-quarantine but does change plans after staff outbreak

The official also noted that Pence’s regional media interviews have been canceled and during rallies, “When he removes his mask on stage he is greater than 20 feet from the audience.”

A person familiar with the vice president’s plans previously told CNN that the team traveling with Pence is slimmed down. Pence will also nix any rope lines or greetings with supporters at the events.

The White House has defended Pence’s continued travel and work as part of his duties as an essential worker. And while that may apply to his work in his official capacity as vice president and head of the coronavirus task force, it’s not clear how continuing to campaign falls under those duties.

The vice president has also been inconsistent in his adherence to the CDC’s guidelines.

Pence returned to Washington, DC, from the campaign trail in order to be available in case a tie-breaker was needed for Barrett’s confirmation vote. Democrats discouraged the vice president from coming near Capitol Hill for the vote.

Prior to the cases among his staff, a maskless Pence has been a frequent sight on the campaign trail.

But Monday night’s White House event for Barrett marked one of the first times the White House has implemented social distancing protocols and mandated mask-wearing.

The event came a month after a White House Rose Garden event to announce Barrett’s nomination — which has been labeled by public health experts as a coronavirus superspreader event. Attendees sat outdoors, shoulder-to-shoulder during the event, infrequently wore masks and were generally not practicing social distancing.

At least a dozen people who were at the announcement in late September confirmed they had contracted the coronavirus shortly after their attendance.

CNN’s Sarah Westwood and Daniella Diaz contributed to this report.

Source Article…

health

First Response Pregnancy Test Survey Reveals Women Are Putting Off Having Children Due to Increased Uncertainty During COVID-19

October 27, 2020 [email protected]_84 children, COVID19, due, Increased, Pregnancy, Putting, response, reveals, survey, test, Uncertainty, Women

OB/GYN Mary Jane Minkin, M.D. offers advice to address pregnancy anxieties

According to a new First Response survey about the current family planning goals of 3,000 US women aged 18-35, nearly 20% say they’re uncertain of their trying to conceive (TTC) plans while 38% are intentionally putting off conceiving during the pandemic due to anxiety and stress. Mary Jane Minkin, Clinical Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Yale Medical School tells women to follow simple safety measures when considering getting pregnant during this unprecedented time.

“Women are understandably facing a lot of anxiety when considering their family planning journey and many are waiting for a vaccine before starting or growing their family,” says Minkin. “However, if the time is right to have a baby, go ahead and book an appointment with a medical provider, take extra precautions, utilize telehealth appointments, and implement precautions based on the advice from healthcare providers.”

Dr. Minkin offers the following advice to address pregnancy related anxieties:

Book a preconception appointment. OB-GYN’s, doctors, and nurse practitioners are available via phone and in person to answer all questions and health concerns. If you need help finding a healthcare provider, contact your nearest hospital clinic, community health center external icon, or health department. Medical visits can also be handled virtually by scheduling a telehealth appointment, which can be helpful to address any questions you may have.
When unsure, take a pregnancy test. Stress and anxiety can trigger symptoms that mimic those of pregnancy, like morning sickness, food cravings, mood swings, and fatigue – so the best way to know if pregnant is to use a reliable pregnancy test like First Response Early Result so you don’t need to leave the house until COVID-19 settles down. A test can be revealing up to six days before a missed period. Be sure to call your doctor right away if the test is positive to put a proper plan of action in place.
Be wary of listening to friends or relying on Dr. Google. While the experiences of others or the internet can hold insights, when it comes to making important personal health decisions make sure to consult a medical professional to confirm whether what you’ve been told or read is really true. Other reliable online sources include ACOG.org, CDC.gov, and WHO.int.
Stay current on all vaccines. Pregnancy can alter the immune system and lead to an increased risk of respiratory infections. A flu shot can help mom and baby by causing the body to create protective antibodies (proteins produced by the body to fight off diseases.) The whooping cough (Tdap) vaccine will help protect your baby against whooping cough, which can mimic symptoms of COVID-19.
Maintain overall health. Make sure to have at least a 30-day supply of the medicines you need on hand, stop smoking, eat healthy foods and supplement with folic acid. Try an easy to take pre-natal vitamin like the vitafusion gummy vitamin. It is also important to avoid alcohol and limit caffeine intake

health

The US had more daily Covid-19 cases in the past week than ever before. And no, it’s not just due to more testing

October 26, 2020 [email protected]_84 Cases, COVID19, Daily, due, Testing, Week

Another day, another dreadful record broken in the Covid-19 pandemic.

a car parked on a city street filled with lots of traffic: People wait in their cars at a newly opened mega drive-thru site at SISD Student Activities Complex on July 21, 2020 in El Paso, Texas. As coronavirus deaths surge past 4000 in Texas, overwhelmed hospitals are being forced to plan for extra refrigerated storage to hold deceased patients. (Photo by Cengiz Yar/Getty Images)

© Cengiz Yar/Getty Images
People wait in their cars at a newly opened mega drive-thru site at SISD Student Activities Complex on July 21, 2020 in El Paso, Texas. As coronavirus deaths surge past 4000 in Texas, overwhelmed hospitals are being forced to plan for extra refrigerated storage to hold deceased patients. (Photo by Cengiz Yar/Getty Images)

This time, the seven-day average of daily new cases reached an all-time high of 68,767 on Sunday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The previous record of 67,293 was set July 22.

“Unfortunately, I think the statement about ‘new record’ is going to be repeated over and over again in the days and weeks to come,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.

“I expect that those numbers will continue to climb. Hospitalizations are going to continue to climb.”

The abysmal week was marked by the two worst days of daily new cases reported since the pandemic began. More than 83,000 new cases were reported both Friday and Saturday, according to Johns Hopkins.

To be clear: This surge reflects an onslaught of new infections — not just increased testing, contrary to what skeptics claim.

“You know why we have cases? Because we test so much,” President Donald Trump claimed at a rally Saturday in North Carolina. “And in many ways, it’s good. And in many ways, it’s foolish.”

But the seven-day average of new Covid-19 cases has soared 23% in the past week, according to Johns Hopkins data. The seven-day average of new tests performed has risen only 2.87% over the past week, according to the Covid Tracking Project.

And we are long past the point of just urban, heavily populated areas being the only places hit hard. South Dakota’s test positivity rate is 23%, the state’s health department said Monday. That means of every 100 people tested, 23 have been infected. The World Health Organization in May advised governments not to reopen until test positivity rates were 5% or lower for at least 14 days.

States to receive 36.7 million rapid tests

The federal government is shipping 36.7 million rapid Covid-19 tests, and states should be receiving them by the end of the week, the US Department of Health and Human Services told CNN Monday.

The tests are intended to help states with reopening, according to an HHS news release.

“To protect seniors and to facilitate the continued re-opening of schools, businesses and the economy, the Trump Administration prioritized scaling-up our state and national point of care testing capacity,” Adm. Dr. Brett Giroir, the department’s assistant secretary for health, said in a news release Sunday.

President Donald Trump last month announced a plan to send 150 million BinaxNOW Covid-19 tests nationally. HHS on Monday confirmed that this week’s shipments are part of that total.

“Combining personal responsibility with smart, targeted testing is a proven formula to prevent outbreaks — but we cannot ‘test our

health

Trump continues to falsely claim that spike in coronavirus cases is due to heightened testing

October 26, 2020 [email protected]_84 Cases, claim, Continues, coronavirus, due, falsely, heightened, spike, Testing, Trump

Donald Trump in a suit standing in front of a crowd: LONDONDERRY, NH - OCTOBER 25: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally on October 25, 2020 in Londonderry, New Hampshire. President Trump continues to campaign ahead of the November 3rd presidential election. (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

© Scott Eisen/Getty Images
LONDONDERRY, NH – OCTOBER 25: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally on October 25, 2020 in Londonderry, New Hampshire. President Trump continues to campaign ahead of the November 3rd presidential election. (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump has claimed over and over in the past week — at campaign rallies, on Twitter and in an interview with “60 Minutes” — that the US is only seeing so many coronavirus cases because the country is doing so much testing.

“Cases up because we TEST, TEST, TEST. A Fake News Media Conspiracy,” he wrote on Twitter on Monday morning.

Trump made similar claims during the summer spike in cases. They were flat wrong then, as we explained in a July fact check, and they are flat wrong now.

Facts First: The spike in US coronavirus cases is not being caused by an increase in testing. The number of confirmed new cases is increasing at a faster rate than the number of new tests. And the number of hospitalizations and deaths is also rising, which shows that, contrary to Trump’s repeated claims, the increase in the case numbers isn’t merely being caused by tests capturing mild cases. Taken together, the numbers tell a consistent story: the situation in the US is genuinely getting worse.

“To say that cases aren’t actually increasing is to deny reality,” Dr. Tom Frieden, who served as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under President Barack Obama, said in a Sunday email.

“Not only are cases and infections increasing, but hospitalizations — which follow case increases by several weeks — and deaths — which follow hospitalization increases by a week or two — are also increasing. What’s more, the proportion of tests that are positive has increased, and this correlates with increased actual spread of infection.” Frieden added: “The most reliable information is positivity, and this increased in all regions of the country.”

The national positivity rate as of Saturday was 6.1%, per Johns Hopkins University data, up from 4.6% a month prior.

If the increase in reported cases “were due to a very high level of testing, we would expect to see the percentage of tests that are positive be very low, certainly less than 3%. However that is not what we are seeing,” said Aubree Gordon, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan.

Worsening numbers

On Friday, the US set a new record for reported daily coronavirus cases: 83,757, according to Johns Hopkins data. Through Saturday, the seven-day average for daily new cases was 66,970 — the highest since late July.

The increase in daily cases is far outpacing the increase in daily testing. The COVID Tracking Project, an initiative that assembles and analyzes coronavirus data, tweeted on Saturday that “tests rose 3.8% from a week ago, while cases are up 20.6%.”

Trump has repeatedly suggested that the increase in confirmed cases is happening simply because tests are capturing cases

← Previous