The US reported 1.35 million new coronavirus infections on Monday, in keeping with a Reuters tally, the very best day by day complete for any nation on this planet because the unfold of the extremely contagious Omicron variant confirmed no indicators of slowing.
The earlier file was 1.03 million circumstances on Jan. 3. A lot of circumstances are reported every Monday as a consequence of many states not reporting over the weekend. The seven-day common for brand new circumstances has tripled in two weeks to over 700,000 new infections a day.
The file in new circumstances got here the identical day because the nation noticed the variety of hospitalized COVID-19 sufferers additionally hit an all-time excessive, having doubled in three weeks, in keeping with a Reuters tally.
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There have been greater than 136,604 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19, surpassing the file of 132,051 set in January final 12 months.
Whereas the Omicron variant is doubtlessly much less extreme, well being officers have warned that the sheer variety of infections may pressure hospital programs, a few of which have already suspended elective procedures
as they battle to deal with the rise in sufferers and workers shortages.
The surge in circumstances has disrupted faculties, that are combating absences of workers, academics and bus drivers.
Chicago canceled courses for a fourth day because the district and academics didn’t agree on how one can take care of elevated infections.
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New York Metropolis suspended service on three subway traces as a lot of employees have been out sick, in keeping with its Twitter account. Firms’ plans for employees to return to workplace have additionally been derailed.
Deaths are averaging 1,700 per day, up from about 1,400 in current days however inside ranges seen earlier this winter.
A redesigned COVID-19 vaccine that particularly targets the Omicron variant is probably going wanted, Pfizer Inc’s CEO mentioned on Monday, including his firm may have one able to launch by March.
(Reporting by Lisa Shumaker in Chicago, Aparupa Mazumder and Akriti Sharma in Bengaluru; Enhancing by Cynthia Osterman and Himani Sarkar)
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