US Reported More Than 1,000 Deaths: Virus Rates 10x Higher

For the first time since the pandemic started, the US reported more than 1,000 coronavirus related deaths on Tuesday. On the same day, the US also reported 63,000 new cases and 59,000 hospitalizations which is the third-highest total number of hospitalizations recorded.

US Reported More Than 1,000 Deaths: Virus Rates 10x Higher

New researches on antibody testing conclude that tests for the coronavirus vastly under-counted the true number of COVID-19 infections in the U.S. from March to May. studies under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that COVID-19 rates were more than 10 times higher than what was reported. 

Antibody tests show virus rates 10x higher

Studies under CDC says that true COVID-19 rates were more than 10 times higher than reported cases in most U.S. regions from late March to early May. It is based on COVID-19 antibody tests performed on routine blood samples in 16,000 people in 10 U.S. regions. The study also found infections in people who may have had no symptoms or only mild illness, and who never got coronavirus tests.

So based on the antibody tests conducted, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the number of people in the United States who have been infected with the coronavirus is likely to be 10 times as high as the 2.4 million confirmed cases.

The antibody tests examine a person’s blood for indicators that the immune system has mounted a response to an infection. The serological surveys are being done around the country as epidemiologists try to measure the reach of the virus to date. CDC Director Robert Redfield said he believes 5 to 8 percent of the population has been infected so far. 

Trump asked everyone to wear a mask

President Donald Trump who never supported wearing a mask now reversed all his previous positions and urged Americans to wear a mask. Trump said, “We’re asking everybody that, when you are not able to socially distance, wear a mask. Get a mask. Whether you like the mask or not, they have an impact. They’ll have an effect.” Trump was very reluctant o be seen in public wearing a mask and often questioned their impact in slowing down transmission.

Trump by appearing in the podium by himself after the departure from the previous briefings in which other experts on the White House coronavirus task force were by his side said, “the pandemic will probably, unfortunately, get worse before it gets better.”

But ahead of the briefing, Dr. Anthony Fauci told that he had not been invited to the White House briefing. Fauci said, “I spoke with Trump toward the end of last week and had a good, long conversation. I was not invited up to this point. I’m assuming that I’m not going to be there cause it’s going to be in just a short while and I’m still here at the National Institutes of Health.”