Coronavirus news, updates, hotspots and information for 5-20-2021

This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for May 20th, 2021.

Yesterday, India reported more coronavirus deaths in a single day than any other country at any time during the pandemic, setting a global record. Over the last month, India’s COVID-19 fatalities have jumped six-fold. And the infections continue to spread, mostly through the countryside where most people live, and health care is limited.

Restrictions are returning across Asia. Mongolia has seen its death toll soar, while Taiwan, considered a big success in fighting the virus, placed over 600,000 people in two-week medical isolation. Hong Kong and Singapore have postponed a quarantine-free travel bubble for a second time. China’s seen new cases linked to contact with people arriving from abroad. Thailand reported the highest number of deaths since the outbreak started. And the Philippines has barred public gatherings.

Anthony Fauci announced yesterday the existing vaccines are effective against the highly contagious Indian variant. The variant has been reported in at least 44 countries—including the U.S.—on every continent besides Antarctica. The U.K. has had the largest number of the variant. And it’s causing Ministers to consider diluting plans for “Freedom Day” in England June 21st.

EU ambassadors agreed on measures to allow fully vaccinated travelers to enter their countries. There was no precise date given but June is the goal, if not sooner. Most travelers from the US and outside of Europe have been banned from entering since March 17, 2020. The United States still has a travel ban in place on people from certain areas in Europe.

We’ve told you about the Ohio lottery and it looks like there’ll be all kinds of ideas on how to get more people vaccinated. In Georgia, defendants in Hall and Dawson Counties that have to do community service as part of their sentences can cut their required hours in half just by getting vaccinated.

In the United States cases were down 35%, deaths are down 12%, and hospitalizations are down 20% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  

There are now 5,901,195 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Kentucky. 

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Chattahoochee, GA. Conejos, CO. Calhoun, WV. Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK. Pleasants, WV. Luce, MI. Karnes, TX. Wheeler, TX. Clay, WV. And Shelby, MO. 

The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Alabama, Rhode Island, Colorado, Michigan, and Maine.

There have been 587,843 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.

The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Texas 59. Pennsylvania 56. Florida 51. California 41. Oklahoma 40. Georgia 37. Illinois 34. New Jersey and Michigan 32. And North Carolina 27. 

The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 65.5%, Massachusetts at 62.8%, and Hawaii at 62.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 32.8%, Louisiana at 34.3%, and Alabama at 34.9%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 37.5%.

Globally, cases were down 20% and deaths down 7% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23. 

There are now 17,548,506 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: India 276,261. Brazil 79,706. Argentina 39,652. The United States 28,541. And France 19,050. 

There have now been 3,412,920 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. 

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