Coronavirus news, updates, hotspots and information for 6-01-2021

This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for June 1st, 2021.

The World Health Organization announced from now on, coronavirus variants are to be known by letters of the Greek alphabet to avoid stigmatizing and discriminating against nations where they were first detected. The UK variant will be known as Alpha, the South Africa Beta, Brazil will be Gamma, and India Delta. They also considered naming the variants after Greek Gods.

New coronavirus cases leaped 73% in Washington in the week ending Sunday. With 2.29% of the country's population, Washington had 5.93% of the country's cases in the last week. Five states had more cases in the latest week than they did the week before. Washington has 56.5% of its residents at least partially vaccinated. 

Stocks in Malaysia fell after the government announced a nationwide two-week “total lockdown” to curb its rapidly rising daily infections. Last week, the country reported five-consecutive days of record increases in cases.

In Thailand, new reported cases surged yesterday to the highest level thus far. The country is redoubling efforts to stop the spread in labor camps, factories, and markets. Concern prompted the government to overrule a plan by Bangkok’s governor to ease some restrictions that was supposed to start today. 

With the pandemic seemingly easing, some are taking stock of the various tolls its taken. For instance, a study shows as many as 43,000 children in the U.S. are estimated to have lost at least one parent to COVID-19 by February. That’s a dramatic 20% increase in parental bereavement compared to a typical year. The study also found Black children have been hit the hardest — they comprise 14% of children but represent 20% of those who lost a parent to the virus.

In the United States cases were down 46%, deaths are down 36%, and hospitalizations are down 19% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.  

There are now 5,639,539 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and New York. 

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Livingston, MO. Linn, MO. Torrance, NM. Chattahoochee, GA. Dimmit, TX. Karnes, TX. Lincoln, WA. Mesa, CO. Alamosa, CO. And Koochiching, MN.

The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Washington, Colorado, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

There have been 594,568 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.

The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Illinois 38. New York and Virginia 13. Missouri 10. Maryland 7. Mississippi 6. Pennsylvania and New Jersey 5. And South Carolina and South Dakota 4. 

The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 70.2%, Hawaii at 66.5%, and Massachusetts at 66.2%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 34%, Louisiana at 35.7%, and Alabama at 36%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 40.7%.

Globally, cases were down 31% and deaths down 16% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since May 28. 

There are now 14,161,013 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: India 126,698. Brazil 32,554. Argentina 28,175. Colombia 23,177. And Iran 11,042.   

There have now been 3,546,731 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. 

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