Coronavirus Briefing: The worst week yet

The U.S. recorded more than 500,000 new cases and counted its nine millionth case.

View in browser|nytimes.com October 30, 2020 An informed guide to the pandemic, with the latest developments and expert advice about prevention and treatment. (Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here.) By Jonathan Wolfe C.D.C. advisers are considering measures that would provide early vaccine access to many people of color. Hospitalizations are rising in New York City, but stays are shorter and fewer patients are dying. Wall Street had its worst week since March as virus cases rise and Big Tech melts down. Get the latest updates here, as well as maps and vaccines in development. The worst week yet The United States just had its worst week ever for the virus. Over the past seven days, the country recorded more than 500,000 new cases and counted its nine millionth case since the start of the pandemic. Yesterday, at least 90,000 new cases were logged — an all-time high and the equivalent of more than one case per second — and there is no end in sight to the latest surge. Unlike past peaks, where a few areas drove up case numbers, this time the virus has gripped nearly every corner of the country, including many areas that avoided surges of the past. Colorado counted 2,000 new cases, Illinois logged 6,400, and more than 1,000 were found in New Mexico — all record daily highs for those states. Over the past week, 24 states added more cases than in any other seven-day stretch of the pandemic, while new cases are increasing in 42 states. If we look at a better indicator of the strength of the latest surge — hospitalizations — the situation appears equally severe. Hospitalization data, collected by the Covid Tracking Project, shows that the number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus reached record highs in almost half of states in recent weeks. Over the past month, hospitalizations have surged by 46 percent. The death rate remains lower than it was at its peak, averaging around 800 deaths per day. But as we’ve seen in past waves, deaths can lag cases and hospitalizations by several weeks. Even if a surge in deaths doesn’t materialize, the death rate also plateaued over the past month and has not dropped as much as experts had hoped after the summer surge. NYT All of this is happening against the backdrop of a bitter presidential contest in which the pandemic — and the government’s response to it — is the dominant issue. Already, the pandemic has complicated the voting process. Voters in several swing states are casting their ballots at the same time the coronavirus reaches new peaks in their communities. In places like Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin, it’s creating uncertainty about how easily people will be able to vote. Unlike in the spring, when the virus was deadliest where Democrats live, the new surge includes Republican-dominated sections of the Great Plains and the Mountain West. And in the battleground states, a growing share of cases is emerging in counties that supported Mr. Trump in 2016. Election Day next week will be unusual in many ways, but it’s not the first time the country will vote during a pandemic. During the midterm elections of 1918, cases also surged in October. Campaigning in person was restricted, as were speeches and rallies. Voter turnout was low and those who cast ballots voted for change, flipping both chambers of Congress in favor of the Republican Party. Resurgences Countries in the Middle East, including Iran, Lebanon and Turkey, have been grappling with a resurgence of cases. The World Health Organization has warned that the pandemic has reached “an alarming juncture” in the region. Thousands of people tried to leave Paris, just hours before France went into its second nationwide lockdown, clogging the city with traffic jams. In Germany, a crude bomb in Berlin and other recent attacks have been directed at the scientific institutes helping to fight the pandemic. Connecticut announced plans to reimpose restrictions on businesses and gatherings as the state confronts a surge in virus cases. Here’s a roundup of restrictions in all 50 states. What else we’re following Regeneron said it would stop enrolling seriously ill Covid-19 patients in its antibody trials, in another sign that the treatments appear to not work well in patients who have advanced forms of the disease. Americans are preparing to celebrate Halloween, a holiday that is normally dependent on placing a great deal of trust in complete strangers. College health officers have issued public health guidelines ahead of Thanksgiving break. They recommend that schools encourage students to be tested before departing campuses, avoid traveling if they test positive and quarantine for 14 days at home upon arrival. Unions representing health care workers have sued the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, accusing the agency of failing to protect health care workers during the pandemic, The Washington Post reports. The Los Angeles Unified School District, the country’s second-largest system, will probably not bring students back into classrooms until at least January. Trevor Lawrence, the star quarterback at top-ranked Clemson and a leading contender for the Heisman Trophy, has tested positive for the coronavirus. Masks work. The Times takes a visual journey through the microscopic world of the coronavirus to illustrate how masks provide an important defense against transmission. Science magazine visually explored the science (and math) behind superspreading. What you’re doing We’re both what you’d label “busy New Yorkers.” Too hurried to bother about breakfast; catching the train on time is way more important. But it’s been over six months of us organically developing a morning routine as a couple — taking turns brewing coffee, making breakfast, reading the news to each other. I still have to leave for work while my partner stays behind working from home, but our slower mornings are the highlight of my day. I go to bed each workday looking forward to them. — Marina De la Rosa, Brooklyn Let us know how you’re dealing with the pandemic. Send us a response here, and we may feature it in an upcoming newsletter. Email your thoughts to briefing@nytimes.com. Did a friend forward you the briefing? Sign up here. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Coronavirus Briefing from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. 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