The number of new COVID-19 cases and deaths in the U.S. rose by double-digit percentage points over the last week, according to an internal memo by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, obtained by ABC News. The latest government data shows 41 states and territories are in an upward trajectory of new cases, with five jurisdictions at a plateau and nine decreasing. Also troubling: 417,899 new coronavirus cases were confirmed during the period of October 15-21, reflecting a 14% increase from the previous seven-day period. There were also 5,413 deaths recorded during that same period, marking a 10.6% increase in new deaths compared with the previous week.
The HHS memo also reports that the national test-positivity rate increased to 5.8% from 5.1% in week-to-week comparisons. At the same time, some 25% of hospitals across the country have more than 80% of their intensive care unit beds filled. That number was 17-18% during the summertime COVID-19 infection peak.
Latest reported numbers globally per Johns Hopkins University
Global diagnosed cases: 41,791,766
Global deaths: 1,138,671. The United States has the most deaths of any single country, with 223,059.
Number of countries/regions: at least 189
Total patients recovered globally: 28,384,889
Latest reported numbers in the United States per Johns Hopkins University
There are at least 8,411,262 reported cases in 50 states + the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. This is more than in any other country.
U.S. deaths: at least 223,059. New York State has the greatest number of reported deaths in the U.S., with 33,396.
U.S. total patients recovered: 3,353,036
U.S. total people tested: 128,964,596
The greatest number of reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S. is in California, with 894,002 confirmed cases out of a total state population of 39.51 million. That ranks third in the world after Maharashtra, India, which has 1,625,197 reported cases, and Sao Paulo, Brazil, which has 1,076,939 reported cases.