The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now forecasting over a quarter of a million COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. by Thanksgiving. The agency estimates there will be between 243,000 and 256,000 coronavirus fatalities by the week ending November 21. The CDC’s previous forecast estimated there would be from 235,000 to 247,000 COVID-19 deaths by the week ending November 14. The current U.S. COVID-19 death toll stands at 228,675.
Meanwhile, many states continue to report record COVID-19 infection increases, pushing hospitals to capacity. According to the latest ABC News analysis, 42 states and the District of Columbia are reporting increased rates of test positivity, while 41 are showing an increased rate of hospitalizations and 30 are reporting increased coronavirus deaths. Eight states — Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio and Oregon – reported a record number of new cases Thursday, while those states and an additional six reported record numbers of hospitalizations.
CDC forecasts up to 256,000 COVID-19 deaths by Thanksgiving; states posting record case numbers
