Covid-19: in the United States, daily contaminations are approaching their records of early 2021

Daily Covid-19 contaminations in the United States were on the rise due to the omicron variant and on the way to reaching a record dating from January.

“A vertical push”. The image to describe the progression of the pandemic used by Anthony Fauci, the White House’s senior adviser on the fight against the pandemic, has the merit of being clear. The United States recorded 214,499 new cases of Covid-19 on Sunday, a jump of 83% over an average of 14 days, linked to the presence of the highly contagious omicron variant in the territory. A figure that flirts dangerously with the daily record of 251,232 cases reached in January 2021. The average daily number of deaths has also increased slightly over 14 days (+ 3%) with 1,328 deaths. The country is to date the most bereaved in the world with more than 800,000 dead.

Several states such as Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York, as well as the US territory of Puerto Rico, experienced an unprecedented increase in a period of seven days, adds the New York Times. In New York, health authorities have also noted an increase in the number of children hospitalized in connection with the Covid-19.

The end of this push “Is very difficult to predict, added Dr Fauci, when asked on NPR public radio. We hope that it will reach a peak and come down like what we have seen in other countries like South Africa ”. In this country, where the omicron variant has been identified, contaminations are down after having exploded. It is “Possibly due to saturation, ie the variant has reached all vulnerable targets” like unvaccinated people, who are still numerous in the United States, he said.

Unfavorable at fourth dose

The omicron variant, which is more contagious than the delta, however, appears to be less dangerous for people who have received at least two doses of the vaccine, added Anthony Fauci. “We hope that this less seriousness will prevent an increase in hospitalizations, but we are really very worried about the unvaccinated who are vulnerable”, he added.

The scientist also said he was unfavorable to a new vaccine campaign for a fourth dose, believing that boosters too close together did not allow the immune system to strengthen against the coronavirus. “Right now, get the booster dose, don’t worry about a fourth dose and maybe we never have to worry about it.”, he said.