The USA remains the leader of the Planet in its sheer volume of people being infection by coronavirus. It has added still another million new COVID cases in just the past 3 weeks.

*************************************

Friday US COVID News

“There are at least 8,048,865 reported cases of coronavirus in the United States – including at least 218,575 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University's tally. On Friday, Johns Hopkins University reported 69,156 new cases and 883 additional coronavirus-related deaths in the country.” CNN

“As the number of Covid-19 hospitalizations rises in the United States, an increase in the number of deaths will likely follow, Dr. Francis Collins, the director of the National Institutes of Health, warned Friday.”

“White House Opposes Expanded Virus Testing, Complicating Stimulus Talks” NY Times

Again downing playing the pandemic, “US President Donald Trump told supporters at a rally in Florida on Friday that the coronavirus pandemic is ‘rounding the turn.’"

“Worst is still to come for US, warns influential Covid-19 modeler. ‘We expect the death toll, unfortunately, unless we change our behavior, is going to reach 390,000 deaths by February 1,’Murray said, citing IHME’s recent predictions. ‘No, it's not over. The worst is still to come unfortunately.’”

LOCAL NEWS: ALERT
“Missouri sets new records for COVID-19 hospitalizations and positivity rate. Four regions — Kansas City and northwestern, central and northeastern Missouri — reached record hospitalization levels. ” KMOV News


“Kansas City-area hospitals overwhelmed, turn away ambulances. The surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations is so severe in the Kansas City area that some hospitals were forced to refuse ambulances due to a lack of space. Eight hospitals, in both Missouri and Kansas, reported such high volumes of patients that they stopped accepting ambulances ‘We’re bursting at the seams in the metropolitan area, and really across the state and the region,’ said Larson, operations director of St. Luke's Health System's COVID Response Team.” The Associated Press

*************************************

I don’t have a lot to say today. Frankly, America’s COVID news has been too depressing.

It is also extremely scary with our local hospitals here now being overwhelmed by COVID cases. The hospitals being overwhelmed will negatively effect both the care and health of non COVID patients. This is happening even before the area is into Flu Season yet; when things are supposed to get really bad. Meanwhile, the US President is currently crisscrossing US States in Super Spreader Rally events. And the Missouri governor still insists - even after having had COVID himself - that protective masks are unnecessary. America is in big trouble.

My photo above was taken today.