Coronavirus test positivity rate continues to rise in an alarming rate in the United States. The latest positivity rate of 15.2 percent is five times higher than the number of people tested positive for the disease a month ago.
Coronavirus testing has increased by about 50 percent nationwide over the last two weeks, according to data analyzed by the New York Times.
The highest daily COVID death toll in 75 days was reported on Tuesday.
With 819 deaths, the highest since May 27, the total number of casualties recorded in the country has risen to 618,137, as per the latest data from Johns Hopkins University.
There is 102 percent increase in weekly average of the casualties.
With additional 106871 cases reporting on the same day, the national total has increased to 36,055,274.
From an average of 22000-plus cases reported on July 9, the seven day average has surged by five times to 118067.
Florida reported the most number of cases – 56610 – and most COVID-related deaths – 233.
California is the worst affected state in terms of both the COVID metrics.
The number of people hospitalized due to coronavirus infection in the country has risen to 66,429, marking 85 percent increase in a fortnight. Louisiana and Florida have the country’s worst hospitalization rates.
A total of 29,966,321 people have so far recovered from the disease in the country.
As of August 9, more than 195.64 million people have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
166.86 million people, or 50.3 percent of the U.S. population, are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More than 80 percent of people above 65 have received both vaccine doses.
352,550,944 vaccine doses have so far been administered in the country.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden called on people living in regions where hurricanes often strike — like Florida, Texas or the Gulf Coast — to get vaccinated immediately as a vital part of preparing for the upcoming hurricane season.
“Get vaccinated now so you’re ready for whatever may come this month. And it’s likely some serious hurricanes are going to come this month,” Biden said ahead of a briefing from the FEMA Administrator, Homeland Security, and COVID-?19 Response Teams on the preparedness for the approaching peak of Atlantic hurricane season as the Delta variant is spreading.
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