As coronavirus cases continue to skyrocket across the country, setting records in several states, an expert warned that the worst could be to come.
“The next six to 12 weeks will be the darkest in the pandemic,” Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Diseases Policy and Research at the University of Minnesota, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
The U. S. reports an average of more than 55,000 new cases consistent with the day, according to the knowledge of Johns Hopkins, and several states report their number of cases in a day without getting married on Friday.
Osterholm made a special mention of the more than 70,000 instances of COVID-19 reported on Friday, the figure since July, saying, “For the holidays, we will see numbers much larger than the 67,000 to 75,000 instances. “
CNN reports that at least 27 states are showing upward trends in the number of reported cases, bringing the knowledge of Johns Hopkins.
One state, Nebraska, said a record 343 more people had been hospitalized by COVID-19 after reporting 734 new instances of the virus on Sunday to give Nebraska 58,068 instances since the pandemic began.
The state’s rate of new infections now ranks fifth nationally, which led Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts to reinstate some restrictions, adding the restriction of indoor meetings to 50% of a building’s capacity. Governor Ricketts resisted the imposition of a state-wide mask court order; masks are required in Nebraska’s two largest cities.
In Wisconsin, a ruling was issued over the reimposition of an order from Governor Tony Evers’ administration restricting the number of others who can gather in bars, restaurants, and other closed places to 25% of their capacity.
The capacity limitation order issued on October 6 in reaction to increased coronavirus cases in Wisconsin. A judgment blocked the order on October 14 after he challenged it through the Wisconsin Tavern League, which he argued amounted to a “de facto closure” order for the bars and restaurants it represents.
But Barron County Judge James Babler reset capacity limits on Monday and rejected a Tavern League request for the outstanding capacity limitation order while the trial is ongoing and refused to keep its ruling while the Tavern League and others appeal its ruling.
Evers called the resolution “critically important,” and said it would “help us prevent the spread of this virus by restoring the boundaries of public meetings. “
Last week, Wisconsin set new records for positive coronavirus cases, deaths, and hospitalizations. To date, the state has more than 166,000 positive cases and 1,574 deaths.
In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday that he plans to make changes to the coronavirus group spaces later this week, as some spaces show stabilizing instances.
“Queens’ numbers are higher than those in Brooklyn,” Cuomo said. “Orange and Rockland numbers remain high. We have general flexibility in those areas. “
“As discrete spaces improve, you can rewrite the length of the spaces, and that’s what we’re looking to do now,” he added. “And if we know that some activities are going to be reduced, which we think have been generators, then we can do even more. “
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, talking to reporters, said next week or two would be to prevent a momentary wave.
“If you’re talking about downtown Queens, we’ve noticed significant progress there,” De Blasio said. “Let’s talk to the state about how we analyzed this. Clearly we need to see a few more days of knowledge. “before any final decision. It’s a little early to plan or predict, however, it’s always imaginable that we’ll be able to see actions later this week depending on our conversations with the state. “
The mayor warned that there may be only two weeks of paintings in the other hot spots before restrictions are lifted.
Earlier this month, the state closed businesses and non-essential schools, and limited attendance at places of worship in parts of the state saw an increase in cases.
The Associated Press contributed to the report.