Clusters of infections and deaths have occurred in many areas. Disproportionate numbers of cases have been observed among Black and Latino populations, as well as elevated levels of vaccine hesitancy, and there has been a sharp increase in reported incidents of xenophobia and racism against Asian Americans. State and local responses to the pandemic have included the requirement to wear a face mask in specified situations (mask mandates), prohibition and cancellation of large-scale gatherings (including festivals and sporting events), stay-at-home orders, and school closures. The January 2022 emergence of the Omicron variant, which was first discovered in South Africa, has led to record highs in hospitalizations and cases, with as many as 1.5 million new infections reported in a single day. That was followed by a rise of the Delta variant, an even more infectious mutation first detected in India, leading to increased efforts to ensure safety. There have also been numerous reports that unvaccinated COVID-19 patients have strained the capacity of hospitals throughout the country, forcing many to turn away patients with life-threatening diseases.Ī fourth rise in infections began in March 2021 amidst the rise of the Alpha variant, a more easily transmissible variant first detected in the United Kingdom.

There has nonetheless been some vaccine hesitancy for various reasons, although side effects are rare. In comparison with fully vaccinated people, the CDC found that those who were unvaccinated were from 5 to nearly 30 times more likely to become either infected or hospitalized. Studies have shown them to be highly protective against severe illness, hospitalization, and death. ĬOVID-19 vaccines became available in December 2020, under emergency use, beginning the national vaccination program, with the first vaccine officially approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on August 23, 2021. By mid-October, a third surge of cases began there were over 200,000 new daily cases during parts of December 2020 and January 2021. A second wave of infections began in June, following relaxed restrictions in several states, leading to daily cases surpassing 60,000. By mid-April, disaster declarations were made by all states and territories as they all had increasing cases. The government also purchased large quantities of medical equipment, invoking the Defense Production Act of 1950 to assist. On March 6, 2020, Trump allocated $8.3 billion to fight the outbreak and declared a national emergency on March 13. The first known American deaths occurred in February. response to the pandemic was otherwise slow, in terms of preparing the healthcare system, stopping other travel, and testing. Restrictions were placed on flights arriving from China, but the initial U.S. outbreak a public health emergency on January 31. The first American case was reported on January 20, and President Donald Trump declared the U.S. On December 31, 2019, China announced the discovery of a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan. deaths due to COVID-19 in 2021 exceeded those in 2020, and life expectancy continued to fall from 2020 to 2021. life expectancy dropped by 3 years for Hispanic and Latino Americans, 2.9 years for African Americans, and 1.2 years for white Americans.

in 2020, behind heart disease and cancer.

The COVID-19 pandemic ranks first on the list of disasters in the United States by death toll it was the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. In the United States, the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in 103,436,829 confirmed cases with 1,127,152 all-time deaths, the most of any country, and the 20th-highest per capita worldwide. Map of cumulative COVID-19 death rates by U.S.

Corona usa statistics