Coronavirus news, updates, hotspots and information for 3-24-2021

This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for March 24th, 2021.   AstraZeneca cannot seem to catch a break. U.S. health officials said the recently announced results from the company’s U.S. trial may have included "outdated information.” AstraZeneca reported its vaccine provided 79% protection among adults of all ages and no serious side effects, but the Data and Safety Monitoring Board said it’s concerned that represents an incomplete view of the efficacy data.   Brazil reported more than 3,000 COVID-19 deaths in one day for the first time yesterday. There are calls for the government and the new health minister to take action as the country becomes the pandemic’s global epicenter.   France will offer vaccine shots to anyone over 70 from this weekend. There’s a renewed sense of urgency as France and its EU neighbors are suffering a third wave. The head of France’s hospital federation said hospitals could face an “unprecedented shock” within 3 weeks.   A reminder the virus is cruel and undiscriminating. 20 patients and staffers in the cancer ward at Duke Raleigh Hospital tested positive in a coronavirus outbreak. So far it’s been contained to one fifth floor wing. Infected patients who continue to require hospitalization have been moved to the hospital's COVID-19 unit.   The travel industry is telling the U.S. government enough is enough. More than two dozen travel trade groups signed a letter that went to the White House saying it’s time for international travel restrictions to end. They want a “risk-based, data-driven roadmap” to cancel inbound international travel restrictions by May 1 and an end to mandatory quarantines but keeping the testing mandate.   In the United States cases were down 8%, deaths are down 35%, and hospitalizations down 17% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since March 14.    There are now 7,040,066 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, New York, Florida, Virginia, and Georgia.   The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Lyon, KY. Chattahoochee, GA. Huron, MI. Otsego, MI. Wexford, MI. Shawnee, KS. Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, AK. Missaukee, MI. Boone, NE. And Sanilac, MI.   The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, New Jersey, Michigan, New York, and Delaware.   There have been 543,798 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.83%.   The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 198. Texas 79. New Jersey 61. Arizona 53. Florida 48. Ohio 42. Pennsylvania and Tennessee 34. Georgia 32. And New York, Massachusetts, and Mississippi 21.   The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Mexico at 33.3%, Alaska at 31.5%, and South Dakota at 30.4%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Georgia at 19.4%, Alabama at 19.8%, and Tennessee at 21.3%.   Globally, cases were up 25% and deaths up 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since March 5.     There are now 21,223,694 active cases around the world.   The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 84,996. The United States 58,705. India 47,264. Turkey 26,182. And Italy 18,765.   There have now been 2,732,562 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.   For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Coronavirus 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Coronavirus 411 podcast.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.