Coronavirus news, updates, hotspots and information for 3-25-2021

This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for March 25th, 2021.   German Chancellor Angela Merkel dropped plans for a 5-day shutdown over Easter, calling it a mistake and apologizing to citizens. The move came after a videoconference with Germany’s 16 state governors. The plan raised logistical and legal questions and was criticized for there being no public discussion of it before it emerged Tuesday.   On the flipside, Belgium is reintroducing a strict lockdown in response to a surge of new infections. Schools are closing and residents will have limited access to nonessential businesses. Confirmed new cases in Belgium increased 40% over the last week and hospital admissions rose 28% after a long period of stability.   Cuba will administer experimental vaccines to nearly the entire population of Havana by May in a massive study. Cuba’s in late phase trials of two of its five experimental shots, which will be Latin America’s first homegrown vaccines if testing is successful.   France’s high-profile culture minister has been hospitalized for COVID-19 as the nation faces a third surge propelled by the highly contagious British variant. France’s Employment Minister, as well, was only recently released from the hospital. President Emmanuel Macron was infected months ago but was never hospitalized.   In the United States, hospitalization rates in Michigan soared in March among younger people. Up 633% for those aged 30 to 39 and 800% for those 40 to 49. It was noted, however, hospitalization rates decline as vaccination rates in age groups go up.   In the United States cases were down 7%, deaths are down 40%, and hospitalizations down 13% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending flat since March 14.    There are now 7,012,991 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: Webster, NE. Chattahoochee, GA. Lyon, KY. Hitchcock, NE. Huron, MI. Bacon, GA. Big Horn, MT. Otsego, MI. Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, AK. 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 545,245 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.82%.   The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 261. Texas 174. New York 154. Georgia 72. Oklahoma 62. Pennsylvania 57. Massachusetts 55. New Jersey 50. Kentucky 49. And Tennessee 45.   The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Mexico at 33.4%, Alaska at 31.6%, and Connecticut at 30.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Georgia at 19.4%, Alabama at 20.3%, and Tennessee at 21.4%.   Globally, cases were up 20% and deaths up 3% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since March 5.     There are now 21,379,321 active cases around the world.   The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 90,564. The United States 66,538. India 53,419. France 33,389. And Poland 29,978.   There have now been 2,742,357 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.