Coronavirus news, updates, hotspots and information for 4-16-2021

This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for April 16th, 2021.

The World Health Organization says Europe has surpassed 1 million deaths from COVID-19 and the situation remains “serious.” About 1.6 million new cases are reported each week. The good news, if it can be called that, is the proportion of deaths for people over 80 has dropped nearly 30%, a sign the vaccines will work in the 53-nation region. 

A hold on use of Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine in the U.S. could stretch out for several weeks, according to the head of an advisory panel that will make the recommendation on whether shots should resume. Critics say the hold is unnecessarily creating more vaccine hesitancy, which is the last thing that’s needed right now.

Israel’s Health Minister said yesterday that starting Sunday, Israelis will no longer be required to wear masks outside. They’ll still be required in closed public spaces. That country has carried out the world’s fastest per capita vaccination drive and over half the population is fully inoculated. The result, daily new cases and serious cases have dropped to levels not seen in months.

A very different story in Brazil as hospitals run dangerously short of sedatives and other crucial medications. The average daily death toll has risen above 3,000, the highest in the world. Brazil's health crisis is being described as a "humanitarian catastrophe" by Doctors Without Borders. They are also alarmed at the number of young babies lost to the coronavirus, an estimated 1,300.

If you think it’s hard getting people to take one or two vaccination shots, try three. The CEO of Pfizer said people are likely to need a third dose within a year of getting fully vaccinated. After that, shots may be needed annually, like the flu shot. Right now, they think protection lasts anywhere from six months to a year.  

In the United States cases were up 11%, deaths are down 19%, and hospitalizations were up 9% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since April 5.  

There are now 6,874,166 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, New York, Virginia, Florida, and Maryland. 

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Chattahoochee, GA. Crosby, TX. Grant, OR. Lamb, TX. Hutchinson, TX. Hockley, TX. St. Clair, MI. Huron, MI. Childress, TX. And Knox, TX. 

The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Michigan, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Minnesota, and New York.  

There have been 565,283 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.8%.

The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Michigan 123. California 88. Texas 80. Florida 71. New York 63. Georgia 62. New Jersey 47. Pennsylvania 43. North Carolina 34. And Illinois 31. 

The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Hampshire at 53.9%, Maine at 45.9%, and Connecticut at 45.7%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 28.4%, Alabama at 29.1%, and Louisiana at 30.1%.

Globally, cases were up 27% and deaths up 19% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since March 5. That 7-day number is now very close to surpassing the all-time highest number of the pandemic which occurred January 11.  

There are now 17,915,800 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: India 216,850. Brazil 80,529. The United States 74,479. Turkey 61,400. And France 38,045.    There have now been 2,984,199 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. 

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