This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for October 30th, 2020.

The number of new cases around the world in the last 24 hours surpasses a half a million and sets a new record. More stats in a moment.

Research which has not yet been peer reviewed shows a variant of the coronavirus believed to have originated in Spain has spread across Europe and is accounting for most of the new cases in that region. The variant has increased from “very low” values prior to July 15 to 40 to 70% in Switzerland, Ireland, and the U.K. in September. It’s also prevalent in Norway, Latvia, the Netherlands, and France.

Speaking of France, doctors there are relieved and business owners in despair as that country prepares to lock down for a month. COVID patients now fill 60% of French intensive care units, and France is reporting tens of thousands of new cases daily.

India’s cumulative coronavirus caseload surpassed 8 million yesterday, even though daily infections dipped to the lowest level this week. India’s overall trajectory is moving toward the worst-hit country, the United States, which has over 8.8 million cases.

In Michigan restaurants it’ll be “can I take your order and get your phone number?” Starting Monday, a new policy requires restaurants to get the names and numbers of customers for tracking in case of COVID-19 outbreaks.

Take your pick, making it easy for citizens to vote or COVID safety. Hundreds of polling places in Iowa have been closed, reportedly due to the pandemic. Overall, this affects some 670,000 Iowans, 30% of the state's registered voters.

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Bon Homme, SD. Elliott, KY. Carter, MT. Buffalo, SD. Okfuskee, OK. Kusilvak Census Area, AK. Norton, KS. Wallace, KS. Oglala Lakota, SD. And Ellsworth, KS.

There are 2,995,245 active cases in the United States. The current Top 10 states by number of active cases: California, Florida, Arizona, Virginia overtakes Georgia, Texas, Missouri, Maryland, Illinois, and Alabama.

The five states with the most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Montana, and Idaho.

The retransmission rate is currently highest in Wyoming, Vermont, Rhode Island, Minnesota, and New Mexico. There are two states with a retransmission rate below 1 and they are Mississippi and Oklahoma.  

There’ve been a total 228,647 deaths in the US reported as COVID-related, with a current national fatality rate of 2.59%.

The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Texas 113. Florida 82. Illinois 56. Wisconsin 51. Georgia and Michigan 47. Missouri 46. North Carolina and Pennsylvania 38. And Indiana 33.

Globally, there are now 11,142,220 active cases.

There are 505,367 new cases around the world in the last 24 hours, and that sets a new all-time high.  

The five countries with the most new cases: United States 91,530. India 49,281. France 47,637. Italy 26,831. And Brazil 26,647.  

There have now been 1,180,277 deaths worldwide. Up 17% over 14 days.  

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This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for October 29th, 2020.

It’s a full nationwide lockdown for France. And in Germany, it’s “lockdown lite,” a partial four-week lockdown and the first curfew in Berlin in 70 years. The World Health Organization says the European region, which includes Russia, Turkey, Israel, and Central Asia, accounted for almost half the new cases reported globally last week. Virus-related deaths were also on the rise in Europe, with about a 35% spike from the previous week.

The U.S. government issued rules for insurance coverage to ensure every American will have access to free COVID-19 vaccines once approved. Workplace and individual insurance plans will cover the vaccine as a preventive service, with no cost sharing. Those vaccinating the uninsured will be paid through a federal fund.

Cause to celebrate, safely, in Melbourne, Australia. The country’s second-largest city has emerged from one of the world’s longest, most severe lockdowns yesterday. It lasted 111 days, but no new infections were recorded Monday. So yesterday, thousands of stores, cafes, restaurants, and beauty salons reopened.

On the flipside, one of the last nations on Earth to never have had one coronavirus infection, has lost that honor. Two cases were confirmed on the remote Marshall Islands. Both were workers on a US military base.

The Dodgers clinched the World Series. But not before it was learned during the seventh inning third baseman Justin Turner tested positive. He was pulled from the game and put in isolation, but when the team won, he joined his team on the field for the celebration.  

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Bon Homme, SD. Norton, KS. Elliott, KY. Okfuskee, OK. Kusilvak Census Area, AK. Carter, MT. Buffalo, SD. Oglala Lakota, SD. Eddy, ND. And Faulk, SD.

There are 2,954,409 active cases in the United States. The current Top 10 states by number of active cases: California, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Virginia, Texas overtakes Missouri, then Maryland, and Illinois overtakes Alabama.

The five states with the most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Montana, and Idaho.

The retransmission rate is currently highest in Vermont, Wyoming, Rhode Island, Minnesota, and New Mexico. There is only one state with a retransmission rate below 1 and that is Mississippi.

There’ve been a total 227,673 deaths in the US reported as COVID-related, with a current national fatality rate of 2.61%.

The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Texas 97. Florida 64. California 63. Illinois 51. Wisconsin 45. Massachusetts 36. North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina with 34. And Indiana 33.

Globally, there are now 10,845,371 active cases.

There are 452,310 new cases around the world in the last 24 hours, against a high of 499,200 on October 23.  

The five countries with the most new cases: United States 81,581. India 49,912. France 36,437. Brazil 28,852. And Italy 24,991.

There have now been 1,173,270 deaths worldwide. Up 16% over 14 days.  

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This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for October 28th, 2020.

A CDC survey says more Americans are wearing masks than early last spring, but young people are least likely to do that or take the other steps suggested to slow spread of the virus. Up to 89% of Americans are now wearing masks. But other behaviors like hand washing and distancing just aren’t being embraced, with 18 to 29-year-olds less likely to take any measure at all.

As high as mask usage is, apparently not so much in the hot spot of North Dakota. Dr. Deborah Birx met with state and local officials there and said mask usage is inadequate. She said, “This is the least use of masks we’ve seen in retail establishments of any place we’ve been." It’s one of 15 states that has no mask mandate.

A place that has no problem enforcing a mask mandate, Russia. Vladimir Putin instituted a nationwide mask mandate yesterday. They are required in crowded public spaces including public transit, parking lots and elevators. Bars and restaurants are also closed between 11pm and 6am.

In Chicago, you’ll have to get your deep dish pizza to go. Illinois’ Governor banned indoor dining and bar services and limited the number of people who can gather in any one place. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says the new restrictions aren’t targeting the right people.

You may want to eat more sardines. Researchers in Spain found 82% of hospitalized patients with Covid-19 were clinically deficient in vitamin D. Experts point out that despite the study, it cannot be concluded vitamin D deficiency is responsible for higher chances of being hospitalized with Covid-19.

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Bon Homme, SD. Norton, KS. Elliott, KY. Okfuskee, OK. Buffalo, SD. Kusilvak Census Area, AK. Oglala Lakota, SD. Faulk, SD. Carter, MT. And Big Horn, MT.

There are 2,927,982 active cases in the United States. The current Top 10 states by number of active cases: California, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Virginia, Missouri, Texas overtakes Maryland, Alabama, and Illinois.

The five states with the most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Montana, and Idaho.

The retransmission rate is currently highest in Wyoming, Rhode Island, Vermont, Colorado, and Illinois. There are three states with a retransmission rate below 1 and they are Mississippi, North Carolina, and Maine.

There’ve been a total 226,613 deaths in the US reported as COVID-related, with a current national fatality rate of 2.62%.

The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 78. Texas 74. Wisconsin 64. Missouri 54. Florida 53. Indiana 51. Illinois 46. Tennessee 44. North Carolina 41. And Michigan 33.

Globally, there are now over 10,620,603 active cases.

There are 452,983 new cases around the world in the last 24 hours, against a high of 499,200 October 23.  

The five countries with the most new cases: United States 75,072. India 42,965. France 33,417. Brazil 29,353. And the U.K. 22,885.

There have now been 1,165,455 deaths worldwide. Up 12% over 14 days.  

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This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for October 27th, 2020.

The American Academy of Pediatrics reports children account for 11% of all Covid-19 cases in the US, and that is a 14% increase over the past two weeks. About 792,188 children have been infected in the US as of October 22, with children representing between 1 and 3.6% of total hospitalizations, depending on the state.

The National Institutes of Health stopped a trial of Eli Lilly’s monoclonal antibody being tested in late stage hospitalized COVID patients, deciding it was unlikely to help. A similar trial in patients at an earlier stage of virus continues. Lilly says the drug’s not dangerous, just not effective in advanced patients.

In many U.S. states, hospitalizations are on the rise. In Texas, some critical care patients at hospitals in El Paso are being airlifted to other medical facilities to cope with hospital capacity. Wisconsin hospital beds are at 82% capacity. Utah, a record number of patients in ICU, with 111 of 314 COVID-19 patients in intensive care. North Dakota has around 14% of bed capacity left available. Tennessee has 18% left. And in Wyoming, COVID hospitalizations peaked Sunday at 104.

If you’re counting on contact tracing to help with the pandemic, maybe don’t. In New Jersey, 58% of people called refuse to cooperate with contact tracers who reach out to them.

Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, world scientists are asking, where did the flu go? Data collected by the World Health Organization in the Southern Hemisphere, where the flu season happens earlier, shows that in Australia, cases dropped 96%. In South Africa, there were only two cases, then none. Globally, it’s estimated rates of flu may have plunged 98% this year. There are several theories as to why but no one fully embraced answer.

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Norton, KS. Bon Homme, SD. Elliott, KY. Okfuskee, OK. Faulk, SD. Kusilvak Census Area, AK. Oglala Lakota, SD. Buffalo, SD. Menominee, WI. And Carter, MT.

There are 2,897,914 active cases in the United States. The current Top 10 states by number of active cases: California, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Virginia, Missouri, Maryland, Texas, Alabama, and Illinois.

The five states with the most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Montana, and Idaho.

The retransmission rate is currently highest in Rhode Island, Vermont, Wyoming, New Jersey, and Colorado. There is now only one state with a retransmission rate below 1 and that is Mississippi.

There’ve been a total 225,689 deaths in the US reported as COVID-related, with a current national fatality rate of 2.63%.

The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Texas 52. California 43. Tennessee 32. Washington 31. Michigan 30. South Carolina and Arkansas 21. Florida 19. Georgia 18. And Illinois, Louisiana, and Massachusetts all with 17.

Globally, there are now 10,432,419 active cases.

There are 402,994 new cases around the world in the last 24 hours, against a high of 499,200 on October 23.  

The five countries with the most new cases: United States 69,841. India 36,838. France 26,771. The U.K. 20,890. And Switzerland 17,440.

There have now been 1,158,882 deaths worldwide. Up 2% over 14 days.  

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This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for October 26th, 2020.

The U.S. has seen its highest ever number of new COVID-19 cases in the past two days, as close aides to the Vice President have tested positive. Hospitalizations are also rising and have hit a two-month high. El Paso, Texas asked residents to stay home for two weeks as the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in that area tripled.

Europe reported more than 1.3 million new cases this past week, its highest single week count ever. The Spanish Prime Minister declared a national state of emergency yesterday, with a nighttime curfew and possible travel restrictions between regions. Italy imposed the harshest new measures since its lockdown in the spring. And the President of Poland and Prime Minister of Bulgaria have tested positive.

New York Sunday became the fourth state to surpass half a million coronavirus cases amid a nationwide surge. 80% more cases in the past four weeks compared to the previous four weeks. Still, although the state has reported 2,000 new daily cases twice recently, that’s far from their record of 12,847 new cases April 10.

When it comes to superspreader events, it appears to be weddings that are earning that moniker. Party and event planners say business is picking up. Weddings are slowly resuming across the country. Website The Knot says 52% of couples were postponing in April but that has dropped to 35%. Minnesota last week identified 77 cases directly linked to one wedding in late August. And in Maine, there were 178 cases and eight deaths linked to an August 7 wedding and reception last week.

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Norton, KS. Bon Homme, SD. Okfuskee, OK. Faulk, SD. Harding, SD. Oglala Lakota, SD. Carter, MT. Menominee, WI. Sheridan, KS. And the Kusilvak Census Area, AK.

There are 2,886,171 active cases in the United States. The current Top 10 states by number of active cases: California, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Virginia, Missouri, Maryland, Texas, Alabama, and Illinois.

The five states with the most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wisconsin, and Idaho.

The retransmission rate is currently highest in New Jersey, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Colorado, and Alabama. There are now only 3 states with a retransmission rate below 1. They are Mississippi, Florida, and Maine.

There’ve been a total 225,215 deaths in the US reported as COVID-related, with a current national fatality rate of 2.65%.

The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Missouri 95. Texas 40. Tennessee 31. Massachusetts 25. Illinois 24. Minnesota 21. Louisiana 17. Arkansas 15. North Carolina 13. And California and Indiana 12.  

Globally, there are now over 10 million active cases, at 10,268,529.

There are 372,220 new cases around the world in the last 24 hours, against a high of 499,200 October 23.  

The five countries with the most new cases: United States 60,889. France 52,010. India 45,158. Italy 21,273. And the UK 19,790.

There have now been 1,152,773 deaths worldwide. Flat over 14 days.  

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This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for October 23rd, 2020.

They were in a hybrid reopening phase, but now school districts in Boston and Chicago have sent students home for all virtual learning. The big reason, spikes in nearby suburbs. This after San Francisco public school officials decided not to bring students back before the end of the calendar year.

The FDA approved the first drug to treat COVID-19, and it’s Remdesivir, an antiviral medicine given to patients through an IV. A large study led by the NIH showed the drug cut the time to recovery by five days. It works by inhibiting a substance the virus uses to copy itself.

Spain and France each surpassed 1 million confirmed coronavirus cases this week. Europe is battling outbreaks and record numbers throughout the continent. Spain and France now have the sixth and seventh highest global counts, respectively.

France announced a vast extension of the nightly curfew it already had in place, saying “the second wave is here.” The curfew is being extended from eight regions of France to 38 more regions and Polynesia. And it will probably last at least six weeks.

If you must travel somewhere, Costa Rica is a possibility. Starting October 26th, they’ll eliminate the negative coronavirus test requirement for foreign tourists. You also wouldn’t have to quarantine upon entering. You will, however, still need to buy travel medical insurance from one of two Costa Rican companies and complete the Health Pass epidemiological form.

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Norton, KS. Bon Homme, SD. Miner, SD. Harding, SD. Faulk, SD. Sheridan, KS. Carter, MT. Foster, ND. Menominee, WI. And Webster, NE.

There are 2,777,969 active cases in the United States. The current Top 10 states by number of active cases: California, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Virginia, Missouri, Maryland, Texas, Alabama, and Illinois.

The five states with the most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wisconsin, and Nebraska.

The retransmission rate is currently highest in New Jersey, Rhode Island, Colorado, Vermont, and Ohio. While the lowest retransmission is found in Mississippi, Maine, Delaware, California, and Oregon.

There’ve been a total 223,000 deaths in the US reported as COVID-related, with a current national fatality rate of 2.7%.

The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Texas 92. California 71. Florida 63. North Carolina 50. South Carolina 47. Michigan 46. Illinois and Indiana 44. Tennessee 41. And Ohio 39.

Globally, there are 9,664,738 active cases.

There are 443,907 new cases around the world in the last 24 hours, and that sets another new all time high.  

The five countries with the most new cases: United States 74,301. India 54,482. France 41,622. Brazil 31,985. And the UK 21,242.

There have now been 1,135,880 deaths worldwide. Down 5% over 14 days.  

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This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for October 22nd, 2020.

A volunteer in Brazil participating in a clinical trial of AstraZeneca’s vaccine died. However, the 28-year-old medic did not get the vaccine. He was given the placebo. It’s  not known how exactly he contracted the virus but he died from complications during the trial, which is continuing.

How close is too close? The CDC has redefined what counts as close contact. It was a straight 15 minutes within 6 feet of someone who’s positive. Now it’s a total of 15 minutes or more — meaning shorter but repeated contacts adding up to 15 minutes over 24-hours. The change serves notice the virus can spread more easily than many people realize.

Coronavirus hospitalizations are now on the rise in 38 states, Particularly concerning is the rise in Wisconsin. Hospitalizations there have more than tripled over the last month. And, doctors say patients are coming in with noticeably more severe symptoms than at the beginning of the pandemic.

Spain became the first country in western Europe to accumulate more than 1 million confirmed COVID-19 infections. And they’re struggling to contain a resurgence. They’re beginning to close borders to hard hit regions but are trying to avoid a second devastating total lockdown.

An Associated Press survey shows the pandemic has made 25% of full-time workers consider quitting their jobs. Younger workers, and those with lower household incomes, were most likely to think about it. 28% have cut back on their hours, and 20% have had to take leave. On the positive side, more than 80% had a positive view of how their employer responded to the pandemic.

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Norton, KS. Bon Homme, SD. Miner, SD. Sheridan, KS. Harding, SD. Carter, MT. Webster, NE. Faulk, SD. Buffalo, SD. And Menominee, WI.

There are 2,755,294 active cases in the United States. The current Top 10 states by number of active cases: California, Florida, Arizona overtakes Georgia, Virginia, Missouri, Maryland, Texas, Alabama, and Illinois.

The five states with the most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wisconsin, and Nebraska.

The retransmission rate is currently highest in New Jersey, Wyoming, Vermont, New Mexico, and Illinois. While the lowest retransmission is found in Mississippi, Maine, Texas, California, and Delaware.

There’ve been a total 221,990 deaths in the US reported as COVID-related, with a current national fatality rate of 2.7%.

The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 131. Texas 106. Florida 100. Illinois 68. Ohio 67. Kansas 56. Wisconsin 48. North Carolina 40. Pennsylvania 39. Michigan and Minnesota 35.

Globally, the number of active cases has crossed 9 million at 9,424,646.

There are 384,890 new cases around the world in the last 24 hours.

The five countries with the most new cases: United States 63,663. India 56,000. The U.K. 26,688. France 26,676. Brazil 25,832.

There have now been 1,129,710 deaths worldwide. Down 7% over 14 days.  

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This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for October 21st, 2020.

As cases in the U.S. surge, testing is still a problem. According to an NBC News analysis, testing rates have fallen in several states where cases are increasing. As many as 30 states and territories have seen cases increase more than 25% in the last two weeks. Only 21 saw increases in testing at or above that level during the same period.

Ten people at a nursing home in Norton, Kansas have died after an outbreak of Covid-19 infected every single resident. 62 residents in all. Some staff members have also tested positive, and the rest are being tested.

The British government yesterday seemed ready to impose strict coronavirus restrictions on Manchester after talks failed to reach an agreement. Greater Manchester’s Mayor has been seeking more financial support for workers and businesses affected by the restrictions.

Not everyone gives “just the facts.” An AP poll shows Americans have lost trust across the board in all of the people and institutions tasked with keeping them informed about the coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic. The family doctor ranks highest when it comes to whom Americans trust.

You cannot shoot the coronavirus with a gun. However, more than a hundred thousand Californians have bought a gun since the pandemic began. Buyers cited concerns over civil unrest, but experts worry about suicides, domestic violence, and accidents by untrained new gun owners.

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Norton, KS. Bon Homme, SD. Miner, SD. Sheridan, KS. Harding, SD. Carter, MT. Foster, ND. Oliver, ND. Webster, NE. And Roosevelt, MT.

There are 2,748,539 active cases in the United States. The current Top 10 states by number of active cases: California, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Virginia, Missouri, Maryland, Texas, Alabama, and Illinois.

The five states with the most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Utah, and Nebraska.

The retransmission rate is currently highest in New Jersey, Wyoming, New Mexico, Alaska, and Illinois. While the lowest retransmission is found in Maine, Texas, Mississippi, Delaware, and North Carolina.

There’ve been a total 220,944 deaths in the US reported as COVID-related, with a current national fatality rate of 2.71%.

The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Florida 85. Texas 81. North Carolina 53. Indiana 48. Illinois 41. Missouri 38. South Carolina 35. Wisconsin 33. Mississippi 31. And Tennessee 30.

Globally, there are 9,275,532 active cases.

There are 361,395 new cases around the world in the last 24 hours, against a high of 415,159.  

The five countries with the most new cases: United States 61,429. India 54,422. Brazil 23,690. The UK 21,331. And France 20,468.

There have now been 1,123,767 deaths worldwide. Down 11% over 14 days.  

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This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for October 20th, 2020.

The CDC said if any passenger doesn’t comply with wearing a mask while traveling on any form of public transport, kick them off. In fact, masks should be worn anywhere people gather to catch public transport. Many transportation services have seen some strong resistance to mask wearing.

Poland is turning its National Stadium in Warsaw into a field hospital to handle the surging number of infected. It’s expected to be operational within days. 500 beds at first with 50 being ICU, eventually getting to 1,000 beds.

Iran did it yet again, beat the single-day death toll from the coronavirus. The last record set was less than a week ago. 337 dead confirmed Monday. Iranian media dubbed it “Black Monday.” Tehran has run out of ICU beds and nonemergency treatments have been suspended. Iran’s Health Ministry spokeswoman put the blame on Iranians, scolding them for not taking precautions.

In the U.K., Wales became the second nation to shut down major parts of its economy as Prime Minister Boris Johnson resists calls to do the same throughout England. All non-essential retail, leisure, hospitality, and tourism businesses will close for two weeks starting 6pm Friday.

CVS Health is hiring 15,000 full and part-time workers to handle the patients expected during the combination of flu season and Covid. All the big drugstore chains are expecting a rush if they get approval to administer Covid-19 vaccines once they’re approved.

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Bon Homme, SD. Miner, SD. Sheridan, KS. Harding, SD. Carter, MT. Toole, MT. Foster, ND. Towner, ND. Oliver, ND. And Webster, NE.

There are 2,728,163 active cases in the United States. The current Top 10 states by number of active cases: California, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Virginia, Missouri overtakes Maryland, Texas, Alabama, and Illinois.

The five states with the most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wisconsin, and Nebraska.

The retransmission rate is currently highest in New Jersey with a very high 1.51 Rt rate, New Mexico, Montana, Alaska and Vermont. While the lowest retransmission is found in Maine, Mississippi, Texas, Delaware, and New York.

There’ve been a total 220,095 deaths in the US reported as COVID-related, with a current national fatality rate of 2.73%.

The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Florida 55. Virginia 24. Indiana 23. California and Illinois 22. New York 20. Georgia 19. Texas 17. And Louisiana, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Washington all with 16.

Globally, there are 9,163,555 active cases.

There are 261,430 new cases around the world in the last 24 hours, against a high of 415,159.  

The five countries with the most new cases: United States 57,327. India 46,498. The UK 18,804. Russia 15,982. And Brazil 15,783.

There have now been 1,117,430 deaths worldwide. Down 7% over 14 days.  

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This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for October 19th, 2020.

The CDC says that while all other racial groups saw a decline in fatalities from May to August, the number of Hispanic Americans who died from the coronavirus increased. The U.S. Surgeon General says, "We do not think people of color are biologically or genetically predisposed to get COVID-19. But they have a higher incidence of diseases that put you at risk for severe complications."

A top Palestinian official, chief negotiator Saeb Erekat is in "serious but stable" condition with Covid-19. Yesterday he was transferred from his home in the West Bank to an Israeli hospital near Jerusalem. The 65-year-old had a lung transplant in 2017. His brother says, "His situation is not good."

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says that state will fight the virus into the fall and winter by targeting micro-clusters block by block. Cuomo said Orange, Rockland, Queens and Brooklyn counties have micro-clusters. In fact, state officials cracked down on a planned wedding in Williamsburg that would have hosted upwards of 10,000.

It’s a different story in Russia, where bars and restaurants in Moscow are packed. The outbreak in Russia this month is breaking records set in spring when a lockdown was put in place. But Russia is now resisting shutting down businesses again.

Some businesses are absolutely booming during the pandemic and one of them is surfing. The country's biggest surf shops and board manufacturers all say demand is so huge, they can't keep boards in stock. Participants find it to be a cheap, socially distant activity.

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Toole, MT. Bon Homme, SD. Miner, SD. Sheridan, KS. Carter, MT. Webster, NE. Foster, ND. Towner, ND. Oliver, ND. And Valley, MT.

There are 2,705,385 active cases in the United States. The current Top 10 states by number of active cases: California, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, Missouri, Texas, and Alabama overtakes Illinois.

The five states with the most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wisconsin, and Nebraska.

The retransmission rate is currently highest in New Mexico, Vermont, Ohio, Montana, and Colorado. While the lowest retransmission is found in Mississippi, Maine, Texas, Delaware, and Washington.

There’ve been a total 219,669 deaths in the US reported as COVID-related, with a current national fatality rate of 2.74%.

The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Missouri 61. Florida 48. California 36. Georgia 31. Texas 28. Louisiana 23. Illinois 22. Pennsylvania and Arkansas 20. And Indiana 19.

Globally, there are 9,047,682 active cases.

There are 339,096 new cases around the world in the last 24 hours, against a high of 415,159.  

The five countries with the most new cases: India 55,511. The United States 44,941. France 29,837. The UK 16,982. And Russia 15,099.

There have now been 1,112,558 deaths worldwide. Down 5% over 14 days.  

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