(WXYZ) — The mortality rate for COVID-19 has been averaging around a thousand deaths per day for several weeks now according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
But there is some good news. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Robert Redfield says that COVID-19 deaths are expected to start declining over the next week.
This is good news that I am happy to be sharing. Now we’re expecting to see the number of deaths drop because of a couple of reasons.
One, mitigation efforts taken by states to control the virus are working. So things like encouraging face masks, social distancing, controlling crowds and closing restaurants, and indoor bars are really helping to curb the spread.
And secondly, because of these health guidelines, it’s much harder for the virus to infect a new human host. So case numbers are dropping. And they’ve been dropping steadily since the end of July.
And once case numbers drop, then death rates typically follow suit. But they do lag behind infection rates. And that’s because it takes time from when a person first becomes sick, gets hospitalized, and then passes away.
States like Arizona and Texas that were hit hard during the summer did implement public health guidelines that impacted their case numbers. But some states in Middle America, their numbers are not falling. And death rates are actually increasing in several states like Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas and North and South Dakota. So hopefully they’ll take the right steps as I mentioned earlier - controlling crowds and closing bars - to curb the spread in their states.
Parties, conferences, rallies, or anyplace that have a large gathering are all considered “superspreading” events. And here’s why.
Researchers looked at data from the Georgia health department that included over 9,500 COVID-19 cases. And they found that roughly 2% of cases caused 20% of infections. So this really shows that this virus has an extraordinary capability of spreading human to human. And that’s why we all need to be vigilant and not let our guard down.
So please continue to wear your mask, wash your hands often, social distance, and avoid crowds.
The next Dr. Nandi Show is all about “Lotions, Potions & Miracles Creams – what are we doing to our skin?” Join Dr. Partha Nandi as he talks with guests who attribute bad skin in adulthood to what they eat and the products they use. Plus hear from twin brothers that are astro and geophysicists who developed a skincare line after watching their mom suffer from horrible rashes. And you won’t want to miss great skincare advice from "The Spa Doctor," Dr. Trevor Cates. Join Dr. Nandi this Saturday, August 22nd at 5 pm on WXYZ.
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
Click here for a page with resources including a COVID-19 overview from the CDC, details on cases in Michigan, a timeline of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's orders since the outbreak, coronavirus' impact on Southeast Michigan, and links to more information from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC and the WHO.
View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.
See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.
Visit our The Rebound Detroit, a place where we are working to help people impacted financially from the coronavirus. We have all the information on everything available to help you through this crisis and how to access it.