US witnesses significant spike in COVID-related fatalities in Florida, Massachusetts

The United States on Tuesday recorded a significant spike in COVID-related fatalities across several states--particularly in Massachusetts and Florida-- as the country's overall immunizations spiralled towards a drop to the lowest level in several months, especially in West Virginia and Kentucky, where the Delta variant held its grip. While overall, the United States reported an average of roughly 167,600 cases per day which suggested a dip from the latest peak, as many as 42 states account for the total infections and deaths. 

Massachusetts recorded a sudden surge in COVID-related fatalities on Tuesday, adding 24 deaths from the virus into CDC data, the highest single-day death count since early April. According to the data published by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the state's COVID hospitalizations spiked to 700 for the first time since mid-April. COVID cases in Massachusetts have been ticking up, and more deaths are being reported than in several months due to the highly contagious delta variant, the DPH data suggested. This has put the focus back on prevention and mask mandate. 

Additionally, the confirmed cases of the COVID climbed by 1,453, with a seven-day average of cases now at 1,362 from 177 apparently two months ago. The hospitalizations rate, meanwhile, shot to the highest ever as 172 COVID-19 patients were rushed to the Intensive Care Units, and 88 were intubated, as per the DPH report. Newscasters reported of the 716 COVID patients in hospitals, 202 are fully vaccinated, and at least 3,919 from the total were breakthrough infections.

Florida records 49,254 cumulative COVID deaths

In Florida, meanwhile, more COVID related fatalities than ever before were reported as the state has one of the highest unvaccinated populations. The seven-day average of COVID-relate fatalities stood at 25, with 49,254 cumulative deaths as of September 13, according to US CDC data. Coronavirus-related deaths in children more than doubled in the past six weeks, data shows. 

100,600 Americans are currently hospitalized with Covid, according to a seven-day average of data from the Department of Health and Human Services. “Early on in the pandemic, it’s almost as if the virus ignored kids. It just made the older people sick,” said Dr. Kenneth Alexander with Nemours Children’s Hospital told Florida's broadcaster WFTV, adding that the state’s pediatric coronavirus deaths have risen at a rapid rate causing concerns. In just 6 weeks, the pediatric death toll rose was 17, implying 17 children have died after contracting COVID-19,  which is a "bolt out of the blue," Alexander said in televised remarks. 

Earlier last month, an analysis of Johns Hopkins University data raised alarm over the worst death tally being recorded since December in at least 43 states from predominantly delta variant, labelling it a ‘deadlier phase’. About 5,400 Americans died in the Pearl Harbor and 9/11 attacks combined, but in just August the COVID-19 fatalities totaled to 7,225, the USA Today’s analysis of National Centers for Health Statistics data had stated, outlining that the deaths among younger people had risen drastically and there were much lesser people aged in the 50s or above among 1 of every 6 deaths.