COVID-19 Compilation: Part 48 - February 21-27, 2021
On March 14th, 2020, I began posting COVID-19 updates to my facebook page, regarding the status of the COVID-19 pandemic. I have used data from worldometer as a primary source for daily and cumulative data, with frequent supplementation from various national and local sites.
Notables this week:
- new cases went up worldwide and were flat in the USA
- the world death total from COVID-19 surpassed 2.5 million
- The Johnson and Johnson vaccine was approved for Emergency Use in the USA.
This blog post compiles the period of February 21st through 27th, 2021. see https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ for more
FEBRUARY 21
| Today's counts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Total Cases | Cases Today | Total Deaths | Deaths Today |
| World | 111.97 million | 319,960 | 2.478 million | 6,510 |
| USA | 28.77 million | 58,423 | 511,217 | 1,245 |
The 7-day rolling average for cases fell in the USA for the 42nd consecutive day today, and is now down from an average of 255,000 per day to 69,000 per day. a 73% decline.
One country that is not seeing a decline in cases is Cuba. Cuba had more than 1,000 new cases for just the 3rd time, and set a 2-day record of nearly 2,000 cases. Cuba eased travel restrictions in early January. Cuba's rolling 7-day average for cases, which was below 60 from the start of the pandemic through the end of November, is now 890. Cuba still has one of the lowest case and death rates in the world.
FEBRUARY 22
| Today's counts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Total Cases | Cases Today | Total Deaths | Deaths Today |
| World | 112.27 million | 289,160 | 2.486 million | 6,640 |
| USA | 28.83 million | 59,614 | 512,588 | 1,378 |
The USA rolling average for cases rose today for the first time in more than 6 weeks, though the 2-day total for new cases was the lowest in more than 4 months.
Virginia reported a new record for COVID-19 deaths for the 3rd consecutive day today.
FEBRUARY 23
| Today's counts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Total Cases | Cases Today | Total Deaths | Deaths Today |
| World | 112.65 million | 378,267 | 2.496 million | 10,334 |
| USA | 28.90 million | 72,660 | 515,033 | 2,445 |
Fort he 2nd consecutive day, the 7-day rolling average for new cases rose in the United States. No doubt this is due, at least in part, to reporting starting to catch up in Texas, after the widespread interruptions there last week.
Also, Virginia set a new record for COVID-19 deaths, for the 4th consecutive day.
FEBRUARY 24
| Today's counts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Total Cases | Cases Today | Total Deaths | Deaths Today |
| World | 113.09 million | 443,748 | 2.508 million | 10,855 |
| USA | 28.97 million | 75,561 | 518,371 | 2,533 |
Per the worldometer numbers, there are now more than 2.5 million total COVID-19 deaths.
FEBRUARY 25
| Today's counts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Total Cases | Cases Today | Total Deaths | Deaths Today |
| World | 113.54 million | 451,084 | 2.519 million | 10,727 |
| USA | 29.06 million | 78,714 | 520,836 | 2,465 |
For the fourth consecutive day, the 7-day rolling average for cases in the United States went up. This is due mostly to the reporting lags that occurred in Texas during the massive weather and power interruptions there last week.
FEBRUARY 26
| Today's counts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Total Cases | Cases Today | Total Deaths | Deaths Today |
| World | 113.98 million | 433,635 | 2.519 million | 9,894 |
| USA | 29.14 million | 81,491 | 523,115 | 2,279 |
The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (22-0) voted unanimously today to recommend an Emergency Use Authorization of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, a one dose refrigerator vaccine. Per the studies, it's nearly 100% effective at preventing hospitalizations from COVID-19.
FEBRUARY 27
| Today's counts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Total Cases | Cases Today | Total Deaths | Deaths Today |
| World | 114.38 million | 394,181 | 2.537 million | 8,268 |
| USA | 29.21 million | 64,805 | 524,502 | 1,554 |
| This week's counts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Cases This Week | Percent Change | Deaths This Week | Percent Change |
| World | 2.71 million | +7.3% | 63,407 | -5.4% |
| USA | 0.49 million | -0.1% | 13,863 | +1.0% |
What's up with that???
Cases fell sharply in the USA and around the world the past 6 weeks.
Not this week.
Deaths feel sharply in the USA and around the world the past 3 weeks.
Not this week.
In the USA, some of the effect is due to the distortion in Texas, where the whether event last week caused numbers to be artificially low for a few days, and then reporting caught up this week.
But that hardly explains why there were nearly 200,000 more cases this week than there were last week.
So, a quick look at Texas and Brazil.
Not this week.
Deaths feel sharply in the USA and around the world the past 3 weeks.
Not this week.
In the USA, some of the effect is due to the distortion in Texas, where the whether event last week caused numbers to be artificially low for a few days, and then reporting caught up this week.
But that hardly explains why there were nearly 200,000 more cases this week than there were last week.
So, a quick look at Texas and Brazil.
 |
| COVID-19 cases and deaths in Texas and Brazil, by week, February 2021 |
In Texas, the weather / power event last week caused a huge impact, to the extent that overall USA numbers are somewhat distorted as a result.
But what's going on in Brazil? Cases were up 15% there this week, and deaths were up 12%. Worse, it's summer in Brazil, when numbers are supposed to be somewhat lower. Brazil is hardly the only country with rising cases, just (arguably) the most prominent.
But what's going on in Brazil? Cases were up 15% there this week, and deaths were up 12%. Worse, it's summer in Brazil, when numbers are supposed to be somewhat lower. Brazil is hardly the only country with rising cases, just (arguably) the most prominent.
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