COVID-19 Compilation: Part 41 - January 4-9, 2021

On March 14th, 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:

  • cases and deaths set new records this week in the USA and worldwide
  • The UK implemented another full lockdown as the new strain helped propel new records there
  • The USA surpassed 300,000 cases and 4,000 deaths on a single day for the first time
  • The Capitol riot has the potential to be another super-spreader event

This blog post compiles the period of January 4th through January 9th, 2021. see https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ for more

JANUARY 4

Today's counts
Location Total Cases Cases Today Total Deaths Deaths Today
World 86.14 million 545,807 1.861 million 9,657
USA 21.35 million 190,165362,123 1,987

In the UK, Primer Minister Boris Johnson imposed a new lockdown, to start on Wednesday and to last through at least February 15th. Per a televised address, Johnson asserted that the new COVID-19 variant "is between 50 and 70% more transmissible." Hospitalizations are now almost 27,000, up by a third in just the past week. The UK set another record today with 58,784 new cases, per worldometer data.

Hospitalizations also hit a new high in the USA, having reached 125,544 yesterday.


JANUARY 5

Today's counts
Location Total Cases Cases Today Total Deaths Deaths Today
World 86.86 million 701,318 1.876 million 14,075
USA 21.60 million 234,711365,8903,769

As we start to return to normal schedules, the daily trends -- including any impact of the holidays -- are starting to take shape.

In the USA, there were more than 31,646 new cases in Texas today, including Republican Congresswoman Kay Granger. Several elected officials have announced positive COVID-19 results over the past several days. There have also been recent deaths among elected officials, including Louisiana Congressman-elect Luke Letlow and Virginia state senator Ben Chafin.

In Los Angeles, paramedics have been instructed not to transport some patients with low chance of survival, and have also been instructed to administer oxygen only if saturation levels fall below 90%.

JANUARY 6

Today's counts
Location Total Cases Cases Today Total Deaths Deaths Today
World 87.68 million 803,944 1.891 million 14,829
USA 21.87 million 261,401369,990 4,100

Whether it's the spread of the new virus strain, reporting catch-up from the holidays, or the impact of holiday travel and gatherings, today's numbers shattered many prior records. The prior worldwide high for cases was topped by more than 20,000, and the prior US record for deaths was shattered by more than 10%.

In the United States, thousands of mostly maskless mortals gathered in close proximity at -- and then inside -- the US Capitol today, apparently hoping to vent their great expectorations upon legislators there. While the political consequences will surely outstrip the health impact, there is an underlying issue that substantial portions of the USA are now wholesale disregarding basic medical advice regarding behaviors during the pandemic.

JANUARY 7

Today's counts
Location Total Cases Cases Today Total Deaths Deaths Today
World 88.51 million 835,552 1.906 million 14,992
USA 22.16 million 280,845374,235 4,245

For the 2nd consecutive day, there were new case and death records in the USA. 18 states have set new single day case records during the first week of 2021.

A CDC study was published in JAMA Network today, titled "SARS-CoV-2 Transmission From People Without COVID-19 Symptoms." Its key finding: "transmission from asymptomatic individuals was estimated to account for more than half of all transmission."

JANUARY 8

Today's counts
Location Total Cases Cases Today Total Deaths Deaths Today
World 89.33 million 833,191 1.921 million 14,995
USA 22.45 million 307,607378,245 4,010

The USA surpassed 300,000 cases on a single day for the first time today.

The attached table shows the 20 most populous countries in the world, sorted by deaths per million people. Some of the numbers for some other countries are a bit suspect. The table also shows the total number of cases and deaths, as well as the cases per million people in each of the countries.
Per capita COVID-19 cases and deaths to date, 20 most populous world countries
Per capita COVID-19 cases and deaths to date, 20 most populous world countries

JANUARY 9

Today's counts
Location Total Cases Cases Today Total Deaths Deaths Today
World 90.09 million 756,779 1.934 million 12,667
USA 22.71 million 256,748 381,497 3,247
This week's counts
Location Cases This Week Percent Change Deaths This Week Percent Change
World 5.02 million +17.6% 88,929 +13.2%
USA 1.74 million +18.3% 22,742 +21.1%

While some of the record numbers in the USA and around the world can be attributed to reporting catch-up this week, it also seems likely that other factors are in play (e.g., new virus strain, impact of holiday gatherings). This is not unexpected; the effect is that this week's numbers are in-line with the linear trend line from the later portion of the fall surge (see attached chart).
USA and World weekly case and deaths since late September, with linear trend line
USA and World weekly case and deaths since late September, with linear trend line

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