In the New York Times, Eric Nagourney writes that with the coronavirus deaths reaching 250,000 in US on Wednesday (Nov 18), reflecting a day of dismal records and government disarray. A Washington Post headline reads 250,000 people die but little changes. A similar headline in the CNN reminds the 250,000 deaths milestone, that’s 10 times the deaths from car crashes in a year.

“As the day drew to a close, more than 172,000 new cases had been announced in the United States — the second-highest daily total of the pandemic. And more than 1,900 more Americans were dead” adds Times’ Nagourney.

“The United States has surpassed yet another devastating milestone in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: 250,000 Americans have now died from the disease. That’s more than twice the number of U.S. service members killed in World War I.”

Laurel Wamsley in The MPR News

“Early in the week, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, said the nation needed “a uniform approach,” not a “disjointed” state-by-state, city-by-city response. Public health experts say the lack of a national strategy has been a primary reason that the United States leads the world in infections and deaths”, writes the Times.

According to the COVID Tracking Project data, over 76,000 people are currently hospitalized with the virus in the mid-west, which has been especially hit hard with the virus ‘with the highest number of new cases per capita in North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska and Montana’.

The new normal is no longer sustainable.The ground is literally shifting under our feet.

Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz, while announced sweeping new restrictions (source: The New York Times)

With the rising coronavirus cases, a shortage of health care workers is plaguing hospitals as the beds fill with COVID-19 patients around the country, including in Minnesota.

US Single Day Deaths over 2,000

According to the Johns Hopkins University database, US recorded 2,015 new coronavirus deaths on Thursday Nov 19, marking the first time the country has hit over 2,000 deaths since May.

• As U.S. Passes a Quarter Million Dead, Response Remains Disjointed
• A day for dismal records and government disarray
• Covid-19 has killed 250,000 people in the US. That’s 10 times the deaths from car crashes in a year
• As U.S. reaches 250,000 deaths from COVID-19, a long winter is coming

Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security epidemiologist Caitlin Rivers is quoted saying “Unfortunately, we are entering what I think will be the worst stretch that we have experienced so far. We’re seeing hot spots all across the country and new highs for the number of cases and hospitalizations.”

“Public health officials are pleading with Americans not to celebrate Thanksgiving the way they usually do but instead use this occasion to invent new traditions. One idea is to drop off food contactlessly to another household and then share the meal over video” writes Laurel Wamsley in the MPR News.

Deadliest November in Minnesota

Glenn Howatt writes in the Star Tribunes that recent skyrocketing COVID-19 deaths in Minnesota is on track to be the deadliest one, since the pandemic began. “Minnesota is averaging 33 deaths a day and has reached unseen death counts six days this month. November is on track to become the state’s deadliest month of the pandemic, with 625 fatalities in 19 days. That accounts for 20% of the 3,082 deaths so far. The entire month of May saw 696 die from COVID-19 complications.”

It pains me beyond belief to know, with almost certainty, that each day I am going to stand in front of you and tell you that we have another record number of deaths.

Gov. Tim Walz at Thursday news conference (source: Star Tribune)

Such a record high cases deaths has reportedly overwhelmed the state’s hospitals and health officials to investigating and tracing the flood of covid-19 illness. State Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm told reporters “The time when contact tracing works the best is when you are really able to focus on hot spots. It is really hard to even find hot spots in the middle of a raging forest fire.”

Starting Nov 21 weekend, Gov Walz has ordered new restrictions for bars and restaurants including private house hold gatherings, and indoors and outdoors activities. Several other states have also imposed new mask mandates and coronavirus restrictions in an attempt to limit the spread ahead of the expected surge.