Hospitals in the United States are on the alert for the new, more contagious COVID-19 tribe that first appeared in the United Kingdom and has since appeared in Colorado, California and now Florida.
Health officials in Florida announced this week that they have evidence of the first identified case of the species in Martin County. In a Twitter post Thursday evening, the state health department said the man is in his 20s with no travel history.
The fast-moving virus is arriving as cases continue to soar at a relentless pace, CBS News’ Tom Hanson reports. More than 160,000 new COVID-19 infections were reported across the country on Friday, increasing the total number of cases above 20 million on the first day of 2021.
Nearly 350,000 Americans have died from the disease. In California alone, the virus took 585 lives on New Year’s Day – 47,000 new cases were reported in the state the same day, with cases increasing in hospitals.
“It’s like treading water from 100 feet below the surface,” said Scott Brickner, a nurse at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. “You are already drowning, but you just have to keep trying because that’s what you can do.”
COVID-19 kills a person in Los Angeles County every ten minutes.
Nationally, 40% of new cases are in southern states. Hospitalization in Texas broke records for five days, up 36% over the past month.
Against the grim backdrop, defiant crowds danced in Philadelphia to protest the cancellation of the New Year’s Day parade, and religious believers protested California’s limits for indoor gatherings.
“There is a greater good than being here than being afraid of a virus,” said one person.
Meanwhile, the best hope of thwarting the virus – vaccines – tainted in Wisconsin was a pharmacist at the time admitted to messing with bottles in an Aurora Heath Center.
Jeff Blair, president of Aurora Health, said the person was “suspended and admitted deliberately removing the vaccine from the refrigerator.” The person is in police custody and the case is now under criminal investigation.
“The 57 recipients of those vaccines have been notified. At present, there is no evidence that the vaccinations will harm them,” said Blair.
But even under the best of circumstances, it has been difficult to inoculate the nation thus far. This week, 20 million first doses are said to be in people’s arms this week, but only 12.5 million have been distributed and less than 3 million have actually been administered.
Army General Gus Perna, who is responsible for vaccine distribution, expressed optimism about the rollout.
“It’s only been 12 days, there have been two holidays, there have been three major snow storms, and I think the uptake will increase significantly,” he said.
In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the goal is to vaccinate one million residents by the end of January. The city has received 360,000 doses and administered approximately 98,000. Vaccine hubs will be launched to speed up distribution.