Covid US: One every 500 infected have died in ten states according to shock data

Coronavirus cases and deaths are continuing to plummet across the United States with some of the lowest daily figures recorded in months.

On Sunday, a total of 40,340 new infections were reported, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, which is a 28 percent decline from the 56,044 cases recorded just two weeks ago. 

This is the lowest figure seen since October 5. 

What’s more, the seven-day rolling average of new cases currently sits at 59,479, a 12 percent decline from the average 14 days earlier, a DailyMail.com analysis shows. 

In addition, just 669 fatalities were reported on Sunday, the second time since 2021 began that deaths have fallen under 1,000. 

It’s also the lowest number recorded since November 15

While daily case numbers are trending downward, there are fears that a fourth wave is imminent as several states end all lockdown restrictions and scores of college students travel to Florida for Spring Break. 

It comes as the former U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb warned that coronavirus variants currently circulating may cause an uptick in new cases, but not a surge. 

Variants that have originated abroad have been circulating throughout the country, including the variants from the UK, South Africa and Brazil, and as well as homegrown variants, such as those from New York and California.  

Gottlieb echoed comments made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and warned that the U.K. variant, B.1.1.7, is likely to become the dominant strain in the U.S. this month.

‘There’s probably some crossover in the immunity you get from B.1.1.7 and immunity against those other strains. That’s going to probably cause infections to tick back up,’ Gottlieb told CBS’ Face the Nation on Sunday.

‘I don’t think we’re going to see another surge of infection this spring, but we might see a plateauing before we see continued declines again.’ 

His warnings come on the heels of a new report that revealed 10 U.S. states have seen more than one in 500 of their residents die from COVID-19, a new report has revealed. 

That shocking statistic was published by the COVID-19 Tracking Project on Sunday.

The report revealed that New Jersey is the state with the most coronavirus deaths per capita with one in every 379 residents in the Garden State succumbing to the virus. 

Meanwhile, neighboring states New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts have also seen more than one in every 500 residents die from the disease.

Rounding out the top 10 are three states in the south – Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi – as well as Arizona and South Dakota. 

However, the high death toll has not stopped states like Texas and Mississippi from lifting all lockdown restrictions in their state. 

Maskless revelers were seen hitting shops, restaurants and bars in southern states this weekend, fueling fear that case numbers could explode there again in the near future as occurred post-Christmas.

Meanwhile, thousands of young students from across the country have descended upon Florida for spring break, also alarming health experts. 

Photographs taken in Miami on Sunday showed crowds of college students partying on the beach without wearing masks or practicing social distancing.

Meanwhile, others youngsters crammed into the city’s bars and restaurants while also eschewing protection.  

Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber told WSVN that ‘we’re expecting a larger than typical spring break.’

Local officials have warned against people traveling to the Sunshine state as clinical work to vaccinate the state’s vulnerable residents. 

‘We understand there’s a lot of angst to get out and enjoy our beautiful weather and our beautiful beach, but we’re just asking for cooperation from our college students that do decide to come to Fort Lauderdale,’ Frank Sousa, Interim Assistant Chief at Fort Lauderdale Police, told WSVN. 

But despite Florida being criticized for loosening lockdown laws, data from the COVID Tracking Project shows that the state has had less deaths per capita than states in the northeast where stay-at-home orders were much harsher.  

According to President Joe Biden, those college revelers will likely be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of May. 

The commander-in-chief claims enough of the shots have been ordered so every American adult can be vaccinated within the next three months.  

Meanwhile, high school students in the United States should be able to receive COVID-19 vaccinations by the autumn, with younger students likely to be cleared for vaccinations in early 2022, top U.S. infectious disease official Dr Anthony Fauci said on Sunday.

‘We project that high school students will very likely be able to be vaccinated by the fall term, maybe not the very first day, but certainly in the early part of the fall,’ Fauci told CBS. 

He said elementary school children would likely be ready to receive vaccinations by the first quarter of next year, after studies on safety are finished. 

Currently, the vaccines from Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are only approved for those 18 and older, while the Pfizer shot is cleared for those as young as 16.

It comes as the vaccine rollout begins to accelerate after a slow start. More than two million Americans are now being vaccinated each day. 

As of Sunday, nearly 25 percent has received one or two doses of either the Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. 

Nearly 59 million Americans – 17.7 percent of the population – have received one dose and more than 30.7 million Americans – 9.2 percent – have now been fully vaccinated.  

Gottlieb estimated that, by the end of the week, 70 percent of Americans over age 75 will be vaccinated as will 60 percent of those over age 65.

‘We’re reducing the overall vulnerability of the population,’ he told CBS. 

‘Some of the optimism is also being driven by growing science, suggesting that these vaccines, all the vaccines not only prevent COVID disease, prevent symptoms, but also prevent transmission. So they could have a dramatic effect on reducing the overall tenor of the epidemic.’