Calif. worries about new COVID-19 strain as U.S. death toll approaches 400,000
By (0)
The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 approached 400,000 Monday, as states struggled with shortages of the vaccines. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 18 (UPI) The number of U.S. COVID-19 deaths approached 400,000 Monday, as hard-hit states like California braced for more cases and vaccine supplies were running out in many states.
The death toll for the United States was reported at 398,806 by Monday, according to the online Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 tracker.
Advertisement
Reported daily U.S. cases Monday were 174,513 with 1,723 deaths. The U.S. has reported a total of 24 million cases since the outbreak began.
A new coronavirus variant has been tied to at least 90 infections in a deadly outbreak at a medical center in San Jose, California yahoo.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from yahoo.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Health officials in the Bay Area are warning that hospital crowding could get even worse in the coming weeks, warning that COVID-19 hospitalization could worsen so much doctors may be forced to choose who gets lifesaving care and who doesn’t.
In emergency rooms, medical staff are fatigued as they enter the 11th month of fighting this pandemic. “They are tired, they are drained physically, emotionally, in every way you can possibly imagine,” said Dr. Jeffrey Chien, emergency department medical director at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Silicon Valley’s flagship public hospital.
“The ER is full. Folks are waiting for beds. We are getting really creative with places to see patients, and patients are suffering,” Chien said at a news conference this week. “Folks are struggling to breathe. Folks are gasping for breath. Some folks look like they are drowning while they’re sitting there in bed in front of us. And there’s a very finite amount we can do to fight this n
Officials are investigating whether the outbreak was affected by a staff member appearing in the emergency department on Christmas Day wearing an air-powered, holiday-themed costume.