STATEWIDE — It is a milestone nobody hoped to reach as the United States has now surpassed 200,000 deaths, with Florida seeing higher positivity rates.
What You Need To Know
- Florida’s cases grow as the flu season inches closer
- Dr. Anthony Fauci: COVID-19 can still be serious in young people
- He said poor ventilation during indoor activities could cause problems for some people
The country now has the highest death toll in the world. New data shows warning signs once again for Florida as well.
Positivity rates in the Sunshine State are now above 5 percent for the first time in 10 days.
Cases in Florida have topped 687,000 as we inch closer and closer to the flu season, which experts say could make the problem worse.
New cases in Florida rose to 2,470 on Tuesday and back-to-back seven-day rolling averages show the overall uptick.
Nationally, the University of Washington is reporting coronavirus is now the second leading cause of death in the United States, just after heart disease.
The U.S. has 4 percent of the global population, but more than 20 percent of global coronavirus deaths.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci reminded the country that the virus can still be serious in young people.
"Don't just think the elderly are the problem, true people with underlying conditions. Those are not just isolated to the elderly," Fauci said. "There are plenty of younger people who have underlying conditions that put them at risk."
Underlying conditions that Fauci mentioned include obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
The U.S. now passing 200,000 deaths is not what Fauci was hoping for entering into flu season and colder months.
"That means there's going to be more indoor things then outdoor things and going into that situation," he said. "I'd like to have seen the baseline of where we are, the daily number of infections come way, way down, and not be stuck at around 30,000-40,000 per day."
He said that more indoor activities for some people could mean poor ventilation and airflow, making it more difficult to prevent the spread.
Fauci also pointed out that some parts of the country are doing well at handling the virus with positivity rates at or below 1 percent.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is offering guidance on traditional upcoming Halloween celebrations, labeling many of those activities as high-risk.
The CDC did not recommend trick-or-treating because of the contact with candy, or using a costume mask to replace a cloth mask.
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