New coronavirus cases are rising across the country. A dangerous situation in Wisconsin is getting close to becoming out of control, with the state becoming one of the nation’s largest coronavirus hot spots.
The state broke a single-day record of new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, with 3,132, CBS affiliate WDJT reported. That’s the first time the state ever surpassed the 3,000 mark, according to health officials.
There are long lines to get tested and doctors are scrambling to find enough hospital beds.
The ThedaCare health care system in northeast Wisconsin says it has seen about a 500% increase in hospitalizations. More than 200 of its staffers are out sick or in quarantine due to the virus.
“I only have about five ICU beds left and about 10 medical surgical beds left in my entire health system. And I have seven hospitals that I take care of,” ThedaCare President and CEO Dr. Imran Andrabi told CBS News.
New cases are now rising in 31 states; New York and New Jersey are reporting the most new cases since May.
“You get concerned because it is more difficult to deal with a respiratory borne virus as people begin to go indoors more — and if you start seeing upticks the way we are seeing it,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert.
A lockdown went into effect in several New York City neighborhoods on Thursday, sparking another night of protests in Orthodox Jewish communities where some have bucked the governor’s virus restrictions.
Near Boston, Maria Landaverde is now recovering from COVID-19. Eight of her family members have also contracted the virus. “It was very scary because we didn’t know,” she said. “We thought that we were going to die.”
Last week, Landaverde’s father, Juan Ciprian, succumbed to the virus.
The family said he was a President Trump supporter and refused to wear a mask. They received his ashes the day after the president announced his diagnosis.
“He didn’t believe … He didn’t believe so he kept living his life the same way,” Maria said. “But this is not a game, this is something serious.”