The U.S. recently recorded the fewest daily COVID-19 cases in the past three months.
During the first week of February, a seven-day average of 119,000 new cases showed a consistent 20% decline of cases from the week prior. Although the current pandemic’s case recordings still exceed the summer’s pinnacle, this decline has been the hopeful news America has sought after for months.
As well as daily positive cases, hospitalization rates have dropped since the start of the winter surge. In the month of February, the rates have dropped 17%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Meanwhile, an extremely contagious coronavirus variant from the United Kingdom, named the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2, has officially arrived in the U.S.
A study done by MedRxiv, the Reprint Server for Health Sciences, says that the new variant will most likely be the dominant strain in the United States by March.
“The continued proliferation of variants remains of great concern and is a threat that could reverse the recent positive trends we are seeing,” said CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky.
The CDC urges individuals to be compliant with all premeditated coronavirus precautions and regulations, even with case number increases disbanding:
“Collectively, enhanced genomic surveillance combined with increased compliance with public health mitigation strategies, including vaccination, physical distancing, use of masks, hand hygiene, and isolation and quarantine, will be essential to limiting the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and protecting public health.”
