For the second time this week, the United States has broken its single-day record for confirmed COVID-19 cases. On Friday, the country reported nearly 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the span of 24 hours. Friday’s report surpasses Thursday’s mark of nearly 90,000 cases. This week, the country has reported an average of 69,000 cases per day. As the month of October comes to a close, America has endured more than nine million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 230,000 deaths.
As the temperature drops, experts believe that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases will continue to rise. With flu season inching closer, the COVID-19 pandemic will put more Americans at risk. Adding on, Dr. Robert Redfield of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believes that the disease will continue to be spread by those who are asymptomatic. He calls it the “silent epidemic.”
Making matters worse, local, state and federal leaders are not encouraging citizens to take safety precautionary measures. Confirmed cases in South Dakota are up 61% from where they were two weeks ago. Unfortunately, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem is not encouraging residents to wear masks.
“Those who don’t want to wear a mask shouldn’t be shamed into wearing one,” she said.
“And government should not mandate it.”
At the federal level, President Donald Trump continues to hold outdoor rallies that do not follow CDC protocols. A recent study from Stanford University found that his ralies have contributed to 30,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 700 deaths.
