WASHINGTON, Dec 3 — The United States is facing the toughest time amid the Covid-19 pandemic, as a surge in hospitalisations strains hospitals nationwide, the head of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned on Wednesday.
"The reality is December, January and February are going to be rough times. I actually believe they're going to be the most difficult time in the public health history of this nation," CDC Director Robert Redfield said during a live stream event with the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
Earlier outbreaks of the coronavirus were concentrated on some areas of the country, and medical workers and equipment could be transported to the hotspots. But now, all parts of the country are facing rising infections and hospitalisations, Redfield said.
The number of US Covid-19 patients who currently remain in hospitals reached 100,226 on Wednesday, exceeding the threshold of 100,000 for the first time since the onset of the pandemic, according to the Covid Tracking Project.
About 90 per cent of US hospitals are in the red zone, the director said, adding, "I do think, unfortunately, before we see February, we could be close to 450,000 Americans dying from this virus."
The US remains the nation worst hit by the coronavirus with over 13.9 million cases and 273,300 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.
— Bernama
