Election Day saw the second-highest number of new coronavirus cases, with more than 91,000 reported infections.
Since October 29, the U.S. has recorded its five highest days of COVID-19 cases. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, only five states are seeing a decrease in infections – Alabama, Hawaii, Louisiana, Tennessee and Vermont. On Election Day, Idaho, Ohio, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin all reported a record number of new Covid-19 cases.
Health experts have warned of another wave of infections in coming months and continue to stress safety measures including mask wearing physical distancing to slow the spread.
MORE ON THE PANDEMIC
According to data from the World Health Organization, there are currently 46 million global Covid-19 cases, with a growing number of young people contracting the virus. Global deaths stand at 1.2 million.
Since the pandemic began, the proportion of cases among 15 to 24-year-olds has increased from 4% 14%, and from 50% to 65% among 25- to 64-year-olds. Cases among those aged 65 and older has decreased from 40% to 15%. WHO also notes increasing reports of long-term effects of coronavirus, including among younger people.
A college student in Indiana died in her dorm room after testing positive for the coronavirus, school officials and her family said.
Bethany Nesbitt, a 20-year-old college student at Grace College, was found dead in her dorm room after testing positive for COVID-19. Nesbitt, who suffered from asthma, began experiencing virus symptoms the week before her death and later tested positive for the virus, but she never received the results because of a clerical error.
“An emergency room doctor determined that Bethany very likely had COVID-19, but it was not a severe case and she seemed to be recovering,” her brother tweeted. Nesbitt returned to her single-room dorm to quarantine.
As uncertainty about the pandemic continues, nearly one in 10 U.S. businesses say they plan to lay off workers in the last three months of the year. A survey of human resource executives at 330 U.S. companies found in the last quarter of the year, 11% of businesses plan to reduce bonuses, 8% expect to delay raises or bonuses, and 12% say they’ll stop hiring or restrict it to critical roles.
Overall, the poll underscores that the outbreak continues to ravage the economy even though half the 22 million jobs shed in early spring have been recovered and gross domestic product soared 33.1% annualized in the third quarter, according to a report last week, recouping two-thirds of the lost output. The rebound has slowed substantially in recent months.
Layoffs are increasing from the hardest-hit industries such as restaurant, retail and entertainment to corporate, white-collar positions.
Airline carrier JetBlue announced it will reduce the number of blocked seats after December 1 to accommodate families traveling together during the holiday season.
Last month, Southwest Airlines announced that it will also stop limiting the number of seats after December 1. Delta Air Lines say they will allow more seating early next year.
As the pandemic brought travel to a halt in the spring, some airlines blocked middle seats to allow for physical distancing between travelers.
