Passengers in the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International AIrport in Florida, travelling for Thanksgiving holidays

UPDATE, NOV. 29:

The US death toll reached 266,063 on Saturday, with 1,204 fatalities. Confirmed cases are 13,246,651, an increase of 154,893 in 24 hours.

Hospitalizations have set a new record — the 18th in 19 days — of 91,635.

ORIGINAL ENTRY, NOV 28:

The US is at a record level of hospitalizations for Coronavirus, as the number of cases move from 12 million to 13 million in less than a week.

The record was extended for the 17th straight day on Thursday, with 90,481. The number eased slightly yesterday to 89,834.

Many hospitals warn that they are near capacity. Workers at the University Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin took out a two-page newspaper ad last Sunday, pleading:

Without immediate change, our hospitals will be too full to treat all of those with the virus and those with other illnesses or injuries. Soon you or someone you love may need us, but we won’t be able to provide the lifesaving care you need, whether for Covid-19, cancer, heart disease or other urgent conditions. As health care providers, we are terrified of that becoming reality.

The US death toll reached 264,859 on Friday. Confirmed cases are 13,091,758.

The weekly average of daily cases, up to Wednesday, was 175,809, the highest on record and 2 1/2 times higher than the peak of late July.

With more than 2,000 deaths on both Monday and Turkey, the weekly average of 1,658 to Wednesday is the highest since mid-May.

All but three states are in “Uncontrollable Spread”, according to the Covid Exit Strategy. The other three — Vermont, Maine, and Hawaii — are “Trending Poorly”.

Ongoing Spike After Thanksgiving?

Medical experts such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Government’s top specialist on infectious diseases, and medics across the country urged Americans to stay at home for the Thanksgiving holidays.

Dr. Chris Pernell, a New Jersey physician who lost her father to Covid-19, said, “I pleaded with them: Please, stay home. Be safe so you can enjoy your loved ones in the future.”

But flights this week were at the highest since the start of the pandemic, with travel by air close to the level of the Thanksgiving holidays in 2018.

More than 5.9 million people passed through US airports since the Centers for Disease Control issued its anti-travel recommendation last week. More than 1.07 million people flew on Wednesday, the most in one day since March 16.

Dr. Jonathan Reiner of George Washington University warned on Wednesday, “I expect that the daily death rate will double in the next 10 days. We’ll be seeing close to 4,000 deaths a day.”

The University of Washington’s Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation is projecting more than 2,500 daily deaths by January 1. However, the model projects more than 5,600 daily fatalties by February 1 if containment measures are eased.

The Institute forecasts almost 471,000 deaths by March 1. The number rises to 658,413 if measures ease, but falls to 405,984 with universal wearing of masks in public places.