The U.S. will see ‘further suffering and further death’ if coronavirus isn’t controlled – Dr. Fauci.

The U.S. has topped 4.2 million infections and 148,000 deaths since the pandemic began, and a leading expert says thousands more Americans could lose their lives in the coming months.

UNITED STATES (Agencies) – “If you look at the deaths as they’re occurring right now — about 1,000 per day — unless we get our arms around this and get it suppressed, we are going to have further suffering and further death,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert. “That’s why, as I’ve often said many, there are things that we can do right now in the absence of a vaccine that can turn us around,” he added.

While there’s still no guarantee the vaccines being developed will prove effective, at least one vaccine trial in the U.S. has entered its third phase. In the meantime, health officials are urging states to implement stricter measures after weeks of surges in new cases following reopenings that mostly began in May. 

Nationwide, there have been more deaths, and in hospitals throughout several states, doctors report more incoming patients and maxed out ICUs.

Donald Trump said yesterday, Monday July 27, 2020, some governors should be quicker about reopening states, however, Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, said over the weekend there are states showing a concerning increase in positivity rates and new cases. 

Those states include Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. 

“Health experts”, she said, “are recommending 100% of people to wear masks in all indoor public places and those social and indoor gatherings are limited to less than 10 people”. Across the U.S., at least 27 states hit a pause or rolled back those reopening plans and imposed new restrictions. More than 40 states have mask requirements in place.

Birx said that among the state officials are tracking. There seems to be a “household” pattern of infections that starts with young people, usually less than 30 years old. Those residents, who are usually asymptomatic, then transmit the virus to their parents, who then transmit it to other, older residents, she said.

In Mississippi, about 80% of surveyed coronavirus patients said they had attended a social gathering, including funerals and birthday parties, where people weren’t adhering to social distancing. In New Jersey, health officials said they had seen multiple outbreaks arising from the gatherings of young people.

To stop infections, states have cracked down on congregate settings — like bars — and pleaded with citizens to regard guidelines, including wearing masks and social distancing. In Columbus, Ohio, the city council approved legislation that would require bars and restaurants to close at 10 p.m. each night starting today, Tuesday.

In Kentucky, the governor also imposed new restrictions on restaurants, shut bars down for the next two weeks, and recommended schools postpone in-person instruction until late August.

Despite new restrictions, some local leaders have voiced their opposition to the mandates and have said they won’t be enforcing the rules. In Miami and New York, officials have doubled down on enforcement. Andrew Cuomo said the state had issued at least 132 violations over the weekend to bars and restaurants for not following coronavirus-related regulations. 

In Miami-Dade County — which has reported more cases than all but 12 states — police issued more than 300 citations in 10 days to individuals and businesses who weren’t abiding by the local mask order.