Statistics from Johns Hopkins University show that as of 20 o’clock on October 20th, US Eastern Time, there were more than 8.12 million confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in the United States, reaching 8,123,438, and 220,921 deaths.
Although the data is not optimistic, a set of confidential data exposed recently shows that there are a large number of undisclosed cases in prisons, schools, and meat processing plants in Illinois, indicating that the US epidemic may be worse than it seems.
As the epidemic rebounded in the central and western regions and plains, experts warned that the third wave of epidemics had arrived.
△The Midwest Investigation Reporting Center cited confidential data as saying that prisons, workplaces, schools, and meat processing plants across Illinois concealed the epidemic
Confidential documents expose “underground epidemic” in Illinois
According to statewide confidential data obtained by the Midwest Investigation Center, prisons, workplaces, schools, and meat processing plants across Illinois have concealed some confirmed cases. The Midwest Survey Reporting Center is an independent non-profit news center dedicated to educating the public to better understand the Midwestern United States.
The center said that these undisclosed internal data were collected by the Illinois Department of Health and covered four different time periods from July to September. The state’s health department cited relevant laws and chose not to disclose the details of many outbreaks, but other departments and subordinate local governments will regularly announce the infection status, so there are traces to follow.
The data obtained by the center shows that the largest source of infection in Illinois is prisons at all levels. Among them, the Cook County Prison was once considered the worst place in the United States. As of September 30, the prison had reported 1,074 confirmed cases, the most in a single report. In the 36 different prisons of Crawford Robinson Correctional Institution, as of September 30, at least 3,500 confirmed cases have been reported.
The data also showed that the Great Lakes Naval Base had the second largest outbreak in Illinois. Previously, there were 409 confirmed cases, which increased by 126% in September. These cases have never been made public.
As for schools, just a few weeks after the beginning of the new school year, more than 100 elementary, middle and high schools had confirmed cases. The largest outbreak was now at Randolph’s Spartan Lincoln School, with 800 students diagnosed. In addition, there are still many meat processing plants whose epidemics are far more serious than the public knows. Among the five meat processing and packaging plants that have been confirmed, the actual number of confirmed cases is at least twice that of public reports.
Epidemic is raging in the Midwest and Plains
According to the National Public Radio (NPR) report, the current number of new confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in the United States has risen to the highest level since late July. According to the statistics of the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), in the past 14 days, there has been an increase in new cases in 38 states, Washington and Guam.
Different from the second wave of epidemics in the summer, the areas with faster growth in epidemic data are mainly located in the Midwest and plains of the United States. According to NPR’s analysis of official data, this round of the epidemic raging in the Midwest of the United States is the main reason for the increase in the overall number of infections. Since the fall, the number of newly diagnosed cases in the Midwest has accounted for one-third of the United States.
For example, the states of Illinois and Wisconsin have each added nearly 20,000 new confirmed cases in the past seven days, which is comparable to a populous state like California. In the past two weeks, the number of hospitalizations in Wisconsin has more than doubled, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum previously stated: “We are caught in a corona storm.”
In South Dakota, there have been major outbreaks in some areas. In Gerrard County, the state, no confirmed cases were reported in the county for more than two months from June to August, but in the past two weeks, its single-day new cases have soared to one of the highest levels in the United States.
NBC reported that North Dakota and South Dakota now have the highest number of infections per capita per week in the United States. “We are struggling.” Infectious disease doctor Todd Vento said on the NBC program. “People are doing heroic work, but they have reached a point where they cannot continue.” Currently, epidemiologists have warned. , The US epidemic may have a “third peak”, and it is mainly concentrated in the Midwest and the plains. The New York Times also stated that the third wave of epidemics in the Midwest and West of the United States was the worst.
As the epidemic broke out in the Midwest and the plains, the epidemic in rural areas in the United States has also become the focus. Doctors and health officials in some small towns worry that the new outbreak of the epidemic may overwhelm rural areas where medical resources are already limited.
Number of hospitalizations in Texas hit a new high in nearly 2 months
According to local media reports in Texas, the state’s health officials reported on October 19 that a total of 4,319 patients with new coronary pneumonia were being treated in the state’s hospitals, a record high since 4422 patients were admitted on August 28.
The Texas Department of Health Services reported that there are currently approximately 82,930 active cases of new coronary pneumonia in the state, an increase of nearly a third from the 64,431 reported on September 20. However, there are reports that the actual outbreak in Texas may be more serious because many people have not been tested, and many asymptomatic infections have not been recorded.
Due to concerns about the spread of the epidemic, after the Houston Public School District, the most university district in Texas, opened its campus before, students were required to wear masks and maintain social distancing. The school district is said to have a total of 190,000 students, of which 80,000 have returned to school. All walks of life are very concerned about their health. Grenita Latham, the temporary superintendent of the Houston Public School District, said that school activities will also be restricted during the beginning of the school year, allowing only necessary visitors to enter, hoping to “try to ensure the safety of staff and students.”
In fact, since the outbreak of the Coronavirus the United States in mid-March, the Houston Public School District has always adopted a comprehensive online teaching method. The latest report from the school district shows that as of early October, about 197,000 students have participated in online courses. The analysis believes that the reason for the Houston Public School District’s restoration of all grade campus teaching is that according to the regulations of the Texas Department of Education, the school district must restart campus teaching before November 2. But insisting on opening up the campus on such a large scale still makes the school district questionable.
