COVID-19 Heading Toward '3rd Peak' in the US...Global Cases Near 40 Million (Comprehensive)

Nearly 2 Million COVID-19 Cases Surge in US in 45 Days
France Daily Cases Exceed 30,000...Indoor Parties Banned
WHO "Remdesivir and Other Treatments Ineffective"...Spread Risk Grows Ahead of Winter

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Following Europe, the United States is also experiencing a sharp increase in daily new COVID-19 cases, reigniting fears of the virus spreading ahead of the winter season. In the U.S., daily cases have risen back to the 60,000 range, the highest since August, signaling a 'third peak.' In Europe, some countries have seen their cumulative cases more than double in less than two months, prompting renewed restrictions on indoor gatherings and nighttime curfews.

According to local media including The New York Times (NYT) on the 15th (local time), the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. is moving from the East and South toward the Midwest. In Illinois, 2,964 new cases were reported on the 14th, marking a 40% increase over the past two weeks. Other Midwestern states such as Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota are also seeing a rapid rise in cases.

The NYT reported, "COVID-19 in the U.S. reached its first peak in April centered around major cities like New York, followed by a second peak in July focused on southern resort areas like Miami, after which cases plateaued. However, over the past two weeks, the virus has been moving toward a third peak, primarily in small towns and rural areas in the Midwest." According to the NYT, the U.S. recorded 31,709 cases on April 10 for the first peak, followed by 66,690 cases on July 19 for the second peak. As of the 13th, the number of new cases was 52,156.

Since early last month, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. has surged by nearly 2 million in just over a month. According to the global statistics site Worldometer, the daily new cases in the U.S. reached 64,617 on this day, the highest since July 31 when 73,076 cases were recorded.

In Europe, the spread of COVID-19 is also intensifying, with France reporting over 30,000 daily new cases. Worldometer data shows France recorded 30,621 new cases on this day, a record high. Major European countries including the UK (18,980), Spain (13,318), Italy (8,804), and Germany (7,074) all reported daily new cases exceeding those during the major outbreaks in March and April. Since September, France’s cumulative cases have nearly tripled to 809,684, and the UK’s have more than doubled to 673,622 during the same period.

European countries have resumed and strengthened lockdown measures. France has banned nighttime curfews and indoor gatherings in severely affected areas. The Portuguese government declared a state of national emergency and prohibited gatherings of more than five people. The UK ordered pubs and restaurants to close for four weeks, mainly in Northern Ireland, and Spain declared a state of emergency in Madrid, imposing city lockdown measures.

However, concerns about further spread are growing. Experts warn that as autumn brings increased activity of both COVID-19 and influenza viruses, the spread is likely to intensify through winter. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned in an interview with ABC News that "as we enter a colder winter, the baseline of daily cases will be higher, putting us in a precarious position with cases continuing to rise."

There is also pessimism regarding the effectiveness of treatments. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced in a press release that clinical trials showed no significant benefit in reducing mortality for patients using existing COVID-19 treatments such as remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir, and interferon.

Worldwide, the total number of confirmed cases is approaching 40 million. According to the international statistics site Worldometer, the global cumulative number of COVID-19 cases reached 39,151,155 as of this day.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.