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Rising COVID-19 case numbers and hospitalizations likely mean we're in a new phase of the pandemic. And the number of Americans dying from COVID-19 is also anticipated to grow, although the surge in the short term is not expected to look like previous waves.
That's the takeaway from a team of experts from Johns Hopkins University, who told reporters Tuesday that, in the short term, this new surge is not expected to be as severe as previous waves. But, they said, that all could change.
Cases rose threefold in the last several weeks compared to a 25% increase in hospitalizations due to COVID-19, said David Dowdy, MD, PhD.
Dowdy predicted death rates will also rise. Those numbers typically follow hospitalization rates by a few weeks, "but we're not going to see them skyrocket," he said.
Dr David Dowdy
COVID-19 still kills an average of 300 Americans per day, so we're not done with the pandemic yet, said Dowdy, associate professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. "People are still dying of COVID and we can't rule out the possibility of a major wave in the coming months."
