COVID-19 Round-Up: Three States Driving 40% of the US's New Cases; and More

Three US States Account for 40% of the Country’s New COVID-19 Cases

“This week, just three states Florida, Texas and Missouri, three states with lower vaccination rates accounted for 40 percent of all cases nationwide,” said White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients, per a CNN report. “For the second week in a row, one in five of all cases occurring in Florida alone. And within communities, these cases are primarily among unvaccinated people.”

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Tokyo Olympics Kick Off in Front of Near Empty Stadium

The $1.5 billion stadium built for the 2020 Olympics had host 70,000 people, but most seats will be empty. Organizers said only about 950 VIPs will attend. Meanwhile, authorities have identified 110 COVID-19 cases linked to the Summer Olympics.

Delta Variant Responsible for Six-Fold Increase in Infections

The Delta variant may be responsible for a six-fold increase in hospitalizations in one Missouri city, according to a CNN report. Meanwhile, CDC advisers met to discuss whether heart inflammation is linked to the COVID-19 vaccine in youths and young adults.

Alabama Gov. Calls Out the Unvaccinated

Alabama Republican Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday called out “the unvaccinated folks” for the rise in Covid-19 cases in her state, a remarkable plea at a time when many GOP leaders are refusing to urge people to get vaccinated even as Covid-19 cases surge in many parts of the country. “Folks are supposed to have common sense. But it’s time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks, not the regular folks. It’s the unvaccinated folks that are letting us down,” Ivey told reporters in Birmingham.