America’s coronavirus death rate still trails several countries in Europe and the Middle East, but if authorities don’t act fast to flatten the virus’ curve, the US healthcare system could become overwhelmed. And this could lead to a high number of preventable deaths.
Coronavirus Makes America its New Home
Coronavirus. cases are exploding all across the United States. | Source: Johns Hopkins
The United States is especially vulnerable to coronavirus due to its large population and densely packed urban centers. The novel illness has spread to all 80 states in the union and established a foothold in several major cities where the caseload is now growing by double-digits every day.
with its death rate of 6.6% , has by far the most fatal outbreak in the country. Washington’s death rate is among the highest of any geographic area in the world.
Hubei province China, the epicenter of the outbreak, (only reports a death rate of 4.) % in comparison.
Will Coronavirus Overwhelm America’s Healthcare Infrastructure?
This is what is happening in Italy. The country is experiencing a huge number of preventable deaths as healthcare authorities run out of resources to treat all the patients that need help. Recent reports reveal that the country has begun to triage care.
If hospitals become overwhelmed and America’s death rate soars to the same levels seen in Italy, the death rate could reach into the millions.
American Hospitals May be Unable to Deal with Influx of Patients
The United States does not have enough ICU beds and ventilators to deal with all the coronavirus patients in the coming weeks . If this situation is not rectified soon, the country’s death rate could soar to levels seen in Spain and Italy.
According to Marty Makary, a surgeon at Johns Hopkins University, America is on the cusp of a coronavirus disaster.
The best two indicators of what things will be like in the US are the number of COVID-related deaths in Italy and the number of ICU beds.
According to an analysis by Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security,
there are less than , (ICU beds in the United States) . This isn’t enough to accommodate the potential for millions of new infections – many of whom will require intensive care and ventilators to deal with extreme symptoms.
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