Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Virus Cases Continue Climbing in US During Holiday Season

Associated Press

   Coronavirus infections across the U.S. continue to rise as the country
   moves deeper into a holiday season when eagerly anticipated gatherings
   of family and friends could push the numbers even higher and overwhelm
   hospitals.

   Vast swaths of southern and inland California imposed new restrictions
   on businesses and activities Saturday as hospitals in the nation's most
   populous state face a dire shortage of beds. Restaurants must stop
   onsite dining, and theaters, hair salons and many other businesses must
   close in the sprawling reaches of San Diego and Los Angeles, along with
   part of the Central Valley.

   Five counties in the San Francisco Bay Area were set to impose their
   own lockdowns Sunday.

   A new daily high of nearly 228,000 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases
   was reported nationwide Friday, eclipsing the previous high mark of
   217,000 cases set the day before, according to data compiled by Johns
   Hopkins University.

   The seven-day rolling average of deaths attributable to COVID-19 in the
   U.S. passed 2,000 for the first time since spring, rising to 2,011. Two
   weeks ago, the seven-day average was 1,448. There were 2,607 deaths
   reported in the U.S. on Friday, according to Johns Hopkins.

   Johns Hopkins had previously reported Wednesday daily COVID-19 deaths
   at 3,157. That was later updated to 2,804 because of a change in
   numbers from Nevada, a spokesperson said Saturday.

   The U.S. set a new record Thursday with 2,879 COVID-19 deaths,
   according to the university's coronavirus resource center.

   Much of the nation saw surging numbers in the week after Thanksgiving,
   when millions of Americans disregarded warnings to stay home and
   celebrate only with members of their household.

   Arizona's top public health official took on a blunt tone as she
   reported the state's latest case numbers, a near-record of nearly 6,800
   new infections, telling people to wear masks around anyone outside
   their household, "even those you know and trust."

.