April 2, 2021 – Although vaccination efforts are starting to yield results in a few countries (UK, Israel, US), covid-19 is nowhere near done with its accelerating devastation: on April 1, 2021, the world reported 701,526 new infections in a single day, the 16th highest daily report since the onset of the pandemic, 14 months ago, a total unseen since the first two weeks of January, at the height of the global spread. In Brazil, new coronavirus infections and related deaths are driving up the global numbers, with 30% of the week’s global fatalities from that country alone, destabilizing its government with the heads of the army, navy, air force, and health ministry, all resigning in opposition to Jair Bolsonaro, the country’s President, for his gross incompetence, crippling interference, and mismanagement of the nation’s battle against the pandemic. The acceleration of Brazil’s covid-19 deaths is clearly visible in the global deaths graph below. Initial data from the P.1 BRA, the so-called Brazilian variant, suggest the mutation is twice as transmittable as the initial covid-19 virus. Also significant, France, in virtual national lockdown since yesterday, is now ranked fourth in the world, with more cumulative infections than Russia’s. India’s sharp rise in new infections traces a devastating trajectory that could eventually result in the second most populated country trading places with Brazil as the second most infected country on earth. This global fourth wave may prove more devastating as vaccination efforts are still lagging in many countries. New daily cases and/or deaths records – hereafter marked with a * -- as well as near records are being reported from all over the world: in Brazil*, India, Iran, Turkey*, Poland*, Ukraine*, Peru*, the Philippines, France, Germany, Argentina, Chile*, Iraq*, Bangladesh*, Palestine*, Bosnia*, Bulgaria*, Hungary*, Cambodia*, Sweden, Cuba*, Djibouti*, Ethiopia*, Somalia, Greece*, Kenya*, Romania, Mali, Kuwait*, Jordan*, and Serbia. Global deaths climbed more aggressively this week, up 8%, with new cases up 9% since last Friday. 4,108,303 new covid-19 infections were confirmed worldwide (353,860 more than last week’s total), while the virus and its variants killed 70,730 people globally in the last seven days, the highest weekly global death toll in 8 weeks.

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The US is, again, experiencing a significant increase in new weekly cases, with sudden spikes fueling the buildup of a new infectious wave in many eastern states including Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, and a few mid-western states, particularly in Michigan, but also in Illinois, Minnesota, and Indiana. The new surge added 35,623 more cases to the weekly total compared to last week’s (+8%), with 461,620 new cases reported in the last 7 days. Friday’s total (+70,024) was incomplete as TN and NC have delayed their Friday reports (possibly in observance of Good Friday). This week, the US produced three of four 70K+ reports since February 26. The death toll is still on the descent with 11% fewer fatalities reported since the last Friday of March 2021 (+6,346). The situation couldn't be clearer: there is a race between the rise of new cases and the rise of vaccinations nationwide, let us hope the latter wins.

COVID-19 in the USA

This week, California's 18,607 new coronavirus infections total is 7% lower than it was last week, and 1,279 more Californians have died from covid-19 (10% fewer than had last week). The welcome declines in both categories, although more modest than they were a week ago, will result in more counties switching from Purple to Red spread status (widespread to substantial). Let us hope that yesterday's daily report, the highest in 25 days, is only an inconsequential blip in our state's downward trend. Mass vaccinations in California are accelerating, with many counties already offering the vaccines to anyone over 16 years of age, two weeks ahead of schedule. More patience, diligence, vaccinations, and compassion are needed to beat the virus.

4/2/2021: Reporting 11 cases from the public and 1 from Central California Women’s Facility (12 total new cases) bringing the total number of reported cases to 15,944. 

Of the 15,944:

Including its prison population, Madera County is averaging 12 new cases per day (7 per 100K), with 82 new cases revealed over the last 7 days (+8 week-to-week), and 7 new cases per 100K over the last 14 days, switching our county from purple to red -- "widespread" to "substantial" -- contagion risk on "Tier Tuesday", a few days ago.

Today, the seven local counties together reported 207 new infections and 14 new coronavirus deaths. In the combined 7 counties, COVID-19 has infected 324,446 people and has killed 4,627 residents of our region since it claimed its first central valley victim, in Madera, on March 26, 2020.

COVID-19 in Madera + 6 local counties (+% is the positivity rate)

COVID-19 in the 7 counties together

The new infections, for the last seven days, were at the lowest level since mid-May 2020, but the weekly total of 149 new covid-19 deaths, although lower than last week's, illustrates the danger of the new variants present in the local counties. In the first 13 weeks of 2021, 54% (2,507) of the total 4,627 covid-19 deaths, and 30% (106,459) of the total 324,446 infections recorded in the local counties have occurred since January 1, 2021.

Keep observing the simple yet proven safety habits of physical-distancing, mask-wearing, and frequent hand-washing, that will help drive down new infections and new deaths, to a level low enough so as to give us a chance to reopen our schools for onsite education and thus, reopen our economy. Nothing else will work until we have massively administered a safe and effective covid-19 vaccine -- currently estimated by vaccinating up to 85% of the population -- to finally reach herd immunity.