The mainstream media continue to report the number of COVID-19 cases going up and sometimes note that the number is expected to go up because the number of people tested every day keeps increasing.
People are so concerned about the number of cases increasing that some states such as Texas are reinstating restrictions that had been lifted.
But why isn’t the above graph from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the fatality rate of COVID-19 also being reported?
The graph above is the latest one available from the CDC and can be found, if you look diligently, at the very bottom of the weekly report on COVID-19 at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/index.html.
According to an article in OutKick, Sunday, June 21, the number of COVID-19 deaths declined from the high on April 21 by 90 percent.
On April 21, 2,693 COVID-19 deaths were reported in the US. On Sunday, June 21, 267 COVID-19 deaths were reported.
What received top billing is that that same day 26,079 new COVID-19 cases were reported.
In a country of more than 330 million people, 267 people died from COVID-19 on June 21, while on average about 7,200 people died that same day from other causes, according to OutKick.
It is also worth noting that according to recent studies the percentage of people who have COVID-19 is much higher than previously estimated. One study estimated the true number of cases in March through April 4 was “from 5 to 50 times greater than the official positive test counts.” If the new estimates are verified, that would mean that the fatality rate from COVID-19 is also much lower than the earlier estimates.
The mainstream media are heavily emphasizing the number of new cases and the total number of deaths but not that in the US the total number of deaths has been dropping like a rock.
The CDC notes that because of different reporting methods the reports on the total number of deaths lags behind the total number of new cases being reported, but even if the total number of daily fatalities has doubled in the past week, it would still be more than a 50 percent drop over the peak in April. But, according to the latest graph from the CDC, the fatality rate continues to drop.
Thank you John for this informative information It gives us even more hope that we are going in the right direction for the life of all.
John, the answer to your question about Covid testing is that were have always UNDER tested, and we don’t have a handle on the % of + tests/total tests. We are woefully behind because of shortsighted federal government response; and will continue to be behind in the diagnosis and isolation of patients until validated testing catches up with the epidemic. Your remarks are inflammatory, making this a political event. I am disappointed in your misuse of graphics. I believe you are smarter than that.
S. Tannenbaum MD
Thanks for your comment. I am puzzled by the allegation of “misuse of graphics.” The graphic was copied from the CDC website.
‘We are woefully behind because of shortsighted federal government response.’ Sounds like Mr. Hammer is not the only one politicizing this eh?
‘I’m disappointed in your misuse of graphics, I believe you are smarter than that’. Sounds pretty much like an inflamatory statement there too, as you basically said Mr. Hammer is too stupid to understand a Graph and do basic math. Guess it really is Trump’s fault since a Dr. said the Federal government is to blame, and Trump’s the leader of the Federal government.
There’s a growing list of highly respected MD’s and researchers that have tried to present facts instead of feelings for us ‘unwashed masses’ and have questioned the integrity and accuracy of the CDC’s statements concerning the spread of the disease, the actual effectiveness of masks and the true ‘death toll’ of Covid, but their front-line statistics, words, statements and opinions are openly and aggressively suppressed.
Who do we believe Dr? You? The mainstream media? The Governor? The CDC? Or maybe China?
These weekly death statistics lag so much that there’s no point in looking at them. In the report that you referenced, North Carolina only showed 840 deaths, when our local HHS dashboard shows 1325.
John, can you imagine … even in you weirdest dreams … that the main stream media (liberal or conservative) reporting something like this? It kicks the “fear factor” right in the ass!
Should this information be disseminated what would the media do to fill time as the COVID stories would surely decrease.
What would our beloved Governor do? No levers to pull, smoke to disperse. He may even have to fly off in his balloon.
And poor Nancy, well all she could do is tell all of us how she KNEW things would get better if we just wore those damn mask!
Figures don’t lie, but liars can figure? The numbers don’t support the level of panic being created by the mainstream media and liberal politicians.
Politicians will continue to push this narrative as long as we allow it. Their obvious goal is to move the narrative forward until November.
Love thy neighbor and wear your mask, but use your own head and seek the real truth.
Deaths lag behind infection 2-3 weeks. Kindly update this in 2-3 weeks. Thanks
If Death were the only undesired result of contracting COVID-19, I could understand the reason for this article. In fact, there are myriad devastating, and likely lifelong results for those who recover from COVID-19.