Another Unwanted COVID Figure Arrives Quickly

The yin and yang of the pandemic continues, with gloomy short-term news competing with more hopeful long-term news. Just as Pfizer has submitted its request for authorization to roll out its vaccine, the number of cases in the US has surpassed 12 million, reports the New York Times. And it's the speed with which cases are rising that has health authorities most concerned. The nation hit the 11 million mark only on Sunday, and the number of new daily cases is now on the brink of 200,000.

By contrast, the US was reporting about 77,000 new daily cases at the peak of the summer surge, notes CNN. "This is faster. It's broader. And what worries me, it could be longer," White House COVID adviser Dr. Deborah Birx tells the outlet. Also this week, the US for the first time eclipsed the figure of 80,000 current hospitalizations, as well as 250,000 deaths. (More COVID-19 stories.)