COVID19 Update - Day 98

US Tests: 24,449,307

US Cases: 2,127,047

US Deaths: 110,695

Worldwide Cases: 8,152,885

Worldwide Deaths: 441,407

We need to talk about Arizona again.  The state set a record for new COVID19 cases on Monday:

The state logged 1,506 COVID-19 patients in hospitals on Monday, setting another record, along with 340 ventilators in use and 502 ICU beds taken up by COVID-19 patients.

Dr. Murtaza Akhter, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix and a supervisory emergency physician at the Maricopa Integrated Health System, told TPM that the recent surge came as a surprise.

“COVID was here a couple of weeks ago, but nothing like at this level,” he said.

Akhter described to TPM an emergency department brimming with COVID-19 patients, the vast majority of whom had already tested positive and who arrived at the ER knowing what was going on.

“It felt like all hands on deck,” Akhter said, adding that he was “constantly” getting calls for incoming COVID-19 patients.

"The recent surge came as a surprise".  This is a troubling statement coming from a medical professional of Dr. Akhter's status.  The article goes on to point out that:

The state’s stay-at-home order was lifted on May 15.

Epidemiologists and public health officials have noted that Arizona’s case count began to increase sharply on May 25 — a long enough time after the stay at home order was lifted to suggest the virus has begun spreading widely again.

This was entirely foreseeable, and should have come as a surprise to no one.