Newly reported coronavirus cases in the U.S. edged higher, but remained below 50,000, as many states push forward with vaccinations programs and look to reopen schools.
The U.S. reported more than 48,000 new cases for Monday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University that was published early Tuesday. The data may update later. Monday’s tally was higher than Sunday’s total of 33,645 cases, but down sharply from peak levels reached in January. Data tends to be lower at the beginning of the week, as testing is slower and some offices are closed over the weekend.
The seven-day average of newly reported cases, which helps smooth out irregularities in data reporting, stood at 54,308 as of Sunday, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The 14-day average was 53,989. When the seven-day average is higher than the 14-day average, it indicates that cases are rising.
The country reported 532 Covid-19 fatalities for Monday, bringing the total death toll to nearly 543,000, according to Johns Hopkins data.
On Tuesday, U.S. health officials said AstraZeneca PLC may have released outdated information from its Covid-19 vaccine trial, giving an incomplete view of efficacy data. The statement came the day after AstraZeneca released interim data from large-scale U.S. trials that it said found its Covid-19 vaccine to be 79% effective in preventing symptomatic disease. The release was seen as a vote of confidence in the shot, which has been clouded by uncertainty over its efficacy in earlier trials conducted in the U.K. last year.
More states, meanwhile, are lowering the age eligibility requirement for the Covid-19 vaccine as the effort to vaccinate all Americans before summer continues to gain ground. West Virginia on Monday opened vaccinations to everyone in the state over the age of 16. More than 26% of the state’s population has received at least one dose of vaccine, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
New Mexico leads states in vaccinations, with 33.3% of its population given at least one shot. Nationwide, nearly a quarter of people in the U.S. have received at least one shot of a Covid-19 vaccine.The effort to reopen schools is also gaining steam in some cities.
The Los Angeles Unified School District is launching a program to vaccinate family members of students early next month, an effort officials hope will convince more parents to allow their children to return to in-person learning. Superintendent Austin Beutner said the effort will initially be targeted at communities hardest hit by the virus and aims to address ongoing concerns about the virus among parents who are hesitant to send their children back to schools once they reopen.