(Eagle News) — The number of coronavirus cases in the United States has reached more than 122,000 with deaths rising fast and hitting 2,147, according to the virus dashboard tracking global COVID-19 cases of the Johns Hopkins University.
The spike came as an infant died from the virus in the US, as more incidents of younger people, even those healthy ones, are not immune from the virus.
According to the virus tracker tally of the Johns Hopkins University, the number of cases worldwide has also gone past 660,000 as of Sunday morning, March 29, (Philippine time), with at least 30,780 deaths as virus cases climbed worldwide.
The US still leads with the most number of cases, followed by Italy (92,472), China (81,999), Spain (73,235), Germany (57,695), France (38,145), and Iran (35,408)
Although the US number of deaths at more than 2,000 is still below the death reported in China with 3,299 deaths, Italy with 10,023 deaths, and Spain with 5,982 deaths, this is by no means less alarming as US deaths had doubled in just three days.
In the US, New York City reported 672 COVID-19 related deaths, followed by Washington (136 deaths), New Jersey (86 deaths), and Louisiana with 70 deaths.
But the death of the infant, less than one year old, from Chicago has shocked the nation, shattering myths that only older people with pre-existing health conditions are prone to be critical cases.
Officials from the state of Illinois reported the infant’s death on Saturday, marking an extremely rare case of juvenile death in the global pandemic.
Governor JB Pritzker said “an infant” was among the fatalities linked to the new coronavirus over the previous 24 hours.
“There has never before been a death associated with COVID-19 in an infant,” the director of state’s Department of Public Health director Ngozi Ezike said in a statement.
“A full investigation is underway to determine the cause of death.”
-“We should grieve for a sense of normalcy we left behind,” says Illinois governor-
Pritzker, in a news conference said he was “immediately shaken” by the news on the infant’s death.
“I know how difficult this news can be, especially about this very young child. Upon hearing it, I admit that I was immediately shaken. It’s appropriate for any of us to grieve today. It’s especially sorrowful for the family of this very small child for the years stolen from this infant,” he said.
“We should grieve. … We should grieve for a sense of normalcy we left behind just a few short weeks ago,” he added.
The infant was one of 13 deaths in Illinois in the past 24 hours.
The Illinois governor also appealed to the people to “please, please follow instructions and stay at home.”
Last week, top French health official Jerome Salomon said a 16-year-old girl had died in the Ile-de-France region of Paris and its surroundings.
“Severe forms (of coronavirus) with the young are very rare,” Salomon noted.
In the US state of California last week, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said that a teenager had tested positive for COVID-19 and
died.
But the agency added the case is complex and there may be an alternate explanation.
Multiple studies have found the virus disproportionately affects older patients and those with underlying conditions.
(with a report from Agence France Presse)