A new report warns that the coronavirus pandemic will overwhelm US hospitals and kill 81,000 people

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

The coronavirus pandemic could claim 81,000 lives in the US by July and overwhelm hospitals by mid-April, according to a new report from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington's School of Medicine.

"Demand for ventilators and beds in US hospital intensive care units (ICUs) will far exceed capacity for COVID-19 patients as early as the second week of April. Deaths related to the current wave of COVID-19 in the US are likely to persist into July," IMHE researchers said in a statement Thursday.

As the number of COVID-19 virus patients spikes — an outcome that public health experts say is all but certain — 21 states could need more ICU beds than they have currently, while 12 states may need to increase capacity by at least 50%, the report predicted.

IMHE's estimates, which are based on information from a range of sources including local and national governments, the World Health Organization, and the American Hospital Association, also assume that the US works diligently to limit the spread of the virus through social distancing and other measures.

https://news.yahoo.com/report-warns-coronavirus-pandemic-overwhelm-202100847.html

[Iliyah]

1. Well t-rump will help double that number . . . .

He and the Republican party.

[Squinch]

2. 81,000???? I think that's a crazy low estimate.

At the rate of infection we are going now, we will be around fifty million infected in a month. A 1% fatality rate on that would be 500,000 and most fatality estimates are double that at least.

[krispos42]

4. I think you're absolutely right

I keep looking at the "recovered" versus "death" numbers.

As of right now, we have 1293 dead from COVID-19, and 1864 recovered.

So out of 3157 resolved cases, 41% had the result of death!

Of course the testing is woefully incomplete.

But, jeez, these are not good numbers.

[Ferrets are Cool]

5. I think you are correct in your thinking

[NickB79]

6. Note their qualifier in the OP

also assume that the US works diligently to limit the spread of the virus through social distancing and other measures.

Half the nation hasn't even really started that yet.

[Dan]

3. I read somewhere, maybe here on DU

That some of the hospitals are not reporting all the people infected or dying because of the virus. That sometimes people are not identified as having the virus - due to constraints and maybe just being overwhelmed.

So, I suspect that an earlier report that was provided by some Country overseas - stated that by the time this situation is over - our death toll might be greater than 200,000.

Sadly, with Trump as the President - if anyone can make it worse with stupid decisions - it will be Trump.

[Marrah_Goodman]

7. I think it will kill that many alone in NYC.