The U.S. must now contend with the flu and COVID-19 "twin-demic."
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned about the current "distressing trend" in which new COVID-19 cases are "increasing in nearly 75% of the country."
"This past week, we've seen nearly 60,000 cases a day on average, as well as 700 deaths," said Dr. Jay Butler, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention deputy director for infectious diseases.
"Unfortunately we're seeing a distressing trend here in the U.S."
Butler said he recognizes Americans are all getting tired of the impact that COVID-19 has had on our lives.
"We get tired of wearing masks, but it continues to be as important as it's ever been, and I would say it's more important than ever as we move into the fall season," he said.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows the U.S. with 8.2 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 220,000 deaths.
As of Tuesday, more than half of U.S. states reported a rise in new infections in what experts affirm is the dreaded fall surge, or second wave. The country's seven-day average of new daily cases was above 58,300, a level not seen since the first week of August.
Most of the second wave is slamming Midwest. States like Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin. All these states have recorded large jumps in new COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks.
Public health officials partly blame the spikes on the cooler autumn weather forcing people to stay indoors more often.
Wisconsin reported more than 4,500 new cases Tuesday. Department of health services secretary-designee Dr. Andrea Palm said 43% of the state's total cases have come within the past month, and 62% over the past two months. Wisconsin has 178,482 total positive cases since the pandemic began.
Colorado has posted its highest seven-day average case count. The one-week rolling average was listed at 960 Tuesday. In contrast, the record for a single-day case count was set Oct. 15 at 1,155.
"We are at our highest daily count since the beginning of the pandemic," said state epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy. "We have had three waves of illness. A spring wave, a July wave and now a fall wave."
On Monday, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, predicted the U.S. might see a "rapid acceleration" in COVID-19 cases by next week.
"It's going to be a difficult fall and winter," said Gottlieb. "I think we're about two or three weeks behind Europe - so we're about a week away from starting to enter a period where we're going to see a rapid acceleration in cases."
He noted hospitalizations have risen in 42 states with cases on the rise in 45 states.
"The summer was a backstop of sorts to the spring surge and we have no therapeutic backstop and this season, the fall and winter season, is when this coronavirus is going to want to spread."
