The authorities attributed only two new deaths to COVID-19 in the data reported yesterday. Neither decedent was a long-term care facility resident. Woo hoo! Yet long-term residents continue to account for 76 percent of all deaths attributed to the epidemic.
Yesterday’s results continue the low fatality rate in the data since mid-June — unexpectedly. The authorities told us we were to be inundated by thousands of hospitalizations and deaths this summer. Over the weekend, however, the authorities attributed only six new deaths (8/1) and 8 new deaths (8/2) to the epidemic.
New cases continue at a relatively high level on increased testing volume. Hospitalizations have increased insubstantially. Kevin Roche puts it this way:
[W]hile cases are somewhat similar to the peak in May, hospitalizations and deaths now are way, way down….[see his accompanying chart]. To find any cases now we are having to do a ton of testing and we are turning up a small proportion of positives and almost all are very mild or asymptomatic. This has reached the level of absurdity.
You would never know “this” (as Kevin puts it) from listening to yesterday’s Minnesota Department of Health press briefing (audio below). That much I can tell you. The press continues in the panic mode entirely in conformity with the party line. At about 20:00 Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm comments on the threat posed by the annual Sturgis bikers’ rally. Rough transcription: “South Dakota has seen its spikes as well — it’s not like the environment has no risk.”
Good grief! I’d love to get a comment from Governor Noem on that.
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