As many US states leave lockdown and the clamour for constitutional rights reaches a crescendo, the country’s top two medical statistics bodies have predicted 3,000 new deaths every day by June 1, plus 200,000 new infections each day. This would reflect a sharp acceleration in the rate of infection, as to date 1,209,532 Americans have been infected and the current death toll is 69,469, with new cases running at about 25,000 daily.
An eight-fold increase in new infections would translate into a daily death toll in excess of 10,000 within two weeks.
Meanwhile, there was good news from the UK on Monday, May 4, with 3,985 new cases and 288 new deaths reported. The UK total death toll is now 28,734, compared to Italy’s 29,079, with no plans as yet to loosen lockdown in Britain.
France has achieved a decline in new cases and new deaths, not only flattening the curve but taking it on a downward slope. On Monday, May 4, 769 new cases and 306 new deaths were reported. France leaves lockdown on May 11, but the government has stated repeatedly that progress on loosening lockdown further depends on the figures for new cases and deaths.