The number of COVID-19 cases is hitting a near-record high, with the Midwest hit especially hard.
Some of it is partly due to increased testing. Since the start of October, testing is up roughly 11 percent. And on Monday we had a record number of tests - 1.2 million.
So we are testing more, but cases are also rising at a faster rate. If you look at October 1st we had over 44,000 cases. Yesterday we have over 71,000 according to Johns Hopkins data. So that is a lot more sick people in a short amount of time.
Now why the virus is spreading and infecting more people could be because of a couple of reasons…it’s autumn so we now have cooler temperatures - except for today - so more folks are hanging out indoors. Also many are spending time in small gatherings with family and friends that are outside their bubble. And it’s possible that they feel safer and are letting their guard down.
Remdesivir is the first FDA-approved treatment for COVID-19, but that news is coming with some caution from the medical field.
This is somewhat of a controversial approval since the study by the World Health Organization showed no real benefit. And no decrease in mortality or death rates.
Personally, in my opinion, this drug is not a panacea. It’s not a cure-all. However, it is a tool. And any tool we can get to fight COVID-19 is always welcome. But the FDA is not going to approve a drug without looking at the research. And they based their decision on scrutinizing three randomized controlled trials. One in particular was placebo-controlled. Meaning that some folks in the study were given remdesivir while others were given something else. And that is key. Because researchers could then compare the outcomes of these two groups. Whereas the WHO study was not placebo-controlled and did not compare the outcomes to the standard of care.
Again, remdesivir is not a miracle drug. But studies have shown that it can reduce recovery time on average by 5 to 7 days, reduce a patient's need for additional oxygen or mechanical ventilation. And it's shown that patients were less likely to develop severe disease when compared to the placebo group. So all of this is very helpful and certainly provides hope to those who end up hospitalized.
Join Dr. Nandi this Sunday at 1 pm as he investigates the rise in chronic health conditions. You’ll meet a man who faced aggressive treatments for autoimmune disease but was able to turn back the clock. Another guest shares how she used turmeric to battle blood cancer. You’ll also learn how to turn kitchen cabinets into medicine cabinets. Plus, Holistic Doctor Madiha Saeed discusses the root cause of chronic disease.
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
Click here for a page with resources including a COVID-19 overview from the CDC, details on cases in Michigan, a timeline of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's orders since the outbreak, coronavirus' impact on Southeast Michigan, and links to more information from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC and the WHO.
View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.
See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.
Visit our The Rebound Detroit, a place where we are working to help people impacted financially from the coronavirus. We have all the information on everything available to help you through this crisis and how to access it.
