The number of people infected with coronavirus in the United States has hit 83,000.
So far, 1,178 people have died in the country while the global death toll has reached 23,293.
A new study has suggested that Covid-19 could kill more than 80,000 people in the United States alone even if the country strictly follows social distancing measures.
The study was carried out by researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine.
During the study, researchers analyzed the latest COVID-19 data at a local, national and international level. The various factors analyzed by researchers include the hospitalization and mortality rates, as well as classification of patients in terms of age, gender and current physical state.
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Later, the research team analyzed the number of ICU beds and ventilator capacity of each state in the United States. The research report revealed that the demand for both ICU beds and ventilators will exceed capacity by April, and this factor could play a crucial role in elevating the death toll in the country.
As the epidemic peaks in April, as many as 2,300 people will die every day, and this will happen even if the public follows strict distancing measures.
“Our estimated trajectory of Covid-19 deaths assumes continued and uninterrupted vigilance by the general public, hospital workers, and government agencies. The trajectory of the pandemic will change – and dramatically for the worse – if people ease up on social distancing or relax with other precautions,” said Christopher Murray, director of IHME.
As per the report, 21 states in the United States will need more ICU beds in April, while 12 states will be compelled to increase the ICU bed capacity by 50 per cent. As the country is currently in an economic shutdown due to Covid-19 outbreak, the number of people who will file for unemployment benefits is also expected to rise in the coming days.
