5 Slide Series

This edition of the 5 Slide Series tabulates new tests, cases, and deaths per 100,000 population at a state level to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted September 1- 15 versus August 1 – 15. Nationally, trends have mostly moved in a favorable direction. During the first half of September relative to the first half of August, confirmed cases and deaths have decreased by more than 20%, and positive tests as a percent of all administered tests during each timeframe have decreased from 7.1% to 5.2%. However, several states have trended in an adverse direction and reported an increase in new cases, deaths, and positive tests September 1 – 15 versus August 1 – 15.

This edition analyzes COVID-19 death trends in the United States at a state and county level over the most recent two weeks of the pandemic. Nationally, new COVID deaths decreased by 19% September 3 – 10 versus August 27 – September 3.

This edition compares the monthly progression of the COVID-19 death rate in the United States to other countries that have been hit hardest by the pandemic. Additionally, this edition shows new COVID cases and deaths per 100,000 in the United States, March through August.

This edition tracks recent COVID deaths in the USA in two ways. The national weekly progression has been tabulated across the past two months, showing a decrease of 6% this past week versus the previous week. However, new daily deaths remain near 1,000. We also show daily COVID deaths by state comparing June, July, and August. In 26 states across these months, the average daily deaths have been highest in August.

This edition analyzes disparities in COVID deaths by race and by age cohort, showing monthly progressions during the pandemic. We’ve also assessed the proportion of all COVID deaths attributable to nursing home residents and how this has evolved over time.

This edition looks at the USA’s most recent COVID deaths relative to prior weeks, compares the US with other developed countries regarding COVID death rates and population density, and compares the four major US regions on these metrics.

This edition presents the weekly progression of COVID deaths in the USA across the 23 weeks since the first death was reported. The week ending on August 1 was our seventh-worst week in terms of COVID deaths, and the fourth consecutive week where more deaths occurred than the previous week.

We also tabulated state-by-state deaths in each of the past five months. The states are fairly evenly divided in terms of what their “highest death” month has been between three months: April, May, and July. No state experienced their highest level of COVID deaths in either March or June.

Today’s edition frames how the USA’s COVID death rate compares with other highly developed countries (our death rate is 78% higher). We also portray each state’s weekly progression of COVID tests, cases, and deaths through the month of July. July has been a disappointing “step backwards” month in the USA overall and especially so in many states. Nationwide, we experienced nearly twice as many COVID deaths this past week as occurred during the first week of July.

This edition assesses the COVID death rate in the United States in a global context. The cumulative COVID death rate in the USA to date is 6.6 times higher than the rest of the world’s collective rate. Of the 160 countries whose COVID death rates have been tracked by Johns Hopkins University, the USA’s rate is 10th highest.

This edition of the 5 slide series contains our tabulations of this week’s COVID progression. By all key measures, this has been a troubling week in terms of the pandemic worsening. New deaths were 22% higher in the week of July 8-15 versus those occurring from July 1-8. The number of persons hospitalized as of July 15 was 22% above the July 8 figure. New cases increased 20% this week relative to the prior week’s volume. Testing volume increased by 15%. The rate of tests with a positive result has increased further this past week (to 8.5%). The progression of these nationwide statistics across the past several weeks is shown in the presentation.