Dear Reader:

My first post in regard to the Covid-19 pandemic was on another thread titled “Coronavirus”, dated March 18, 2020. There I defined the terms: coronaviruses (discovered in the late 1960s), SARS (2002-03, originated in China), MERS (first cases in 2012, in Saudi Arabia)-  both respiratory diseases caused by coronaviruses, the two together led to just over 10 thousand cases, and roughly, 1,400- 1,50o deaths world wide. I also defined the common cold, a mild viral respiratory disease caused in part by coronaviruses, and influenza, often a severe viral respiratory disease caused by influenza viruses, not coronaviruses.

In my second post on March 19 2020, I quoted the following numbers from worldometers. com: total cases worldwide:  236,921, total deaths worldwide: 9,829– way more than SARS and MERS combined.

Fast forward one year and four months (almost to the day), on July 14 2021, the numbers, from the same source above, are 188,884,696 total cases worldwide, and 4,069,310 total deaths worldwide.

Let’s look at the numbers in rounded forms: March 19, 2020 there were close to 240 thousand cases and close to 10 thousand deaths worldwide. Fast forward to today, there are close to 200 million cases and over 4 million deaths worldwide (roughly 1 out of 50 people infected has died, in my quick calculation).

Back to March 19, 2020: most cases were in China (close to 81 thousands) and most deaths were in Italy (3,405). Back then the U.S. was in 6th place as far as number of cases: 11,355 cases.

Fast forward to today, July 14, 2021, the U.S. is (and has been for a long time) in 1st place as far as number of cases (almost 35 millions), and 1st as far as number of deaths (close to 623.5 thousands). Close to 29 thousand new cases were reported yesterday alone, July 13 2021, which is more than double the total cases in the U.S. by March 19 2020.

Yesterday alone, in the U.S. there were 307 deaths, which is way more than the total deaths in the U.S. by March 19 2020 (171).

In the U.S., most people are not alarmed by yesterday’s numbers of cases and deaths because these numbers are much lower than the January 2021 record numbers: 305 thousand new cases on January 8 2020, and 4,471 new deaths on January 12, 2020.

Let’s look at an article by Reuters published today, Wednesday, July 14, 2021, titled U.S. drug overdose deaths rise 30% to record during pandemic:.

“A record number of Americans died of drug overdoses last year.. During stay-at-home orders, addicts were unable to attend support group meetings in person or visit their therapists for live one-on-one sessions. Pandemic lockdowns and distancing likely contributed to the rise in overdose deaths in less obvious ways, too. Isolation is known as a factor in anxiety and depression… Those feelings can lead to drug abuse. The drugs themselves became more deadly as well. Drug suppliers more frequently mixed fentanyl with cocaine and methamphetamine to boost their effects…

“The deadly combination of events resulted in 93,331 overdose deaths in the 12 months ended in December 2020, compared with an estimated 72,151 deaths in 2019, according to provisional data from the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data showed opioids were involved in 74.7% of overdose deaths…On a day-to-day basis.. the United States is now seeing more overdose deaths than COVID-19 deaths”.

Another deadly escalation in 2021 in the U.S. is global warming: temperatures reaching record highs never recorded before in parts of the country. Let’s look at an article published today, July 14 2021 regarding a couple of by-products of the rising temperatures: drought and wildfires. USA Today, Western wildfires rage, region to remain ‘tragically dry’ for at least a week. In Oregon, a blaze may burn until fall:

“Thousands of firefighters battling scores of Western wildfires were finding little solace in the weather Wednesday, and afternoon wind gusts were forecast to fan blazes already fueled by near-record heat and drought conditions… More than 16,000 firefighters are combating at least 68 major fires in 12 states… In Oregon.. Fire officials say it might take more than four months to fully contain the blaze”.

I am mentioning global warming, which is part of climate change because I think that the danger it presents to humanity all over the globe, in terms of deaths and suffering, far exceeds Covid-19.

anita