Health and Healthcare

California COVID-19 Cases Top 2 Million, Worse Than Italy and Spain

Douglas A. McIntyre

Published: December 24, 2020 7:34 am

California confirmed COVID-19 cases have topped 2 million, as they hit 2,012,960, up 44,530 yesterday. That is a daily rate of increase similar to the entire United States three months ago. Fatal cases sit at 23,633 and have started to rise by over 300 a day. Astoundingly, the confirmed case figure puts California ahead of both Italy and Spain, two of the most badly harmed countries, not just of Europe, but the entire world.

Italy’s total confirmed cases currently number 1,991,278 and rising by about 20,000 a day. Spain’s total 1,842,289 and are increasing daily by about 12,000. One primary difference between the two European nations and California is the death toll. In Spain, the number has reached 49,698. In Italy, the figure is 70,395. Each of the two nations suffered great loss of life early in the spread of COVID-19, before lockdowns and mask wearing were part of the regular arsenal of practices used to slow the spread of the disease. Experts argue that when the nations did lock down, the governments made the decisions much too late.

While the growth of the disease has started to quicken in Spain, Italy and other major European nations, led by France, the United Kingdom and Germany, each has begun preventive measures in the hope that the rapid rise in confirmed cases will not go back to the levels of last spring. That, in turn, should keep data cases down, if it works.

California’s case rate, on the other hand, has quickened sharply from earlier in the year. Hospitals have become overwhelmed. Intensive care unit beds in some hospitals are at 100% of capacity. There is even talk of rationing medical care.

Los Angeles County, the largest in the country by population, is the epicenter of the California disaster. Confirmed cases there are 664,193 and are rising by as much as 15,000 a day. Fatal cases number 9,153 and are gaining by over 100 a day. The LA County number is so high that it tops all but five states: California, Texas, Florida, Illinois and New York.

At the current rate of increase, California could have over 3 million confirmed cases in less than a month, a milestone that would put it ahead of where Russia, the fourth hardest-hit nation in the world, is today.

These are the five most dangerous counties for COVID-19 in every state.