Coronavirus hospitalizations hit lowest level in nearly three months

More than 74,000 people remain in the hospital due to COVID-19 as of Thursday, the lowest level in nearly three months, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project.

The group recorded approximately 74,225 hospitalizations as of Thursday, making it the third straight day the number has remained below 80,000. 

The number of patients in intensive care units — 15,190 — is the lowest number recorded by the group since Nov. 17, 2020.

The new data marks a promising development from January, which saw the greatest number of COVID-19 fatalities and the highest average number of coronavirus hospitalizations of any month since the pandemic first hit the U.S.

Our daily update is published. States reported 1.9M tests, 103k cases, 74,225 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19, and 3,885 deaths. pic.twitter.com/dmwRwm21H7

— The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) February 11, 2021

Our weekly update is published. COVID-19 cases are down 23% from the previous week. Since the national peaks in January, cases are down 57% and hospitalizations are down 42%. Deaths are down 10% since last week. https://t.co/sdHNzWZmAU pic.twitter.com/Qnx0b78gIV

— The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) February 11, 2021

According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. had more than 103,000 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, bringing the country total to approximately 27.4 million.

The U.S. also had 3,724 additional coronavirus-related deaths reported Thursday, with the total number of fatalities now at more than 475,000. 

Despite the improving numbers, officials have warned the public and governors not to ease up as there has been a rise in cases of new and more contagious coronavirus variants across the country. 

The decline in hospitalizations came the same day President Biden announced that the U.S. had secured an additional 200 million doses of coronavirus vaccine, finalizing a commitment that was promised last month.

Biden, during remarks at the National Institutes of Health, said the purchases will increase supply by 50 percent, to 600 million doses. 

The president added that the new purchases mean that there will be enough doses from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech to vaccinate every American by the end of July.

As of Thursday, about 34.7 million people have already received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, with nearly 11.2 million inoculated with the required two doses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.