US recorded COVID-19 cases, deaths fall to lowest levels since March 2020

COVID-19 cases in the United States have fallen to around 15,000 per day, part of a sharp decline in new infections as vaccination numbers increase, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said Thursday. 

The seven-day average of about 15,600 cases per day is the lowest level of new recorded cases in the U.S. since March 2020 — though comparisons to the first month of the pandemic can be tricky given that testing still lagged at that time.

“Our seven-day average is about 15,600 cases per day,” Walensky said during a White House press briefing. “This represents a decrease of more than 30 percent from our prior seven-day average and more importantly it is a 94 percent decrease from the peak of COVID-19 cases we reported in January of this year.” 

“This is the type of news I like to deliver, and certainly these data are encouraging and uplifting as we battle this pandemic,” she added. 

Average daily deaths have also fallen sharply, to about 363 per day, according to CDC data, also the lowest level since March 2020. 

The rapidly improving situation comes as more and more people get vaccinated. Almost 63 percent of U.S. adults now have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

Still, the daily vaccination rate has been falling significantly, and the White House is pushing to boost the numbers to meet a goal of 70 percent of eligible residents having gotten at least one shot by July 4th.  

The White House on Wednesday announced a range of initiatives from free child care to free beer from Anheuser-Busch when the 70 percent goal is met.