June 13 (UPI) — The number of U.S. deaths caused by the coronavirus could reach 140,000 by July 4, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.
The CDC’s prediction represented a downward revision in its forecast last week, which said deaths could reach up to 143,000 by June 27.
The latest prediction was based on an analysis of 17 individual national forecasts, which collectively say there could be between 124,000 to 140,000 U.S. deaths from COVID-19 as of July 4.
Those forecasts indicate that over the next four weeks, deaths will increase compared to the previous four weeks in Arizona, Arkansas, Hawaii, North Carolina, Utah and Vermont.
A New York Times analysis is already seeing a spike in cases over the past two weeks in each of those states.
Texas, alone, reported its highest daily total of new virus infections this week, with more than 2,000 cases each on Wednesday and Thursday. Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said the increased number of cases is due to expanded testing and a reopened economy.
According to the Times’ tracker, there have been more than 2 million confirmed cases nationwide, with at least 114,000 deaths.
Also Friday, CDC officials told reporters that a survey it conducted found a vast majority of Americans — 80 percent or more — support social distancing and other measures aimed at containing the novel coronavirus.
