This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for May 17th, 2021.

The shocking news out of India persists. Not only have bodies been found floating in the Ganges River, more have been found buried in shallow sand graves on its banks. Police with portable loudspeakers are asking people not to dispose of bodies this way. The good news, after hitting record highs for weeks, new cases are said to be stabilizing.

A study out of India shows only 0.06% of people who’ve been vaccinated for Covid need hospitalization afterward. The study was done to evaluate the frequency of breakthrough infection. The conclusion was such occurrences are a small percentage and those are typically minor infections that don’t lead to severe disease.

The arguing and confusion around the CDC’s change in masking policies continues, but 18 states have announced plans to drop public mask mandates either immediately or in weeks. Others like California, New York, and New Jersey are taking a wait and see approach. What the CDC released are just guidelines, which leaves a patchwork of Governors, Mayors, and heads of corporations trying to figure out what to do.

Also scrambling and trying to figure out what to do, schools. Children are being tested in some cities like Baltimore, New York, and Chicago. In other places, school districts are reluctant to even check students showing symptoms. One positive test could mean quarantines and back to virtual learning. It doesn’t help that health officials seem all over the board about the need to test and the different approaches to testing for students and staff.

Now, as a public service, we’re going to teach you how to hug. The BBC compiled the experts’ opinions on how to return to doing so safely. 1. Be selective, trying to stick to small numbers of close family. 2. Make it quick. 3. No face-to-face contact, you may even want to mask up for your hug. 4. Hug outside. And 5. Get tested to make sure you’re safe to hug.

In the United States cases were down 33%, deaths are down 13%, and hospitalizations are down 17% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since April 14.

There are now under 6 million active cases in the United States at 5,979,784. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Kentucky.

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Armstrong, TX. Chattahoochee, GA. Conejos, CO. Adams, MS. Calhoun, WV. Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK. Luce, MI. Alamosa, CO. Baraga, MI. And Gilmer, WV.

The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, Colorado, Michigan, Alabama, and Maine.

There have been 585,967 deaths in U.S. recorded as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.79%.

The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Pennsylvania 67. New York 35. California 33. Illinois 25. Florida 20. South Carolina 15. Virginia and Minnesota 10. And New Jersey and Indiana 9.

The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, Vermont at 64.1%, Massachusetts at 61.9%, and Hawaii at 60.9%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Mississippi at 32.5%, Louisiana at 34%, and Alabama at 34.6%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 36.7%

Globally, cases were down 22% and deaths down 11% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since April 23.

There are now 18,161,470 active cases around the world.

The five countries with the most new cases: India 281,860. Brazil 36,862. The United States 17,834. Argentina 16,350. And Colombia 15,093.

There have now been 3,374,748 deaths reported...

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