U.S. averaging 100,000 new Covid-19 infections a day

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — The Covid-19 outbreak in the United States has crossed 100,000 new confirmed daily infections.

It’s a milestone last exceeded during the winter surge and driven by the highly transmissible delta variant and low vaccination rates in the South.

Health officials fear that cases, hospitalizations and deaths will continue to soar if more Americans don’t embrace the vaccine.

Nationwide, 50% of residents are fully vaccinated and more than 70% of adults have received at least one dose.

More than 44,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with Covid-19, according to the CDC, up 30% in a week and nearly four times the number in June.