CDC director says "impending doom" felt about another COVID-19 surge

WASHINGTON, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Rochelle Walensky said on Monday she feels a sense of "impeding doom" about another surge in COVID-19 cases as infections increased by 10 percent.

Walensky said CDC data show that new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are increasing, which she attributed to increased travel in recent weeks, lifting restrictions, and more relaxed behavior.

"I'm going to reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doom. We have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential of where we are, and so much reason for hope. But right now, I'm scared," Walensky said during a White House briefing.

Walensky has repeatedly expressed her concern that the country would face another surge in COVID-19 cases if Americans did not keep protective measures such as wearing masks, avoiding travel, and continuing social distancing until more people are vaccinated.

Currently the seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases is about 61,000 cases a day, a 10 percent increase over the previous period, according to the CDC.

The current seven-day average of daily new hospitalizations is about 4,816 people, a 4.2 percent increase over the previous week, CDC data show.