Five U.S. states set records for COVID-19 cases as hospitalizations soar

NEW YORK, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Five U.S. states set new records for the average number of daily new COVID-19 cases over the weekend as infections caused by the Delta variant overwhelm hospital systems across the country and prompt many states to reinstate public health restrictions, reported CNBC on Monday.

Florida, Louisiana, Hawaii, Oregon and Mississippi all reached new peaks in their seven-day average of new cases per day as of Sunday, according to the national broadcaster's analysis of data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

On a per capita basis, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida are suffering from the three worst outbreaks in the country. Louisiana recorded an average of 126 cases per 100,000 residents as of Sunday, more than three times the national average, while Mississippi and Florida averaged 110 and 101 cases per 100,000 residents, respectively, according to the data.

"We're in the middle of the summer, people are gathering again with people, they're in large groups, the vaccine has given a false sense of security in some ways to people, and they forget," Perry Halkitis, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health, was quoted as giving the main reason of the surge.