New cases of the virus rose to 1,603 from 1,102 the day before. Deaths rose to 17 from eight and hospitalizations increased to 746 from 735. Perhaps the most important number is cases in intensive care units, because under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent order, regions whose ICU capacity fall below 15 percent would experience more restrictions on business and other activities. According to the OCHCA, the count of ICU patients is at 195, up from Thursday’s 179.

Source: COVID-19 numbers worsen – ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE

Far more Americans are currently hospitalized with Covid-19 than at any other point in the pandemic, a grim indicator that the third big wave of cases in the US is the worst wave to date by a lot.

On December 2, 100,226 people across the United States were in the hospital after testing positive for the novel coronavirus, according to data reported by the Covid Tracking Project. That’s significantly higher than the last two peaks recorded on April 15 and July 23, when the New York City and the Southeast and Southwest, respectively, were epicenters of the US outbreak. (As the Covid Tracking Project notes, the national and state hospital data have been erratic and incomplete, and reported totals may continue to shift.)

Source: The huge surge in Covid-19 hospitalizations, in one chart – Vox

Over the last week, the state has averaged 17,007 new cases per day, according to data compiled by The Times. That’s a 61.6% increase from two weeks ago, and dwarfs even the darkest days of the summertime surge, when the rolling average never topped 10,000. Source: California COVID-19 cases soar as new shutdown approaches – Los Angeles Times

Police disproportionately targeted Black residents for “no-knock” search warrants like the one that led officers to Breonna Taylor’s door the night they fatally shot her, an analysis shows. The findings by the Louisville Courier Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, echo the concerns of civil rights advocates and experts who say no-knock warrants are used more frequently against Black and brown Americans. “The common factors are the poor and people of color – in a highly disproportionate way,” said Peter Kraska, a professor at Eastern Kentucky University who has testified before the U.S. Senate on law enforcement’s use of military tactics and equipment.

Source: Louisville police ‘no-knock’ warrants mostly targeted Black residents

The epidemiologists have almost entirely avoided other parts of pre-pandemic life — including activities that many Americans are doing now. Almost none said they had attended a sporting event, play or concert; met up with someone they didn’t know well; or attended a wedding or funeral.

State health officials confirmed another 5,192 coronavirus cases on Friday, bringing the number of active cases statewide to 51,371. That’s based on 96,701 new molecular tests reported on Friday, according to the Department of Public Health. Source: Massachusetts reports 5,192 new COVID cases, 37 deaths as active statewide cases surpass 50k – masslive.com