CDC Estimates 140 Million Cases of Covid-19 in the US

CDC Estimates 140 Million Cases of Covid-19 in the US

Minda R.

Even though there has been only 74.3 million cases reported of Covid-19, the CDC estimated around 140 million infections. The data comes from the nationwide antibody seroprevalence survey. The antibody seroprevalence survey works with state, local, academic and commercial partners to test blood samples for antibodies. This study shows an estimate of the percentage of the US population that has been previously infected. The blood samples are submitted to commercial labs for reasons like medical checkups, then they remove the identifying information. Every two weeks, researchers get samples from all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. The CDC estimates that 43% of the country has had the virus since late January, including 60% children up to 19, half of people 18 to 49, 37% of those 50 to 64 and 23% of those 65 and older. Wisconsin has the highest seroprevalence, with 56.1% of the population being infected. This extreme difference in confirmed cases to what experts estimate, could be because of asymptomatic or mild cases of Covid-19, that people did not feel the need to go and get cases. On the positive side of current Covid-19 news, hospitalization and death rates are trending down.