The streak of gains for daily averages of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continued, and deaths also rose to 2 1/2-month high, leading Moderna Inc. MRNA, -1.02% Chief Executive Stephane Bancel to say fully vaccinated people may need another booster shot later this year. The seven-day average for COVID-19-related hospitalizations have increased every day to reach 116,029 on Thursday, up 65% from two weeks ago and the highest level since Jan. 27, according to a New York Times tracker. The daily average for cases has increased every day since Dec. 15 to 610,989 on Thursday, up 227% from two weeks ago and 143% above the Jan. 11, 2021 peak of 251,232. The daily average for COVID-19-related deaths rose 2% from two weeks ago to 1,404, the most since Oct. 26. The number of fully vaccinated Americans ticked up to 207.12 million, or 62.4% of the population, while 72.99 million people, or 35.3% of the population have been boosted, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. On a global basis, the total tally for COVID-19 cases hiked up to 300.39 million as of Friday morning and the death toll rose above 5.47 million, according to data aggregated by Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. leads the world with a total COVID-19 case count of 58.49 million and death toll of 833,989.
