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RENO, NV — The United States passed a grim milestone this week, when the death toll from coronavirus topped half a million, but other statistics point to the slow waning of the pandemic.
Among these more optimistic figures is the number of new hospitalizations nationwide, which fell last week to just over 56,000, down sharply since the 130,000 recorded in mid-January and the lowest number since November.
Experts attribute the improvement to a variety of factors, including the greater use of masks and social distancing and the spread of vaccinations, especially among the most vulnerable populations.
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which has been tracking the effect of COVID-19 on hospital capacity since early in the pandemic, releases data each week on tens of thousands of hospitals nationwide showing how close they are to reaching their limit. The latest data for hospitals in Washoe County includes how many adult inpatient and ICU beds are occupied by patients confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19.