Experts Believe Spike in Coronavirus Cases Is Start of Second Wave

If this was Space Jam, COVID-19 would be the Monstars while America is the Toon Squad without the help of Michael Jordan. After struggling to find its footing in the first two quarters, the United States now has to suit up to play another half against the coronavirus.

On Saturday, CNN reported that America has seen its highest number of daily coronavirus cases since August. Many experts fear that this is the start of the "dreaded second wave."

"We are all seeing increasing numbers of COVID-19 patients who are coming into our ERs, who are getting really sick, requiring hospitalization and even intensive care," an emergency room physician and Brown University associate professor, Dr. Megan Ranney, told CNN. "We are all deeply afraid that this is the beginning of that dreaded second wave."

A total of 57,420 new cases in the U.S. were reported on Friday, per data from Johns Hopkins University. That's the most cases recorded in a single day since 64,601 were reported on Aug. 14. Friday also marks the third consecutive day when 50,000-plus cases were reported in America. The last time this happened was also in mid-August.

If things continue on this trend, it is possible that the country's coronavirus death toll could hit 400,000 by February. A model from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington School of Medicine predicts that America's coronavirus pandemic won't hit its peak until January which would result in the death toll nearly doubling.