Coronavirus deaths also fell from the previous week to an average of 658 daily deaths, tied with July figures.
New cases of COVID-19 in the United States declined for the third week in a row, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as vaccination rates slow that officials say could hamper efforts to achieve herd immunity.
According to data compiled by the CDC, the country on Monday recorded a seven-day weekly average of 52,528 new cases, down 16.2% from the previous week.
Deaths from COVID-19 also fell 8.2% from the previous week, to an average of 658 daily deaths, on par with the number of deaths in July of last year.
Almost a third of the U.S. population has been fully vaccinated and just over 43% have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the CDC.
But a recent drop in vaccination rates, which fell 10% from the previous week, is causing concern.
Asked when the country could achieve collective immunity, President Joe Biden said on Monday: “I think at the end of the summer we will be in a very different position than we are now… My call to everyone – get vaccinated now, please. “
More than 32 million Americans have contracted COVID-19 since the virus began to spread last year and more than 577,000 have died – the highest number in the world, according to data from Johns Hopkins University .
But a recent drop in infection rates has prompted some state and local leaders to relax some coronavirus-related restrictions.
On Monday, the governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut announced they would lift most capacity restrictions on businesses, including retail stores, food services and gyms, starting May 19.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in New York City effective May 19 [Timothy Clary/Pool via Reuters]
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the decision was based on a steady drop in the positive rate of COVID-19 tests and hospitalizations.
The percentage of New Yorkers testing positive for the coronavirus has fallen by 50% over the past month, and hospitalizations have declined by nearly 40% during the same period, he said Monday.
“New Yorkers have made tremendous strides,” Cuomo said. “It’s time to readjust the decision made on science and data.”
Amusement parks, lounges, and offices are some of the other businesses that will soon be removed from state-imposed capacity restrictions, although all businesses can still set their own restrictions.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio laid out a plan a few days ago to fully reopen the city by July 1 [Andrew Kelly/Reuters]
“We were able to announce the removal of trade restrictions through a leading vaccine distribution program that benefits all Connecticut residents and our neighbors in New York and New Jersey,” said the Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont in a joint statement with Cuomo and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.
The May 19 reopening in New York City anticipates a plan New York Mayor Bill de Blasio presented just days ago to fully reopen the city on July 1.
Also on Monday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced he was signing an executive order that canceled and suspended all local emergency orders against COVID-19, saying widespread vaccination made it possible to do so safely.
