Masks stage a return as Delta drives surge

As residents of Los Angeles County entered the first week of a fresh mask requirement in indoor spaces in response to rising numbers of coronavirus infections among unvaccinated people, they are far from alone in the threat they face: new cases are increasing in all 50 states of the US.

The nationwide increase on Sunday was the fourth day in a row on a rolling seven-day average, a run not seen since the surge in spring of 2020, according to health officials. The weekly rolling average for cases has nearly tripled in the past month. The death rate is up 24.7 percent from its low point two weeks ago.

Florida now leads the United States in coronavirus cases, with its biggest spike since last summer, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Most of the state's new cases are driven by the more infectious Delta variant, epidemiologist Vincent Hsu told NBC affiliate WFLA.

A YouGov poll showed that 90 percent of respondents who reject vaccination fear possible side effects from the vaccines more than they fear COVID-19 itself.

Less than one in 10 of those shunning the vaccines trust medical advice from top COVID-19 government adviser Anthony Fauci, and only one in five trust the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The same proportion believes the government is using vaccines to insert microchips into the population.

On Fox News on Sunday, Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, who is also a physician, said it was unsurprising some citizens didn't trust the message coming from the White House, which he said they saw as "uber partisan". He said people would be more likely to listen to local medical professionals.

The order in Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the US, requires that masks be worn in all indoor public settings, such as theaters, stores, gyms, offices and workplaces and in restaurants when not eating and drinking. Those exempted include children younger than 2.Indoor restaurant dining is still allowed, but patrons will be asked to wear masks when they are not eating or drinking.

LA lead followed

More Californian counties followed with mask recommendations on Friday, including San Francisco and the City of Berkeley, recommending that everyone wear masks indoors in public spaces.

Los Angeles County public health officials reported that on Sunday there were 1,635 new cases and four related deaths, bringing the total number of deaths to 24,583.

"This is very disturbing. And, of course, as responsible elected officials, we have to do something," said Hilda Solis, chairwoman of the LA County Board of Supervisors.

"I'm not pleased that we have to go back to using the masks in this manner," she said on Sunday on ABC News' This Week. "But nonetheless, it's going to save lives."

US Surgeon General Vivek H.Murthy said on Sunday that he supports individual counties reinstating mask mandates to combat local surges among unvaccinated people.