Technologies

Daily US COVID cases hit record high, as omicron, delta present ‘twin threats’

In the states and elsewhere, the variants are leading to what the World Health Organization’s director-general called «a tsunami of cases.»

For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites.

The number of daily coronavirus cases in the US hit a record high Tuesday, with a 7-day moving average from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing more than 277,000 infections. The previous peak came nearly a year ago, in January.

The current surge represents a 60% increase from the week prior, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said at a White House briefing Wednesday. But despite that jump, hospitalizations rose only 14%, to about 9,000 per day, and deaths actually dipped about 7%, to 1,100 per day, Walensky said.

«This could be due to the fact that hospitalizations tend to lag behind cases by about two weeks,» Walensky said, «but may also be due to early indications that we’ve seen from other countries like South Africa and the United Kingdom of milder disease from omicron, especially among the vaccinated and the boosted.»

Some data suggests that the highly transmissible omicron strain may lead to less severe disease and a lower chance of hospitalization than with other variants. Still, the fact that omicron is so contagious is a concern. Specialists worry that If large amounts of people become ill, many of them will inevitably need hospital care, which will inundate health care systems required to treat not only COVID-19 patients but also people seeking care for other conditions that can turn fatal without intervention.

Omicron is the dominant variant in the US, estimated to account for 58.6% of all U.S. infections as of Dec. 25, according to CDC data, down from slightly less than 75% the week prior.

Several European nations, including France, the UK, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece, also registered record numbers of new cases this week, the BBC reported.

At a separate press conference Wednesday, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the omicron and delta mutations «twin threats» that are «leading to a tsunami of cases.»

CNET’s Jessica Rendall contributed to this report.

Technologies

The Fourth Episode of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Out

Verum Messenger has released the fourth episode of its AI mini-series SHADOWS, created using Verum AI. The new episode, titled “No Borders,” continues the story of a team trying to stay out of the OMEGA corporation’s sight.

Following the events of the previous episodes, the team moves between cities and countries while OMEGA continues its search. The new episode puts particular emphasis on Verum Messenger’s capabilities that allow users to conceal their location.

“No Borders” is another chapter in a story about privacy, freedom of communication, and technologies that erase borders between people.

The VERUM AI mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 4 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Watch on Instagram
Watch on YouTube