The United States reported nearly 2,500 COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, even as hospitalizations and new cases edged down from a peak in early September. 

Bethel, October 1 (RHC)-- The United States reported nearly 2,500 COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, even as hospitalizations and new cases edged down from a peak in early September. 

Alaska is the hardest-hit state, with some of the highest infection rates in the world.  On Wednesday, a hospital in Bethel became the second Alaska hospital to begin rationing care due to a surge in unvaccinated COVID-19 patients. 

In other news, YouTube said Wednesday it will ban all content claiming that government-approved vaccines do not work or are harmful.  YouTube’s crackdown will target not only COVID-19 misinformation but also anti-vaccine content about other immunizations, like for measles or hepatitis. 

And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urgently recommending pregnant people get vaccinated, warning less than a third of expectant people have received a COVID-19 shot. Among African Americans, that rate is even lower: less than 16%.  Pregnant people are at much higher risk of hospitalization, mechanical ventilation and death from COVID-19, and the disease raises the risk of stillbirth, preterm birth and other complications.