News in Numbers
The increase in accidental gunshot deaths by children handling a gun since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as compared to a year prior. There have been at least 259 unintentional shootings by children since the beginning of this year which have resulted in 104 deaths, placing the nation on a trajectory to surpass the record set in 2017 of 383 accidental shootings by minors which caused at least 156 deaths.
The number of homes and businesses that were without power in Louisiana on Monday morning, mostly caused by Hurricane Ida.
The estimated proportion of native Hawaiians who are vaccinated, about 20 percent lower than the rest of the state. Many Native Hawaiians have a deep-rooted mistrust in the government that dates back to the U.S.-supported overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893.
The predicted number of COVID-19-related deaths that will occur in the U.S. between now and Dec. 1. Health experts say the prediction could be reduced by half if nearly everyone wore masks in public places.
The amount of federal rental assistance that has been distributed so far. The program has struggled to reach the millions of tenants who are at risk of eviction. A total of $46.5 billion was approved for rental assistance earlier this year.
The number of women who are currently serving as governor in the U.S. as Kathy Hochul took the reins as New York governor on Tuesday, tying the record that was set in 2004 and matched in 2007 and 2019.
The number of people who retired as of July 2021 since the beginning of the pandemic, 2 million more than projected.
The proportion of Americans that are “extremely” or “very” worried about themselves or their family becoming infected with COVID-19, nearly the same rate as the nation’s last major surge in January. Nearly 6 in 10 Americans favor the idea of requiring people to be fully vaccinated before traveling on airplanes or attending crowded public events.
The number of California companies that are being sued by San Francisco for their production and distribution of untraceable, build-it-yourself firearms. The “ghost guns” accounted for nearly half of the firearms that were recovered in the city’s gun killings in 2020.
The age at which a child could get married in North Carolina if proposed legislation is passed. The bill aims to raise the state’s marriage age by two years and would limit the age difference between a 16-year-old and their spouse to four years. There are currently 13 states, including North Carolina, that allow children under 16 to wed.
The increase in food stamp assistance for needy families, the largest in the program’s history. The bump will start in October and will be available indefinitely for all 42 million SNAP beneficiaries.
The number of federal firefighters that are on the ground working to combat wildfires, more than double the number of firefighters deployed this time last year.
The approximate number of sex abuse cases that were filed in New York over the past two years within the state’s temporary lift of civil lawsuit time limits to allow victims of childhood sexual abuse to come forward and sue institutions and people they hold responsible. The window has been extended twice but, barring any further extensions, will end at midnight on Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021.
The number of anti-Asian incidents that have been reported since the beginning of the pandemic and up to June. There have been nearly as many incidents in the first half of this year as there were during the last nine months of last year. Many believe the pandemic has contributed to a rise in anti-Asian incidents because the coronavirus was first reported in China.
The proportioned increase of miles traveled in June by American motorists, up 35.7 billion miles from a year prior, bringing the numbers nearly back to pre-pandemic levels.
The number of people who have registered for health insurance during the coronavirus pandemic after the enrollment window was extended by the Biden administration.
The number of degrees in Celsius that the Earth is expected to warm decades earlier than predicted, according to a report released Monday by the United Nations called a “code red for humanity.”
The number of jobs U.S employers added in July and drove the unemployment rate down to 5.4% in another sign the economy is bouncing back with surprising vigor from COVID-19.
The number of people expected to attend the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Black Hills, S.D., this weekend. Last year the rally attracted just 460,000 attendees due to the coronavirus pandemic, but many expect the crowds to be even bigger this year, raising concern that it will become a superspreader event. The Rally brings in over $800 million in revenue for the state.
The proportion of New Yorkers who think that Governor Cuomo should resign after a report found that he sexually harassed 11 women.
The amount that Zoom will pay to settle a lawsuit that alleges the video-conferencing company lied about end-to-end encryption and shared user data to Facebook and Google without user consent. Zoom users nationwide will be eligible to receive payments of either $15 or $25.
The number of new COVID-19 cases in Florida on July 30, the state’s highest one-day total since the beginning of the pandemic. Florida now accounts for approximately one-fifth of all new COVID cases in the nation.
The proportion of Democrats who are optimistic about their party’s future, while just 14 percent are pessimistic. Ninety-eight percent of Democrats approve of the way President Biden is doing his job, though Biden has favorable reviews on both sides of the aisle.
The number of lives that could be saved if greenhouse gas emissions are cut to zero by 2050, according to a new study. Without drastically reducing emissions, experts expect the planet to warm by 7 more degrees on average by the end of the century.
The estimated settlement that Remington has offered to the nine families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims who are suing the rifle-manufacturing company, amounting to nearly $3.7 million apiece. Remington’s Bushmaster AR-15-style rifle was used to kill 20 first graders and six educators at the elementary school on Dec. 14, 2012.
The amount of COVID-19 relief funds that the Shiawassee County, Mich., Board of Commissioners used to give seven county commissioners bonuses during the pandemic. The commissioners have apologized for the decision and have promised to return the funds to the county.
The estimated number of homes that would have been powered by Nevada’s Battle Born Solar Project, which was scrapped this week by its developers after backlash from residents. The project would have been the nation’s largest array of solar panels and would have provided approximately 10 percent of Nevada’s total energy capacity.
The proportion of unvaccinated Americans who have little to no confidence that the COVID-19 vaccines are effective against variants despite evidence that they do offer strong protection. Nationally, 56.4 percent of all Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
The amount that Ohio energy giant FirstEnergy Corp. will pay in settlement for its participation in a bribery conspiracy scandal involving former state House Speaker Larry Householder.
The decrease in U.S. life expectancy during 2020. Most experts hold the coronavirus pandemic mostly responsible for the decrease, but many are still concerned about the drop.
