News in Numbers
The number of fewer travelers that U.S. airports screened in 2020, a decrease of 61 percent from the previous year.
The amount of money allocated in the coronavirus relief package that will be put towards expanding broadband access. The allocation will involve broadband programs for low-income families, tribal lands and historically Black colleges and universities.
The number of days since President Trump declared the novel coronavirus a national emergency on March 13, 2020. Two weeks later on March 27, Trump signed the CARES Act into law which was the largest economic recovery package in history.
The estimated number of organizations, including several government agencies, that were impacted by the Russia cyberattack on SolarWinds, a third-party software contractor.
The number of federal prisoners in the United States who have tested positive for COVID-19, a rate that is approximately four times higher than for the general public. More than 1,700 have died due to the virus.
The estimated number of students that chose not to enroll in college classes this fall, a 3.6 percent decline as compared to last year’s enrollment. While undergraduate college enrollment has been in decline for the past decade, the pandemic has exacerbated the fall as many students can’t justify spending so much money for online classes.
The proportion of American adults who reported that their household found it somewhat or very difficult to pay for basic expenses, such as food, rent or car payments.
The amount that Iowa must return to the state’s Coronavirus Relief Fund after misspending the money on a new computer system.
The increase in Michiganders who purchased new hunting licenses as compared to 2019. There has been a nationwide spike in hunting during the pandemic, as people have more time to invest into learning the skill and feel the need to be more self-sustaining.
The number of states plus the District of Columbia that are suing Facebook for predatory conduct.
The amount the Minneapolis City Council has voted to remove from the city’s police budget.
The amount that the University of Vermont Medical Center is losing each day from lost revenue and recovery costs since a late October cyberattack disrupted the center’s computer systems. The hospital’s CEO estimates that they are about 70 percent recovered from the attack.
The amount that the Federal Communications Commission has allocated to providing high-speed Internet to rural Louisianans over the next 10 years. A dozen companies won bids in Louisiana during the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction, with Elon Musk’s SpaceX receiving $26.6 million to establish Internet for 29,171 locations across the state.
The estimated number of Americans who will face hunger by this year’s end, a 15 million increase from last year, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate households across the nation.
The number of underused hotels that Oregon is buying for its Project Turnkey, which will convert hotels into shelters for as many as 2,000 people. The purchase will cost the state $65 million.
The number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits the week of Thanksgiving, resulting in a drop of 75,000 from the prior week but still nearly 500,000 higher than pre-pandemic levels.
The number of laptops that Connecticut has delivered to pre-K through 12th grade students, making it the first state in the nation to provide devices for all students in need.
The amount of the latest COVID-19 relief bill that was proposed by bi-partisan members of the House of Representatives. The package would include $228 billion in paycheck protection funds for hotels, restaurants and other small businesses as well as an additional $300 weekly to unemployment benefits.
The number of people who traveled through airports on Sunday, the greatest number of travelers since the pandemic hit the U.S. in March. However, the numbers are still half of those who traveled a year ago.
The number of seconds between COVID-related deaths last Tuesday as the U.S. death toll reached 2,157 deaths in a single day, the highest since May.
The number of toilet paper rolls that an Oregon man tried to steal from a residence in Walla Walla County, Wash. The toilet paper has since been recovered.
The proportioned drop in national public transit ridership in the second quarter of 2020 as compared to the same period the year prior. In that same period, New York’s and Chicago’s ridership declined by 87 percent, while it fell 93 percent in Washington, D.C.
The number of Americans who could lose their coronavirus-related unemployment benefits on Dec. 26, if Congress does not extend the pandemic relief bill.
The number of state legislators nationwide who have tested positive for COVID-19. Three have died.
The amount that President Trump’s re-election campaign has spent on a recount in two democratic counties in Wisconsin, despite there being no evidence of fraudulent or irregular voting.
The amount of coronavirus relief funds that Pennsylvania tried to use to lower residents’ property tax bills. The proposal was rejected by the federal government in September.
The amount that the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority has spent on COVID-19 response, including $124 million to disinfect train cars and another $69 million to sanitize subway and railroad stations.
The number of tweets between Oct. 27 and Nov. 11 that Twitter had labeled “disputed and potentially misleading” election information.
The starting price of Rivian’s electric truck that will begin taking orders next week with deliveries to begin in June. All models can travel more than 300 miles on a single charge and go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds.
The amount that California’s Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District is losing in bridge tolls and transit fares each week. The district faces a $48 million deficit despite severe cost-saving measures.
