Combined Cases Top 24,000 as CDC Says New-Case Pace Is Slowing

CDC reports the combined nationwide tally — 13,895 laboratory-confirmed plus 10,455 additional cases under investigation — has surpassed 24,000, with total hospitalizations across all clusters reaching roughly 1,018 and two deaths. CDC notes the week-over-week growth rate is slowing, with only about 2,000 new cases recorded in the prior week versus a jump of more than 10,000 the week before, though officials caution the six-week reporting lag means the true trend is still uncertain.