The we’re-still-counting-votes-and-COVID-cases edition. Even as a record number of Americans cast ballots in Tuesday’s election, COVID-19 cases in the U.S. reached staggering levels. For the first time, we surpassed 100,000 new cases in a single day. Case levels have reached alarming new records in recent days as outbreaks continue to grow across the country. Weekly infection rates reached record levels in nearly half the country in late October. Oklahoma, Kansas, and North Dakota are among the states struggling to handle the onslaught of cases amid shortages of both nurses – who themselves are infected or in quarantine – and ICU beds.

Meanwhile, economists are warning of a “double dip” recession in the coming months, caused by the surge in infections. But there could be a hint of good news on the horizon. This week, in a post-election reversal, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate will take up a COVID-19 relief package when it returns for its lame-duck session. We don’t know how serious McConnell is or how robust the package will be, but McConnell did open the door to the possibility that it will include aid for state and local governments – urgently needed so that governments can continue to provide essential services, and to prevent further layoffs of government workers, which in turn would cause further damage to the economy.

Stay tuned. And keep counting!