The COVID summer wave in the U.S. is starting to ease with the first drop in new cases in more than three months, even though the weekly death toll reached 1,500 for the first time since early March, according to figures collected by BNO News. At least 165,705 new cases were reported between September 2 and September 8, down from 177,573 the week before (-6.9%). Those figures were collected from state health departments and, where necessary, estimated based on hospital admissions. Actual case numbers are higher because many hospitals and states are no longer reporting detailed COVID data. Labo…