The past two weeks have seen the national daily case average rise dramatically, increasing 203 percent to 737,415 as of Jan. 10, according to data from The New York Times. Unfortunately, while Omicron has been widely found to cause less severe disease in some people than previous variants, hospitalizations still reached a pandemic high of 132,646 patients on Jan. 11, surpassing the previous record of 132,051 set last January, per Reuters. During an interview with ABC’s This Week on Jan. 10, Ashish Jha, MD, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, warned that the situation was leading to very different experiences for those infected. “We’re seeing two sets of things happening: A lot of vaccinated people getting infected. We’re doing fine. Largely avoiding getting particularly sick, avoiding the hospital; a lot of unvaccinated people and high-risk people who have not gotten boosted and they’re really filling up the hospitals, and so our hospital systems are under a lot of stress,” Jha explained. “Then we have to start thinking about a long-term strategy for how do we manage this virus and not go from surge to surge feeling like we don’t really have a longer-termed approach.” Fortunately, Jha also remained optimistic that the recent spike in cases may begin to wane relatively soon. “I expect this surge to peak in the next couple of weeks,” he predicted. “It’ll peak in different places of America at different times, but once we get into February, I really do expect much, much lower case numbers.” Read on to see which states have experienced COVID surges of more than 150 percent over the past week as of Jan. 11, according to data from The Washington Post. RELATED: If You Notice Pain Here, It May Be an Omicron Symptom, Doctors Warn.
New cases in the last seven days: 83 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 153 percent
On Jan. 10, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) reported 1,939 cases and 7,713 active cases statewide. Hospitalizations had also risen slightly to 154 over the weekend. “We know the highly transmissible Omicron is spreading in the state,” state officials wrote in an email on Jan. 10. “DPHHS urges all eligible Montanans to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and get boosted.”
New cases in the last seven days: 130 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 158 percent
State health officials in New Mexico announced that there were 9,284 COVID-19 cases reported on Jan. 10. The current positive test rate is also 25.8 percent statewide.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb RELATED: Dr. Fauci Just Said This Is When Omicron Cases Will Start Going Down.
New cases in the last seven days: 155 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 159 percent
On Jan. 6, the North Dakota Department of Health reported that cases had jumped by about 800 since in three days, marking the sharpest increase recorded in the state since the beginning of the pandemic. It also reported the rolling positivity rate was 10.6 percent, making it the highest seen since December 2020.
New cases in the last seven days: 179 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 193 percent
Health officials in South Dakota reported an increase of 1,683 new COVID-19 cases on Jan. 10, bringing the state’s cumulative total for the pandemic to 191,094. Hospitalizations also rose by six over the weekend to 307. For more pandemic news sent straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
New cases in the last seven days: 657 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 251 percent
An additional 13,765 COVID cases were reported over the weekend by health officials in Rhode Island on Jan. 10, bringing the state’s all-time total to 279,831. The state’s positivity rate was also 15.2 percent, with 410 current hospitalizations from the virus.
New cases in the last seven days: 130 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 259 percent
Cases are rising quickly in Oregon, where health authorities published a new list of guidelines for hospitals forced to activate crisis standards of care on Jan. 7. The state has averaged about 6,750 new cases a day over the past week and saw an 11 percent jump in hospitalizations over the weekend. RELATED: These 2 New COVID Symptoms Could Mean You Have Omicron, Experts Warn.
New cases in the last seven days: 282 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 265 percent
California reported a staggering 308,820 new COVID cases over the weekend on Jan. 10. The state has now tallied more than 6 million cumulative cases since the beginning of the pandemic, the Los Angeles Times reports. “When we look at what is happening as regards to COVID, we know hundreds of thousands of Californians [are] becoming infected,” Mark Ghaly, MD, the California health and human services secretary, said during a press conference. “Thankfully, because of the high level of immunity and vaccination protection, the rate of hospitalization is lower, but that’s with that sheer number of cases. Even with a lower percentage being hospitalized, it still means quite a bit of work, quite a bit of pressure on our healthcare delivery system.”
New cases in the last seven days: 330 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 287 percent
South Carolina broke its single-day case record when it reported 16,630 new infections on Jan. 6, breaking the previous record set just two days earlier of 13,320. The latest report nearly doubles the last single-day high reported on Dec. 30 of 8,800, showing a rapid spread of the virus in the state. RELATED: Dr. Fauci Says This Is When the Omicron Wave Will Peak.
title: “These 8 States Are Seeing The Worst Covid Surges Right Now Best Life” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-05” author: “Bertha Eastwood”
The national daily COVID case average continues to rise in the U.S., seeing a 22 percent spike over the past week to 44 cases per 100,000 people, according to data from The Washington Post. And while hospitalizations are still below the 100,000 patient mark seen during the Delta surge in September, they’ve also seen a two-week rise of 14 percent to around 69,000 as the new variant begins to spread, CNBC reports. During an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union on Dec. 19, Anthony Fauci, MD, chief White House COVID adviser, gave a grim outlook when asked by host Jake Tapper whether he expected to see record-high numbers of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths from the disease due to the arrival of the latest variant. “Yes, well, unfortunately, Jake, I think that that is going to happen,” Fauci predicted. “We are going to see a significant stress in some regions of the country on the hospital system, particularly in those areas where you have a low level of vaccination, which is one of the reasons why we continue to stress the importance of getting those unvaccinated people vaccinated.” “It is going to be tough,” Fauci admitted. “We can’t walk away from that, Jake. We can’t because with Omicron that we’re dealing with, it is going to be a tough few weeks to months as we get deeper into the winter.” Read on to see which states have experienced COVID surges of more than 60 percent over the past week as of Dec. 21, according to data from The Washington Post. RELATED: A Virus Expert Says She Still Wouldn’t Go Here—Even With a Booster.
New cases in the last seven days: 19 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 64 percent
While California has seen highs and lows with COVID-19 over the course of the pandemic, a recent surge is causing concern for some officials about the coming weeks. The state’s hospitalization rate has increased by 10 percent over the past two weeks to 3,919 as of Dec. 20, according to data from The Times. “To prevent ourselves from getting in trouble over the holidays, we’re asking everyone to take a lot of caution as you gather and celebrate,” Barbara Ferrer, PhD, Director of Public Health for Los Angeles County, said during a recent briefing. “If we fail to take commonsense safety measures right now, we could find ourselves in a dangerous place by the end of the month and into January, which could dramatically impede our recovery journey.”
New cases in the last seven days: 94 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 73 percent
Cases have skyrocketed in New York with the emergence of the Omicron variant. Single-day case records were broken for four days in a row over the weekend and into Monday when state officials reported nearly 23,400 new infections. Region 2—designated by the CDC as New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands—is also reporting a much higher Omicron case average, seeing 90 percent caused by the variant compared to the national rate of nearly 75 percent. Still, top officials maintained a positive outlook on the latest developments. “It’s not March of 2020. It’s not even December of 2020. Just to keep things in perspective, it is milder than Delta,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said of Omicron. “We are avoiding a government shutdown because we now have the tools available to all of us—vaccinations, booster shots, masks—particularly for the variant we’re dealing with.” RELATED: Aaron Rodgers Just Revealed He Has This “Very Painful” COVID Complication.
New cases in the last seven days: 25 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 86 percent
The latest surge of COVID cases in Georgia appears to be taking off just as it’s dealing with another major issue. State health data shows that hospitalizations have risen nearly 50 percent over the past month, with more than 1,200 patients statewide.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb “We are fortunate that our cases are relatively low right now in south Georgia, but based on what is happening all across the country, we do not expect that to last long,” Scott Steiner, CEO of Albany, Georgia-based Phoebe Putney Health System, said in a statement on Dec 17. “We strongly encourage all eligible individuals to receive a COVID vaccine and booster shot, and please be cautious as you travel and gather over the holidays.”
New cases in the last seven days: 20 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 86 percent
As cases have more than doubled in Louisiana over the past week, officials are bracing for the anticipated surge Omicron will likely bring to the state. Gov. Bel Edwards continues to urge residents to get vaccinated, citing state health data that finds 80 percent of patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19 are unvaccinated. “We’ve been through it so many times that the telltale signs are all there,” Catherine O’Neal, MD, the chief medical officer of Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, told U.S. News & World Report. “We can help to at least dampen the surge. I think it’s coming, and our community has to prepare for it, but how high it gets, how painful this gets for all of our families, it depends on our community.” For more pandemic news sent right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
New cases in the last seven days: 23 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 104 percent
A spike in cases in the Lone Star State has been followed by rising hospitalizations, causing concern for some local healthcare professionals. As of Dec. 20, the daily average patient count in Texas had gone up by five percent over the past two weeks to 3,686, according to data from The Times. “Those rural counties where we have low vaccination rates and have lost hospital infrastructure, those I think we should be the most concerned about,” Rebecca Fischer, PhD, MPH, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the Texas A&M University School of Public Health, told The Texas Tribune. “The past 20 months we have seen hospitals close, we’ve seen hospitals lose their staff. … We are not in a great place with our health care infrastructure to handle another mass influx of cases.”
New cases in the last seven days: 67 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 204 percent
After two weeks of downtime due to a technical glitch caused by a cyberattack, the Maryland Department of Public Health was able to relaunch its website on Dec. 20. Unfortunately, cases appear to have skyrocketed since data was last reported on Dec. 3, adding 28,541 to the state’s overall total. The state’s positive test rate also jumped from 5.4 percent to 10.2 percent over the same period. RELATED: Dr. Fauci Warns Vaccinated People Not to Gather Before Doing This.
New cases in the last seven days: 33 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 236 percent
The latest COVID surge in Florida has caused case numbers to more than double in just a week, bringing them back to levels not seen in three months. Local healthcare workers are urging residents to get vaccinated and keep their guard up to help slow the spread of the virus. “Florida is really a sitting duck because we have stopped all infectious control practices,” Frederick Southwick, MD, an infectious disease specialist, told local Jacksonville NBC affiliate WJXX.
New cases in the last seven days: 42 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 323 percent
On Dec. 17, health officials in Hawaii reported that the state’s seven-day new case average had increased from 101 ten days earlier to 297. “These numbers reflect a disturbing trend. The Delta variant, the Omicron variant, large gatherings, increased travel, and holiday get-togethers appear to be fueling the surge,” Elizabeth Char, MD, the state’s health director, said in a press release. Other top officials also urged the public to do what they could to stop the spread of the virus. “We are definitely concerned,” Gov. David Ige told Hawaii News Now. “The increasing number of cases, we did anticipate, but certainly we want to remind everyone that the best way out of this pandemic is to get vaccinated.” RELATED: These Are the Symptoms of the Omicron Variant, South African Doctor Says.
title: “These 8 States Are Seeing The Worst Covid Surges Right Now Best Life” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-25” author: “Gertrude Martinez”
Regardless of a reporting anomaly caused by the holiday, the national daily seven-day COVID case average continued a month-long rise with an increase of 50 percent over the past week, as of Dec. 7, according to data from The Washington Post. Over the weekend, the U.S. jumped above a daily average of 120,000 for the first time in two months. And while the arrival of the Omicron variant in the U.S. has attracted attention from officials over fears it may be more transmissible than Delta, Rochelle Walensky, MD, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), says it is the currently dominant strain that is responsible for the ongoing surge. “We know what we need to do against Delta, and that is get vaccinated, get boosted if you’re eligible, and continue all of those prevention measures, including masking. And those are very likely to work against the Omicron variant,” she told CNN’s chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta, MD, during a Dec. 3 interview. Another expert pointed out that the rise in cases could be expected after weeks of warnings from officials leading into Thanksgiving. “Think about it: Somebody gets exposed and infected on Thursday or Friday of last week. Then it takes two or three days for incubation,” Michael Saag, MD, an associate dean for global health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, told NBC News. Unfortunately, similar to last year, this continuing trend could possibly get worse in the coming weeks. “We have Christmas and New Year’s coming up,” Saag warned. “Wash, rinse, repeat.” Read on to see which states have experienced COVID surges of more than 75 percent over the past week as of Dec. 7, according to data from The Washington Post. RELATED: These Are the Symptoms of the Omicron Variant, South African Doctor Says.
New cases in the last seven days: 61 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 77 percent
Kansas is struggling with rising cases as its statewide positive test rate reaches 13.2 percent, according to COVID Act Now. Some health officials are concerned that the state’s modest vaccination rate of 66.8 percent of the eligible population having received at least one dose could send cases even higher. “It’s not where we’d like to see it,” Bob Moser, MD, dean of the Salina campus of the Kansas University School of Medicine and a former secretary for the state’s department of health, told The Topeka Capital-Journal. “It seems like we get a little bit of an uptake when we see a bump in, unfortunately, the number of local deaths. That seems to draw a little bit more attention that it isn’t going away.”
New cases in the last seven days: 45 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 77 percent
Recent health data shows COVID cases are spiking in Missouri, with a positive test rate of 11.9 percent. It’s also one of the 18 states to have reported a case of the Omicron variant so far after officials announced on Dec. 3 that a St. Louis resident had tested positive. “Although there is much we still need to learn about this new variant, we do know the best tool currently available to protect ourselves from COVID-19 is personal prevention,” Donald Kauerauf, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, said in a statement. “I urge Missourians to seek information on the Omicron variant from DHSS and trusted medical sources opposed to social media. We also encourage Missourians to remain vigilant in protecting themselves and staying informed this holiday season as this new variant is investigated further.” RELATED: 60 Percent of Virus Experts Wouldn’t Do These 6 Things Right Now, Data Shows.
New cases in the last seven days: 28 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 79 percent
Some health experts are concerned that the recent surge of COVID cases in Tennessee could follow last year’s trajectory and worsen as the holiday season continues. “Tennessee has large communities, and consequently extended families, where there is very little, if any, vaccination,” William Schaffner, MD, a virus expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told The Tennessean. “Those are the environments that gives this Delta virus—as highly contagious as it is—an opportunity to keep finding people who are unprotected or whose protection is waning.”
New cases in the last seven days: 66 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 81 percent
Cases in Massachusetts are still on the rise, with a five percent positive test rate and the highest vaccination rate of any state. But health officials are also concerned the spike may soon become worse due to increased levels of the virus detected in wastewater treatment plants. “The wastewater is predictive, and when it’s going up like this, you expect a significant surge in cases,” Todd Ellerin, MD, director of infectious diseases at South Shore Health, told The Boston Herald. “Then in the weeks to follow, you see an increase in hospitalizations and an increase in deaths.” RELATED: Dr. Fauci Says He Would Take This COVID Precaution “In a Second”.
New cases in the last seven days: 28 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 82 percent
Data shows that Nevada’s most recent wave of cases has seen the statewide positive rate hit 7.4 percent. However, according to Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak, an increase in at-home testing means the rate is likely lower than the actual number. “Everything with COVID is in flux. I mean, the new Omicron variant coming through is making it more difficult,” Sisolak told local Las Vegas CBS affiliate KLAS on Dec. 6. “Cases are still running a little higher than we’d like. We’re lower than the national average, which is good, and I appreciate everybody complying as best they possibly can.”
New cases in the last seven days: 31 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 83 percent
On Dec. 6, Oklahoma reported 4,338 new COVID-19 cases from over the weekend, bringing the statewide total to 674,758 since the beginning of the pandemic. State officials also said there were 10,742 total active cases and that the three-day hospitalization average was 522.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb For more pandemic news sent right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
New cases in the last seven days: 20 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 83 percent
As of Dec. 7, South Carolina has a positive test rate of 5.3 percent and 425 hospitalizations from COVID-19. State health data shows that 50.5 percent of eligible residents aged five or older have been fully vaccinated.
New cases in the last seven days: 63 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 88 percent
On Dec. 6, state health officials reported that the active case count in South Dakota had risen over the weekend from 7,572 on Friday to 7,682. The state’s total case count now stands at 168,763, with 246 current hospitalizations and a positive test rate of 15.2 percent. RELATED: Dr. Fauci Just Laid Out the Worst Case Scenario for the End of the Pandemic.
title: “These 8 States Are Seeing The Worst Covid Surges Right Now Best Life” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-26” author: “Charles Charles”
According to data from The Washington Post, the week-long post-Labor Day holiday dip seen in national numbers has already been erased. The national daily reported case average has increased 16 percent in the last seven days to 164,475 as of Sept. 13, surpassing the previous summer surge high of 164,386 set on Sept. 1. And while certain states that have suffered exponentially worse at the hands of the Delta variant surge are finally showing signs of turning the corner, others are seeing sustained high numbers that are straining local healthcare systems. “We continue to see more cases than is safe by any means,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a statement announcing the state’s new record-breaking week for COVID-19 cases on Sept. 7. “The bad news is we had the worst week ever last week. Our hospitals continue to be pushed to the brink. If we have one bad week, we can very quickly run out of ICU beds.” While it was once one of the national leaders in the number of vaccines rolled out, West Virginia has recently reported a drastic increase in severe COVID-19 cases while seeing a major lag develop in new doses being administered. “We’re very concerned about getting out of this particular part of the pandemic because our hospital systems and ICUs have been challenged in a more severe way than we have before,” Clay Marsh, MD, COVID czar for West Virginia, told CNBC. But one expert pointed out that this summer’s surge has still managed to stay well below the levels seen during the worst days of the pandemic thanks to one important tool. “If we had not had the vaccine, you would have seen much greater cases and much greater mortality,” Arturo Casadevall, MD, chair of molecular microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told CNBC. “It’s very clear that people who have the vaccine can get [COVID], but it’s also clear that the likelihood that they get severe disease, or that they have to go to the hospital, or that they die, is much lower than if they had not been vaccinated. So the vaccine is quietly in the background saving tens of thousands of lives.” Read on to see which states have experienced COVID surges of 40 percent or more over the past week as of Sept. 14, according to data from The Washington Post. RELATED: Dr. Fauci Warns You Not to Go to This One Outdoor Place as Delta Surges.
New cases in the last seven days: 34 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 40 percent
According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Massachusetts has the second-highest vaccination rate in the nation after Vermont. But while the state has seen a high number of doses administered overall, it’s not spread evenly across all communities. This has some local experts concerned that the reopening of classrooms could lead to localized spikes where shots are lagging. “It’s a tale of two states, when we have so many cities whose rate is at 90 percent, but so many that are 50 percent,” Alan Geller, a researcher and senior lecturer at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told The Boston Globe.
New cases in the last seven days: 73 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 41 percent
COVID cases in Montana have continued to rise along with the national average since the early summer. Now, as hospitals become overrun, some areas are calling in members of the National Guard to help with the heavy burden after spending the past season busy fighting wildfires across the state. “I think many people in our community have no idea that we are surging again, that we have COVID again and that our staff are suffering, having to care for these very sick patients that honestly we can do little for other than hold their hand and provide supportive treatment and hope,” Shelly Harkins, MD, the president and chief medical officer of St. Peter’s Health in Helena, told the Independent Record on Sept. 5. RELATED: 60 Percent of Virus Experts Wouldn’t Do These 6 Things Right Now, Data Shows.
New cases in the last seven days: 35 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 49 percent
Michigan has seen a staggering jump in cases over the summer, with the daily average skyrocketing from its low of 97 on July 8 to 3,421 as of Sept. 13, according to data from The New York Times. Many of the recent outbreaks appear to have coincided with students returning to classrooms, as 344 new outbreaks and 548 ongoing outbreaks have been reported at schools across the state, the Detroit Free Press reports.
New cases in the last seven days: 41 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 50 percent
Along with many other states, Rhode Island has seen its daily case average rise over the course of the summer, hitting 438 and rising as of Sept. 13, according to data from The New York Times. Fortunately, state health officials also reported that hospitalizations have begun to decrease, lowering from 161 at the beginning of September to 108 on Sept. 13. RELATED: An Increasing Number of COVID Outbreaks Are Tied to This One Activity.
New cases in the last seven days: 66 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 55 percent
According to recent state health data, the rolling seven-day average for positive COVID-19 tests reached 1,545 as of Sept. 13, which is the highest the figure has reached since Jan. 28. Now, with 935 of the 4,227 cases recorded over the weekend reported in school children in grades K-12, local officials are pushing to extend current mask mandates for students in some areas to hold back the surge.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb “COVID continues to unnecessarily claim lives,” Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said during a press conference on Sept. 13, adding that the most recent surge appears to be “getting worse each day.” “Our kids need to be wearing masks in schools and out in public. We’re not out of the woods, and we can’t afford to be taking a step backward at a time like this,” she said.
New cases in the last seven days: 113 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 55 percent
Along with a surge in cases, state health data shows that hospitalizations from COVID in Alaska have risen more than 1,200 percent since late June to 210 as of Sept. 13, Anchorage Daily News reports. According to local health workers, this surge is also seeing a different type of patient flood the healthcare system. “For the first time in my entire career, which spans about 20 years, I’ve had a whole ICU filled with patients who are younger than me,” Javid Kamali, MD, an intensive care physician at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, told Alaska Public Media. “That has never happened before.” RELATED: These States Will Be Hit by a “True Delta Wave” Next, Virus Expert Warns.
New cases in the last seven days: 38 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 65 percent
According to state health officials, the number of active COVID cases in New Hampshire rose to 3,437 on Sept. 13, the most since April 16. The Granite State also reported a rise in hospitalizations to 154, marking the highest level seen since Feb. 9. For more COVID updates sent straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
New cases in the last seven days: 175 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 69 percent
The ongoing surge brought on by the Delta variant has made Tennessee the state with the most COVID infections in the past two weeks when adjusted for population, according to data from The Times. This includes 15,411 new cases reported on Sept. 10, the most recorded in a single day in the state during the pandemic. “I’m afraid the fact that we’re leading is a reflection of the fact that we haven’t been vaccinated, we’re having cases that are occurring in the state of Tennessee now at a frequency that rivals the frequency back last December when we had that huge surge,” William Schaffner, MD, professor of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, told local ABC affiliate WKRN. “We’re lagging way behind in vaccinations, and as a consequence, our citizens are volunteering to become sick because that’s who is being admitted to the hospital today, unvaccinated people, well over 90 percent across our state.” RELATED: This Is When We Will Finally “Turn the Corner” With COVID, Expert Says.
title: “These 8 States Are Seeing The Worst Covid Surges Right Now Best Life” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-20” author: “Lynn Stanley”
RELATED: Virus Experts Have Stopped Going to These 4 Places as Delta Surges. The New York Times reported that on Aug. 29, the U.S. reached a daily average of over 100,000 COVID-related hospitalizations, which is 40,000 shy of the country’s peak last winter. Hospitalizations in the U.S. have risen by nearly 500 percent over the past two months, mainly across Southern states with low vaccination rates. However, states with solid vaccination rates aren’t completely exempt, and the Delta variant may soon move into new territories. Neil Sehgal, PhD, assistant professor of health policy and management at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, told The Hill that the rise and fall of COVID cases “will happen at different times and in different places” throughout the coming months. “It’s a relief anytime we see cases decline somewhere that has really been ravaged by COVID. At the same time, positive news in one part of the county doesn’t necessarily translate nationally,” he explained. After watching the trajectory of the Delta variant in other countries, experts have predicted that the areas that are seeing surges may soon see a swift decline, while others are likely to experience spikes in the near future. RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. On Aug. 22, epidemiologist Michael Osterholm, PhD, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told CNN that if “the Delta variant follows this pattern that it’s taken in other countries, we can expect to see, particularly the Southern Sun Belt states that are getting hit so hard right now … a really rapid decline in cases probably in two to three weeks.” Meanwhile, Osterholm predicted a darker fate for states that are just beginning to see a rise in cases. “The real challenge is what’s going to happen with all the other states where we’re seeing increases,” he said. “If they too light up, then this surge could actually go on well into mid-September or later.” Osterholm’s prediction may be correct, as some Northern states with solid vaccination rates are beginning to see worrying signs of a surge. Read on to see which states have experienced COVID surges of 30 percent or more over the past week as of Aug. 31, according to data from The Washington Post. RELATED: Fully Vaccinated People Account for 1 in 4 COVID Cases Here, New CDC Report Says.
New cases in the last seven days: 69 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 32 percent
The Associated Press reported that in the past week, West Virginia saw its highest number of weekly cases of COVID since the peak in cases in January. With cases up 163 percent over the last two weeks, some state officials have begun to get stern about COVID mitigation measures. “You have to get vaccinated,” West Virginia Governor Jim Justice said during a briefing on Aug. 27. “The more that are vaccinated, the less that will die. That is absolutely the way it is.” The recent reopening of schools could make the surge even worse. The state is currently experiencing over 25 outbreaks in schools across more than 13 counties, per the West Virginia Department of Education. While Justice is opposed to a statewide mask mandate in schools, he is an advocate for vaccinating children. The governor said he’s prepared to “move very quickly” to push vaccinations for children under 12, “if and when” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) green lights it. In the meantime, Justice said he is “totally committed to doing a back-to-school vaccination for those 12 and older.”
New cases in the last seven days: 71 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 33 percent
The rising COVID cases in Oklahoma have completely overwhelmed local hospitals. “In our hospital’s 123-year history, we have not seen a single diagnosis impact the resources available for others in such a significant way,” Tammy Powell, president of St. Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City, told The Washington Post. And the future outlook is not especially promising, some experts warn. George Monks, MD, board member of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, shared a model with local news station KFOR that concluded as many as 80 percent of elementary-aged children who haven’t gotten COVID or the vaccine will contract the virus within 60 days if schools don’t take precautions, such as masking and testing.
New cases in the last seven days: 63 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 33 percent
With COVID cases still climbing in Indiana, Governor Eric Holcomb just renewed the state’s public health emergency order for the 18th time. This most recent renewal will extend to the end of September. On Aug. 30, the AP reported that Indiana schools had more new COVID cases the prior week than ever before, with more than 5,500 new cases reported in students. On Aug. 27, State Health Commissioner Kristina Box, MD, and Chief Medical Officer Lindsay Weaver, MD, delivered their first COVID briefing since the end of July. “I want Hoosiers to understand that the decisions they’re making affect others,” Box said during the briefing. “It’s incredibly disappointing to have effective tools such as the COVID-19 vaccine and still have nearly half of our eligible population refuse to get it.”
New cases in the last seven days: 68 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 34 percent
Over the last weekend, Alaska had 151 people in the hospital with COVID. The state hasn’t seen this many residents requiring hospitalization for COVID since Dec. 2020. As the Anchorage Daily News reported, Jared Kosin, president of the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association, said the state has “hit new highs, and it looks like we’re not done yet … Make no mistake: This is a crisis.” Kosin warned that “if things keep accelerating, then it’s the scenario that we don’t talk about, that we haven’t talked about—that other states, unfortunately, have gone through.”
New cases in the last seven days: 39 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 37 percent
Experts don’t see the rising cases in North Dakota slowing down anytime soon. Former senior state health official Stephen McDonough, MD, told the Grand Forks Herald that the state is “heading into an absolute disaster this fall.” McDonough noted that more children and young people will likely make up a large percentage of cases. Avish Nagpal, MD, chief infectious disease specialist at Sanford Health in Fargo, told the newspaper that the current caseload worries him. “I think we’re in worse shape this year despite having a pretty good vaccine,” he said.
New cases in the last seven days: 38 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 41 percent
The spike in cases in Ohio has led to significant changes in the state’s hospital system. Local NBC affiliate WCMH reported that beginning Aug. 30, elective procedures requiring an overnight stay at Grant Medical Center have been put on hold, and as of Aug. 31, patients are only allowed one visitor. The Ohio Hospital Association told WCMH that COVID-related hospitalizations have increased by more than 1,200 percent over the last 60 days.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb John Palmer with the Ohio Hospital Association believes that the surge could’ve been prevented “if we all did our part in the community.” He told WCMH that vaccinations are a key part of preventing more cases. However, “if you don’t have your vaccination, wearing a mask, social distancing, [and] washing hands” could also help, he added.
New cases in the last seven days: 18 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 51 percent
Maine has one of the highest vaccination rates in the U.S., but it hasn’t managed to avoid the Delta surge. The Bangor Daily News reported that on July 23, there were just 25 patients hospitalized in Maine with COVID. Five weeks later, that number has increased more than five-fold. Robert Horsburgh, MD, epidemiology professor at Boston University, told the Bangor Daily News that the lifting of restrictions and the spread of the more transmissible Delta variant likely contributed to the rise in cases in Maine. Still, Maine’s hospitals are not overwhelmed in the same way many other hard-hit states’ hospitals are. “There’s full while you’re continuing to do non-urgent surgery and essentially staying open for business as usual, and then there’s full when you’ve canceled elective surgeries, and still you’re not quite sure where the next patient’s going to go,” Horsburgh noted.
New cases in the last seven days: 42 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 53 percent
After hundreds of thousands of bikers attended the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota earlier this month, the state has seen a notable rise in cases. Ahead of the rally, on Aug. 4, the state reported 657 active COVID cases. On Aug. 25, 10 days after the end of the event, the state reported 3,655 active cases. That represents a 456 percent increase in COVID cases. Neither vaccinations nor masks were required to attend the rally. RELATED: 85 Percent of Breakthrough COVID Cases Now Have This in Common, Study Says.
title: “These 8 States Are Seeing The Worst Covid Surges Right Now Best Life” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-01” author: “Melissa Mcclelland”
According to The New York Times, the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant has brought the national daily average to its highest levels since early February, jumping 118 percent over the past two weeks to 124,470 cases as of Aug. 9. Some experts have pointed out that such a spike—which is largely affecting those who are unvaccinated—could be a foreshadowing of what’s to come in the fight against the virus. “I think we’re closer to the beginning than we are to the end [of the pandemic], and that’s not because the variant that we’re looking at right now is going to last that long,” Larry Brilliant, MD, an epidemiologist who was part of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) team that helped eradicate smallpox and founder of a pandemic consultancy, told CNBC during an August 6 interview. “Unless we vaccinate everyone in 200 plus countries, there will still be new variants,” he said, while adding that he believes COVID will evolve into a “forever virus” similar to the flu. Other experts, such as Scott Gottlieb, MD, former Food & Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner, pointed out that certain behaviors haven’t been stepped up enough to stop the spread of the Delta variant, especially as schools are about to reopen in many parts of the U.S. He advocated the use of higher quality masks such as KN95s instead of largely ineffective cloth masks, citing that mostly asymptomatic vaccinated people may be spreading the virus to others for a brief period of time. “We are taking sort of an Alpha mindset into a Delta world, and it’s not going to work,” Gottlieb said during an Aug. 9 appearance on CNBC, referencing the previously dominant strain in the U.S. “We’re going to see that this delta variant is more difficult to control.” But which places are seeing the worst spikes? Read on to discover which states are seeing surges in COVID cases of more than 60 percent over the past week as of August 9, according to data from The Washington Post. RELATED: This Is Exactly When the Delta Variant Surge Will Peak, Expert Says.
New cases in the last seven days: 13 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 60 percent
New cases in the last seven days: 12 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 62 percent
RELATED: Don’t Eat Indoors If You Live Here—Even If You’re Vaccinated, Virus Expert Warns.
New cases in the last seven days: 22 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 64 percent
New cases in the last seven days: 19 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 68 percent
RELATED: You Must Do This to Protect Yourself From Delta—Even If You’re Vaccinated.
New cases in the last seven days: 52 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 79 percent
New cases in the last seven days: 13 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 87 percent
RELATED: Don’t Go Here While the Delta Variant Is Surging, Experts Warn.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb
New cases in the last seven days: 15 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 123 percent
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New cases in the last seven days: 37 cases per 100,000 people Percent increase in the last seven days: 196 percent
RELATED: This Could Determine If You Catch the Delta Variant—And It’s Not Vaccination.
