As more U.S. states roll back their COVID-19 restrictions, Johns Hopkins University reports least 20 states have seen a rise in new cases in the last two weeks, prompting health officials to warn the virus is far from done.
An Associated Press analysis of coronavirus testing data compiled by the COVID-19 Tracking Project, found that in 21 states as of Monday, the seven-day average of new cases per capita was higher than the average during the seven previous days.
Kaiser Foundation Global Health specialist Joshua Michaud says there is no one reason for the surges. He calls them “micro-epidemics,” each with its own causes.
In some cases, more testing has revealed more cases. In others, local outbreaks are big enough to push statewide tallies higher. But experts think at least some are due to the lifting of stay-at-home orders, school and business closures, and other restrictions put in place to stem the virus's spread.
In Arizona, hospitals have been told to prepare for the worst. Texas has more hospitalized COVID-19 patients than at any previous time. And the governor of North Carolina said recent jumps caused him to rethink plans to reopen schools or businesses.
The northeastern state of Massachusetts, where COVID-19 cases were on a steady downward trend through May, saw a dramatic spike over the last two weeks.
Harvard University epidemiologist William Hanage warned even though regions like the U.S. northeast have ridden the first wave, that doesn't mean it's over.”
Experts are watching what will happen in the next week or so, in the wake of nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd while in police custody.
