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 On Saturday alone, four states - Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana and
Wisconsin - saw record increases in new cases and nationally nearly
49,000 new infections were reported, the highest for a Saturday in
seven weeks, according to a Reuters analysis. Kansas, Nebraska, New
Hampshire, South Dakota and Wyoming also set new records for cases
last week.
New York is one of only 18 states where cases have not risen greatly
over the past two weeks, according to a Reuters analysis. However,
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Sunday he is moving to
shut non-essential businesses as well as schools in nine
neighborhoods, starting on Wednesday. The lockdown would require the
governor's approval.
Health experts have long warned that colder temperatures driving
people inside could promote the spread of the virus. Daytime highs
in the upper Midwest are now in the 50s Fahrenheit (10 Celsius).
Montana has reported record numbers of new cases for three out of
the last four days and also has a record number of COVID-19 patients
in its hospitals.
Wisconsin has set records for new cases two out of the last three
days and also reported record hospitalizations on Saturday. On
average 22% of tests are coming back positive, one of the highest
rates in the country. (Graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/33rkCcw)
Wisconsin's Democratic governor mandated masks on Aug. 1 but
Republican lawmakers are backing a lawsuit challenging the
requirement.
North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin have the highest new cases
per capita in the country. (Graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/33rIFI5)
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(GRAPHIC: U.S. states with the biggest COVID-19 outbreaks, https://graphics.reuters.com/HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/USA-OUTBREAK/ygdvzkgknpw/chart.png)
Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson is one of several prominent Republicans who have
tested positive for coronavirus since President Donald Trump announced he had
contracted the virus.
Because of the surge in cases in the Midwest, nursing homes and assisted-living
facilities operated by Aspirus in northern Wisconsin and Michigan are barring
most visitors as they did earlier this year.
Bellin Health, which runs a hospital in Green Bay, Wisconsin, said last week its
emergency department has been past capacity at times and doctors had to place
patients in beds in the hallways.
The United States is reporting 42,600 new cases and 700 deaths on average each
day, compared with 35,000 cases and 800 deaths in mid-September. Deaths are a
lagging indicator and tend to rise several weeks after cases increase.
Kentucky is the first Southern state to report a record increase in cases in
several weeks. Governor Andy Beshear said last week was the highest number of
cases the state has seen since the pandemic started.
State health experts have not pinpointed the reason for the rise but point to
fatigue with COVID-19 precautions and students returning to schools and
colleges. Over the last two weeks, Kentucky has reported nearly 11,000 new cases
and has seen hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients rise by 20%.
(Reporting by Lisa Shumaker in Chicago; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
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