This is what the Harvard Global Health Institute (HGHI) calls the “tipping point” for a COVID outbreak, and these states are colored red on the HGHI’s map of COVID risk levels nationally. While Alabama, Missouri, Kansas, and Montana have almost crossed into the highest risk territory—each has more than 24 daily new cases per 100,000 people—the following seven states are firmly in the danger zone where Harvard researchers say stay-at-home orders may be necessary again. And for the state most in need of immediate intervention, This State Has By Far the Worst COVID Outbreak in the Country. Read the original article on Best Life. According to the HGHI map, Arkansas is now seeing 27.1 daily new cases per 100,000 people. The experts at COVID Exit Strategy put the state in the “uncontrolled spread” category, thanks in part to the 24 percent increase its positive test rate has seen over the last 14 days. Just over the past week, there have been 5,685 new COVID cases in Arkansas, per The New York Times, with nearly 82,050 cases in the state thus far. And for more of the states with the worst coronavirus numbers, These Are the States Where COVID Cases Are Skyrocketing. Just above Arkansas is Oklahoma, which is currently experiencing 27.3 daily new COVID cases per 100,000 people, according to the HGHI. COVID Exit Strategy notes that the 14-day test positivity trend has been less severe in Oklahoma but still significant at 16 percent. There have been more than 7,285 new coronavirus cases in Oklahoma over the past seven days, and almost 85,200 cases overall, The New York Times reports. In Iowa, the daily new case rate is even higher: 28.2 cases per 100,000 people. And the state is also facing a high positive test rate of 16.4 percent, per COVID Act Now. The additional 6,250 coronavirus cases in Iowa in the last week contribute to the over 87,500 cases the state has seen since the pandemic began. And for more on the surges across the country, This Is Why Dr. Fauci Says the U.S. Is “Not in a Good Place” With COVID. State officials in Utah are trying to mitigate the spread of coronavirus with new restrictions, The Salt Lake Tribune reports. The results of those efforts have yet to be seen, but as of Sept. 29, Utah is experiencing 30.5 daily new cases per 100,000 people, according to the HGHI map. Moreover, the state has a high infection rate (1.25) and a high positive test rate (12.9 percent), as reported by COVID Act Now. There have been almost 7,040 new COVID cases in Utah over the past seven days, resulting in nearly 71,450 cases total.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb The coronavirus outbreak in Wisconsin has been drawing attention for some time, and the numbers continue to paint a troubling picture. COVID Exit Strategy points to a nearly 70 percent increase in the 14-day test positivity trend; it’s now at 18.5 percent, according to COVID Act Now. And per the HGHI map, the daily new case rate is soaring at 37.3 cases per 100,000 people. That reflects the more than 15,665 new cases over the last week, giving Wisconsin a total of 124,320 COVID cases thus far. And if you want to know more about your state, This Is What Wave of the COVID Pandemic Your State Is In. Few states have been higher on health experts’ radars recently than the Dakotas, which are suffering the most extreme COVID spikes in the country. South Dakota is now seeing 46.0 new daily cases per 100,000 people, according to the HGHI map, an alarmingly high rate. The state’s positive test rate of 25.5 percent is the second-highest in the country—behind only its neighbor to the north. South Dakota has now reached almost 22,000 coronavirus cases, per The New York Times, with nearly 2,870 of those just over the past seven days. As high as South Dakota’s numbers are, they’re still not as high as North Dakota’s, where the daily new case rate has now reached 51.9 cases per 100,000 people, the HGHI says, by far the highest nationwide. The infection rate of 1.12 is high, though not the highest in the country, but the positive test rate of 29.5 percent is currently the worst across the U.S. In the last week, there have been almost 2,740 new COVID cases in North Dakota. As of Sept. 29, the state has seen just over 21,400 cases overall. And for more up-to-date news, sign up for our daily newsletter.
