CORONAVIRUS cases across the US are spiking up again after states eagerly reopened and as protesters demonstrated George Floyd’s death in large gatherings throughout the country.
In 21 states, including Arizona, Arkansas, and Utah, cases are rising again after the states reopened local businesses amid the outbreak.
As of Wednesday, the US reported more than 2,040,000 cases of the virus, with over 114,000 related deaths.
If state governors hadn’t enforced coronavirus lockdowns when they did from January to April of this year, the outbreak could have been much worse, a new study claims.
At least 60million cases in the US were prevented by the shutdowns and tough restrictions from health and local officials, according to a team at the University of California, Berkeley.
But as the number of cases dropped because of socially distancing and safety measures, and as governors eagerly and quickly allowed their states to reopen, cases are rising once again.
According to a Reuters analysis of new cases in the week ending on June 7, compared with the previous seven days, Michigan saw 158 percent rise after reporting 5,000 probable cases.
In the southern US, Florida saw a 47 percent rise over the past week, Arkansas saw 63 percent, while South Carolina and North Carolina both shot up more than 30 percent in the past week.
Per Reuters, Florida claims they’ve been testing more and therefore finding more cases, but South Carolina was investigating outbreaks in three counties.
Health officials in New Mexico said roughly half of the state’s new cases — 42 percent rise — were from a prison in Otero County, while Utah said hundreds of the state’s 2,269 new cases — 62 percent rise — were linked to a meat processing factory outbreak.
In Arizona, new coronaviruses cases rose to 12 percent, up from seven percent a month ago, and in Utah, the positive test rate shot from four percent to nine percent.
Texas saw a spike of 20 percent, Massachusetts saw a spike of 50 percent, Kentucky saw 40 percent, Oklahoma saw 37 percent, and Nevada saw 28 percent.
Other states that saw spikes over the past week include: Missouri with 21 percent, Georgia and Tennessee each with 18 percent, Louisiana with six percent, New Hampshire and South Dakota both with four percent, California with three percent, and Connecticut with two percent.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that states wait for new coronavirus cases to fall for two weeks before relaxing restrictions.
According to Reuters, 16 states and Washington, DC, have met that guidance for the week that ended on June 7, compared with 13 states the week before.
Both New York and Pennsylvania have showed straight declines of cases over the past eight weeks.
Dr Anthony Fauci on Tuesday warned the coronavirus pandemic is far from over.
“In a period of four months, it has devastated the whole world,” Fauci said during a virtual appearance at a Biotechnology Innovation Organization event. “And it isn’t over yet.”
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He said there’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding COVID, and how it spreads and impacts the bodies.
Fauci added on ABC News on Wednesday morning: “The issue of physical separation is important. Masks can help, but it’s masks plus physical separation and when you get congregations like we saw with the demonstrations, like we have said — myself and other health officials — that’s taking a risk.”
“Unfortunately, what we’re seeing now is just an example of the kinds of things we were concerned about.”