There were more reported coronavirus infections in the United States on Friday than at any other time during the pandemic, according to an analysis of state-level data by the New York Times.
There were 82,000 confirmed COVID-19 infections in the US as the virus swamps areas of the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest. The previous peak of coronavirus cases was 76,000 in a single day set in July.
The chief concern of public health officials is the burden on hospitals. While the survival rate of COVID-19 has likely improved since the spring, many of those surviving coronavirus infections are requiring significant stays in the hospital. The New York Times reports that COVID-19 hospitalizations are up 40% in the past month.
A risk assessment map compiled by researchers at Harvard lists 21 states in the “red.” States in the red are encouraged to implement economic shutdowns and similar regulations in an effort to limit the spread of the virus.
On a per capita basis, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Montana and Idaho are seeing the most prolific spread of the virus. The West Coast, Hawaii, New York and parts of New England have the lowest spread of the virus with fewer than 10 new cases per day per 100,000 people.