Data shows that the first wave of coronavirus in the US isn’t over — in fact, numbers are rising.
Nearly half of the states are reporting an increase in new cases. Some are even continuing to break records in their daily reported cases.
The South, in particular, is seeing a rise in young people testing positive.
Some point to the rise in numbers as merely a result of more testing. Health officials say that the increase in tests is only partly to blame.
“More testing does in fact turn out more cases,” said Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider, a specialist in internal medicine at the California Pacific Medical Center. “However… if widespread testing was the entire reason for the rise in cases, you’d expect to see the proportion of positive tests go down or at the very least remain steady. We’re not seeing that.”
Many experts warn this is a clear indication of the need for better social distancing measures and the use of face covers.
“This has nothing to do with more testing and everything to do with behavior,” Dr. Ungerleider continued. “We need to talk to people about following the guidelines, wearing masks, avoiding crowds, staying home if possible and washing their hands.”
It’s clear that some parts of the country are not practicing these behaviors. In fact, citizens in some areas disagree on even wearing face masks in public. As a result, more officials are having to consider making face covers in public a requirement.
According to data from Johns Hopkins University, these are the 23 states seeing a rise in new reported cases: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Currently, California has seen the highest number of coronavirus hospitalizations since the beginning of the pandemic. As of Saturday, there were 3,574 hospitalizations across the state.
California also reported the most new cases in a single day at 4,515 cases, according to digital health records from the state’s health department.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to make an updated recommendation on the public health benefits on masks, according to a senior agency official who spoke to CNN.
The CDC has been conducting a scientific review on face masks. They are studying how masks prevent the wearer from giving the virus to others. They are also studying if masks are going to protect the wearer from getting the virus, as well.
