New COVID-19 infections are again on the rise in parts of the U.S., as the weary country moves past the one-year anniversary of the pandemic and waits to be vaccinated.
In 14 states across the country, cases have risen by more than 10% this week compared to the week prior, CNN reported. The increases are primarily happening in the upper Midwest, the New York area and the Mid-Atlantic, reversing the downward trend that has been happening since mid-January.
Michigan is seeing the largest jump, with cases increasing 50% over the last two weeks. Other Midwestern states like Montana, North Dakota and Idaho are also dealing with an increase in infections.
On the East Coast, while New York state has a low caseload, New York City is still seeing around 3,500 cases a day, as the positivity rate stays at about 7%. Cases in New Jersey and Connecticut are also growing, along with Mid-Atlantic states like Delaware and Maryland.
"There's a resurgence going on here," disease tracker David Rubin, director of PolicyLab at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, told the Washington Post of the U.S. "There's clearly been a change here in the last couple of weeks."
U.S. cases were on a steep decline after the deadly holiday surge, when the country saw a record-breaking 300,000 new infections in a single day. In the last week, cases have averaged around 55,000 a day, according to The New York Times, a number that is still very worrisome.
But despite the new rise in cases and the insistence from public health experts to continue following COVID-19 restrictions, most states have announced that they are allowing businesses to reopen with larger capacities and, in the case of Texas and Mississippi, removing mask requirements.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, tells PEOPLE that the decision to reopen states is "risky."
"I understand the urge to get back to normal as soon as possible, but I don't agree with it," he tells PEOPLE in this week's issue. "It's risky and could set us back to a place that's even worse than where we are now … and lead to additional surges. … Even when the authorities pull back on [preventative] recommendations, I would urge people to follow the recommendations from the CDC."
If Americans continue to wear masks and avoid gathering with people outside of their household, the end of the pandemic will be in sight.
"It's too early to declare victory, but as we increase the number of vaccinations and don't precipitously pull back on public health measures, we could be headed on a steady pathway toward things getting progressively back to normal," Fauci says.
As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from the CDC, WHO and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.
Source: Read Full Article