U.S. states see record rise in COVID cases due to cold weather US & Canada

Health experts have long warned that the cold temperatures that drive people inside could promote the spread of the virus.

At least nine U.S. states have seen record-breaking COVID-19 cases in the past seven days, mostly in the upper Midwest and West with cold weather forcing people indoors.

Health experts have long warned that the cold temperatures that drive people inside could promote the spread of the virus. Daytime highs in the upper Midwest are now 10 degrees Celsius (50 Fahrenheit).

According to a Reuters analysis, four states – Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana and Wisconsin – saw a record increase in new cases. Kansas, Nebraska, New Hampshire, South Dakota and Wyoming also set new records for cases last week.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Sunday reported an increase of at least 49,327 cases from its previous figures and an increase of at least 703 deaths.

The death rate has dropped by about 12 percent, with nearly 210,000 Americans now dying from COVID-19.

Only Texas, Missouri and South Carolina reported a decrease in the number of cases, according to special Johns Hopkins University data.

According to a Reuters analysis, New York is one of 18 states where cases have not grown significantly in the past two weeks.

Precautionary fatigue before COVID

On Sunday, however, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the closure of schools as well as unwanted businesses in nine neighborhoods starting Wednesday. The lockdown requires the approval of the governor.

Meanwhile, Montana has reported a record number of new cases in three of the last four days and has a record number of COVID-19 patients in its hospitals.

Wisconsin has set records for two new cases in the past three days and reported hospital admissions at record levels on Saturday. On average 22 per cent of tests are coming back positive, which is the highest rates in the country.

Wisconsin’s Democratic governor made masks mandatory on Aug. 1, but Republican lawmakers are challenging the requirement.

North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin have the highest per capita cases in the US.

Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson is one of several prominent Republicans who has tested positive for the coronavirus since President Donald Trump announced he had signed a contract with COVID-19.

While some nursing homes and support-living facilities are hampering visitors due to an increase in cases, Bellin Health, which operates a hospital in Green Bay, Wisconsin, said last week that its emergency department was capable of past certain times and that doctors had to keep patients in beds in the hall.

The U.S. is reporting an average of 42,600 new cases and 700 deaths each day, compared to 35,000 cases and 800 deaths in mid-September. The mortality index and cases increase several weeks after the increase.

Kentucky was the first southern state to see a record increase in cases in several weeks. Governor Andy Bessher said the highest number of cases have been reported in the state since the outbreak began.

State health experts have not identified the cause of the increase but suggest COVID-19 precautions and fatigue with students returning to schools and colleges. In the past two weeks, nearly 11,000 new cases have been reported in Kentucky and the number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized has increased by 20 percent.