The states of the States

The surge of coronavirus cases across the country has led to another milestone: 1 out of every 100 Americans has tested positive for Covid-19, according to Johns Hopkins University. It's an alarming statistic that follows day after day of states breaking all the wrong kinds of records. As of midday Tuesday, cases are rising in 37 states. The situation has been particularly bad in Florida which, if it were a country, would rank the fourth-highest in the world in reporting new cases. In many states, the average age of new cases has shifted downward, with more young people testing positive than at any point since the start of the pandemic. In recent weeks, state and local officials in the US have said that new cases are largely driven by Americans who have opted to attend gatherings and go out to restaurants and bars. It’s very likely that the rising US numbers are just the tip of the iceberg: The CDC estimates the real number of infected Americans could be up to 10 times higher than what has been counted by positive Covid-19 tests. To try to contain the spread of the virus and blunt the steep rise in cases, at least 36 states now have some type of mask requirement in place, and more than half of US states have paused or rolled back their reopening plans. The growing number of infections is a very serious problem, and the numbers will likely get worse before they start to level off. It’s important to remember that, even though the warmer weather is enticing and people have grown understandably frustrated with all that they’ve been asked to do, we can’t let our guard down. We must continue to do our part to try to stem these cases by practicing proper hand hygiene, continuing to wear masks and physical distancing.