Over half of states in US report increase in COVID-19 cases, according to Johns Hopkins

Nearly 30,000 COVID-19 deaths could occur each day this winter, IHME predicts

According to IHME, part of the University of Washington’s School of Medicine, nearly 770,000 lives worldwide could be saved between now and Jan. 1 through coronavirus preventive measures suggested by the CDC, including mask-wearing and social distancing.

LOS ANGELES - More than half of the states in the U.S. are reporting increased numbers of new coronavirus cases, as health officials continue to warn of a likely surge in cases in the fall and winter seasons.

As of Wednesday, the number of new daily coronavirus cases had increased in 31 states compared to the week before. The percentage of new daily positive cases also increased in 27 states, according to data by according to data by John Hopkins University.

In addition, 24 states have experienced a growth in new cases of COVID-19 over the past two weeks.

Daily cases continue to rise in Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington state, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Only eight states held steady in their case counts, while 11 states saw a decrease in new cases.

This rise in cases comes after a forecast by the University of Washington’s Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), which predicted an estimated 30,000 deaths from COVID-19 each day in the Northern Hemisphere as winter falls.

According to IHME, part of the University of Washington’s School of Medicine, nearly 770,000 lives worldwide could be saved between Sept. 3 and Jan. 1 through coronavirus preventive measures suggested by the CDC, including mask-wearing and social distancing.

“People in the Northern Hemisphere must be especially vigilant as winter approaches, since the coronavirus, like pneumonia, will be more prevalent in cold climates,” IHME Director Dr. Christopher Murray said.

As of Sept. 30, there were more than 7.2 million cases and more than 206,000 deaths from the novel coronavirus in the United States.

Kentucky’s governor said Monday the state is experiencing a rise in COVID-19 cases that needs to be met with a commitment to public mask wearing. The Bluegrass State had nearly 5,000 coronavirus cases last week — the most in a single week since the pandemic began, Gov. Andy Beshear said at a news conference.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo noted an emergence of hot spots in his state, with just 10 ZIP codes representing a quarter of the state’s new infections.

Meanwhile, Chicago rolled back some of its restrictions on bars and restaurants, allowing more customers to dine indoors. Chicago’s Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the decision Monday, as Illinois public health officials reported 2,273 newly diagnosed cases and 35 additional confirmed deaths of people with COVID-19 on Wednesday.