Washington D.C., United States (Yasin Öztürk - Anadolu photo)
WASHINGTON – More than half of the US is seeing a huge increase in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases since more states have reopened after restrictions were lifted.
According to the USA Today newspaper, nearly 30 states, including Arizona, Florida, and Texas, are reporting more cases as officials continue to warn people to practice social distancing in public.
As of Tuesday, seven states – New York, California, New Jersey, Illinois, Texas, Massachusetts, and Florida – have more than 100,000 cases.
New York has nearly 390,000 cases, California 185,000, New Jersey 169,000, Illinois 137,000, Texas 118,000, Massachusetts 107,000, and Florida 103,000.
Among them, New York, which has been the hardest hit since early March, continues to report lower cases and deaths but Arizona has reported more cases.
According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, the state registered 3,591 cases and 42 related deaths on Tuesday. The statewide total is 58,179.
New cases are decreasing in such states as Maine, New Hemisphere, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC, North Dakota, Louisiana, and Alabama.
Earlier in the day, Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, confirmed the surge that the US is seeing in Florida, Texas, Arizona, and other states.
"The next couple of weeks are going to be critical in our ability to address those surgings," he warned.
Between late March and early April, millions of Americans were staying at home to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has infected more than 2.3 million people nationwide.
Health officials have repeatedly warned that the reopenings in states would lead to a boost in the number of cases.
On Tuesday, speaking at USA Today’s editorial board meeting, National Institutes of Health Director, Dr. Francis Collins, said people continue to self-quarantine and not travel amid the virus.
"That does come with certain consequences, and particularly for people who have greater vulnerability because of age or chronic disease, I would think that ought to be taken with great seriousness," Collins said.
Hawaii, Alaska, Montana, and Wyoming are among the states that have relatively few coronavirus cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
For example, Montana has 743 cases and 21 deaths.
President Donald Trump said the increasing numbers were a result of more testing, which he touted the country as leading the world in.
The virus has killed more than 121,000 people in the US. (Anadolu)
