18 December 2023 , 23:04
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Covid maps show the four states which are seeing the worst surge in cases as winter sets in in the US. Experts warn that more people may need hospital care.
A spokesperson from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that autumn is usually when respiratory virus season starts. They warned that hospitalisation rates "could increase" as we head into the colder months. They revealed that Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Missouri have all seen a 17.2% positivity rate in the week ending December 9. This is a slight increase from the previous two weeks' rate of 16.7%.
While these rates are smaller compared to the peaks of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, they're still expected to rise further during the winter. A study from 2020 found that the Covid-19 virus could stay active for longer in cold, dry conditions.
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Experts have warned that there could be a rise in people going into hospital with Covid-19 (Getty Images)Newsweek reports that in Wyoming, Covid-19 hospitalisations have shot up by 36.2%, the highest rate in the country. In the week leading up to December 9, 64 coronavirus cases required hospital treatment. Hospital admissions have also risen in Kansas, with a reported increase of 29.6%. The CDC found that 276 people were hospitalised there with the virus in the week leading up to December 9. Oklahoma and Arkansas have seen a jump in cases needing inpatient treatment by 29.6% and 27.6% respectively.
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Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico all saw drops in positive coronavirus tests ranging from 0.2% to 2.4%. However, slight increases around 0.5% have been recorded in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
More people in four states are testing positive for Covid-19 (Getty Images)The Midwest and Northeastern states have reported a higher case rate, with Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Colorado all recording a positive rate case of 10.4%. This is a decrease of 1.2% compared to the previous week.
New Mexico has seen the biggest decrease in hospitalisations across all 50 states, down by 28% on the previous week. Arizona's hospitals are also less strained, with admissions down by 16.6%.
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