Experts Fear 'Third Wave' as States Hit New Highs

Wisconsin has a 22.9% positivity rate. America's is only 5.3%.
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 17, 2020 1:00 PM CDT
Experts Fear 'Third Wave' as States Hit New Highs
Nursing assistant Monica Brodsky, right, hands over a funnel and vial for a saliva test, that tests for COVID-19, to Janet Legare, of Middleton, Wis., during drive-thru testing in the parking lot at UW Health Administrative Office Building in Middleton, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020.   (Amber Arnold/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

Coronavirus case numbers hit new daily highs across 10 states Friday as public health officials worried about a coming "third wave" of infections. "I'm pretty glum at the moment because it does look as though in the majority of states there’s an increasing number of cases," William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University epidemiologist, tells CNBC. He said the US will likely go through a "substantial third wave" of COVID-19 infections, complicated by seasonal influenza and people's desire to stay indoors during winter as they tire of social distancing and mask-wearing. The latest virus surge is also spreading widely in America's rural communities for the first time. CNN lists 10 states that hit daily highs Friday. Here they are, with their previous highs and positivity rates via Johns Hopkins University:

  • Colorado: 1,312 cases. Previous high: 1,142 on Thursday. PR: 4.7%.
  • Idaho: 1,094 cases. Previous high: 729 on July 15. PR: 22.3%
  • Indiana: 2,283 cases. Previous high: 1,943 cases on Thursday. PR: 12.3%.
  • Minnesota: 2,290 cases. Previous high: 1,516 on Oct. 10. PR: 5.8%.
  • New Mexico: 812 cases. Previous high: 668 on Thursday. PR: 6.0%.
  • North Carolina: 2,684 cases. Previous high: 2,532 on Thursday. PR: 6.2%.
  • North Dakota: 864 cases. Previous high: 706 on Thursday. PR: 9.1%.
  • West Virginia: 502 cases. Previous high: 374 cases on Oct. 9. PR: 3.7%.
  • Wisconsin: 3,861 cases. Previous high: 3,747 on Thursday. PR: 22.9%.
  • Wyoming: 290 cases. Previous high: 243 on Oct. 9. PR: 19.3%.
(America is the first country to hit 8 million cases.)

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