New cases of the coronavirus continue to surge across the U.S., driven by the fast-spreading and highly contagious Delta variant that now makes up the majority of COVID infections in the country.
As of Tuesday, Aug. 10, the average number of new daily cases over the past week was 118,067, up 86% from two weeks ago, according to a Fortune analysis of New York Times data. The seven-day average of new cases is the highest since February, and yesterday was the sixth consecutive day the seven-day average of daily cases was above 100,000.
Louisiana and Florida both have the highest concentration of daily new cases—and their highest daily rates of the entire pandemic—with 120 cases and 93 daily cases per 100,000 residents, respectively. The New York Times has reported that both states also have the country’s highest hospitalization rates.
Despite Vermont experiencing the biggest surge in new cases over the period at 245%, followed by New Hampshire at 182%, the increases both come off relatively low bases, with Vermont at 13 daily cases and New Hampshire at 11 daily cases per every 100,000 people.
Several states with the lowest rates of vaccination, particularly in the South, have experienced especially severe outbreaks. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vermont has the highest rate of vaccination of any state with 68% of its population vaccinated, while Alabama has the lowest at 35%.
However, the growing number of infections across the country has led to an uptick in vaccinations. The government and corporations are also contributing to the push. Several employers have said they will require their workers to get vaccinated. McDonald’s, for example, issued the mandate for its corporate employees today, and California has said teachers must be vaccinated or undergo regular testing. President Biden has also said he wants states to pay the newly vaccinated $100 in order to incentivize them to get the jab.
14-day increase in the number of new cases
| State | Increase |
| Alabama | 89% |
| Alaska | 46% |
| Arizona | 81% |
| Arkansas | 48% |
| California | 54% |
| Colorado | 58% |
| Connecticut | 92% |
| Delaware | 173% |
| District of Columbia | 60% |
| Florida | 124% |
| Georgia | 166% |
| Guam | 120% |
| Hawaii | 95% |
| Idaho | 142% |
| Illinois | 163% |
| Indiana | 71% |
| Iowa | 139% |
| Kansas | 51% |
| Kentucky | 147% |
| Louisiana | 161% |
| Maine | 95% |
| Maryland | 102% |
| Massachusetts | 130% |
| Michigan | 121% |
| Minnesota | 17% |
| Mississippi | 124% |
| Missouri | 97% |
| Montana | 18% |
| Nebraska | 182% |
| Nevada | 80% |
| New Hampshire | 130% |
| New Jersey | 88% |
| New Mexico | 153% |
| New York | 174% |
| North Carolina | 141% |
| North Dakota | 69% |
| Ohio | 157% |
| Oklahoma | 161% |
| Oregon | 125% |
| Pennsylvania | 145% |
| Puerto Rico | 160% |
| Rhode Island | 90% |
| South Carolina | 144% |
| South Dakota | 91% |
| Tennessee | 152% |
| Texas | 86% |
| Utah | 25% |
| Vermont | 245% |
| Virgin Islands | 144% |
| Virginia | 105% |
| Washington | 178% |
| West Virginia | 161% |
| Wisconsin | 158% |
| Wyoming | 107% |
Based on 7-day moving average. Source: New York Times
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