(NEXSTAR) – Coronavirus cases are on the rise in all 50 states, but the magnitude of the problem is far from equal across the board. A map created by the Associated Press with data from Johns Hopkins University shows Louisiana, Arkansas and Missouri are being hit especially hard.
Louisiana reported its second-highest total of new COVID-19 cases since early January this week. The state also reported its highest hospitalization count since early February. Its per capita case rate is 307% higher than it was just two weeks ago, according to New York Times data.
Arkansas’ number of new cases topped 1,000 in a day this week – a figure that hasn’t been that high since February.
Other Southern states are also seeing spikes in case rates. Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida and pockets of Texas are also seeing lots of new cases.
The Northeast, upper Midwest and much of the Western states aren’t seeing nearly as many cases per 100,000 people – though there are a few pockets of Nevada, Arizona, Oregon and Washington that are looking increasingly concerning. Those regions have higher vaccination rates than Southern states.
Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana are four of the five least-vaccinated U.S. states, according to the New York Times.
The interactive map, which shows the rolling 7-day average of new COVID-19 cases, is updated daily. See the latest numbers above.
