These Are the Only States Where COVID Is Still Surging

The U.S. received a rare bit of good news on the pandemic front this week as newly reported cases of coronavirus saw a significant drop from the previous week. The development marks the first sustained decrease after a month of record highs, with 35 states seeing a significant decline and 11 others seeing new COVID case numbers hold steady. But not everywhere is breathing a sigh of relief: there are still a few states that bucked the national trend and saw their COVID numbers continue to climb. Read on to see which states are headed in the wrong direction, and for more on how to keep yourself safe, check out The CDC Warns Against Using These 6 Face Masks.

According to data from Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. reported an 11 percent dip in newly reported COVID cases over seven days, CNN reports. But some experts warn that the numbers represent more of a stabilization of skyrocketing numbers than an actual drop, cautioning that there's very little reason to celebrate. "These kinds of fluctuations, on a statistical basis, aren't sustainable," Amesh Adalja, MD, an infectious disease expert with Johns Hopkins University, told CNN. "The virus has established itself in the human population and it's not going anywhere. We're going to see a lot of transmission until we cross the threshold for herd immunity."

And with highly contagious new variants now spreading in the States, it's now more important than ever to keep tackling the virus head-on with everyday precautions such as wearing a mask, hand washing, social distancing, and avoiding crowds. "I wouldn't let our guard down," Adalja told CNN. "Biologically speaking, nothing is changing."

But which states were the only ones to report a significant increase in cases? Read on to see if your area is one of them, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project as of Jan. 18, and for more on what your body could be telling you, see why This Rare Symptom Could Mean You Have a Severe COVID Case.

Read the original article on Best Life.

Change in 7-day new case average: +12 percent

And for a strange sign you could be sick, know that If You Notice This in Your Mouth, You Could Have COVID, Experts Warn.

Change in 7-day new case average: +13 percent

And for more on how to stop the spread, check out These 3 Things Could Prevent Almost All COVID Cases, Study Finds.

Change in 7-day new case average: +17 percent

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Change in 7-day new case average: +20 percent

And for more on where the virus is headed, check out The New CDC Director Just Issued This Very Dark COVID Warning.