It seems that worries other than COVID-19 are occupying Americans these days – the economy, the war in Ukraine, and most of all inflation. The pandemic seems to have taken a back seat, perhaps understandably. Cases have been dropping nationwide, and hospitalizations hit a new low as of March 31, with just over 16,000 people in the hospital. This is a far cry from the peak of nearly 160,000 set in January during the omicron surge, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services.
One concerning factor could be that cases are again surging in some parts of the world, particularly Europe and China, due to the highly contagious BA.2 omicron subvariant. In the U.S., too, BA.2 is now the dominant coronavirus strain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Still, while White House chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said BA.2 could cause an increase in cases in the U.S., he does not expect another surge.
The situation remains different from state to state, with cases increasing in some states and trending lower in others. To find the most dangerous state for COVID-19, 24/7 Tempo ranked states by average daily cases per 100,000 people over the most recent seven-day period, using data from federal, state, and local sources as of March 31. (These are the cities with the fewest COVID-19 cases.)
Unchanged from two weeks ago, Alaska remains the most dangerous state for the virus, with an average of 156 new daily cases in the past seven days, or 21 daily cases per 100,000 people. Still, Alaska had the sixth largest decline in daily cases over the past two weeks, with a 14-day decline in average new cases of 58%. Two weeks ago, Alaska averaged 376 new daily cases, or 51 per 100,000.
Click here to see the most dangerous states for COVID-19
At the other end is South Dakota, which reported an average of 16 new daily cases in the past seven days, or 1.8 cases per 100,000 – the fewest. Cases in the state dropped 61% in the past two weeks. But the largest decline was in Nevada, where cases dropped 95% in the past 14 days. (These are the states fighting COVID most successfully.)
Other states with relatively high COVID-19 infection rates in recent days include Vermont, Colorado, Texas, and Kentucky, with cases in Colorado, Texas, and Vermont actually trending higher. In fact, while a month ago all states but one reported declining infection rates, today, 15 states reported an increase in the average number of new daily cases compared to two weeks ago.
50. South Dakota
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 1.78
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 15.71 (the lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -61.13% (5th largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 236,955 (5th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 26,858 (14th highest)
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49. Louisiana
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 2.03
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 94.43 (9th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -50.11% (12th largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,168,214 (25th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 25,069 (25th lowest)
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48. Iowa
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 2.16
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 68.29 (5th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -52.58% (8th largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 758,463 (19th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 24,031 (19th lowest)
47. Kansas
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 2.54
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 73.86 (6th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -45.58% (13th largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 769,850 (20th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 26,442 (18th highest)
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46. Mississippi
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 2.64
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 78.71 (7th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -51.54% (10th largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 794,292 (21st lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 26,596 (16th highest)
45. South Carolina
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 2.88
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 146.43 (19th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -43.65% (14th largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,468,140 (18th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 28,877 (7th highest)
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44. Wyoming
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 3.07
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 17.71 (2nd lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -51.75% (9th largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 156,112 (2nd lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 27,021 (13th highest)
43. Indiana
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 3.12
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 209 (24th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -28.95% (12th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,690,823 (15th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 25,267 (25th highest)
42. Tennessee
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 3.36
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 227.29 (25th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -43.58% (15th largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 2,020,262 (12th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 29,841 (4th highest)
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41. Montana
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 3.38
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 35.86 (4th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -53.43% (7th largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 272,509 (9th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 25,653 (20th highest)
40. Utah
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 3.41
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 107.86 (13th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -29.77% (14th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 927,649 (23rd lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 29,346 (6th highest)
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39. North Dakota
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 3.93
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 29.86 (3rd lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -50.24% (11th largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 239,746 (7th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 31,542 (3rd highest)
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38. Ohio
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 4.48
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 524 (16th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 18.06% (6th smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 2,669,698 (7th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 22,839 (11th lowest)
37. Pennsylvania
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 4.68
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 599 (15th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -26.79% (10th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 2,779,921 (6th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 21,706 (9th lowest)
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36. Nebraska
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 4.80
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 92.57 (8th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 54.65% (3rd largest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 477,830 (13th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 24,767 (24th lowest)
35. Georgia
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 4.83
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 507.71 (17th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -40.07% (17th largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 2,487,464 (9th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 23,646 (17th lowest)
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34. Arkansas
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 4.83
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 145.71 (18th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -70.09% (3rd largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 832,718 (22nd lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 27,630 (9th highest)
33. Oregon
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 5.02
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 210.43 (25th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -34.06% (18th largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 703,465 (16th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 16,786 (3rd lowest)
32. Maryland
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 5.09
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 307.86 (23rd highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 5.69% (2nd smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,011,498 (24th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 16,739 (2nd lowest)
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31. Nevada
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 5.60
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 169.86 (22nd lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -95.14% (the largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 712,983 (17th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 23,497 (15th lowest)
30. West Virginia
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 5.66
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 102.14 (10th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -65.54% (4th largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 497,553 (14th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 27,553 (10th highest)
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29. Florida
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 6.09
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 1,297.71 (4th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 13.78% (4th smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 5,847,587 (3rd highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 27,454 (11th highest)
28. Idaho
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 6.16
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 108.14 (14th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -84.70% (2nd largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 443,792 (12th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 25,299 (24th highest)
27. Missouri
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 6.38
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 390.57 (19th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -16.49% (7th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,410,529 (21st highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 23,024 (13th lowest)
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26. Wisconsin
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 6.51
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 378.57 (20th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -3.60% (2nd smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,584,157 (17th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 27,249 (12th highest)
25. New Mexico
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 6.68
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 140 (17th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -32.65% (17th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 517,608 (15th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 24,702 (23rd lowest)
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24. Minnesota
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 6.74
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 378.29 (21st highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -0.68% (the smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,428,704 (20th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 25,462 (21st highest)
23. Hawaii
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 7.28
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 103.43 (12th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 493.44% (the largest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 233,569 (3rd lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 16,443 (the lowest)
22. Michigan
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 7.53
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 752.57 (12th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -6.61% (4th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 2,386,472 (10th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 23,874 (18th lowest)
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21. California
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 7.56
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 2,990 (3rd highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -29.63% (13th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 9,082,073 (the highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 22,959 (12th lowest)
20. Oklahoma
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 7.65
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 301.57 (24th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -10.09% (5th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,033,256 (25th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 26,204 (19th highest)
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19. Virginia
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 8.31
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 708 (13th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -30.33% (16th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,668,088 (16th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 19,584 (7th lowest)
18. Arizona
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 9.10
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 652.29 (14th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -30.28% (15th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,997,037 (13th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 27,846 (8th highest)
17. Alabama
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 9.13
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 446.14 (18th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 33.29% (5th largest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,295,075 (24th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 26,496 (17th highest)
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16. New Hampshire
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 9.14
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 124 (15th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 8.36% (3rd smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 302,253 (10th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 22,283 (10th lowest)
15. Illinois
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 9.24
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 1,177.57 (5th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -5.85% (3rd smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 3,065,321 (5th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 24,059 (20th lowest)
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14. North Carolina
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 9.67
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 1,004.14 (9th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -23.96% (9th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 2,627,220 (8th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 25,302 (23rd highest)
13. Connecticut
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 10.57
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 377.57 (22nd highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 27.19% (7th largest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 735,575 (18th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 20,589 (8th lowest)
12. Delaware
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 10.58
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 102.29 (11th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -22.17% (8th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 259,453 (8th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 26,826 (15th highest)
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11. Washington
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 11.61
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 874.86 (10th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -28.59% (11th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,453,825 (19th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 19,293 (6th lowest)
10. New Jersey
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 11.76
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 1,047.29 (7th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 23.75% (7th smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 2,196,970 (11th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 24,661 (22nd lowest)
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9. Rhode Island
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 14.88
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 157.29 (21st lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 2.51% (the smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 342,887 (11th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 32,430 (the highest)
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8. Massachusetts
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 14.94
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 1,030.86 (8th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 44.99% (4th largest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,695,750 (14th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 24,568 (21st lowest)
7. Maine
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 15.21
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 203.57 (23rd lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -14.47% (6th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 235,584 (4th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 17,602 (5th lowest)
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6. New York
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 15.61
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 3,050.29 (2nd highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 56.60% (2nd largest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 4,972,820 (4th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 25,447 (22nd highest)
5. Kentucky
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 16.90
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 755.29 (11th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -42.48% (16th largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,313,657 (23rd highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 29,399 (5th highest)
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4. Texas
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 16.93
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 4,858.29 (the highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 25.01% (8th largest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 6,660,640 (2nd highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 23,206 (14th lowest)
3. Colorado
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 19.74
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 1,124.14 (6th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 27.27% (6th largest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,343,645 (22nd highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 23,591 (16th lowest)
2. Vermont
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 21.10
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 132.14 (16th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 17.09% (5th smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 107,872 (the lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 17,224 (4th lowest)
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1. Alaska
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 21.21
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 156.43 (20th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -58% (6th largest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 238,420 (6th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 32,331 (2nd highest)
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