Special Report

This Is the Most Dangerous State for COVID-19 in April

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It doesn’t yet match the omicron-driven spike of January, but there is no doubt COVID-19 cases nationwide are rising again. This time they are driven by the highly contagious BA.2 omicron subvariant, which is now the dominant coronavirus strain in the U.S., accounting for around 86% of cases in the week ending April 9, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In some states, such as New York, two new sub-lineages of BA.2, BA.2.12 and BA.2.12.1, are becoming dominant. So far, states in the Northeast and the East Coast have been driving the national increase in cases, but cases in the Midwest are also starting to rise. Nationwide, there was a 39% increase in cases in the past two weeks, according to The New York Times, with an average of 11 cases per 100,000 people in the past seven days. However, the most dangerous state for COVID-19 is Rhode Island.

To make this determination, 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 April 14. (This is the city in every state where covid-19 is growing the fastest.)

Rhode Island, which ranked ninth most dangerous two weeks ago, has climbed to No. 1. The state reported an average of 320.4 daily cases, or 30.3 cases per 100,000 people, in the past seven days – the most of any state. The state also had the highest jump in cases in the last 14 days, with average daily cases more than doubling. 

Alaska, which was the top ranked state during the entire month of March, dropped in ranking to No. 9, with cases declining 15.6% in the past two weeks.

Click here to see the most dangerous states for COVID-19

At the other end is Wyoming, which reported an average of only 2.4 daily new cases in the past seven days, or 0.4 cases per 100,000 – the fewest. Cases in the state dropped 86% in the past two weeks. The largest decline in cases was in North Carolina, where average daily cases dropped 95% in the past 14 days. (This is how COVID is affecting children in every state.)

Other states with relatively high COVID-19 infection rates in recent days include Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, and Colorado with cases in all these states trending higher. In fact, 31 states reported an increase in cases and only 19 reported a decline. A month ago, all but two states reported declining infection rates.

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50. Wyoming
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.42
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 2.43 (the lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -86.29% (2nd highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 156,281 (2nd lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 27,051 (13th highest)

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49. North Carolina
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.47
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 48.57 (6th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -95.16% (the highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 2,634,007 (8th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 25,367 (23rd highest)

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48. South Dakota
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 2.22
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 19.57 (2nd lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 24.55% (7th smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 237,246 (4th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 26,891 (15th highest)

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47. Louisiana
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 2.29
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 106.57 (14th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 12.86% (4th smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,169,680 (25th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 25,101 (25th lowest)

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46. South Carolina
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 2.50
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 127.29 (16th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -13.07% (2nd smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,470,597 (18th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 28,925 (7th highest)

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45. Indiana
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 2.57
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 172.00 (23rd lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -17.70% (5th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,693,078 (15th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 25,300 (25th highest)

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44. Arkansas
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 2.64
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 79.43 (10th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -45.49% (8th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 833,821 (22nd lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 27,667 (9th highest)

43. Idaho
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 2.97
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 52.14 (7th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -51.78% (6th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 444,864 (12th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 25,360 (24th highest)

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42. Nebraska
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 3.10
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 59.71 (8th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -35.49% (9th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 478,333 (13th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 24,793 (22nd lowest)

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41. Utah
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 3.16
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 99.86 (11th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -7.42% (the smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 928,621 (23rd lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 29,376 (6th highest)

40. Alabama
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 3.25
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 159.00 (19th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -64.36% (3rd highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,297,467 (24th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 26,545 (17th highest)

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39. Montana
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 3.39
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 36.00 (3rd lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 0.40% (the smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 272,979 (9th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 25,697 (21st highest)

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38. Kansas
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 3.44
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 100.29 (12th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 35.78% (12th smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 770,977 (20th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 26,480 (18th highest)

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37. Mississippi
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 3.47
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 103.57 (13th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 31.58% (10th smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 796,023 (21st lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 26,654 (16th highest)

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36. California
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 3.55
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 1,405.86 (8th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -52.98% (5th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 9,115,022 (the highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 23,043 (12th lowest)

35. West Virginia
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 3.88
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 70.00 (9th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -31.47% (8th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 498,618 (14th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 27,612 (10th highest)

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34. Delaware
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 3.94
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 38.14 (5th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -62.71% (4th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 260,291 (8th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 26,913 (14th highest)

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33. Iowa
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 4.07
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 128.57 (17th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 88.28% (3rd highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 760,293 (19th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 24,089 (19th lowest)

32. Tennessee
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 4.11
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 278.00 (24th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 22.31% (6th smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 2,023,495 (12th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 29,889 (4th highest)

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31. Georgia
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 4.17
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 438.86 (21st highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -13.56% (3rd smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 2,504,760 (9th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 23,811 (16th lowest)

30. Oklahoma
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 4.33
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 170.57 (21st lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -43.44% (9th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,036,495 (25th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 26,286 (19th highest)

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29. Ohio
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 4.68
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 546.86 (15th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 4.36% (3rd smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 2,676,629 (7th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 22,898 (11th lowest)

28. North Dakota
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 5.00
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 38.00 (4th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 27.27% (9th smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 240,236 (6th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 31,607 (3rd highest)

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27. New Mexico
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 5.35
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 112.14 (15th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -19.90% (6th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 519,342 (15th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 24,785 (21st lowest)

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26. Michigan
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 5.37
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 537.00 (16th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -28.64% (7th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 2,393,265 (10th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 23,942 (18th lowest)

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25. Nevada
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 5.64
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 171.00 (22nd lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 0.67% (2nd smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 715,377 (17th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 23,576 (15th lowest)

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24. Pennsylvania
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 7.29
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 933.00 (12th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 55.76% (13th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 2,791,018 (6th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 21,793 (9th lowest)

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23. Texas
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 8.36
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 2,399.14 (2nd highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -50.62% (7th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 6,696,151 (2nd highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 23,330 (14th lowest)

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22. Oregon
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 8.59
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 360.14 (22nd highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 71.15% (6th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 707,987 (16th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 16,894 (3rd lowest)

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21. Missouri
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 8.73
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 535.00 (17th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 36.98% (13th smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,415,467 (21st highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 23,104 (13th lowest)

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20. Maryland
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 8.75
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 529.00 (18th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 71.83% (5th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,017,926 (24th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 16,845 (2nd lowest)

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19. Minnesota
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 9.14
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 512.71 (19th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 35.54% (11th smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,435,232 (20th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 25,578 (22nd highest)

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18. Florida
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 9.15
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 1,949.86 (3rd highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 50.25% (14th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 5,872,586 (3rd highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 27,572 (11th highest)

17. Kentucky
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 10.45
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 466.86 (20th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -38.19% (10th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,320,483 (23rd highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 29,552 (5th highest)

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16. Hawaii
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 11.44
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 162.57 (20th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 57.18% (12th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 235,797 (3rd lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 16,600 (the lowest)

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15. Virginia
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 12.00
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 1,021.71 (10th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 44.31% (15th smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,680,547 (16th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 19,730 (7th lowest)

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14. Wisconsin
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 12.41
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 721.57 (13th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 90.60% (2nd highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,592,306 (17th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 27,389 (12th highest)

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13. Arizona
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 13.63
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 977.14 (11th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 49.80% (15th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 2,014,020 (13th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 28,083 (8th highest)

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12. Illinois
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 13.71
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 1,747.29 (5th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 48.38% (16th smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 3,086,665 (5th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 24,226 (20th lowest)

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11. New Hampshire
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 14.42
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 195.57 (25th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 57.72% (11th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 304,503 (10th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 22,448 (10th lowest)

10. Connecticut
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 17.53
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 626.43 (14th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 65.91% (9th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 743,361 (18th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 20,807 (8th lowest)

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9. Alaska
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 17.90
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 132.00 (18th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: -15.62% (4th smallest decline)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 240,674 (7th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 32,637 (2nd highest)

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8. Maine
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 19.10
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 255.57 (25th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 25.54% (8th smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 238,773 (5th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 17,840 (5th lowest)

7. New Jersey
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 20.09
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 1,790.14 (4th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 70.93% (7th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 2,218,786 (11th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 24,906 (24th lowest)

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6. Washington
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 21.62
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 1,628.86 (7th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 86.19% (4th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,470,549 (19th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 19,515 (6th lowest)

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5. Colorado
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 22.81
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 1,299.43 (9th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 15.59% (5th smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,359,944 (22nd highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 23,877 (17th lowest)

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4. Massachusetts
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 23.76
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 1,640.14 (6th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 59.10% (10th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 1,716,149 (14th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 24,864 (23rd lowest)

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3. New York
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 26.26
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 5,132.29 (the highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 68.26% (8th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 5,034,264 (4th highest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 25,761 (20th highest)

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2. Vermont
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 30.29
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 189.71 (24th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 43.57% (14th smallest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 110,220 (the lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 17,599 (4th lowest)

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1. Rhode Island
> Avg. daily cases per 100,000 (past 7 days): 30.31
> Avg. daily cases (past 7 days): 320.43 (23rd highest)
> 14-day change in avg new cases: 103.72% (the highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 cases: 346,595 (11th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 32,781 (the highest)

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