California, Southwest record spike in COVID-19 cases as US economy reopens

As the United States eased coronavirus lockdown measures, cases and hospitalisations reportedly spiked in parts of California and the Southwest. With a soaring number of cases, the authorities might reimpose or tighten public health restrictions, which could complicate the efforts to reopen the US economy.

According to an international media report, the authorities in Arizona are planning to reactivate emergency plan for medical facilities, while on the other hand, California is set to place counties where half of its population lives on the watch list. While speaking to a media outlet, Olivia Kasirye, who is the public health director of Sacramento County, said that many of the cases that are showing up in hospitals are linked to gatherings that are taking place in homes, such as birthday parties and funerals. 

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Arizona eased its lockdown measure in mid-May and since then the state has seen a 115 per cent increase in the number of confirmed cases. The former state health chief of the state also warned that a new stay-at-home order or field hospitals may be needed. Even with the rapid spread, New Jersey, which is one of the hardest-hit states, also eased its lockdown measures on June 9. 

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COVID-19 cases to increase amid protests 

As per reports, almost 21 states in the US recorded a weekly increase in new cases of coronavirus. States including Arizona, Utah and New Mexico reported a rise of 40 per cent or higher for the week. While some new cases are believed to be linked to better testing, others are probably due to the eased public health restrictions that have allowed people to gather in groups. 

The United States overall has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world, with over 1,979,000 positive cases and 112,006 deaths. Even with an increasing number of cases, the state continues to ease lockdown measures. The health officials also believe that in the coming weeks, the cases will spike as protests over George Floyd’s death swept the country. 

(Image: AP) 

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