Covid-19 Hospitalizations Leap in Most States, With Cases Rising

(Bloomberg) -- Covid-19 hospitalizations have risen at least 10% in the past week in 32 states and the nation’s capital as the month-old viral surge increasingly weighs on America’s health-care system.

Current hospitalizations soared 68% in New Mexico, 50% in Wyoming and 38% in Connecticut, among other notable increases, according to Covid Tracking Project data. South Dakota, Montana and North Dakota have the most current patients per capita, the data show.

Nationally, current hospitalizations with Covid-19 have climbed 37% to 42,917 in the past three weeks, after months of decline. But they are still about 28% lower than they were during July’s Sun Belt surge, even as cases have risen to a record.

About 6% of America’s inpatient beds are occupied by Covid-19 patients, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Coronavirus patients are taking up 10% or more of beds in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Wisconsin.

New Jersey on Tuesday reported 957 patients, the most since July 8. New York City, which had more than 12,000 hospitalized from Covid-19 at the peak of the outbreak, had 465 hospitalized as of Sunday, according to the state.

The U.S. reported 66,662 new Covid-19 cases Monday, bringing the seven-day average to a new high of 69,950, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The seven-day average of newly reported deaths rose to 798 Monday, close to the highest in five weeks, according to Johns Hopkins. Overall, more than 225,000 Americans have died in the pandemic.

According to Covid Tracking Project data:

• Kansas and Wyoming reported record single-day cases Monday.
• Connecticut reported 2,047 cases Monday, the third-highest tally of the pandemic.
• As a region, the Midwest’s seven-day average of cases took a very slight tick down, but is still near a record.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.