COVID-19 hospitalizations rising in northern states, dropping fast in the South

There has been a significant shift in areas of the United States regarding COVID-19 hospitalizations in the past two weeks. COVID-19 hospitalizations have markedly declined in the South while at the same time have noticeably increased in northern states.

In the continental U.S., the states that have seen the largest drop in COVID-19 hospitalizations are southern states. In the last two weeks, hospitalizations have plummeted by 41% in Louisiana, 39% in South Carolina, 39% in Florida, 36% in Alabama, 35% in Georgia, and 32% in Tennessee, and there was a 30% reduction in both Mississippi and Kentucky, according to Becker's Hospital Review.

COVID-19 hospitalizations have unfortunately surged in northern states. New Hampshire has suffered a 42% upswing of coronavirus hospitalizations in the past 14 days; Michigan is experiencing a 22% increase; Colorado is up 14%; Vermont has a rise of 13%; and Minnesota COVID-19 hospitalizations have climbed by 10%.

Cases of COVID-19 have also spiked in the north. Vermont has seen a 26% increase of COVID-19 cases in the past two weeks, followed by New Hampshire at 16% and Colorado with a rise of 14%, according to the New York Times.

Vermont is the most vaccinated state in the country, with over 70% of the population fully vaccinated – including 99.99% of Vermonters over the age of 65 – and more than 78% partially vaccinated.

Meanwhile, cases have tumbled in the South. Cases are down 50% in Georgia, 48% in South Carolina, 43% in Tennessee, and 43% in Florida, and there was a 40% drop in Texas and Louisiana.

Based on regions, the South has 17 cases per 100,000 as of Oct. 21, the Northeast has 24, the West 25, and the Midwest has 30 cases per 100,000, according to data from the New York Times.

Overall, the 7-day average of cases in the United States is at 75,498, as of Oct. 21 – which is a steep decrease from the recent high of 175,822 on Sept. 13.

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 are also trending downward in the United States, with a 7-day average of 56,759 on Oct. 21 – which is down from a recent high of 103,009 on Sept. 4.

As of Oct. 21, the 7-day average of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. was at 1,509.

The Washington Post said of the shift, "The data mirrors trends of last fall and winter when new-case numbers diminished in Southern states that were hit hard by the virus before it devastated colder-weather states."