More than 20 states report coronavirus spikes as experts warn of fall, winter surge

New coronavirus cases increased over the past week by at least 10 percent, in 21 predominantly Western states, according to a CNN analysis.

Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington state, Wisconsin and Wyoming have all seen increases in the virus, the analysis found, based on data from Johns Hopkins University.

In the meantime, only 11 states saw new cases fall more than 10 percent compared to the week before: Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia. The remaining 18 states saw level infection rates.

The news comes as public health experts have expressed concerns over a new fall and winter wave of the virus as colder temperatures cause Americans to spend more time indoors. A “huge surge” is likely as the end of the year approaches, Chris Murray, director of the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), told CNN.

Under the IMHE’s model, the country is projected to see a major spike begin in October and accelerate for the remainder of the year, he said. The U.S. could reach 3,000 daily deaths by the end of December, more than triple the current number of daily deaths.

New York saw more than 1,000 new daily cases on Saturday for the first time since June. Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) warned that the state, an early epicenter of the virus, must remain vigilant against the pandemic.

“It’s vital that New Yorkers continue to practice the basic behaviors that drive our ability to fight Covid-19 as we move into the fall and flu season,” he said in a statement. “Wearing masks, socially distancing and washing hands make a critical difference, as does the deliberate enforcement of state guidance by local governments.”