Oct 28, 2021 - Health

COVID cases fall by 20%

Data: N.Y. Times; Cartogram: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

The number of new COVID-19 cases continues to plummet all across the U.S.

By the numbers: The U.S. is now averaging roughly 70,000 new cases per day, a 20% drop over the past two weeks.

  • Deaths fell 15% over the same period, to an average of 1,400 per day.
  • That's still a lot, equivalent to a 9/11 roughly every two days. But that number has been steadily coming down throughout the fall, and likely will continue to drop.

What we're watching: Although localized outbreaks will crop up throughout the fall and winter, the pace of new infections has fallen over the past two weeks in 45 states.

  • The areas most at risk for another severe flare-up are largely concentrated in the West.
  • Alaska still has the largest number of cases relative to its population, followed by Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and Idaho.
Go deeper