As coronavirus cases and hospitalizations rise across the country, some areas with low vaccination rates have been hit hard, like Louisiana, Florida and Mississippi. The same is true for the U.S. Virgin Islands, where only about a third of residents are vaccinated. In recent days, the islands have seen their highest numbers of confirmed cases and hospitalizations since the start of the pandemic. Before this summer’s surge, the highest number of active cases was 295, reported nearly a year ago. Only 37 percent of the population was fully vaccinated as of Saturday, trailing every state but Mississippi and Alabama, according to federal data.

Source: International New York Times August 15, 2021 14:35 UTC