The virus is spreading in rural communities in the heartland, far from the coastal cities hammered early in the pandemic. Illinois also reported more than 4,000 cases, eclipsing records set during the state’s first wave in April and May. Much of the new transmission is taking place in rural communities in the heart of the nation with limited hospital capacity. Mokdad offered a simple explanation for why rural places might be seeing so much transmission this late in the pandemic. “When covid-19 came in the United States, it didn’t show up immediately in rural communities,” he said.

Source: Washington Post October 15, 2020 22:45 UTC