Globally, during the 28-day period (22 July to 18 August 2024), the number of new cases and deaths increased by 23% and 44% compared to the previous 28-day period (24 June to 18 August 2024), with 238 000 new cases reported across 91 (39%) countries and about 4400 new fatalities reported across 35 (15%) countries, respectively. As of 22 July to 18 August 2024, over 776 million confirmed cases and more than seven million deaths have been reported globally since the beginning of pandemic.
...Other indicators, however, showed small declines, including test positivity, which was at 14.9% last week, down 1.6% from the previous week. Levels are highest in the central states, which include Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Emergency department visits declined last week but are still at the moderate level in a few southeastern states.
For the week ending August 31, the CDC reported that 16.3 percent of all COVID-19 tests performed in the U.S.—excluding at-home test results—were coming back positive. This is a 0.4 percent decrease from the previous week, but the infection rates have not been evenly distributed across the country.
The below map illustrates the distribution of positive tests in the U.S., divided into 10 Health and Human Service regions.