According to the University of Chicago’s Center for Spatial Data Science COVID Analytics Team, the recent population-adjusted data gathered, was used to map coronavirus outbreaks by county. Eight of the top 10 “hot spots” were in Southern states.
What We Know:
- Colorado and Detroit are the only two locations on the list not in the South. Many critique the South for their relaxed approach. Governors and Legislators remain steadfast to their leader’s advice and are still holding out, despite the toll the virus is starting to take.
- Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp placed a shelter-at-home order on Wednesday, effective on April 3rd starting at 6 pm EST. His state contains two of the top three worst COVID-19 outbreaks. A press conference a day ago revealed Gov. Kemp only just now found out asymptomatic people can spread the virus.
- Other states such as South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee are fighting a back and forth battle in deciding whether to issue similar stay-at-home orders as many others have done already.
- More than 30 employees at one of S.C.’s hospitals have tested positive for COVID-19, the state reports. Despite the growing threat, state lawmakers will return to the legislative chambers on Wednesday and resume business as usual.
- Alabama has taken as much heat as Georgia as Gov. Kay Ivey still refuses to issue a shelter-in-place order, but she explained why she refuses on Twitter. Jefferson County, home to Birmingham, Ala., has more than 300 of the state’s 1,000 confirmed cases.
Ivey held a Twitter chat on Thursday far away from the 70 percent black city suffering through the deadly outbreak. Moreover, she appeared oddly comfortable as she slid past questions regarding the crippling outbreak, while at the same time sidestepping any question that asked why she wanted Alabamians to die.
