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Week-by-Week Guide: How Coronavirus Cases Were Spiking Well Before George Floyd Protests

By June 8, 2020No Comments

Trump Allowed Social Distancing Guidelines to Expire May 1

George Floyd Protests Started May 26

TN, LA, IA, AZ, FL, TX, ND, AL, OK, MN, MS, Others Saw COVID-19 Spikes All Through May — Well Before Protests

For weeks, Trump and his allies have been downplaying the danger of reopening the country even as health experts warned it would lead to spikes in the cases. These spikes did materialize.

But now Trump and his allies are hoping to fool the American people into thinking that spikes started happening because of the protests against racist police brutality. Here’s the truth: the spikes started long before the protests — and they happened in large part because Trump did three things:

  • He allowed federal social distancing guidelines to expire on May 1;

  • He failed to adequately increase testing;

  • He pushed governors to reopen against the advice of medical experts.

1st Week Of May: Cases Increase In States Across Country As Trump Pushes States To Reopen Prematurely

  • April 27: NPR: Tennessee Restaurants Reopen As State Sees Biggest 1-Day Jump In COVID-19 Cases. “Restaurants across Tennessee are able to welcome dine-in customers Monday for the first time in nearly a month as the state eases restrictions put in place to help stem the spread of the coronavirus. The step toward some semblance of normalcy comes a day after the state reported its highest single-day jump in newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, 478, which officials say represents a 5.2% increase from the previous day.” [NPR, 4/27/20]

  • May 1: Monroe News-Star: Louisiana Suffers Startling One-Day Spike In Coronavirus Cases, Deaths. “Louisiana suffered a startling one-day spike in coronavirus cases and deaths Friday. The health department reported 710 new cases, the most in days, and 65 more deaths, the second straight day that number has risen to 60 or more. The case count increase was more than double that of Thursday. Louisiana’s death toll now stands at 1,927, while the number of cases rose to 28,711.” [Monroe News-Star, 5/1/20]

  • May 1: Quad-City Times: New Coronavirus Cases In Iowa Hit Another Record. “Friday’s record count of daily confirmed cases was issued on the day Reynolds gave the green light to restaurants, malls, fitness clubs and other businesses in 77 of Iowa’s 99 counties to resume operations on a limited basis. Clinton, Cedar, Jackson and Jones counties were among the 77, but closures continue in Scott, Muscatine and Louisa counties. Friday also was the first day that Calhoun, Decatur, Floyd, Sac and Wayne counties — all among the 77 counties allowed to begin a phased-in reopening process — registered their first positive cases, leaving only eight counties yet untouched by the coronavirus outbreak.” [Quad-City Times, 5/1/20]

  • May 2: CNBC: The US Just Reported Its Deadliest Day For Coronavirus Patients As States Reopen, According To WHO. “The United States just had its deadliest day on record due to the coronavirus as states across the country begin to ease restrictions meant to curb the spread of the virus, according to data published by the World Health Organization. The U.S. saw 2,909 people die of Covid-19 in 24 hours, according to the data, which was collected as of 4 a.m. ET on Friday. That’s the highest daily Covid-19 death toll in the U.S. yet, based on a CNBC analysis of the WHO’s daily Covid-19 situation reports.” [CNBC, 5/2/20]

  • May 2: CNBC: Texas Posts Third Straight Day Of 1,000 New Cases As State Reopens. “The Texas Department of Health reported 1,293 new positive cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, which is its second highest single-day infection rate. This also marks the first time Texas has recorded more than 1,000 cases three days in a row. Texas now has a total of 30,552 positive cases and 847 fatalities. The spike in infection rate comes after Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order on April 28 allowing certain businesses to reopen on May 1.” [CNBC, 5/2/20]

  • May 4: WAAY: Number Of Coronavirus Cases Jump More Than 30 Percent In Tennessee Week After Re-Opening. “Monday marks one week since some Tennessee businesses were allowed to reopen. In that time the number of coronavirus cases in the state jumped 36 percent!” [WAAY, 5/4/20]

  • May 7: Forbes: One Day After Reopening, Florida Hit A Single-Day Death Record High. “On Tuesday, just a day after Florida reopened in low-case counties, the state hit a one-day death record high, with 113 COVID-19 deaths.” [Forbes, 5/7/20]

2nd Week Of May: Within Two Weeks Of Trump Ending Social Distancing Guidance, Cases Spiked In States Like Arizona, North Carolina, North Dakota, Texas, And Virginia 

  • May 8: Mississippi Today: As State Hits Another Record Of Coronavirus Cases, Gov. Tate Reeves Reopens Salons And Gyms. “As Mississippi saw yet another daily record in confirmed new COVID-19 cases, Gov. Tate Reeves announced on Friday that gyms and salons can reopen, meaning most businesses in the state are no longer subject to mandatory statewide closures.” [Mississippi Today, 5/8/20]

  • Between May 10 And 16,  Arizona, North Carolina, North Dakota, Texas And Virginia All Saw Their Then-Record Increase In Coronavirus Cases. “Five U.S. states recorded new records in COVID-19 case increases during the week of May 10, according to data compiled by the COVID Tracking Project. The records came as many states across the country began easing restrictions put in place earlier this spring to minimize the spread of the virus. According to data reported by each state’s health departments, Arizona, North Carolina, North Dakota, Texas and Virginia all saw their highest increases in case counts between May 10 and 16. California, Florida and Illinois also reported high positive case increases close to those confirmed by state health officials in recent weeks, COVID-19 Tracking Project data showed.” [Newsweek, 5/18/20]

  • May 11: The Hill: Arizona Coronavirus Cases Spike Friday As State Continues Reopening Process. “Arizona on Friday saw its biggest single-day increase in coronavirus cases with 581 new cases, while intubations reached a new high of 84. The pace of new infections slowed slightly over the weekend, and as of Monday morning, the state saw 11,380 confirmed cases of the virus and 542 deaths, up from 11,119 confirmed cases Sunday and 536 deaths. A week ago, the statewide total stood at 8,919 cases and 362 deaths. The numbers come as Arizona began letting retail stores allow in-person shopping last week and plans to allow in-restaurant dining to restart Monday.” [The Hill, 5/11/20]

  • May 12: Dr. Anthony Fauci Emphasized That “In Other Parts Of The Country,” Beyond New York City, The United States Was Seeing Spikes In Coronavirus Cases.  Asked if the U.S. had the coronavirus under control, Dr. Fauci responded: “If you think that we have it completely under control, we don’t … in other parts of the country [outside NY] we are seeing spikes.” [Twitter, Aaron Rupar, 5/12/20]

  • May 14: Al.com: Montgomery County Emerging As Alabama’s Latest Coronavirus Hotspot. “At the end of April, Montgomery County had about 300 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus. At that time, it was the sixth highest case count in the state, trailing a couple counties with far fewer people. Montgomery had only the 28th highest rate per capita. But throughout May, cases in Montgomery have more than doubled.” [Al.com, 5/14/20]

3rd Week Of May: Cases Continued To Rise Three Weeks After Trump Pushed States To Reopen — A Full Week Before Protests Over George Floyd’s Death Swept The Country

  • May 16: Appleton Post-Crescent: Record Number Of Covid-19 Cases Reported Saturday In Wisconsin, With 502 Infections. “More than 500 additional Wisconsinites have tested positive for coronavirus, the largest single-day increase in cases reported since the beginning of the pandemic. The 502 new cases reported Saturday by the Department of Health Services came from a round of 6,051 COVID-19 tests that were processed. The percent of new tests that were positive for the virus was 8.3% — slightly higher than the average of around 6% from the previous six days.” [Appleton Post-Crescent, 5/16/20]

  • May 17: Local 10: Beaches Opening Monday, But Palm Beach County Called ‘Emerging COVID-19 Hotspot.’ “Palm Beach County’s beaches, public, municipal and private, will open on Monday after its commissioners voted 5-2 on Friday in favor of the reopenings… On the same day as the vote, a Trump administration document, circulated by the Department of Homeland Security, identified Palm Beach County as one of three emerging COVID-19 hot spots in the U.S.” [Local10, 5/17/20]

  • May 18: CBS News: Texas Reports Largest Single-Day Increase In Coronavirus Cases. “The Texas Department of Health reported Saturday that there are more than 47,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the state, with over 1,800 new cases reported Saturday, as the state ramps up testing in areas that it has declared high risk. It’s the largest single-day increase in confirmed cases in Texas since the pandemic began… Meanwhile, Texas is moving forward with plans to reopen.” [CBS News, 5/18/20]

  • May 20: Bismarck Tribune: North Dakota Reports 4 Covid-19 Deaths, New Single-Day High Of Cases. “North Dakota’s Department of Health on Wednesday reported four new COVID-19 deaths and a single-day high of 102 cases that includes two outbreaks in nursing homes in Morton County.” [Bismarck Tribune, 5/20/20]

  • May 20: Alabama Political Reporter: Montgomery Hospitals Are Out Of ICU Beds, Mayor Says. “The mayor said Baptist Medical Center East, as of Wednesday morning, only has three remaining ICU beds available. Baptist South has no ICU beds, and Baptist Health Prattville has no ICU beds left. Jackson Hospital, in downtown Montgomery, has one ICU bed remaining. Statewide, over the past week, the number of people hospitalized has increased and is above the levels seen in early to mid-April when Alabama was expected to hit a ‘peak’ of resource usage.” [Alabama Political Reporter, 5/20/20]

  • May 20: KFOR: Oklahoma’s Hospitals Sees 25% Increase In Covid-19 Patients Overnight, Health Officials Concerned. “From Tuesday to Wednesday, Oklahoma saw 42 new COVID-19 hospitalizations. This single day increase is the largest since the state started reopening in late April.” [KFOR, 5/20/20]

  • May 20: Fox 11 News: Record Number Of New Coronavirus Cases Reported In Wisconsin. “Wisconsin set a new record for daily new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, while also recording its highest-ever number of tests. The state Department of Health Services reports 528 new cases, the most ever confirmed in a single day, and 330 more than the number reported on Tuesday.” [Fox 11 News, 5/20/20]

  • May 21: Axios: “Several Southern States Are Seeing A Rise In New Coronavirus Cases.” “Several Southern states are seeing a rise in new coronavirus cases, moving them further away from an important target for safely reopening parts of their economies. Why it matters: The Trump administration’s reopening guidelines call for a consistent decline in new cases before proceeding with the process — and some states are proceeding even without clearing that threshold.” [Axios, 5/21/20]

  • May 22: Researchers Warned That The Coronavirus Was Still Spreading At Epidemic Rates In 24 States. “The coronavirus may still be spreading at epidemic rates in 24 states, particularly in the South and Midwest, according to new research that highlights the risk of a second wave of infections in places that reopen too quickly or without sufficient precautions. Researchers at Imperial College London created a model that incorporates cellphone data showing that people sharply reduced their movements after stay-at-home orders were broadly imposed in March. With restrictions now easing and mobility increasing with the approach of Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer, the researchers developed an estimate of viral spread as of May 17.” [Washington Post, 5/22/20]

4th Week Of May: By The Day The George Floyd Protests Started, ICU Beds Had Already Started To Fill Up In Cities In Rhode Island, Alabama, Arkansas, California, North Carolina, Minnesota, And Nebraska

  • May 23: Associated Press: Alabama Coronavirus Outlook Worsening Amid State Reopening. “The situation in Alabama has become worse over the past 14 days, according to an AP analysis of testing data from The COVID Tracking Project. New daily cases have risen to 307 from 268, and the rate of daily tests coming back positive has increased from 6.7% to 7.5%. The AP used seven-day rolling averages to account for daily variability in the testing data. Data includes counts through Thursday.” [Associated Press, 5/23/20]

  • May 23: El Paso Times: Officials Warn Of Memorial Day Gatherings As El Paso Hits Record Covid-19 Hospitalizations. “Rising hospitalization and case numbers in recent days come as El Paso prepares for Memorial Day, a typically social long weekend. El Paso surpassed 100 hospitalized COVID-19 patients this week, a record high. The climbing numbers also come as leaders and community members brace for a new wave of business reopenings next week.” [El Paso Times, 5/23/20]

  • May 22: Minneapolis Star Tribune: Minnesota Metro ICU Beds Filling Up As Covid-19 Cases, Deaths Rise. “COVID-19 patients requiring critical care are increasing in Minnesota and combining with patients with other medical needs to use up intensive care beds in the Twin Cities. The Minnesota Department of Health on Friday reported 534 COVID-19 cases in hospitals — a decline of 32 compared to Thursday — but a record 233 of those patients needing intensive care.” [Minneapolis Star Tribune, 5/22/20]

  • May 24: Mississippi Today: As Officials Relax Safety Measures, Mississippi Reports Highest Weekly Average For Coronavirus Cases. “As state leaders continue to relax statewide safety measures and businesses reopen, Mississippi reported its highest ever weekly count of COVID-19 cases… The startling weekly statistics come days after Gov. Tate Reeves announced additional safety restrictions would be relaxed.” [Mississippi Today, 5/24/20]

  • May 26: WGME: Maine Sees Sharp Increase In Hospitalized Covid-19 Patients. “The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients shot up over the Memorial Day weekend in Maine… The state went from the low 30s to now 60 patients with coronavirus in Maine hospitals. Twenty-six of those patients are in intensive care and 13 are on ventilators.” [WGME, 5/26/20]

  • May 27: Omaha World Herald: Coronavirus Surge Across Nebraska Adds Another 357 Cases, 10 Deaths. “Coronavirus data reported on Wednesday were grim. Ten more deaths and another 357 cases were reported by state officials. Deaths related to COVID-19 deaths now total 163 statewide, and confirmed cases have climbed to 12,976, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Likewise, the Omaha metro area this week recorded one of its largest single-day increases in COVID-19 cases and a marked increase in daily hospitalization numbers.” [Omaha World Herald, 5/27/20]

  • May 27: WCNC: NC Hits Hospitalizations High For Second Time This Week. “North Carolina hit yet another data milestone Wednesday, with an all-time high in hospitalizations. The development comes just two days after hospitalizations marked their previous high and four days after the largest one-day increase in coronavirus cases.” [WCNC. 5/27/20]

  • May 28: ABC 4: Southwest Utah Sees Highest Covid-19 Hospitalizations, 1-Day Spike. “A week after Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and the Utah Department of Health warned residents of Southwest Utah could see a surge in COVID-19 cases after a contagious first few weeks of May, the Southwest Utah Public Health Department (SWUPHD) is reporting its largest ever 1-day spike of COVID-19 cases and its highest total hospitalizations since the outbreak began.” [ABC 4, 5/28/20]

  • May 28: Coronavirus Infections And Deaths Were Rising In More Than A Dozen States After Trump Let Social Distancing Guidelines Expire On May 1st. “Infections and deaths are rising in more than a dozen states, as they are in countries around the world, an ominous sign that the pandemic may be entering a new phase. Wisconsin saw its highest single-day increase in confirmed cases and deaths this week, two weeks after the state’s highest court overturned a stay-at-home order. Cases are also on the rise in Alabama, Arkansas, California and North Carolina, which on Thursday reported some of the state’s highest numbers of hospitalizations and reported deaths since the crisis began. In metropolitan areas like Fayetteville, Ark.; Yuma, Ariz.; and Roanoke and Charlottesville, Va., data show new highs may be only days or weeks away.” [New York Times, 5/28/20]

  • By Late May,  ICU Beds Were Starting To Fill Up In Minnesota’s Twin Cities, Omaha, Nebraska, And The Entire State Of Rhode Island. “ICU beds are also starting to fill up in places like Minnesota’s Twin Cities; Omaha, Neb.; and the entire state of Rhode Island… Paul Biddinger, director of Harvard’s School of Public Health Emergency Preparedness Research, Evaluation and Practice Program, says it’s ‘a big red flag that when you see increasing numbers of ICU patients with Covid.’”  [Politico, 5/28/20]

  • May 28: Intensive Care Units In Montgomery, Alabama Were Overflowing With Covid-19 Patients. “Intensive care units in Montgomery, Ala., are overflowing with Covid-19 patients, pushing them into emergency departments that are not primed to care for them.”  [Politico, 5/28/20]

  • May 30: Arizona’s Statewide Hospitalizations Of People With Positive And Suspect Cases Of Covid-19 Increased For The Fourth Day In A Row. “Statewide hospitalizations of people with positive and suspected COVID-19 in Arizona increased for a fourth day in a row, reaching a record high of 975, Saturday’s state data shows. Ventilator use and ICU bed use by patients with positive and suspected COVID-19 climbed again, with both numbers marking all-time highs since the state began reporting COVID-19 hospitalization data on April 9, numbers from the Arizona Department of Health Services show.” [Arizona Republic, 5/30/20]