Trending Now: Covid-19’s new deadly surge is in rural American counties with cramped meatpacking plants, isolated prisons and few hospital beds

Rural counties now have some of the highest rates of covid-19 cases and deaths in the country, topping even the hardest-hit New York City boroughs, a Post analysis found. The alarming increase signals a new phase of the pandemic, one of scattered outbreaks that could devastate some of the country's most vulnerable towns as states lift stay-at-home orders. The virus has spread rapidly over the past month in places where even a minor surge in patients threatens to overwhelm existing health-care systems.

Democracy Dies in Darkness     Trending Now May 24, 2:23 PM     Covid-19's new deadly surge is in rural American counties with cramped meatpacking plants, isolated prisons and few hospital beds Rural counties now have some of the highest rates of covid-19 cases and deaths in the country, topping even the hardest-hit New York City boroughs, a Post analysis found. The alarming increase signals a new phase of the pandemic, one of scattered outbreaks that could devastate some of the country's most vulnerable towns as states lift stay-at-home orders. The virus has spread rapidly over the past month in places where even a minor surge in patients threatens to overwhelm existing health-care systems. Read more » Advertisement You received this email because you signed up for news alerts from The Washington Post. Manage my newsletters and alerts | Unsubscribe Privacy Policy | Help ©2020 The Washington Post, 1301 K St NW, Washington DC 20071