Is there any escaping the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S? It began in Seattle, then ravaged the Northeast and swept through the Sun Belt. The latest spike in cases is occurring in the Great Plains states. A Social Explorer analysis finds only 26 of the nation’s 3,142 counties reported no cases for the 30-day period ending Oct. 16.

The coronavirus-free counties have a few things in common. All but three (Essex County, Vermont; Bland County, Va.; and Cameron County, Penn.) are located west of the Mississippi River. All are thinly populated. And all, except the outdoor recreational Mecca of Gunnison County, Colo., have recorded fewer than 100 total cases since the pandemic began.

One-Month Change in Confirmed COVID Cases, Oct. 16th, 2020. Click here to explore further.

Author: Frank Bass