Where Is Coronavirus Spreading Most Quickly? Montana Tops List Of 11 States With High Infection Rates

As summer approaches and more Americans demand an end to coronavirus lockdowns, infection rates are spreading quickly in 11 states, including Texas and Georgia where the governors have lifted most restrictions and three of the seven states where no stay-at-home orders were issued.

Rt.live, a site built by Instagram founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger to track the spread of coronavirus, listed Montana as the state where the virus was spreading fastest. The state’s stay-at-home order expired April 26, and Gov. Steve Bullock left it to local officials to decide when to allow schools to reopen. Bars, restaurants, casinos, gyms and pools were to be allowed to operate at 75% capacity, beginning June 1.

Montana was followed by Washington, where the first major U.S. outbreak was reported in a nursing home, Tennessee, Alabama, West Virginia, Utah, Maine, Arkansas, North Dakota, Georgia and Texas. Utah, North Dakota and Arkansas were among the seven states that never adopted stay-at-home orders.

All 11 states had Rt values at 1 or above, indicating the virus was spreading. Values below 1 indicate the virus eventually will stop spreading.

As of early afternoon Friday, the COVID-19 death toll had topped 102,200.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday defended his decision to lift restrictions earlier than any other state, saying, “We can’t keep fighting the virus from our living room.”

Though Trump initially scolded Kemp for moving so quickly, he quickly pivoted and started encouraging other governors to follow suit.

On Tuesday, Trump said in the Rose Garden Americans are ready to get back to normal.

“And you’re going to see it more and more,” he said.

Public health experts have warned of a second wave of infections if states open too quickly.

Demonstrators marched on state capitols, with armed protesters sporting confederate flags and swastikas in Michigan menacing lawmakers and state officials.

Hawaii, which had an Rt value of just 0.63, posted the lowest infection rate, followed by Vermont, Alaska, New York and New Jersey – the latter two states the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak for much of March, April and early May.

Hawaii’s stay-at-home order expired May 31 and closed schools through the end of the academic year. Restaurant dining rooms were scheduled to reopen June 5.