New rural coronavirus infections, deaths fell 20% last week

Rates of new coronavirus infections, Feb. 28 through March 6
Daily Yonder map; click the image to enlarge it or click here for the interactive version

There were 20 percent fewer rural coronavirus infections and deaths during the week of Feb. 28 to March 6 than the previous week, "continuing a dramatic decline that began eight weeks ago," Tim Murphy and Tim Marema report for The Daily Yonder. In that week, there were 44,528 new rural infections and 1,640 Covid-related rural deaths. 

"Since the peak of the winter surge in rural counties eight weeks ago, the number of new infections and deaths has dropped by 80% and 60% respectively," they report. Nonmetropolitan counties "had a lower infection rate than metropolitan ones – 97 new cases per 100,000 residents versus 125 new cases per 100,000. The rural rate has been lower since the end of December."

Click here for more data, analysis and graphics from the Yonder, including an interactive map with county-level data.