Rural Covid-19 death rate was over 1/3 higher than metros' last week, but rural infection rate fell about same as metros'

Newly reported coronavirus infections, in ranges by county, Aug. 23-30
Map by The Daily Yonder; click on the image to enlarge it or click here for the interactive version.

New coronavirus cases fell in metropolitan and rural counties from Aug. 30 to Sept. 5, but the impact of past infections was felt as death rates climbed, particularly in rural counties.

"Rural America had a 15% decline in infection rates after a 3.7% increase two weeks ago. Rural counties reported 89,689 new cases, dropping the rate from 228 two weeks ago to 194.7 new infections per 100,000 residents last week," Sarah Melotte reports for The Daily Yonder. "New infections in metropolitan counties fell for the fifth consecutive week, declining by about 14% compared to two weeks ago."

Meanwhile, "The rural death rate was 37% higher than the metropolitan death rate last week," Melotte reports. "Rural counties reported 632 Covid-related deaths last week, an increase of about 3% compared to two weeks ago. Deaths in metropolitan counties also climbed by about 3% last week, to 2,823 deaths. Cumulatively, the rural death rate remained about a third higher than the metropolitan death rate."