COVID-19 cases in rural America broke a record for the fourth straight week.
New infections climbed by 16 percent, topping more than a million in rural counties.
COVID “red zones” are defined as areas where the rate is at least 100 cases per 100,000 people. Most of America’s heartland is in these “red zones,” all the way from Idaho to western Ohio and south to Oklahoma, north Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
Washington state down to Arizona is mostly still in the green, as is much of New England and southeast Texas.
There is a new report on COVID-19 cases in meat packing and food processing plants.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that among cases, for which ethnicity is reported, nearly 73 percent were Hispanic or Latino, about 6 percent were black, and about 4 percent were Asian or Pacific Islander.
The study shows these groups could be disproportionately affected by the coronavirus. Public health experts say that there could be another wave of infection in food processing facilities this fall.
As far as a relief bill goes, the jury is still out. Negotiations between the White House and Congress are slated to continue today. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says that she expects a deal even if it happens after the election.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell continues to push back against such a large price tag, which now sits at a $1.9 trillion dollar offer from the White House.
Pelosi has still not budged from her offer of $2.2 trillion dollars.