(Bloomberg) -- Early signs of a Covid-19 resurgence are emerging in the U.S. Northeast, with cases increasing in seven of the region's nine states.
The seven-day average of reported Covid-19 cases in the region has climbed 11% in the past week to 14,318 on Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Until last week, the region's numbers had trended steadily downward for about six weeks.
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The aggregate numbers are still well below last year's winter peak, and the Northeast isn't yet seeing hospital pressure akin to hot spots in the Southwest, Rocky Mountains and upper Midwest. But the upswing bears watching as the traditional winter virus season approaches.
A recent increase in intensive-care unit traffic stretching from New Mexico to Minnesota has renewed concern about a winter wave of Covid-19, showing that the virus can still weigh on the health-care system even in highly vaccinated states.
In New York, Pennsylvania and several parts of the region, rural counties appear to be driving the state-wide numbers, while metropolitan areas -- including New York City -- are holding up somewhat better. Last year's autumn wave also started in rural areas and eventually engulfed cities. However, many Northeast cities have since outperformed rural areas in vaccinations.
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