Thread by @nytimes

Is the U.S. heading for its third coronavirus peak?

After growth of the pandemic slowed in late summer, the daily count of new cases has been rising steadily since mid-September. nyti.ms/350PoZ9

Hospitals have been filling up again and rural areas are seeing staggering outbreaks.

Epidemiologists worry that the new peak could be the highest yet as colder temperatures will force people indoors where the virus thrives. nyti.ms/350PoZ9

The rise in cases has been especially profound in the Midwest and Mountain West.

Those regions are home to almost all of the metro areas with the country’s worst outbreaks right now. nyti.ms/350PoZ9

The continuing spread of cases to new areas of the country, and to more rural areas suggests the outbreak is far from over. nyti.ms/350PoZ9

Cases per day first peaked in mid-April, when New York City and surrounding areas were hit hard.

Over the summer, the South and West were hardest hit, and cases per day surpassed the April peak.

Now, most Midwestern states are seeing record numbers of new cases.

Even as the pandemic is shifting to the Midwest and to more rural areas, cases are trending upward in most states, many of which are setting weekly records for new cases.

See more of our analysis of the latest rise in new cases. nyti.ms/350PoZ9