The U.S. has reported more than 32.4 million confirmed COVID-19 cases as of May 13. There have been more than 577,000 reported deaths from COVID-19-related causes — the highest death toll of any country.

The extent of the spread of the novel coronavirus continues to vary considerably from state to state, and from city to city. Even as the number of daily new cases is flattening or even declining in some parts of the country, it is surging at a growing rate in others.

Nationwide, the number of new cases is growing at a steady rate. There were an average of 13.4 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 Americans in the week ending May 13, essentially unchanged from the week prior, when there were an average of 15.1 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 people.

In Pennsylvania, there were an average of 20.7 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents in the week ending May 13 — the sixth most of all 50 states. Pennsylvania’s most recent case growth is a decrease from the week prior, when there were an average of 26.2 daily new cases per 100,000 residents.

Metropolitan areas with a high degree of mobility and a large population may be particularly vulnerable to outbreaks. While science and medical professionals are still studying how exactly the virus spreads, experts agree that outbreaks are more likely to occur in group settings where large numbers of people routinely have close contact with one another. Cities with high concentrations of dense spaces such as colleges, correctional facilities, and nursing homes are particularly at risk.

In the Altoona metropolitan area, there were an average of 33.6 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents in the week ending May 13 — the fastest case growth of any city in Pennsylvania. The metro area’s most recent case growth rate is basically unchanged from the week prior, when there were an average of 37.9 daily new cases per 100,000 residents.

Reading, the city where COVID-19 is growing the second fastest, has reported an average of 31.7 new daily cases per 100,000 residents.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Altoona metropolitan area has reported a cumulative total of 12,984 confirmed cases, or 10,542.6 per 100,000 residents. By comparison, there are currently 9,194.4 cases per 100,000 Pennsylvania residents and 9,889.4 cases per 100,000 Americans nationwide.

In order to slow the spread, cities have ordered the closure of thousands of consumer-facing businesses. These measures have led to widespread job loss and record unemployment. In Altoona, unemployment peaked at 17.4% in April 2020. As of March 2021, the unemployment rate was 6.9%.

To determine the metropolitan area in each state where COVID-19 is growing the fastest, 24/7 Wall St. compiled and reviewed data from state and local health departments. We ranked metropolitan areas according to the average number of new daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the seven days ending May 13. Data was aggregated from the county level to the metropolitan area level using boundary definitions from the U.S. Census Bureau. Population data used to adjust case and death totals came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey and are five-year estimates. Unemployment data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and is seasonally adjusted.

These are all the counties in Pennsylvania where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).

MSA	Population	Total cases	Cases per 100,000	Total deaths	Deaths per 100,000
Lebanon, PA	139,729	15,767	11,284.0	283	202.5
Reading, PA	418,025	46,845	11,206.3	1,007	240.9
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	837,610	90,072	10,753.5	1,953	233.2
Johnstown, PA	133,009	14,143	10,633.1	422	317.3
Altoona, PA	123,157	12,984	10,542.6	330	268.0
State College, PA	161,960	16,614	10,258.1	220	135.8
York-Hanover, PA	445,565	45,255	10,156.8	794	178.2
Williamsport, PA	114,330	11,590	10,137.3	278	243.2
Lancaster, PA	540,999	54,211	10,020.5	1,124	207.8
Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA	154,147	14,971	9,712.2	365	236.8
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	6,079,130	570,198	9,379.6	12,502	205.7
Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA	555,642	51,020	9,182.2	1,312	236.1
Gettysburg, PA	102,470	9,334	9,109.0	177	172.7
Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA	83,974	7,649	9,108.8	196	233.4
Pittsburgh, PA	2,331,447	200,923	8,618.0	4,207	180.4
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	571,013	49,134	8,604.7	1,161	203.3
East Stroudsburg, PA	168,032	14,369	8,551.3	307	182.7
Erie, PA	273,835	20,536	7,499.4	405	147.9

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