In 24 U.S states, Covid infections are creeping higher, mainly in colder states a

Infections edge higher in 24 states as weather turns colder; Britain approves Merck pill for COVID patients: Live updates COVID-19 infections appear to be creeping higher in about half of U.S. states as winter approaches. Is there another surge? Latest news. John Bacon and Lindsay Schnell USA TODAY

COVID-19 infections appear to be creeping higher in about half of U.S. states as winter approaches, suggesting that the nation may not have seen the last of the delta variant surge of the virus that throughout the pandemic has killed more than 750,000 Americans.

Cases rose week-over-week in 24 states in the seven-day period that ended Wednesday, a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data suggests. The rolling average of seven-day case counts nationwide has more or less leveled off around 500,000 over the last 10 days after weeks of broad, steady decline.

It's too soon to know the impact of colder weather as outdoor gatherings wane and people head indoors. Cases are rising, however, primarily in colder states that hadn't been as hard-hit in the worst of the delta wave. They included Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin.

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