As Europe works to contain a surge in coronavirus cases, we’re left to question if a second wave will come through the United States.
Data released by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control showed five countries in the region with more than 120 confirmed cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days.
Recommended Videos
Spain was ranked top of the grim table, with almost all of its regions colored crimson on a map that also showed swathes of dark red spreading across southern France, the Czech Republic, Croatia and Romania.
[TRENDING: Gang feud leaves 3-year-old dead | Man steals cat blood from clinic | How can I tell difference between flu and COVID-19?]
There is particular concern that infections, currently affecting mainly working-age people, could creep back into the vulnerable elderly population and lead to a spike in deaths.
The United Kingdom is putting restrictions back into place, however, officials said the new plans will not be as strict as when the virus was first discovered.
Health officials have been claiming that a second wave of COVID-19 could strike the U.S. in the fall. For most states, the seasons have already begun to change and a crisp autumn breeze is already present.
Experts also worry the spike that could coincide with the flu season. The combination of viruses could eventually overburden the healthcare system.
[MORE: Do I have the flu or COVID-19? Here’s how to tell]
Health experts said people usually get infected by four common coronaviruses that were first identified in the mid-1960s, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those viruses tend to peak in the winter.
[RELATED: Second wave of coronavirus to likely hit the U.S. this fall]
Dr. Greg Poland, a professor of medicine and infectious diseases at the Mayo Clinic, told CNN that SARS-CoV-2, the technical name for the novel coronavirus that causes Covid-19, is likely to follow that pattern.
If that were the case, a second wave of the coronavirus would return just in time for the beginning of flu season.
While there is still no official word that a second wave has come, more than 20 states are reporting an uptick in cases.
The rise in cases are being seen mostly across the US heartland and Midwest. Across the nation, the U.S. is averaging more than 43,000 new cases per day. That number is close to double what the country was averaging back in June.
Do you think the United States is prepared for a second wave? Share your answer in the comments below.