Created by Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, rt.live is a real-time tracker of exactly how fast COVID-19 is spreading in each state. The site focuses on up-to-date values for something called Rt, “the average number of people who become infected by an infectious person.” According to the site, if Rt is above 1.0, the virus will spread quickly; when Rt is below 1.0, the virus will stop spreading.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. As of June 29, Nevada has the highest estimated rate of transmission of 1.64, per the site. Montana and Florida have estimated transmission rates of 1.41 and 1.4, respectively. The areas with the lowest estimated rates are Connecticut and Washington, D.C., each at 0.77. For comparison, you can see how Nevada has spiked on the far right on the graph below. The site’s chart for Nevada demonstrates how bad things are for the state, and reflects how the “curve” went up notably after a shelter-at-home mandate ended on May 8. Nevada has been fairly aggressive in reopening parts of its economy, particularly major tourist destinations like the casinos in Las Vegas. Medical and public healthcare experts have identified poorly ventilated and highly trafficked indoor areas—like casinos—as among the most dangerous places to contract the virus. Appearing on CNBC, Systrom noted that 34 states in the U.S. have an estimated rate of coronavirus transmission above 1.0. “You have an incredible rebound,” said Systrom. “People like to say we’re not in a second wave. I don’t know what a second wave [is] if that’s not a second wave.” And for more on the rise of cases across the country, This Is Exactly Why Coronavirus Cases Are Surging, Harvard Doctor Says.
