As of May 18, Maine has the highest COVID-19 reproduction rate, while Montana has the lowest, according to rt.live, a website that calculates the rate at which the virus is spreading in all 50 states.
Measured by the average number of people who become sick from an infectious person, the site tracks the effective reproduction rate (Rt) of COVID-19 infections. If the value is less than one, the spread of the disease is slowing. The higher the Rt number is, the worse the spread.
Editor's note: Due to ties, lists may not end on No. 7.
Seven states with fastest spread of COVID-19
1. Maine — 1.01
2. Minnesota — 1.00
3. North Dakota — 0.98
4. Utah — 0.96
Wisconsin — 0.96
5. Maryland — 0.95
Wyoming — 0.95
6. Mississippi — 0.93
Seven states with slowest spread of COVID-19
1. Montana — 0.59
2. Alaska — 0.69
3. Hawaii — 0.70
4. Vermont — 0.73
5. Georgia — 0.77
Missouri — 0.77
6. Louisiana — 0.78