Replace "state" with "Country_Region" and you can search for other Countrys
uri = URI("https://services1.arcgis.com/0MSEUqKaxRlEPj5g/arcgis/rest/services/ncov_cases/FeatureServer/1/query?f=json&where=Country_Region%3D'#{encoded_state}'&outFields=Confirmed,Recovered,Deaths")
Maybe @atheos can add a fallback search for Country/Region if a search for the state failed? :)