COVID-19 cases in the United States remain generally low; however, there has been a noticeable increase in infections in certain regions, particularly in the Southeast, South, and West. This information was shared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in their latest update on respiratory virus activity.
Despite the overall low national rates with just 0.5% of emergency department visits attributed to COVID-19, there has been a 10.9% increase in these visits from the previous week, especially among children under four years old. Additionally, the test positivity rate has climbed slightly to 4.8%, marking a rise of 1.1 percentage points from the prior week.
In terms of wastewater monitoring, SARS-CoV-2 detections have also shown an upward trend. After being at low levels earlier this summer, the latest readings indicate low levels of detection, particularly in states like California, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nevada, South Carolina, and Texas.
The CDC has not updated its variant proportion projections since mid-June, citing a lack of reported sequences, but their previous data suggested an increase in newer subvariants, including NB.1.8.1 and XFG.
Overall, while COVID-19 is still manageable in the U.S., the slight increases in cases and hospital visits remind us to remain vigilant. Continued monitoring and appropriate health measures can help control the spread as we move forward.