The U.S. is experiencing its largest wave in COVID-19 cases since January.
To help public health experts stop outbreaks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to test wastewater, which acts as an early warning system for outbreaks.
Wastewater sample data shows a regional trend of COVID-19 is significantly growing. Right now, the KP.3.1.1 variant makes up nearly 37% of the cases; its related strain KP.3 follows at 17%, according to CDC data. Data collected late last week by the CDC showed that 32 states have reported “very high” levels of wastewater viral activity nationwide.
COVID-19 wastewater monitoring by region
Even in cases when a community’s residents are not showing symptoms, it is possible to test wastewater for the presence of infectious diseases. The data from the CDC can detect possible changes in the levels of illnesses in your region.
Certain regions have been more severely affected than others. Western states have had the most reported cases, followed by the South.
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States face COVID-19 late-summer surge
The CDC estimates that COVID-19 infections will grow or likely grow in 25 states, decline or likely decline in five states, and remain stable in 17 states.
“At this point, COVID-19 can be described as endemic throughout the world,” Aron Hall, deputy director for science at the CDC’s coronavirus and other respiratory viruses division, told NPR in an interview.
CDC’s projected COVID-19 growth status by state:
When is a disease endemic, epidemic or a pandemic?
According the CDC a disease is defined as:
More: CDC says COVID is at ‘very high’ activity levels in some US states: See latest data
There’s a new dominant COVID-19 variant: FLirT
The COVID-19 virus continues to be a notorious shape-shifter.
Today there are more than 26 variants of the original COVID-19 strain. The newest variant, FLirT, includes KP.3, KP.3.1.1. and KP.2 Since early spring, these strains have been the fastest-growing omicron subvariants circulating in all U.S. regions.
U.S. faces COVID-19 surge ahead of schools reopening
Several states across the country have experienced a rise in COVID-19 cases over the summer before children head back to school.
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Symptoms of COVID-19
A breakdown of possible symptoms:
The FLirT variant symptoms are typically milder than past variants from the pandemic, which include fever, coughing, exhaustion and loss of smell or taste, according the Johns Hopkins University. On the CDC’s website, symptoms can range in severity from mild to severe and can appear two to 14 days after a viral exposure.
CONTRIBUTING Ahjané Forbes and George Petras
SOURCES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Johns Hopkins University, and USA TODAY research
Rohit Malhotra is a medical expert and health journalist who offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being. His articles aim to help readers lead healthier lives.
