Highly Contagious Variants Drive
Covid-
19 Uptick In These States
Fresh surveillance shows COVID-19 is quietly heating up at the height of summer, fueling concerns about travel plans and back-to-school prep.
States in the darkest shade of purple are seeing the most growth in COVID-19 cases.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) time-varying reproductive number dashboard, seven states now have a rate above 1.2, meaning each infected person is, on average, passing the virus to more than one other individual.
Louisiana tops the list with an Rt of 1.28, followed closely by Florida (1.24), Nevada (1.22), and Hawaii (1.21). Texas, Mississippi and Alabama are hovering just above the 1.15 mark, signaling sustained but slower growth.
The uptick is also showing up in wastewater.
Nationally, SARS-CoV-2 concentrations have risen about 30 percent in the last month, but the jump is far steeper in the Gulf Coast region, where viral readings are roughly double what they were in early June, CDC’s National Wastewater Surveillance System indicates.
Public-health officials say wastewater tends to act as a two- to three-week early warning, suggesting reported cases and hospitalizations could tick up later this month.
What’s driving the current rise? Virologists point to two variants that are offshoots of the highly transmissible Omicron strain that account for the majority of US cases”
- NB.1.8.1 also known as Nimbus, which causes a painful razor blade throat” – 43 percent of cases
- LP.8.1 – 31 percent of cases
Add in scorching temperatures that push people into air-conditioned indoor spaces, a busy summer travel season, and waning immunity for those who skipped last fall’s booster, and the conditions are primed for a modest summer wave.
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Earlier report – COVID-19: ‘Razor-Blade Throat’ Variant Spreading Rapidly In US
Earlier report – COVID-19: ‘Razor-Blade Throat’ Variant Spreading Rapidly In US
Health officials stress quick treatment for high-risk groups and urge sick workers to stay home to help blunt the wave.
Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
