COVID-19 levels in the United States were at their lowest of the pandemic in April and May, but growth in activity across several states indicate the possible start of a summer rise, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its latest respiratory disease snapshot.
“CDC will continue to monitor to see if these recent increases persist,” the agency said, adding that rates of COVID hospitalizations are rising in adults ages 65 and older in some western locations.
Activity rises in West
On X yesterday, the California Department of Public Health said it is seeing an uptick in COVID activity in the state and it urged people to take steps to prevent disease spread, such as staying home and testing when sick, seeking treatment if positive, and masking when indoors.
COVID-19 test positivity and emergency department (ED) visits, considered early indicators, are up from very low levels. Nationally, ED visits were up 23.3% from the week before, with Hawaii in the highest category, and a few western states reporting higher levels than the country as a whole, according to the latest CDC COVID data. Test positivity rose slightly to 8.1% and is highest in Hawaii and western regions of the country.
Wastewater SARS-CoV-2 detections are still classified as low nationally, but trends show a steep rise in the West and a more modest rise in the South.
In updated SARS-CoV-2 variant proportion estimates last week, the CDC reported another jump in the KP.3 variant, one of the offshoots of JN.1 that is thought to have greater capacity to evade earlier immunity from natural infection or vaccination.
Dr. Debi Johnson is a medical expert and health journalist dedicated to promoting well-being. With a background in medicine, she offers evidence-based insights into health trends and wellness practices. Beyond her reporting, Dr. Debi enjoys hiking, yoga, and empowering others to lead healthier lives.
