With more Americans traveling for summer vacations and gathering indoors during scorching heat waves, COVID-19 infections are again on the rise.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates infections are growing or likely growing in 39 states. While the agency no longer keeps track of the number of coronavirus cases, its latest data is based on emergency department visits and wastewater testing in each state.
Most of the states where infections are believed to be growing are along the coasts, including California, Oregon, Washington, Florida, Maryland, Virginia and the Carolinas. Some states in the Northeast, Deep South and Great Lakes region have also been labeled as “growing.”
Based on the data, California, Arizona and Florida are experiencing the highest percentage of probability for an increase in infections.
The CDC said there are no states that are showing a decline in cases, however, there are some that have a stable number including Alaska, Nevada, Utah, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Iowa, Tennessee, Ohio and Connecticut.
COVID-19 test positivity increased from 5.4% to 6.6% in the second week of June, the CDC said, suggesting the anticipated summer wave of infections has begun.
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Historically, coronavirus cases have spiked in the summer because of travel and other factors.
The primary variant seen in cases across the country is still KP.3, a member of the FLiRT variant group that has dominated cases for the past several months. This family of mutations – which includes any variant starting with KP or JN — is identifiable by a specific position in the spike protein, according to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The CDC’s guidance for preventing a COVID-19 infection and limiting the spread still includes getting vaccinated, disinfecting and ventilating your home, social distancing and wearing a mask. If you do get infected, the latest guidance is to stay home and away from others until your symptoms have improved and you have not had a fever for at least 24 hours. You should still take precautions for the following five days.
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