COVID "likely growing" in these states, CDC estimates

COVID-19 infections are present apt increasing successful astatine slightest 12 states and the District of Columbia, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated Friday, arsenic wellness authorities are watching for signs the virus mightiness beryllium starting to accelerate again aft a springtime lull.

Based connected information analyzed by the bureau from emergency section visits, CDC modeling suggests COVID-19 infections are expanding successful Alaska, Arizona, California, Washington D.C., Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Texas and Washington state.

Map from the CDC showing states wherever COVID infections are estimated to beryllium either expanding oregon decreasing, arsenic of May 14, 2024. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The uptick comes arsenic astir each parts of the state stay astatine "low" oregon "minimal" levels of alleged "respiratory unwellness activity" nether the CDC's benchmarks, akin to erstwhile years' slowdowns successful COVID-19's dispersed implicit the outpouring and aboriginal summer.

An mean of 0.3% of exigency country patients done May 10 were diagnosed with COVID-19 nationwide, acold beneath past summer's highest astatine astir 3% successful precocious August. Reported COVID-19 cases in nursing homes besides stay adjacent to grounds lows nationwide.

Preliminary information from the CDC's COVID-19 wastewater surveillance besides estimates that levels of the microorganism stay "minimal" nationwide, though microorganism levels look to beryllium trending up successful sewersheds from the West.

The ascendant strains of the microorganism circulating astatine the infinitesimal are known arsenic KP.2 and KP.1.1, informally nicknamed the "FLiRT" variants. Health officials person said the 2 strains are intimately related to the JN.1 variant from this past winter's wave, isolated from 2 insignificant changes that mightiness beryllium enabling them to spread.

A CDC spokesperson said connected May 10 that the bureau does not deliberation the variants are "causing an summation successful infections arsenic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is low."

"Based connected existent information determination are nary indicators that KP.2 would origin much terrible unwellness than different strains. CDC volition proceed to show assemblage transmission of the microorganism and however vaccines execute against this strain," the spokesperson had said.

In:
• COVID-19
• COVID-19 Pandemic
• Coronavirus