COVID-19 Rising Again In Washington D.C. And 12 Other States In America

COVID-19 News: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has raised the alarm about a potential resurgence of COVID-19 in the United States. According to their latest data, COVID-19 infections are increasing in at least 12 states and the District of Columbia. This rise comes after a period of relative calm during the spring, prompting health authorities to closely monitor the situation for signs of a broader acceleration.


COVID-19 Rising Again In Washington D.C. And 12 Other States In America

States Experiencing a Surge
The states currently seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases include Alaska, Arizona, California, Washington D.C., Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Texas, and Washington state. The data, which is based on emergency department visits, indicates that the virus is starting to gain momentum once more.
 
This uptick is occurring even though most parts of the country continue to report "low" or "minimal" levels of respiratory illness activity according to U.S. CDC benchmarks. This pattern mirrors previous years when COVID-19 spread slowed down during the spring and early summer. Despite the rise in cases, the overall numbers remain significantly lower than last summer's peak.
https://www.cdc.gov/forecast-outbreak-analytics/about/rt-estimates.html
 
Analyzing the Numbers
As of May 10, an average of 0.3% of emergency room patients nationwide were diagnosed with COVID-19, a stark contrast to the nearly 3% seen in late August of the previous year. Reported cases in nursing homes also remain close to record lows. Preliminary data from the CDC's COVID-19 wastewater surveillance supports this, showing minimal virus levels nationwide, though there are indications of an upward trend in some areas in the West.
 
How reliable are all these official COVID-19 data is questionable. With America having an election year, the current administration is doing all it can to downplay or conceal the real impact of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and also the imminent H5N1 outbreak.  Social media platforms are filled with post of Americans being persistently sick either due to Long COVID, the COVID-19 vaccines or new infections. Hospitals and healthcare staff are reporting rising infections. However, local COVID-19 News coverages on counties experiencing a rise in new COVID-19 cases are limited as the White House has indirectly controlled numerous media outlets via various strategies.
 
Understanding the New Variants
The current surge is largely driven by two new omicron subvariants, known as KP.1.1 and KP.2, or informally, the "FLiRT" variants. These strains are closely related to the JN.1 variant from the past winter's wave but have minor changes that might be enabling them to spread more effectively. The U.S. CDC estimates that KP.2 accounts for about 25% of current infections, while KP.1.1 makes up about 7.5%.
 
U.S. CDC officials are not currently concerned that these variants are causing more severe illness. A CDC spokesperson stated, "Based on current data there are no indicators that KP.2 would cause more severe illness than other strains. CDC will continue to monitor community transmission of the virus and how vaccines perform against this strain."
 
However newer sub-lineages such as KP.3 and LB.1 with more worrisome mutations on them are also catching up and likely to become predominant soon and expected to wreak havoc according to some experts.
 
The Science Behind FLiRT Variants
The mutations present in the FLiRT variants are primarily on the spike protein's receptor binding domain, the part of the virus that connects with human cells to establish infection. These mutations help the virus evade some of the immunity built up from past infections or vaccines. "When those mutations are present, antibodies can't get to the part of the spike protein they want to block infection," explained an infectious disease expert.
 
These changes have allowed the FLiRT variants to overtake JN.1 as the most dominant strains in the country. The variants are spreading more easily, though they do not seem to make people sicker than previous strains. The symptoms remain similar, including sore throat, cough, fatigue, congestion, runny nose, headache, muscle aches, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing.
 
What the Future Holds
Experts believe that the rise in cases could continue, especially as people's immunity wanes. Furthermore despite whatever that is being said, the emerging sub-lineages are not only more transmissible but are also more immune evasive.
 
Also, with more people expected to go out during the coming Summer, "It really also comes down to human behavior. If it's a very hot summer and people go indoors, suddenly the conditions become more favorable to spread any kind of germs because people are in a crowded area."
 
The U.S. CDC and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) have both emphasized that the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, is constantly mutating. New variants will continue to emerge, some of which may spread more easily or be resistant to current treatments and vaccines. However, despite the potential for higher transmission rates, the overall severity of illness remains unchanged for now.
 
The Role of Vaccination and Public Health Measures
The CDC continues to advocate for vaccinations and booster shots as the most effective tools against COVID-19 despite contrary observations seen by many. They claim that current vaccines are believed to provide partial protection against the new variants, reducing the likelihood of severe illness and hospitalization. They are also ignoring all signals about the adverse effects of these vaccines.
 
Public health measures, such as wearing masks in crowded indoor settings and maintaining good hygiene, remain critical in controlling the spread of the virus. The CDC also encourages those experiencing symptoms to take a PCR test to confirm infection and prevent further transmission.
 
Conclusion
The rise in COVID-19 cases in Washington D.C. and 12 other states serves as a reminder that the pandemic is not over. While the overall numbers are still lower than previous peaks, the emergence of new variants and the potential for increased transmission require vigilance. Continued monitoring and adherence to public health guidelines are essential in managing this ongoing public health challenge. In reality, Americans simply have to take precautionary measures on their own and also find ways to survive the COVID-19 crisis by themselves.
 
For the latest COVID-19 News, keep on logging to Thailand Medical News.

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