As summer continues, the US is grappling with its most significant COVID-19 surge since July 2022. According to the CDC’s wastewater dashboard, levels of viral activity in wastewater have reached their highest point for a summer wave since that time.
On August 10, the national COVID-19 wastewater viral activity level hit 8.82, just shy of the peak of 9.56 recorded in July 2022. The CDC acknowledges that this data is preliminary and subject to change. Prior to this recent increase, the viral activity level was at a low of 1.36 in May.
Dr. Jonathan Yoder, deputy director of the CDC’s Wastewater Surveillance Program, reports, “Currently, the COVID-19 wastewater viral activity level is very high nationally, with the Western US region experiencing the highest levels. This year’s wave has arrived earlier than last year, which peaked in late August to early September.”
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While emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and deaths are rising, the increase is not as pronounced as the surge in infections. By the end of July, approximately 4 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 per 100,000 individuals, up from a low of about 1 per 100,000 in May—the lowest hospitalization rate since the pandemic began.
Data from the nationwide WastewaterSCAN network confirms these trends. Dr. Marlene Wolfe, an assistant professor at Emory University, states, “This is a very significant surge. The levels are the highest we’ve ever seen during a summer wave.” However, she notes that current levels are still below the peak concentrations observed during winter surges in previous years.
The reliance on wastewater data to monitor COVID-19 cases has increased as tracking efforts have diminished since the end of the public health emergency. Despite the limitations of wastewater data—such as variations in flow and virus shedding—there remains a strong correlation between wastewater virus levels and infection rates.
The current surge is attributed to waning immunity and a trio of new variants that have evolved enough to partially evade existing immunity. This uptick in cases coincides with children returning to school, potentially accelerating the spread of the virus.
The exact timing of this surge’s peak remains uncertain. Dr. Peter Hotez from Texas Children’s Hospital mentions that wastewater numbers in Houston are still high and have plateaued at elevated levels for several weeks.
Compounding the issue is the delay in the availability of updated COVID-19 vaccines, designed to better address the new variants. Although the FDA has not yet approved these updated vaccines, they are expected to be available in the coming weeks. Dr. William Schaffner from Vanderbilt University anticipates these vaccines will be ready by late September.
In the meantime, experts recommend several precautions to mitigate personal risk. Dr. Hotez advises getting vaccinated as soon as the updated shots are available. He also suggests wearing N95 or KN95 masks in crowded indoor spaces and considering antiviral treatments like Paxlovid if you test positive. Stocking up on COVID-19 tests to distinguish between symptoms caused by the virus and other illnesses is also prudent.
Stay informed and take necessary precautions as the situation evolves. For more updates, visit 22kaday.com.