COVID-19 Threat Grows This Summer

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that COVID-19 infections are growing in 45 states as of July 9 data. While the amount of respiratory illness that cause people to seek healthcare is nationally low, COVID-19 activity is increasing in many areas. COVID-19 test positivity, emergency department visits, and rates of COVID-19–associated hospitalizations are increasing—particularly among adults 65+, as well as in western states. In Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada, test positivity reached 15.6%, the CDC reported, and viral activity in wastewater has been rising over the past month. Nationally, the wastewater viral activity level for COVID-19 is currently high.

Recent increases in activity level are up from very low levels in May 2024, when they were lower than at any time since March 2020. The CDC will continue to closely monitor trends in COVID-19 activity.

Additionally, new groups of COVID variants, nicknamed the “FLiRT” variants, are dominating across the U.S., according to CDC data. The variants, identified as KP.1.1, KP.3, and KP.2, collectively make up more than 54% of COVID cases in the U.S. KP.3 in particular made up the most cases of any variant at 24.5% of cases, according to the latest forecasting data. Still, data sources haven’t given any indication that these variants cause more severe disease, according to CBS News.