As the United States grapples with rising Covid-19 cases, fueled by new variants, what has traditionally been an annual summer surge appears to be well underway. While Covid-19 surveillance measures have been significantly scaled back since the end of the public health emergency over a year ago, current data points to a concerning upward trend in infections across at least 38 states, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Although wastewater surveillance indicates relatively low viral activity, hospitalizations and deaths are on the rise. Particularly in the Western and Southern regions of the country, Covid-19 levels are notably high, reaching levels similar to those observed back in February.
Dr. Robert Hopkins, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, attributes this seasonal resurgence to favorable warm and moist conditions prevalent in these regions during the summer months. However, he cautions that the behavior of the virus remains unpredictable.
Experts like Hopkins suggest that while a summer surge has become a familiar pattern, it is premature to predict its trajectory. The virus’s prevalence and intensity have varied, with recent years seeing both summer and winter peaks. Whether Covid-19 will establish itself as a year-round concern or maintain a seasonal presence is still uncertain.
WastewaterSCAN, a nationwide sewage surveillance network operated in collaboration with Stanford University and Emory University, indicates that this year’s summer wave began earlier than last year’s and has reached levels comparable to previous peaks.
Dr. Marlene Wolfe, program director for WastewaterSCAN, underscores the complexities underlying Covid-19’s seasonal dynamics and the influence of new variants, such as the FLiRT variants. These variants, characterized by mutations that enhance transmissibility and evade immune responses, now account for a significant proportion of new infections in the US, according to CDC data.
As the nation navigates this latest surge, characterized by the prevalence of newer Covid-19 variants, ongoing monitoring and public health measures remain critical to mitigating the virus’s impact and safeguarding public health.
