Aug. 13, 2024 – More than half of U.S. states are reporting signs that COVID levels are poised to continue their summerlong rise.
The latest CDC wastewater monitoring data shows that 27 U.S. states are detecting “very high” levels of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID. The label “very high” indicates the highest viral activity level used by the agency. There are four lower levels that can be reported: minimal, low, moderate, and high. Nationwide, the lowest level being reported is moderate, and there are no states reporting low or minimal levels.
“If you see increased Wastewater Viral Activity Levels of SARS-CoV-2, it might indicate that there is a higher risk of infection,” the CDC warns.
There are other signs that the summer COVID wave is nowhere near ending its now 13-week consecutive climb. The rate of positive COVID tests reported to the CDC is now more than 17%, up from 0.3% in early May. The rate of positive COVID tests is at its highest level since about 2 years ago. The region of the U.S. that includes Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Arkansas had the highest combined regional positive rate of 24% for the week ending Aug. 3.
The CDC recommends staying alert as to whether respiratory viruses like COVID are causing a lot of illness in a person’s community. The CDC still offers a county-level search tool to understand local COVID levels to help people make decisions about prevention efforts, such as wearing a mask in public.
An updated COVID vaccine that is recommend for all people ages 6 months and older will be available later this fall.
