It’s that time of year again, the season of road trips, pool parties, afternoon thunderstorms—and skyrocketing COVID-19 infections . The virus has spread far and wide this summer; President Joe Biden tested positive in July and, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 40 athletes at the Paris Olympics have been infected with COVID or other respiratory illnesses. “COVID-19 is still very much with us,” Dr.
Maria Van Kerkhove , WHO interim director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, said during a news conference Tuesday. “Data from our sentinel-based surveillance system across 84 countries reports that the percent of positive tests for SARS-CoV-2 has been rising over several weeks.” In the U.
S., infections, emergency room visits, and deaths are all on the rise. Test positivity was projected to exceed 16% the week ending July 27, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
That’s higher than any other summer surge since the pandemic began in 2020. Hospitalizations were starting to dip the week ending July 27 after having increased since May. Viral activity in wastewater is currently “high,” the second-most severe rating.
A new Omicron subvariant is in town, too, with KP.3.1.
1 accounting for 28% of infections nationwide in the two-week period ending Aug. 3. Not to mention, the updated COVID vaccine isn’t yet available.
How, then, can you keep yourself and your loved ones healthy as you continue your summer adv.