cases are climbing across the United States as the virus enters another seasonal wave. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 infections are increasing or likely to increase in almost all states.
Experts caution that susceptible populations may still experience severe illness even if the increase remains far below the levels observed during previous pandemic waves.
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Dr Syra Madad, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Harvard’s Belfer Center and chief biopreparedness officer for New York City’s public hospitals, told USA TODAY that infections are rising nationally but from a low baseline. She said the increase became visible in parts of the South and West in July before spreading more widely by late July and early August.
The Hill reported that the wastewater surveillance, which tracks virus levels through community sewage samples, also shows COVID activity increasing. Data from WastewaterSCAN, a Stanford University-led monitoring programme, indicates coronavirus concentrations rose 105% in August compared with July.
The data collected from wastewater testing have detected increased activity in the states of Hawaii and Mississippi. Several states, such as California, Florida, Texas and Washington, have recorded higher levels compared to much of the country.
Why is COVID rising again?
In contrast to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza, COVID-19 has not established a single annual season. According to experts, there are currently two main waves of the virus, which typically occur in the summer and the winter.
CDC attributes the summer increase to a combination of factors. During the hotter months, people spend more time indoors in air-conditioned spaces, where limited ventilation can increase transmission. Late summer also brings more social gatherings and the return of children to school. This creates more opportunities for the virus to spread.
Dr Michael Mina, chief medical officer at biopharmaceutical company Invivyd and former Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health professor, said COVID waves have followed a consistent pattern in recent years. He noted that infections often begin rising around early to mid-July, after which it accelerates.
Moreover, new variants can partially evade immunity from previous infections and vaccinations.Dr Andrew Handel, a paediatric infectious diseases specialist at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, said COVID mutations accumulate over time and contribute to repeated infections.
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Despite rising infections, health officials say the current increase does not resemble earlier pandemic surges. Hospitalisations and emergency department visits linked to COVID-19 remain low.
Madad described the current situation as just a “summer wave.” CDC reported that as of August 21, a few people were seeking medical attention due to acute respiratory sickness or COVID-19
However, she warned that older adults, infants, and people with weakened immune systems remain at higher risk.
