Los Angeles, California – In a concerning trend, Covid cases are surging across the United States with infections on the rise in 39 states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that Covid cases are not decreasing anywhere in the country, signaling the start of an anticipated summer wave. The latest data shows a 25% increase in hospitalizations from May 26 to June 1, highlighting the growing impact of the virus.
California, in particular, is experiencing a significant uptick in infections, with high levels of coronavirus detected in wastewater since May. The positivity rate for Covid tests in California has risen from 3% to 7.5% in the past month. Dr. Thomas Russo, chief of infectious diseases at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, noted that it looks like the summer wave is beginning.
Experts attribute the spike in infections to the emergence of new variants, such as KP.2, KP.3, and LB.1, which are descendants of the JN.1 variant that dominated this winter. These variants, collectively known as FLiRT, now account for 63% of Covid infections in the U.S. LB.1, responsible for 17.5% of infections, is rapidly growing and expected to become dominant soon.
A recent preprint paper suggests that LB.1 could be more infectious and better at evading protection from vaccines than the FLiRT variants. Dr. Dan Barouch, from the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, highlighted the potential threat posed by these new variants.
As the summer progresses, factors like increased travel, indoor gatherings, and the punishing heat wave sweeping across the country could further fuel the spread of the virus. With Fourth of July celebrations on the horizon, experts are concerned that cases will continue to rise, especially among vulnerable populations.
Recommendations to combat the surge include getting vaccinated with the latest Covid vaccines, particularly for those at higher risk. Monoclonal antibody treatments such as Pemgarda and antiviral medication Paxlovid are available for immunocompromised individuals. The FDA has advised vaccine manufacturers to target the KP.2 variant with updated vaccines expected to arrive in the fall.
Despite the evolving nature of the virus and the emergence of new variants, experts believe that the updated vaccines should still provide protection against the current strains. As the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices prepares to decide on the distribution of the updated vaccines, the focus remains on controlling the spread of Covid and protecting public health.