What you need to know
- Several COVID-19 indicators showed small increases.
- The World Health Organization is monitoring a new COVID-19 subvariant.
- Deaths are not increasing, which is good news.
This week, the CDC reported that the U.S. saw an increase in most COVID-19 metrics. The agency said that hospital admissions, emergency department visits, test positivity, and wastewater levels all showed small increases nationally. Plus, the World Health Organization said it’s now monitoring a new subvariant, EG.5, that has been spreading around the world since late May.
Does this mean there will be a summer wave? Indicators are hinting at that, but it’s hard to tell. Read on to find out more about what this means.
Which COVID-19 indicators are increasing?
This week, the CDC reported that the United States saw slight increases in most COVID-19 indicators: hospital admissions, emergency department visits, test positivity, and wastewater levels. However, deaths have not increased, which is a good sign. A CDC spokesperson said in a statement that “U.S. COVID-19 rates are still near historic lows after 7 months of steady declines.” Additionally, excess deaths are almost at zero, thanks partly to the fact that 81.4 percent of the U.S. population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
What should I know about EG.5?
EG.5 is an Omicron subvariant and a descendant of XBB.1.9.2 that the World Health Organization added to the list of variants it’s monitoring as of July 19. The subvariant has been spreading around the world since May, and in the U.S., its proportion has increased over the last few weeks. However, WHO says there’s no evidence so far that EG.5 is contributing to an increase in cases or deaths or that it’s making cases more severe.
Will there be a summer wave?
It’s unclear. The CDC is no longer monitoring new COVID-19 cases, so we rely on other indicators, like the ones mentioned above. It’s a good sign that the increases have been small and that deaths haven’t increased. However, if you’re at high risk, it’s good to be cautious. At a July 19 briefing, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “WHO continues to advise people at high risk to wear a mask in crowded places, to get boosters when recommended, and to ensure adequate ventilation indoors.”
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