The United States is currently grappling with a concerning surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations as the Labor Day weekend approaches. According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 15,067 new hospitalizations of COVID patients reported for the week ending on August 19. This represents an alarming 18.8% increase compared to the previous week and an astonishing 86.9% rise over the past month. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that this figure is nearly 61% lower than the corresponding period last year. The trend of rising COVID hospital admissions has persisted for seven consecutive weeks, and the CDC anticipates that daily COVID admissions could range from 1,700 to 9,700 by the end of September.
In Los Angeles County, the situation is particularly concerning, with COVID cases doubling in the last month, according to data from the L.A. County Department of Public Health. Skilled nursing facilities have been especially hard-hit, with Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer noting that this level of outbreaks has been rare in the past year and a half. Meanwhile, in New Jersey, approximately one in four nursing homes is reporting COVID outbreaks, according to the New Jersey Department of Health.
The surge in cases has also led to increased demand for in-person and at-home COVID testing, causing concerns about potential shortages. Retailers and pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS have observed a surge in demand for testing, though CVS maintains that it has sufficient supplies to meet customer needs. Contributing to the spread of the virus are three new COVID variants, namely EG.5, FL.1.5.1, and BA.2.86, with varying prevalence rates.
Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has expressed concern about the situation. Some hospital systems and medical facilities have reinstated mask mandates, particularly for individuals who are older, have underlying health conditions, are immunocompromised, or pregnant. Additionally, the CDC has indicated that a new COVID booster is expected to be available to the public by the end of September, emphasizing the importance of ongoing protection against this persistent and evolving virus.
(Source: Elaine Quijano | CBS)
