Why are COVID levels so high right now?
Over half of our states report that COVID levels are poised to continue after this summerlong rise.
The latest CDC wastewater monitoring data shows that 27 states detect “very high” levels of SARS-CoV-2. The title “very high” indicates the highest viral activity level used by the agency. There are other signs that the summer COVID wave is nowhere near ending its climb.
The rate of positive COVID tests reported to the CDC is now over 17%, up from 0.3% in early May. To put things into perspective: The rate of positive COVID tests is at its highest level since about 2 years ago.
The CDC recommends staying alert as to whether respiratory viruses like COVID are causing a lot of illness in an individual’s community.
We also know that an updated COVID-19 vaccine that’s recommended for all people ages 6 months and older will be available by the end of this fall. Until then, here are the 12 states where COVID levels are soaring through the roof!