CLEVELAND, Ohio The virus just keeps on mutating. Offspring of the troublesome omicron variant are causing another spike in COVID-19 cases.
The new variants are wilier at evading protection from prior infections and immunizations, health experts say. An updated vaccine is coming this fall, but will it be enough to ward off increases in sickness and hospitalizations this winter especially if people ignore the shots?
The Ohio Department of Health on Thursday reported 3,896 new cases in the last week, marking the seventh consecutive week of increasing case numbers. This compares to just 890 cases reported on May 30, and more than double the 1,678 cases during the third week in July last year.
Hospitalizations are also up, with the state health department reporting 124 new patients in the last week, up from 34 the week of June 6 and only 53 at the same time last year. These numbers include people with COVID-19 hospitalized for any reason, even if COVID-19 is not the cause for being hospitalized, but do reflect a changing trend.
Yet for both cases and hospitalizations, the numbers are far below where they once were, including 26,610 cases and 690 hospitalizations the third week of July two years ago, and the far higher winter highs.
Ohios current trend of rising case numbers follows the national trend, where there have been consistent increases in COVID-19 cases in many parts of the country, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Test positivity, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations the main markers the CDC uses to gauge virus activity are all rising, especially in seniors and in western states.
The summer wave of COVID-19 has affected President Joe Biden, who tested positive for the virus this week. The White House said Biden, who previously had COVID-19 in 2022, had mild symptoms and planned to self-isolate at his home in Rehoboth, Delaware, while continuing to work.
What are the new variants causing the summer surge in COVID-19, and do they make people sicker? With the summer travel season underway, should everyone wear masks on planes?
Below are answers to these and other questions from Amy Ray, MetroHealth vice president of Infection Prevention and Epidemiology; Dr. Hareesh Singam, infectious disease specialist, Cleveland Clinic; and Dr. Amy Edwards, associate medical director of pediatric infection control at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Childrens Hospital.
Additional information was supplied by Yale Medicine, USA Today, the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy in Minnesota, the CDC, Medpage Today and the Food and Drug Administration.
Q: We have seen an increase in the weekly number of COVID-19 cases in June and July. What are the reasons for the rising case numbers?
As with most spikes in COVID-19 cases, the current increase is mostly being driven by new variants. The new variants are labeled KP.2 and KP.3 (collectively known as the FLiRT variants) and LB.1, Singam said
Currently, FLiRT and LB.1 are circulating widely in the United States. The variant KP.3 alone is estimated to account for nearly 40% of the new COVID-19 illnesses across the country, Singam said.
While case numbers have risen recently, the rate of hospitalizations remains quite low.
Q: What are the new omicron variants causing the upswing in cases?
In April, a group of new virus strains known as the FLiRT variants (based on the technical names of their two mutations) began to spread, followed in June by a variant known as LB.1.
The LB.1 and FLiRT are subvariants of omicron, the highly transmissible variant that fueled a spike in cases in late 2021.
The LB.1 strain is similar to the FLiRT variants but with an additional mutation.
Viruses mutate all the time, so Im not surprised to see a new coronavirus variant taking over, Yale Medicine infectious diseases specialist Dr. Scott Roberts said in an article on the Yale Medicine website. And Im guessing it will continue to mutate.
The FLiRT strains -- which include KP.3, KP.2 and KP.1.1 made up the majority of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. at the beginning of July. KP.3, was responsible for 36.9% of COVID infections in the United States, KP.2 made up 24.4%, and KP.1.1 accounted for 9.2% of cases.
FLiRT and LB.1 are more effective than their predecessors at infecting people who have some immunity from vaccines or previous infections.
COVID-19 tests should be able to detect strains related to JN.1, and antiviral treatments such as Paxlovid should be effective against the new variants.
Q: Do the new variants make people sicker?
The new variants dont appear to make people sicker or spread faster, UHS Edwards said. However, just like previous variants, the mutations make the COVID-19 vaccine less effective against them.
On the other hand, the Clinics Singam said the new FLiRT variants and LB.1 do spread more easily than the JN.1, which is the prior variant. The emerging variants KP.2, KP.3 and LB.1 are descended from JN.1.
The variants cause mild disease, possibly because immunity is stronger overall due to immunization and infections of prior COVID-19 variants, Singam said. Current treatments should still be effective.
Q: Since 2020, it seems as if COVID-19 peaks in the winter and summer. Do researchers think COVID-19 is seasonal?
COVID-19 does appear to be seasonal, but the summer season is more variable than the winter season, Edwards said. Last summer, cases number stayed relatively low in Northeast Ohio, though numbers peaked in other states, UHs Edwards said.
The virus mutates a lot with new variants occurring every few months, which could be contributing to the summer peaks, the Clinics Singam said.
When people stay in air-conditioned buildings to avoid heat, they are susceptible to the virus, because almost all known COVID-19 transmissions occur indoors, Singam said.
However, the influenza virus doesnt peak in summer. Therefore, the COVID-19 virus could be an overall hardier virus as well, Singam said.
Q: Will there be a new COVID-19 shot in the fall?
Yes, there will be a new vaccines for COVID-19 and flu this fall.
The viruses for flu and COVID-19 are always mutating and also our protection against these virus declines over time. Therefore, it is imperative to get the updated vaccine against the new variants, Singam said.
Recently, the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices endorsed updated COVID-19 and influenza vaccines for the 2024-25 respiratory virus season.
Updated, one-shot COVID-19 vaccines will be available from Moderna, Novavax, and Pfizer later this year.
Everyone 6 months of age and older should receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot this fall. This is similar to last years recommendation.
However, fewer people are getting the new COVID-19 shot. In Ohio nearly 140,000 received the vaccine in one week in fall 2023. That number dwindled to less than 1,500 last week, the state reported Thursday. About 11.8% of Ohioans have received the updated one-shot COVID-19 vaccine.
Soon, some people may have a harder time getting a COVID-19 shot. The CDCs Bridge Access Program, which provided free COVID-19 vaccines to uninsured or underinsured people, will end in August before the rollout of the updated COVID-19 shot.
The COVID-19 vaccine protects against hospitalization, and reduced the risk of developing long COVID, health experts say.
COVID-19 and the flu should be taken seriously, the CDC said. In 2023, over 916,300 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, and 75,500 died from the disease, according to the CDC. By contrast, nearly 45,000 people died from flu complications in 2023.
Q: Will the updated vaccine target the latest variants?
The new fall COVID-19 vaccine will be calibrated to the new variants.
The COVID-19 vaccines for the 2024-2025 season target the JN.1 variant, which is the parent strain of many of the currently circulating variants. The Food and Drug Administration recently asked vaccine makers to also target the JN.1 descendent KP.2 if possible.
This change is intended to ensure that the 2024-2025 formula of the vaccine is a close match to the strains in circulation this fall.
We cant predict which variants are going to emerge over the coming months, Dr. Melida Wharton of the CDC said during a June FDA committee meeting. It may very well not be any of the ones that were talking about today, but theyre likely to be related to JN.1. So having a vaccine thats the trunk of the tree rather than the branches makes sense to me.
Q: Is it true that we dont really know how many people are getting COVID-19 because so many dont get tested or report the results?
Most people arent even testing if they arent very sick and those who do home testing arent reporting, so it is true that we dont really know how many people have COVID-19 right now, UHs Edwards said.
Since there is some concern about whether people are being tested as much, perhaps a better guide is hospitalizations. People are more likely to know if they have COVID-19 if they are hospitalized (those these numbers include people hospitalized for any reason who also have COVID-19.
New hospitalizations in Ohio have been up the last several weeks.
Q: If youre traveling on a plane, do experts recommend masking?
Masking is recommended in an indoor, confined area with a lot of people a high-risk situation for COVID-19 transmission. This is especially true if there is an increase in the number of cases in the area, the Clinics Singam said.
New data suggests that masking on flights would effectively limit transmission. In a recently published study, long flights with enforced masking had no reported COVID-19 transmission.
Masking is encouraged for patients who are at increased risk of severe infection, including patients with immunocompromising conditions and certain chronic conditions.
If you plan to mask for COVID or any other highly contagious respiratory virus, wear a high-quality, well-fitting N95 mask.
Julie Washington covers healthcare for cleveland.com. Read previous stories at this link.
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The White House confirmed Wednesday that President Biden has tested positive for COVID and is experiencing mild symptoms.
LAS VEGAS - President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19.
The information was according to a speaker at the UnidosUS annual conference broadcast on the White House's YouTube channel.
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden will fly to his home in Delaware, where he will "self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time." The news had first been shared by Unidos US President and CEO Janet Murgua, who told guests at the group's convention in Las Vegas that president had sent his regrets and could not appear because he tested positive for the virus.
RELATED: Fauci grilled by House GOP over COVID-19 response, origins
Dr. Kevin O'Connor, the president's physician, said in a note that Biden "presented this afternoon with upper respiratory symptoms, to include rhinorhea (runny nose) and non-productive cough, with general malaise." After the positive COVID-19 test, Biden was prescribed the antiviral drug Paxlovid and has taken his first dose, O'Connor said.
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Axios reporter Victoria Knight joins LiveNOW's Andy Mac with more insight after Dr. Anthony Fauci was grilled by lawmakers on Capitol Hill this week over COVID origins.
Biden was slated to speak at the Unidos event in Las Vegas Wednesday afternoon as part of an effort to rally Hispanic voters ahead of the November election.
The president had previously been at the Original Lindo Michoacan restaurant in Las Vegas, where he was greeting diners and was scheduled to have an interview with Univision.
Biden gingerly boarded Air Force One and told reporters traveling with him, "I feel good." The president was not wearing a mask as he walked onto Air Force One.
Biden tested positive for COVID-19 in July 2022 and a second time slightly more than three days after he was cleared to exit coronavirus isolation. The second incident was a rare case of "rebound" infection following treatment with an anti-viral drug.
RELATED: Long COVID is more prevalent in these states, CDC data shows
Biden received the updated COVID-19 vaccine and annual flu shot, the White House said last September.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been upticks in emergency room visits and hospitalizations from COVID-19. There has also been a pronounced increase in positive test results in much of the country particularly the southwestern U.S.
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Axios reporter Victoria Knight joins LiveNOW's Andy Mac with more insight after Dr. Anthony Fauci was grilled by lawmakers on Capitol Hill this week over COVID origins.
Given that the pandemic was declared officially over as of May 5, 2023, public health officials dont collect the same amount of COVID data as they once did.
Since COVID-19 emerged in 2020, scientists have learned that the virus has seasonal patterns, Varma said, with predictable peaks in spring/early summer and winter.
RELATED: Experts worry over pandemic's toll on child development
"Winter peaks are easy to explain more people spend time indoors, and there are changes in the climate, including relative humidity, that make it easier for infections to spread through the air," Varma, who served as the New York City mayor's senior adviser for public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, told Fox News Digital.
Its not quite as easy, however, to explain the peak during warmer weather.
"It may be because the virus evolves at a frequency that aligns with the spring/summer or there could be other environmental factors that we do not understand well," Varma said.
As of June 27, the CDC recommends that all people 6 months of age and older get updated 2024-2025 COVID vaccines when they become available in fall 2024.
The updated vaccine will target the new, prevalent subvariants.
FOX News and The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles.
Editors note: The HillsMorningReportis our daily newsletter that dives deep into Washingtons agenda. To subscribe,click hereor fill out the box below.
All eyes were on Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) Wednesday, as former President Trumps newly minted vice-presidential candidate addressed the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
The first-term senator, 39, used his speech to lean into his history and decry policies he said have harmedforgotten communities across the country. Vance spoke about how the lessons he learned growing up in greater Appalachia shaped his populist and isolationist worldview. Bad trade deals, disastrous foreign wars and a drug epidemic headlined the list, with Vance taking the opportunity to draw a contrast between Trump and President Biden on each issue.
And at each step of the way, in small towns like mine in Ohio, or next door in Pennsylvania, or Michigan and other states across our country, jobs were sent overseas and children were sent to war, Vance said. Somehow, a real estate developer from New York by the name of Donald J. Trump was right on all of these issues while Biden was wrong.
The speech and place on the Republican ticket marked the end of a transformation for Vance, who was once a staunch critic of the former president who will address the convention tonight to formally accept his partys nomination. Vance delved deeply into his biography in what was his introduction on the national stage Wednesday (The Hill and The Washington Post).
As Vance prepared to take the convention stage, Bidens reelection campaign released its first ad hitting Vance over his stance on abortion. The one-minute ad, titled They Dont Care, was narrated by a Kentucky woman, Hadley Duvall, who was raped by her stepfather (The Hill).
Other notable Day 3 speakers: Former Trump adviser Peter Navarro, who was released from prison Wednesday morning after being sentenced on contempt of Congress charges. Former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director, Thomas Homan, who oversaw parts of Trumps family separation policy Donald Trump Jr., Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and former White House adviser Kellyanne Conway.
The Hill: Here are key takeaways from the third day of the Republican convention.
The Washington Post: A whole different world: Inside Vances transition from senator to running mate.
Politico magazine: By tapping Vance, one of the partys leading national security doves, Trump strengthened the isolationist forces eager to undo the GOPs long-standing hawkish consensus.
The Wall Street Journal: Usha Vance steps into the spotlight. Vances Yale-educated wife is the daughter of immigrants who climbed in elite legal circles.
UNCERTAINTY MOUNTS: Biden announced he tested positive for COVID-19 Wednesday ahead of a planned speech at the UnidosUS conference in Las Vegas. He canceled the event, and the White House said the president is experiencing mild symptoms and will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time. News networks showed Biden walking slowly up the stairs of Air Force One, not wearing a mask.
Amid the diagnosis, Democrats rebellion against Biden intensified as the partys congressional leaders lobbied successfully to delay his official nomination by a week. Bowing to the pressure, top Democratic National Committee officials announced Wednesday that the virtual roll call will now take place during the first week of August, instead of late July (NBC News). Still, a group of House Democrats that was prepared to publicly denounce an effort to nominate Biden before the convention has been swayed to stand down for now (Politico).
Privately, The New York Times reports, Biden has become more receptive to hearing arguments about why he should drop his re-election bid, after both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) told him they were deeply concerned about his prospects.
The president said in an interview Wednesday that he would only reevaluate his decision to run for a second term if a doctor told him he had a medical condition. A new AP-NORC poll shows that 65 percent of Democrats said that Biden should withdraw and allow his party to select a different candidate.
SECRET SERVICE: Local police alerted the Secret Service before Trumps Saturday rally that they lacked the resources to station a patrol car outside a key building where the gunman later positioned himself. Officials are now trying to determine how Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was able to climb the building with no intervention by authorities, why law enforcement was not placed on the roof to begin with and whether the event was properly staffed for security (The Hill and The Washington Post).
Senators were told during a briefing call Wednesday that the Secret Service had flagged Crooks as suspicious more than an hour before he shot from the rooftop, and that a countersniper spotted him as a potential threat 19 minutes before the shooting (The Hill). In the wake of the attack, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called for new Secret Service leadership Wednesday, while Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) called on Director Kimberly Cheatle to resign and said he will launch a task force for the consolidation of investigations focused on the security failures of the Saturday rally (The Hill).
LEADING THE DAY
The Associated Press / Ronda Churchill | President Biden in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
MORE IN POLITICS
When Biden took part in a Zoom call with lawmakers from the Congressional Progressive Caucus last weekend, his staff passed him a note that read, Stay positive. You are sounding defensive. Biden said he intentionally read the note out loud for a moment of levity during a call with anxious lawmakers. On a separate call with centrist House lawmakers which some sources described as tense the president lashed out at Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.). As the discussion around Biden withdrawing from the race picked up steam and grew heated in recent weeks, so has the president.
The Hills Amie Parnes reports that sources who have been on calls with Biden since his dismal debate performance last month have described him as defensive and angry.
Were dealing with an old, angry man. Its very Trumpian in some ways. But its not a good look, said one Democratic strategist, who wants Biden to remain in the race. His mood describes the moment were in right now and we need someone to lead us out of this mess.
The news came as Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who is a heavy favorite in Californias Senate race in November, called for Biden to step aside. Schiff said that while Biden has been one of the most consequential presidents in our nations history, he noted that our nation is at a crossroads.
A second Trump presidency will undermine the very foundation of our democracy, and I have serious concerns about whether the President can defeat Donald Trump in November, he said in a statement.
TEN SEATS: Johnson told The Hill Wednesday that his goal is for Republicans to pick up more than 10 House seats in November, underscoring the optimistic outlook the GOP has in the lead-up to Election Day.
Its my goal, the Speaker said. Were very wary of setting benchmarks and making projections, but Ill tell you, were very encouraged and very bullish about November.
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS: This years Republican convention has had a speaker to appeal to Republican voters of all stripes, including moderates, and to less traditional voters, reports The Hills Brett Samuels. Its a sign of how Trump has transformed the party and done away with traditional conservative orthodoxy, and a signal that the GOP is hoping to expand its outreach heading into November.
Its also an unlikely fashion event, writes The Hills Aris Folley, with attendants sporting everything from earring bandages in solidarity with Trump to Dont Tread on Me gowns.
Listen to The Hills Switch Up election series. In the inaugural episode, host Cheyanne M. Daniels spoke with Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) about the importance of Black voters and her continued support for Biden. In todays episode, which goes live at noon, GOP strategist Sarah Chamberlain weighs in on the assassination attempt against Trump and how women voters could impact the election. Follow on Spotify.
2024 Roundup:
How has Trump transformed the Republican Party? Look at the platforms from 2016 and 2024.
Republicans are looking to take a big swing at education if Trump returns to the White House. The official GOP platform emphasizes cutting funding to schools that teach critical race theory or gender ideology and keeping transgender girls out of womens sports, among other conservative priorities.
Its down to the Teamsters. The labor union, with members of all political stripes, is doing its due diligence in 2024, meaning an endorsement may not land at the Democrats doorstep. The loss would be a major blow to Biden, who has worked hard to align closely with the labor movement.
Special counsel Jack Smith has formally appealed a federal judges dismissal of criminal charges against Trump over his alleged mishandling of classified information after finding the prosecutor was unlawfully appointed.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said Wednesday that there are currently enough votes in the Senate to suspend the filibuster to codify Roe v. Wade and abortion rights if Democrats win control of the House and keep the Senate and White House.
WHERE AND WHEN
The House will meet at 10 a.m. for a pro forma session.
The Senate will convene at 10 a.m. for a pro forma session.
The president is in Delaware, isolating with COVID-19.
Vice President Harris will travel to North Carolina, where she will speak at a campaign event in Fayetteville. She will then return to Washington.
ZOOM IN
The Associated Press / Charlie Neibergall | Avian flu is spreading to farmworkers from poultry and other livestock.
HEAT & HEALTH
FOURTEEN STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL are pressing to make extreme heat and wildfire smoke eligible for major disaster declarations, as dangerously high temperatures envelop the eastern and central U.S. More than 130 million people are affected by heat alerts, as the National Weather Service is warning of widespread record high minimum temperatures across much of the country (Axios).
Six farmworkers in Colorado have been affected by bird flu this month as health officials stress the importance of preparedness to contain the H5N1 virus spreading in dairy herds and poultry flocks across the country (USA Today).
The New York Times: Bird flu is spreading. Why arent more people getting tested?
AFTER PEAKING during the COVID-19 pandemic, physician burnout has dipped under 50 percent for the first time in four years, but doctors say working conditions in the medical field are a mixed bag, writes The Hills Joseph Choi. A survey published by the American Medical Association (AMA) this month found that 48.2 percent of physicians in 2023 experienced at least one symptom of burnout, down nearly 15 percent from when this metric peaked in 2021.
Its good news and its bad news, said Steven Furr, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Its good news that the numbers have gone down but still theyre higher than what wed like them to be.
ELSEWHERE
The Associated Press / Ohad Zwigenberg | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Wednesday.
INTERNATIONAL
CEASE-FIRE TALKS: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that the country had to apply pressure, pressure and more pressure to gain further concessions from Hamas in cease-fire negotiations. As long as we keep pressuring them, Hamas will give up more and more in the talks, Netanyahu said in a speech to Parliament, accusing his opponents of defeatism.
Israeli negotiators headed to Qatar last week for renewed meetings on a cease-fire deal in Gaza that would also free the roughly 120 remaining hostages. But no high-level meetings have been announced since, with the negotiations seemingly at a standstill (The New York Times).
The Washington Post: The Pentagon ended its sea pier off the coast of Gaza Wednesday, which enabled delivery of millions of pounds of aid even as it faced near-constant setbacks and ultimately fell short of expectations.
CYANIDE POISONING caused the deaths of six foreigners whose bodies were found in a room in a plush Bangkok hotel, authorities in Thailand said Wednesday, with the suspected killer among the dead. The deceased three women and three men, ranging in age from 37 to 56 were all of Vietnamese descent. Two of them were citizens of the United States, and the rest of Vietnam (Reuters and The New York Times).
Politico: Germany, which became Ukraines biggest European supplier of military aid, looks poised to slash future assistance by half in order to fulfill other spending priorities.
OPINION
Americans always need an existential threat. This time, its each other, by Matt Bai, columnist, The Washington Post.
The U.S. sits on a political powder keg of its own making, by Max Burns, opinion contributor, The Hill.
THE CLOSER
The Associated Press / AP photo, BS | President John F. Kennedy in New Orleans in 1962.
Take Our Morning Report Quiz
And finally Its Thursday, which means its time for this weeks Morning Report Quiz! Inspired by the shooting at Trumps rally in Pennsylvania, were eager for some smart guesses about the history of presidential assassination attempts.
Be sure to email your responses to kkarisch@thehill.com please add Quiz to your subject line. Winners who submit correct answers will enjoy some richly deserved newsletter fame on Friday.
President Abraham Lincoln was shot at which theater in Washington, D.C.?
When Life magazine first published photographs from the Zapruder film, capturing President John F. Kennedys assassination, they omitted stills at the urging of Abraham Zapruder.
Which president faced two assassination attempts within weeks of one another, but was hurt in neither?
What object blunted a shot taken at former President Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 when he was campaigning for a third term?
COVID cases are on the rise once again, with President Joe Biden among those recently testing positive for the virus, but what symptoms are associated with the newest variants and what should you do if you test positive?
Health officials have reported recent upticks in emergency room visits and hospitalizations from COVID-19. There has also been a pronounced increase in positive test results in much of the country, including Illinois. Still, health experts say the numbers aren't as high as recent surges.
"The number of cases remains lower than the number counted during the most recent fall peak or during the small peak we saw last summer in Chicago," Dr. Mary Hayden, director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Rush University System for Health, told NBC Chicago.
The White House announced that President Joe Biden began experiencing mild symptoms on Wednesday after testing positive for the coronavirus.
A new series of COVID variants, nicknamed the "FLiRT" variants, are dominating across the U.S., according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The variants, identified as KP.1.1, KP.3 and KP.2, collectively make up more than 55% of COVID cases in the U.S., per the CDC's most recent variant tracking data. KP.3, in particular, made up the most cases of any variant at 24.5% of cases, according to the latest forecasting data.
Similarly, emergency room visits measured through June 29 showed COVID-related visits were up 18% from the previous week. Illinois was among states seeing a "substantial change" in metrics week-over-week, the data showed. The state's COVID-related emergency room visits were up 29.7% from the previous week, though the total percent of emergency room visits deemed to be COVID visits still remained "minimal," at 0.8%.
So what can you expect with the latest strains?
The variants are subvariants of JN.1, which rose to dominance in December 2023 and was labeled a "variant of concern," though the "FLiRT" variants have two changes in the spike protein compared to JN.1.
"The two changes in spike have been observed in earlier lineages, including XBB.1.5 lineages, which were dominant throughout 2023 and the basis for the 20232024 vaccine formulation," the CDC reported.
Health officials said that while there are no indicators the new strains cause more severe illness than other strains, the "CDC will continue to monitor community transmission of the virus and how vaccines perform against this strain."
Megan L. Ranney, dean of the Yale School of Public Health, told WebMD the spike protein changes are concerning.
The KP.3 variant quickly rose to dominance, overtaking KP.2 as the most prevalent strain in the U.S. in a matter of weeks, the CDC reported.
Its still early days, but the initial impression is that this variant is rather transmissible, Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told TODAY.com.
Some lab studies suggest the FLiRT variants may be mutated enough that previous vaccination or immunity from prior infection likely won't provide total protection, Schaffner said.
"We'll have to see how true that is, but it appears, over time to be becoming a more prominent variant," he told TODAY.
According to Hayden, common symptoms continue to be similar to those associated with a number of viral respiratory infections.
"Common symptoms continue to be fever, sore throat, runny nose, cough, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, loss of the sense of smell, nausea, diarrhea and bloating," she said. "These symptoms can also occur with other viral respiratory infections such as the common cold. Severe symptoms that warrant medical attention include shortness of breath, but these symptoms are uncommon."
Dr. Lakshmi Halasyamani, the Chief Clinical Officer at Endeavor Health, said despite the spread of the newest variant, the main symptoms associated with COVID remain unchanged
The most common symptoms Halasyamani reported seeing are largely respiratory-related.
If you do suspect you've contracted COVID, here are some symptoms you might experience, according to the CDC:
Last year, a Chicago-area doctorsaid she's noticed shifts in the most common symptomsher patients reported as the JN.1 variant rose to dominance.
Dr. Chantel Tinfang, a family medicine physician with Sengstacke Health Center at Provident Hospital of Cook County,noted at the time that many of the cases she saw reported less of the fever, body aches and chills, and presented more with sore throat, fatigue and coughing.
"We still see some patients experiencing decreased appetite, a loss of taste or smell. So it kind of depends," she said. "One patient was just very, very tired. Like she couldn't really do much. And that's when you know ... it's different. It's not just coughing and shortness of breath. We still see that though."
She suggested consulting with your doctor if your symptoms don't begin to improve outside of the recommended isolation period.
As for timing, symptoms can last for several days, but in some cases, even longer.
"Some people who have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can experience long-term effects from their infection, known as Long COVID or Post-COVID Conditions (PCC)," according to the CDC.
Such symptoms can last for weeks and possibly even years.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the federal ICATT program offers no-cost COVID-19 testing for uninsured people: here is a locator that folks can use to find places near them.
Dr. Mary Hayden, director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Rush University System for Health, also noted that free options remain available for those who are uninsured through local health departments and community health clinics.
In March, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its COVID guidelines to mirror guidance for other respiratory infections. Those who contracted COVID-19 no longer need to stay away from others for five days, the CDC said, effectively nixing the five-day isolation recommendation.
People can return to work or regular activities if their symptoms are mild and improving and it's been a day since they've had a fever, but the CDC still recommends those with symptoms stay home.
"The recommendations suggest returning to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, symptoms are improving overall, and if a fever was present, it has been gone without use of a fever-reducing medication," the guidance states.
Once activities are resumed, the CDC still recommends "additional prevention strategies" for an additional five days, including wearing a mask and keeping distance from others.
The agency is emphasizing that people should still try to prevent infections in the first place, by getting vaccinated, washing their hands, and taking steps to bring in more outdoor fresh air.
As part of the guidance, the CDC suggests:
As Japan's scorching summer ramps up, patients examined for suspected heatstroke have reportedly been diagnosed with COVID-19 instead, highlighting a surge in the infectious disease just as the nation grapples with rising temperatures.
For 10 consecutive weeks, COVID-19 infections have continued to increase, with the number of patients at about 5,000 medical institutions nationwide standing at 55,072 for the week through July 14, up from 11,086 during the week through May 5.
In addition to the spread of new variants such as KP.3 which is more transmissible and is less susceptible to antibodies from vaccinations or previous infections the heat also contributes to weakened immune systems, exacerbating the situation.
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President Biden did not wear a face mask in public a couple of times after the White House announced he had tested positive for COVID-19. The White House said the Democratic incumbent was experiencing "mild" symptoms while the president's physician said Biden would self-isolate "in accordance with CDC guidance for symptomatic individuals."
What does the CDC guidance say? What does the White House say?
After the announcement on Wednesday, Biden emerged bare-faced from the motorcade after he arrived at the airport in Las Vegas, where he had made several appearances, and boarded Air Force One. He also was not wearing a mask, which medical professionals have said can help slow the spread of disease, as he stepped off the plane hours later at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Biden was surrounded by Secret Service agents and aides on both ends of the trip.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in Wednesday's announcement that Biden, 81, was experiencing "mild" symptoms and would stick to prearranged plans to travel to his home in Rehoboth Beach, where he would isolate.
Biden's physician, Kevin O'Connor, DO, said in a separate statement that Biden had a runny nose, dry cough, and a feeling of "general malaise." He said Biden was being treated with nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) "and will be self-isolating in accordance with CDC guidance for symptomatic individuals."
What the CDC Says
The CDC encourages people recovering from COVID-19 or any other respiratory illness to wear masks as part of an overall strategy to reduce transmission, but masks are not mandated.
The CDC recommends that people "stay home and away from others" if they're feeling sick. They say people can resume normal activities when symptoms have started to improve and the person no longer has a fever.
The CDC describes masks as an "additional strategy" for preventing disease spread, but it generally leaves it up to individuals to decide whether to use them. It calls masks "especially helpful" when someone is sick and suggests they be used as a precaution during recovery.
What the White House says
The White House has not responded to an emailed request for comment about why Biden chose not to wear a mask.
How Is Biden Doing?
O'Connor said Thursday that Biden is still experiencing mild upper respiratory symptoms from COVID-19. The president does not have a fever and his vital signs remained normal. He's being treated with with nirmatrelvir-ritonavir.
Quentin Fulks, the principal deputy manager of Biden's reelection campaign, said Thursday that Biden was "feeling fine" and was making calls and doing work. Fulks spoke at a news conference on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters during a separate Zoom briefing that Biden was "being kept up to speed as appropriate by his leadership team, and certainly that includes on the national security front."
President Bidens Positive COVID-19 Test Reflects Nationwide Summer Surge
President Joe Biden's recent positive COVID-19 test mirrors a growing wave of summer cases across the United States driven by increased travel, indoor gatherings due to extreme heat, and the emergence of new variants, according to NBC News. Despite the United States no longer tracking cases, CDC data suggests rising infections in 45 states. Experts emphasize the need to rethink vaccine timing, while those at risk, like Biden, are advised to consider antiviral treatments like Paxlovid.
Coverage Gap Leaves 1 in 5 Working-Age Adults in Non-Expansion States Without Affordable Health Insurance
Nearly 20% of uninsured working-age adults in the 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act fall into a "coverage gap," earning too much for Medicaid but not enough for marketplace subsidies, according to Stateline. An analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities revealed that this issue disproportionately affects people of color and contributes to broader community health crises. Some states, like Mississippi, are reconsidering Medicaid expansion to address this critical gap and access federal funds.
FDA Authorizes Sales of Tobacco-Flavored e-Cigarettes
The FDA has granted marketing authorization for six tobacco-flavored Vuse Alto e-cigarette products from R.J. Reynolds, recognizing a potential benefit for adult smokers switching from traditional cigarettes, according to The Hill. However, the agency underscores that this does not imply the products are safe or FDA approved and highlights the ongoing risks of tobacco use. Last year, the FDA banned other Vuse flavors due to youth popularity, and it continues to face scrutiny over its handling of e-cigarette regulations.
Wastewater COVID-19 levels 'very high' in Arkansas
The CDC says the state is at the viral activity level is very high
Updated: 11:33 PM CDT Jul 18, 2024
JACOB MURPHY SPOKE WITH A LOCAL DOCTOR TO FIND OUT WHAT THIS EXACTLY MEANS. ((JACOB ON CAM)) THE WASTEWATER STUDY IS A WAY TO LOOK AT COVID LEVELS IN AN AREA WITHOUT PEOPLE ACTUALLY GETTING TESTED. THE DOCTOR I SPOKE WITH SAYS THIS IS NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR, BASED ON THE COVID PEAKS WE'VE SEEN EVERY SUMMER FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. ((TAKE PKG)) JOEL FANKHAUSER // DIRECT CARE CLINIC NWA PHYSICIAN "I think this is a pattern we're going to see play out probably indefinitely, unless something happens to change about the nature of how COVID spreads." THE C-D-C HAS RELEASED DATA SHOWING THE CURRENT VIRAL ACTIVITIES OF COVID IN WASTEWATER ACROSS AMERICA. JOEL FANKHAUSER // DIRECT CARE CLINIC NWA PHYSICIAN "They can track essentially, over an area, how many COVID particles are in wastewater." WHICH SHOWS WHAT STATES ARE SEEING HIGH LEVELS.. JOEL FANKHAUSER // DIRECT CARE CLINIC NWA PHYSICIAN "it gives public health officials an idea of the volume of COVID cases" LET'S ZOOM IN ARKANSAS.. THE STUDY SAYS THAT VIRAL ACTIVITY LEVEL THROUGHOUT THE STATE IS VERY HIGH.. JOEL FANKHAUSER // DIRECT CARE CLINIC NWA PHYSICIAN "In the state of Arkansas, there's a peak, roughly summertime and a peak roughly wintertime." WHICH IS SIMILAR TO WHAT THE NATURAL STATE SAW IN 2023 AND 2022. JOEL FANKHAUSER // DIRECT CARE CLINIC NWA PHYSICIAN "I don't know if that's the case across every state in the United States. But in Arkansas, for sure." N-W-A PHYSICIAN JOEL FANKHOUSER SAYS HE HASN'T SEEN A HUGE INCREASE IN CASES LOCALLY. JOEL FANKHAUSER // DIRECT CARE CLINIC NWA PHYSICIAN "The personal health measures that have been introduced over the last several years have been so effective." BUT THAT THE TWO PEAKS, IN THE SUMMER AND WINTER TIME COULD BECOME THE NORM. JOEL FANKHAUSER // DIRECT CARE CLINIC NWA PHYSICIAN "I would expect that we're always going to have these two peaks per year, just because it's happened that way, for the last three years, basically, that we're going to see something roughly now." ((JACOB ON CAM)) I TALKED WITH A COUPLE PEOPLE EARLIER TODAY AT A PARK IN N-W-A AND SOME SAY THEY'RE STILL SEEING PEOPLE GETTING COVID AND ARE WORRIED, WHILE OTHERS AREN'T WORRIED AND HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT COVID AT ALL RECENTLY. THE DOCTOR WE SPOKE WITH SAYS THESE WASTEWATER NUMBERS SHOULDN'T CAUSE CONCERN, BUT YOU CAN NEVER BE SURE AS COVID CONTINUES TO CHANG
Wastewater COVID-19 levels 'very high' in Arkansas
The CDC says the state is at the viral activity level is very high
Updated: 11:33 PM CDT Jul 18, 2024
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the current viral activity levels of COVID-19 in wastewater throughout Arkansas are considered "very high."It gives public health officials an idea of the volume of COVID cases," NWA physician Joel Fankhauser said. Fankhauser says the rise in activity is common for this time of year in Arkansas. In the state of Arkansas, there's a peak, roughly summertime and a peak roughly wintertime," Fankhauser said. Fankhauser says this data should not cause major concern, but that we could never know as COVID-19 continues to change and develop. I think this is a pattern we're going to see play out probably indefinitely," Fankhauser said. "Unless something happens to change about the nature of how COVID spreads.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the current viral activity levels of COVID-19 in wastewater throughout Arkansas are considered "very high."
It gives public health officials an idea of the volume of COVID cases," NWA physician Joel Fankhauser said.
Fankhauser says the rise in activity is common for this time of year in Arkansas.
In the state of Arkansas, there's a peak, roughly summertime and a peak roughly wintertime," Fankhauser said.
Fankhauser says this data should not cause major concern, but that we could never know as COVID-19 continues to change and develop.
I think this is a pattern we're going to see play out probably indefinitely," Fankhauser said. "Unless something happens to change about the nature of how COVID spreads.
DARLENE SUPERVILLE, Associated Press
1 day ago
President Joe Biden walks to his car after stepping off of Air Force One at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, Wednesday, July 17, 2024. Biden is returning to his home in Rehoboth Beach, Del., to self-isolate after testing positive for COVID-19. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (AP) President Joe Biden did not wear a face mask in public a couple of times after the White House announced he had tested positive for COVID-19. The White House said the Democratic incumbent was experiencing mild symptoms while the presidents physician said Biden would self-isolate in accordance with CDC guidance for symptomatic individuals.
What does the CDC guidance say? What does the White House say?
After the announcement on Wednesday, Biden emerged bare-faced from the motorcade after he arrived at the airport in Las Vegas, where he had made several appearances, and boarded Air Force One. He also was not wearing a mask, which medicals professionals have said can help slow the spread of disease, as he stepped off the plane hours later at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Biden was surrounded by Secret Service agents and aides on both ends of the trip.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in Wednesdays announcement that Biden, 81, was experiencing mild symptoms and would stick to prearranged plans to travel to his home in Rehoboth Beach, where he would isolate.
Bidens physician, Dr. Kevin OConnor, said in a separate statement that Biden had a runny nose, dry cough and a feeling of general malaise. He said Biden was being treated with the drug Paxlovid and will be self-isolating in accordance with CDC guidance for symptomatic individuals.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages people recovering from COVID-19 or any other respiratory illness to wear masks as part of an overall strategy to reduce transmission, but masks are not mandated.
The CDC recommends that people stay home and away from others if theyre feeling sick. They say people can resume normal activities when symptoms have started to improve and the person no longer has a fever.
The CDC describes masks as an additional strategy for preventing disease spread, but it generally leaves it up to individuals to decide whether to use them. It calls masks especially helpful when someone is sick and suggests they be used as a precaution during recovery.
The White House has not responded to an emailed request for comment about why Biden chose not to wear a mask.
OConnor said Thursday that Biden is still experiencing mild upper respiratory symptoms from COVID-19,. The president does not have a fever and his vital signs remained normal. Hes being treated with the drug Paxlovid.
Quentin Fulks, the principal deputy manager of Bidens reelection campaign, said Thursday that Biden was feeling fine and was making calls and doing work. Fulks spoke at a news conference on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters during a separate Zoom briefing that Biden was being kept up to speed as appropriate by his leadership team, and certainly that includes on the national security front.
___
Associated Press writers Mike Stobbe in New York and Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report.
