Coronavirus detection in U.S. wastewater remains "very high" in nearly half of all U.S. states, despite slight reductions in overall COVID cases across the country.
As of September 5, 23 states reported "very high" levels of coronavirus in wastewater, with "high" levels reported in 22, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, this is down from the previous week, when 31 states reported "very high" levels.
After a surge in COVID-19 cases this summer, infection rates do seem to be on the decline. Positive tests now account for 16.3 percent of all COVID tests (excluding at-home testing) in the U.S., down from 17 percent the previous week.
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Coronavirus levels do remain high in certain states, especially those in the Southern and Central U.S. The map below shows which states have seen the highest detections in wastewater.
Viral levels in wastewater are a helpful indicator of disease prevalence within a population.
Recent spikes in COVID-19 cases have been largely driven by a new class of subvariants nicknamed FLiRT after the position of the mutations on the virus's spike proteins, the projections that allow them to enter our cells.
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These proteins are also used as targets by immune systems and vaccinations, so changes in their structure can allow the virus to bypass the body's defenses more easily. However, existing vaccines are likely to provide at least some form of protection against more severe symptoms and long COVID.
As of August 31, the now dominant subvariant, KP.3.1.1, accounted for more than 40 percent of all U.S. COVID-19 cases over the previous two weeks, according to the CDC, with the FLiRT variants accounting for more than 80 percent of cases in total.
However, while the U.S. has seen a steady rise in infections over the summer, hospitalizations and deaths have remained relatively low. It appears that the new FLiRT variants, while more infectious, do not generally cause such severe symptoms.
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The symptoms include the following, according to the CDC:
Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
Loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
More vulnerable individuals may still be at risk of severe illness, so it is important to self-isolate if you receive a positive COVID test.
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