Covid-19 back in headlines again. Coronavirus cases, hospitalisations rise sharply in US

Covid-19 is trending on social media after US President Joe Biden tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday. He is exhibiting mild symptoms. Besides that many states in the US are reporting a surge in Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations. In India,Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar had missed the wedding ceremony of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant due to a COVID-19 diagnosis. After testing negative, he joined the post-wedding celebration to extend his warm greetings to the newlyweds.

Joe Biden tests positive for Covid

Biden diagnosis came shortly after he mentioned that he might reconsider his reelection bid if faced with a serious medical condition. At 81 years old, the Democrat showed a positive outlook, giving reporters a thumbs up and stating, “I feel good” as he shortened his campaign trip to Las Vegas and returned to his beach home in Delaware to isolate.

Biden expressed gratitude to his well-wishers on social media platform X, noting, “I will be isolating as I recover, and during this time, I will continue to work to get the job done for the American people.” His infection comes at a critical juncture in his campaign, following a challenging debate performance against rival Donald Trump. This performance has raised concerns about Biden’s health and sparked calls from some Democrats for him to step aside.

The White House provided an official statement regarding Biden’s condition: “President Biden is vaccinated, boosted, and he is experiencing mild symptoms following a positive COVID-19 test. He will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time.”

Many states in US report surge in Covid cases
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) observed a rise in COVID-19 cases in various parts of the country, with a notable increase among individuals aged 65 and older in the western states. While seasonal influenza and RSV levels remain low nationwide, COVID-19 test positivity, emergency department visits, and hospitalization rates related to COVID-19 are climbing, CDC said. The recent uptick in activity follows very low levels seen in May 2024, which were the lowest since March 2020.

What wastewater testing suggests

Wastewater testing has shown increased levels of the coronavirus. The CDC stated that wastewater can be tested to detect infectious diseases in a community, even if people do not show symptoms. This data can act as an early indicator of rising or falling infection levels. California is currently one of seven states where wastewater levels of the coronavirus have reached a “very high” mark for the first time since winter, news reports said. Yale Medicine provided further details on current COVID-19 variants. The FLiRT strains, which are subvariants of Omicron, were responsible for the majority of COVID cases in the U.S. at the beginning of July. KP.3 accounted for 36.9% of infections, KP.2 made up 24.4%, and KP.1.1 was responsible for 9.2% of cases. The LB.1 strain, similar to the FLiRT variants but with an additional mutation, also gained attention and was responsible for 14.9% of cases as summer began. These percentages are based on CDC Nowcast estimates, which can change as more data becomes available.

Yale Medicine infectious diseases specialist Scott Roberts, MD, noted that viruses constantly mutate, so the emergence of a new coronavirus variant is not surprising. The new mutations highlight the unpredictability of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, making it challenging to forecast its behavior, and it is expected that it will continue to mutate, he said.

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