The number of COVID cases in the U.S. has plateaued for the first time in months following the rapid spread of the new FLiRT variants this summer. However, this trend is not consistent across the country, with many states still experiencing rising infections. The highest rates of infection are found in five Southern/Southwestern states, where nearly 1 in 4 COVID tests are coming out positive. Delaware, D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia have also seen an increase in test positivity.
Since April, the Omicron subvariants, nicknamed the “FLiRT” subvariants, have become dominant globally. These highly infectious viruses now account for more than 75 percent of infections in the U.S. One particular variant, KP.3.1.1, is responsible for more than 1 in 3 cases. The CDC reported that nearly 1 in 5 COVID tests in the U.S. were positive for the week ending August 17. However, these positive results are not evenly distributed across the country.
The distribution of positive COVID cases across the U.S. for the week ending August 17 is illustrated in a map divided into 10 Health and Human Service regions. Region six, which includes Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, had the highest percentage of positive tests at 22.3 percent. Region seven, covering Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, reported the second highest percentage at 19.5 percent, followed closely by region four, which encompasses several Southern states.
The lowest infection rates for the week ending August 17 were seen in region nine, including Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada, with 12.6 percent positive tests. Despite the steady increase in infections, hospitalizations remain relatively low, and the new FLiRT variants, while more infectious, do not typically cause severe symptoms. It is still important to isolate yourself from others if you develop symptoms. Newsweek is offering to connect readers worried about health issues with experts for advice and potential feature in their publication.
