The summer season in the United States has brought a new surge in COVID-19, with federal health officials stating that two new variants are responsible for about 50% of all new cases.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said COVID variant KP.3
is still the dominant variant, according to data sets. However, the agency also noted that variant KP.3.1.1 is now making up a significant portion of new infections.
According to the CDC’s Nowcast tracker, tests of infected patients over a two-week period this month found that over 50% of new cases could be attributed to the new variants, with KP.3 accounting for 32.9% of infections and KP.3.1.1 accounting for 17.7% of infections.
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The Infectious Diseases Society of America reported that three SARS-CoV-2 Omnicron variants are still prevalent in the U.S. this summer, with one variant even reaching the White House.
Days before withdrawing from the 2024 presidential race, President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID and had to isolate at his Delaware vacation home. His doctor later revealed that he had contracted the KP.2.3 variant of the virus.
This summer, the CDC estimates that infections are increasing or likely to increase in 39 states. Although the agency no longer tracks the number of coronavirus cases, its latest data is based on emergency department visits and wastewater testing in each state.
