Summer COVID wave emerges: 5 notes
06/27/24 at 03:00 AM
Summer COVID wave emerges: 5 notes
Becker's Clinical Leadership; by Paige Twenter; 6/24/24
As "FLiRT" coronavirus variants account for about 77% of infections, COVID-19 cases are ticking upward this summer, according to CDC data. Here are five things to know from the CDC's June 21 update:
- Test positivity increased from 5.4% to 6.6% in one week. ...
- The CDC estimates that "COVID-19 infections are growing or likely growing in 39 states and territories, declining or likely declining in 0 states or territories, and are stable or uncertain in 10 states and territories."
- The "FLiRT" variants are a group of strains that all start with the letters "KP" or "JN," and they have been steadily rising in dominance. ...
- On June 13, the FDA instructed vaccine manufacturers to use the KP.2 strain for 2024-2025 COVID-19 shot formulations. KP.2 currently makes up 20.8% of infections.
- ... Overall hospitalization and death rates remain low, but since June 1, hospitalizations are up 25% and deaths have increased 16.7%.