(NEXSTAR) – If it feels like a lot of people you know suddenly have COVID-19, you’re not alone: New testing has found that more than half of U.S. states are now at the highest possible level for detecting SARS-CoV-2.
As data from Americans and local governments became less reliable, experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began to use sewer systems to monitor wastewater for the presence of infectious diseases.
These tests can act as an early warning system because they can detect tiny amounts of the virus before symptoms appear, according to the CDC, which says it takes five to seven days for results to come back after flushing the toilet.
As of Aug. 9, the states on the “very high” list are: California, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Wyoming, Alaska, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, New Hampshire, Alabama, Mississippi, Kansas, Missouri, Idaho, Minnesota, Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Minnesota, Maryland, New Mexico, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Virginia.
States with the lowest (moderate) levels of SARS-CoV-2 detection were Arizona, West Virginia, New York, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, and Connecticut. North Dakota had insufficient data for the study.
According to CDC data, viral activity in wastewater is More than 4 times Infections have been spreading across the country since June 1. The most common variant is currently KP.3.1.1, which is projected to account for approximately 28% of cases in the United States.
But despite a summer surge in cases, COVID-19 remains the leading cause of death in the U.S. The CDC said Thursday that it has dropped to 10th place, behind a category of injuries that includes heart disease, cancer, gun deaths and drug overdoses.
Early in the pandemic, the coronavirus was the third-leading cause of death in the country, but in 2022 it has dropped to fourth.
Nearly 3.1 million U.S. deaths last year were recorded, down from 3.3 million in 2022. For many years before the pandemic, deaths typically rose every year due in part to population growth. COVID-19 accelerated that trend, with 2021 seeing the highest death toll. The deadliest death toll in U.S. history The death toll was 3.4 million.
It’s been more than a year since the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 public health emergency to be over, but while the virus is no longer a crisis, experts say it won’t continue to get out of control unless people are vaccinated.
“Herd immunity is what got us out of the pandemic,” said Dr. Manisha Patel, chief medical officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “The goal now is to maintain immunity because it will inevitably wane, and the way to maintain it is through vaccination. That’s the safest way to keep the country healthy.”
CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Recently AnnouncedA new COVID-19 vaccine will be available later this year. The agency is recommending that everyone, except infants under 6 months of age, get vaccinated to protect against severe disease this fall and winter. This recommendation applies to people who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine, as well as those who have been previously vaccinated.
PeopleHave recently been infected with COVID-19According to the CDC, people can wait up to three months before getting vaccinated, although certain people, such as those at risk for severe illness, may consider getting vaccinated sooner.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
