More than 4 billion worldwide lack access to safe drinking water

More than 4 billion worldwide lack access to safe drinking water  University of Minnesota Twin Cities

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Aug 18, 2024 - 04:00
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More than 4 billion worldwide lack access to safe drinking water

More than 4 billion worldwide lack access to safe drinking waterCOVID-19 Activity in the United States

COVID-19 Activity in the United States

According to the latest updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 activity remains elevated across most of the United States. However, some regions of the country are seeing declines in cases. The CDC also highlights the increasing proportion of the KP.3.1.1 variant, which is contributing to the rise in cases.

Mother swabbing child
tatyana_tomsickova / iStock

Wastewater Detections and Regional Trends

Nationally, wastewater detections of SARS-CoV-2 remain at a very high level for the second consecutive week. The highest levels are still observed in the West and South regions, followed by the Midwest and the Northeast. However, the latest update from the CDC shows downward trends in the South and Midwest regions.

Respiratory Virus Activity

Overall, respiratory virus activity in the country is low, with most illnesses caused by COVID-19. The levels of flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) remain low as well, according to the CDC’s latest snapshot. However, there is an upward trend in RSV cases.

COVID-19 Indicators

COVID-19 burden is highest among individuals aged 65 and older, as well as children younger than 2 years old.

KP.3.1.1 Variant

The CDC reports that the proportion of the KP.3.1.1 variant continues to rise. This variant, which is one of many JN.1 offshoots, is believed to have the ability to more easily evade immunity from previous infection and vaccination. Currently, it accounts for 36.8% of sequences, compared to 22.8% in the previous two weeks.

Other Metrics

In addition to the variant proportion estimates, the CDC provides other metrics. Test positivity slightly increased last week and currently stands at 18.1% nationally, with the highest rates observed in Texas and surrounding states. Emergency department visits for COVID-19 have declined slightly from the previous week but remain at a moderate level in some parts of the South. Hospitalization levels are declining from their peak in early August. However, deaths from COVID-19 continue to rise, with an 18.7% increase from the previous week.

Source: cidrap.umn.edu