Health
COVID-19 Cases Climb Nationwide This Summer
Health Points
- COVID-19 cases are increasing in 45 U.S. states, fueled by new highly transmissible variants.
- New variants like ‘Nimbus’ and ‘Stratus’ are dominating U.S. cases, with more people reporting sore throats and coughs.
- Wastewater data and hospital visits indicate a moderate to high level of activity, especially in the South, Mid-Atlantic, and West.
COVID-19 is experiencing a notable summer uptick across most of the country, with new variants driving more cases just as many prepare for back-to-school activities.
Epidemiological models from the CDC highlight that nearly every state is experiencing either definite or likely growth in COVID-19 infections, with no states currently trending downward.
“We are seeing an increase in COVID-19 with higher SARS-CoV-2 virus activity in wastewater and a rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations,” says Dr. Albert Ko of Yale School of Public Health.
Levels of viral activity in wastewater remain moderate nationally, while 14 states now face high or very high COVID-19 concentrations, especially in states like California, Florida, and Texas.
Children are among groups experiencing a sharp increase in emergency visits related to COVID-19, according to recent data.
The virus continues to evolve, with the NB.1.8.1 variant—nicknamed ‘Nimbus’—now making up 43% of cases and causing a signature “razor blade throat” symptom.
XFG, or ‘Stratus,’ is the third most common variant and spreading quickly within the U.S., contributing to rising case numbers.
“NB.1.18.1 (Nimbus) and XFG (Stratus) appear to be more transmissible compared to other variants,” notes Dr. Ko.
Summer surges are not new, says Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University Medical Center: “Over the past four years, there have been two waves of COVID each year. It’s like a two-hump camel. There’s the summer wave that abates in the fall, and then the winter wave.”
COVID-19 activity typically peaks in mid-summer as more people gather indoors to avoid the heat, providing ample opportunity for spread.
Test positivity rates have reached 8.6%, marking an increase from the previous week and signaling rising transmission, though still below last summer’s peak.
Forecasting models suggest an average of over 500,000 new infections daily in late July, though the true numbers may be higher.
Experts indicate that while significant, this summer’s wave is not expected to rival previous winter surges in size.
Regional trends point to the West and South for the highest case counts, with other states also seeing increased viral activity per CDC wastewater monitoring.
