A trend of rising COVID-19 cases has been noticed in particularly 7 states of the US since last winter. As per the data reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a similar trend is being noticed in several other states in the US. These states include California, Arkansas, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon and Texas. Safety guidelines are in effect and people have been urged to follow them to minimise the transmission of the virus.
Several states in the US record high Coronavirus levels
States of California, Arkansas, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon and Texas have recorded “ very high” of Coronavirus cases in their waste waters. One of the most populous states of the country. Los Angeles has also noticed an increase in the number of cases with its Mayor, Karen Bass testing positive for COVID-19, as reported by MSN.
According to the most recent data available, the COVID levels of the country are at 27% of last winter’s peak. The data has been availed by the country’s health department and the analysis conducted over 10 days, ending on June 29. The new levels indicate a 17% rise in the country’s level of cases from the last recorded data which ended on June 26.
The average daily cases are also increasing rapidly from 215 per day on June 26 to 307 per day by the end of the first week of July. The cause for the sudden increase in numbers has been given to introduction of COVID-19’s two new variants. One of the new variants called FLiRT is known to be a highly transmissible than the previous one resulting in an increased number of cases. However, the variant does not cause any severe diseases.
{{/usCountry}}The average daily cases are also increasing rapidly from 215 per day on June 26 to 307 per day by the end of the first week of July. The cause for the sudden increase in numbers has been given to introduction of COVID-19’s two new variants. One of the new variants called FLiRT is known to be a highly transmissible than the previous one resulting in an increased number of cases. However, the variant does not cause any severe diseases.
{{/usCountry}}According to statistics by Worldometer, as of April 13, 2024, California reported a total of 111 million plus COVID cases, Texas reported over 9 million , Florida had a total of 8 million cases, Maryland and Arkansas reported approximately 1 million cases, Oregan saw a little 992, 925 cases and Nevada marked 923,059 cases.
Also Read: Man wearing ski mask and armed with AK-47 pistol arrested near RNC venue
Symptoms of the new COVID variants
The new COVID variants FLiRT and LB.1 are the cause of sudden rise in number of cases in the US this summer. Expert Dr. Xand van Tulleken suggests to keep an eye out for following symptoms. Some of the common symptoms of the new variants include fever, cough, fatigue, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, muscle or body aches, shortness of breath, headache and runny nose.
Other symptoms of the COVID variants can look like chest pain, difficulty breathing, coughing up blood and swollen and painful neck, as reported by MSN.
Suggested guidelines due to increase in COVID cases
The simple precautions enforced during the pandemic are still encouraged. This includes people wearing masks and avoiding social contact especially if one is a resident of the above mentioned states. Doctors have urged the public to get vaccinated with the updated vaccines especially those in the higher-risk groups. 36% of people above the age of 65 have not taken the updated vaccines which have been available to the public since September, according to the L.A. Times.
Yale Medicine's Scott Roberts suggests that tests can detect FLiRT strains. Experts recommend daily testing for symptomatic individuals with rapid tests over three to five days, noting delays in test positivity. Those testing positive should wear masks, avoid high-risk contacts, and seek medical care. Updated guidelines allow fever-free individuals with mild symptoms to return to school or work after one day of isolation, effective from January 9.