CDC Says COVID-19 Rising Cases 'Could Be the Start of a Late Summer Wave'

Hospital COVID Healthcare workers intubating a COVID patient.Photo byGetty Images

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there may be a new COVID-19 wave this summer in the United States. According to Dr. Brendan Jackson, the CDC's COVID-19 incident manager, "After roughly six, seven months of steady declines, things are starting to tick back up again."

Early in July, coronavirus detection rates in wastewater, the proportion of persons who tested positive for the virus, and the number of people visiting emergency rooms for COVID-19 treatment all started increasing, according to Jackson.

"We've seen the early indicators go up for the past several weeks, and just this week for the first time in a long time we've seen hospitalizations tick up as well. This could be the start of a late summer wave," Jackson says.

According to the most recent CDC data, hospitalizations increased 10% from the prior week from 6,444 to 7,109 for the week ending July 15.

According to Jackson, there have been varying increases across the nation, with the virus appearing to be spreading most quickly in the southeast and least in the Midwest.

People who are at a high risk for COVID-19 issues, such as the elderly and those with certain medical conditions, should continue to take precautions. According to experts, this entails making sure kids are up to date on their vaccinations, being tested if they believe they are ill, and receiving prompt medical care if they contract an infection.

There may be another COVID-19 wave in fall and winter, according to scientists and doctors. In order to boost decreasing immunity and try to mitigate whatever happens this winter, the Food and Drug Administration will likely authorize a new vaccine in September.

According to some predictions, COVID-19 could be more deadly this year and the following year than a very bad flu season.

According to Justin Lessler, an epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, "It will still be in the top 10 causes of death, and I suspect that COVID will remain in the top 10 or 15 causes of death in the United States."