Mapped: COVID heating up in Arkansas

COVID-19 viral activity is "very high" in Arkansas' wastewater as a summertime wave expands.

Why it matters: The prevalence of COVID is up in 45 states and territories but is especially high in the West, where test positivity in the region stood at 15.6% and viral activity in wastewater has been rising over the past month, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

• More than 70% of infections come from KP variants that are descendants of the highly contagious JN.1 strain, which surged over the winter, and are among the so-called FLiRT variants .

Zoom in: Hospitalizations reached 40 last week in Arkansas, the state Health Department reported. That was up from only 5 the week before, but was only slightly higher than the rest of June and most of May.

• Still, according to CDC's wastewater analysis, the virus spiked in the Natural State the week before the July 4 holiday.

Threat level: COVID-19 cases have risen in the U.S. every summer, usually around July 4 travel.

• While hospitalizations remain low, the summertime surge poses a risk to the elderly, immunocompromised individuals, and those with respiratory or cardiac conditions.
• As people get more out-of-date with vaccination and the virus mutates, the risk of a severe wave becomes greater.

State of play: The latest COVID vaccines target an Omicron subvariant that played itself out last year but still offer some protection against the prevailing variants.

What's next: Drugmakers are eyeing combination flu-COVID-19 vaccines that would offer more convenience and protection against two respiratory viruses.