RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — A summer surge of COVID-19 cases is happening across the country and here in North Carolina.
“Both countrywide and at UNC, the number of people being tested are testing positive as well,” said Dr. David Weber, with UNC Health.
He told CBS 17 there’s good news and bad news.
“We are seeing a spiking number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths and an increase in wastewater measurements as well,” said Dr. Weber. “The good news is these are relative increases. The absolute numbers remain relatively low.”
What’s contributing to the spike?
Dr. Weber points to COVID-19 variants, including the newest variant KP3 and subvariants.
“There are different variants overtime, and as we get a new variant, each one escapes a little bit more from natural immunity, people who’ve had infection, or vaccine immunity or both,” said Dr. Weber.
The CDC says about 40 states are reporting high levels of COVID-19, including North Carolina.
UNC says so far, they’ve seen 70 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, that’s up from 40 a month ago.
They say the numbers aren’t necessarily alarming, but experts are continuing to monitor cases.
Dr. Weber says he does believe we’ll continue to see increase in cases this summer, but there are solutions, like a new vaccine.
“The mRNA vaccines, Moderna and Pfizer can be developed much more rapidly with new variants and so the federal government did choose to, along with the manufactures, use a KP2 variant, essentially what’s circulating now, and that will be in the new COVID vaccine called the 2024, 2025 Vaccine,” said Dr. Weber. “We expect that that will be ready for actual distribution to the public around the 3rd or 4th week of August.”
Experts recommend if you are immunocompromised consider wearing a mask if you’re going to be in large groups indoors. If you’re experiencing symptoms experts say you should stay home and follow CDC recommendations.
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