COVID clawing its way back this summer

The sun is finally out and about in Boston. So is our old friend COVID-19.

What's happening: The Deer Island wastewater testing program has been recording an uptick in the virus flushed into Boston's sewer system since late June.

Meanwhile, the number of positive tests and hospitalizations are also going up, according to the state's Department of Public Health.

Why it matters: The city hasn't seen COVID-19 numbers this high since early spring.

Zoom in: Hospitalizations for COVID-19 had trended down since January, but have increased 30% compared to two weeks ago, the Globe reported.

• That pattern is outpacing what's happening nationally, where COVID-19 hospitalizations are up 11%, according to the CDC.

Details: The MWRA treatment plant recorded a 7-day rolling average of 353 copies of the virus per milliliter last Thursday at its northern facility and 418 copies at the facility covering the southern part of the city.

• Yes, but: Upwards of 3000 copies were regularly found during spikes in 2020 and 2021.

Be smart: According to DPH, there have been spikes in COVID-19 cases each of the last three summers, though the specific timing has varied.