COVID cases are heating up this summer

Zoom out: As of June 25, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified at least 44 states, including Illinois, where the number of COVID infections is growing or likely growing.

• The KP.3 and KP.2 strains, descendants of the highly contagious JN.1 variant and among the so-called FLiRT variants, account for more than half of infections, according to the CDC.

Zoom in: Six of Chicago's seven sewershed areas show rising levels of COVID over the past three weeks, with the sharpest rise in Lincoln Park and the Near North Side.

• More than half of local cases come from FLiRT variants.

What they're saying: "As of June 28, the proportion of emergency department visits attributed to COVID-19 diagnoses … has increased from 4.7% to 5.6%," Alexander Sloboda, medical director of immunization at the Chicago Department of Public Health, tells Axios.

• COVID deaths, however, remain low.

What to watch: The CDC recently recommended that everyone ages 6 months and older get the updated COVID vaccine when it comes out this fall, regardless of whether they've been vaccinated before.

• The FDA has recommended that drugmakers target the KP.2 strain.