Mapped: COVID summer continues to heat up
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The summer's COVID-19 wave is continuing, with the latest wastewater surveillance data detecting "very high" levels of the virus in Washington state and much of the U.S.
The big picture: The virus is especially prevalent across the South and West, with Oregon and California also registering "very high" viral activity, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Zoom in: The Seattle area and Olympia are particular hot spots, based on wastewater samples taken over 15 days in July, according to the state Department of Health.
Between the lines: Almost 80% of circulating variants are KP variants, which are descendants of the highly contagious JN.1 strain that surged over the winter and are among the so-called FLiRT variants.
Threat level: COVID-19 cases have risen in the U.S. every summer since the pandemic began.
- Hospitalizations remain low. However, the virus still poses a risk to the elderly and immunocompromised.
- The FLiRT variants have been on the rise globally as well, sparking recent international health warnings for travelers headed to Greece, as well as Malta, Belgium and Ireland.