Washington sees surge in COVID rates
Why it matters: The XFG "stratus" variant is driving up cases just as kids return to school — and as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unilaterally alters federal vaccine guidance.
Driving the news: The CDC updated its regional data for COVID-19 test positivity on Monday, Aug. 11. The data accounts for the week ending Aug. 2.
By the numbers: Washington state saw 11.1% of tests come back positive in the week ending Aug. 2 , compared to 5% to 9.9% in the rest of the country, per regional data from the CDC.
Emergency room visits and hospitalizations roughly doubled from mid-June to the beginning of August, according to the state Department of Health's respiratory illness data dashboard.
Detection of the virus in wastewater is listed as "very high" or "high" in several Puget Sound cities, including Seattle, per state data.
In King County, the positivity rate clocked in at 12.5% for the week ending Aug. 2, according to Public Health - Seattle & King County data.
What they're saying:"It's a good reminder for people not to let their guard down" and to use the tools we have learned so far, says Public Health-Seattle & King County spokesperson Sharon Bogan.
Yes, but: The XFG variant isn't currently linked to more severe illness, according to WHO and CDC.
Zoom out: Oregon, Alaska and Idaho share the same comparatively high positivity rate of 11.1%, per the CDC, joining New Mexico (12%), Texas (12%), Oklahoma (12%) and others at the top of the chart.
The big picture: Overall, the CDC reports that the COVID-19 epidemic trend is "growing," with 45 states experiencing an increase in cases. No state has seen a decline in cases as of Aug. 5, per the CDC.
The XFG "stratus" variant was first detected in January. It now accounts for 14% of cases in the U.S. and is the third-highest among all variants stateside, according to the CDC.
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