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CDC Flags 40-State COVID Growth As Omicron Offshoot Variant Drives Summer Spike CDC Flags 40-State COVID Growth As Omicron Offshoot Variant Drives Summer Spike
CDC Flags 40-State COVID Growth As Omicron Offshoot Variant Drives Summer Spike Fueled by a fast-growing new variant, COVID-19 infections are regaining ground just as summer travel peaks. New CDC transmission estimates released Friday, Aug. 1 show the effective reproduction number, or Rt, above one in 40 states, meaning overall US infections are again expanding. In 28 states the agency assigns its highest confidence category — “growing” — while another 12 fall into the “likely growing” bucket. No state is currently classified as declining, and nine are holding steady. For more info, view the CDC's interactive map here, and click on a specific state. Nationally, the R…

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by Joe Lombardi
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COVID-19: Highly Transmissible Strains Spark Summer Surge In Some States COVID-19: Highly Transmissible Strains Spark Summer Surge In Some States
Covid-19: Highly Transmissible Strains Spark Summer Surge In Some States New surveillance shows COVID-19 is quietly heating up at the height of summer, fueling concerns about travel plans and back-to-school prep. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) time-varying reproductive number dashboard, seven states now have a rate above 1.2, meaning each infected person is, on average, passing the virus to more than one other individual.   Louisiana tops the list with an Rt of 1.28, followed closely by Florida (1.24), Nevada (1.22), and Hawaii (1.21). Texas, Mississippi and Alabama are hovering just above the 1.15 mark, signaling sus…

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by Joe Lombardi
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COVID-19: New Variant From China Spreading In US With Painful Symptom COVID-19: New Variant From China Spreading In US With Painful Symptom
Covid-19: New Variant From China Spreading In US With Painful Symptom A painful new symptom is drawing attention from doctors as another COVID-19 variant begins to spread across the US. The sore throat has been described as “razor-blade throat” — an intensely sharp, uncomfortable sensation that can be an early warning sign of infection.  Lately, it’s been linked to a newly identified strain: NB.1.8.1, also called Nimbus, a descendant of the Omicron subvariant JN.1. The World Health Organization has labeled NB.1.8.1 a Variant Under Monitoring, and public health officials say existing vaccines are still expected to protect against severe illness. The var…

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by Joe Lombardi
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COVID-19: Here's What To Know About New XEC Strain That's Arrived In US From Europe COVID-19: Here's What To Know About New XEC Strain That's Arrived In US From Europe
Covid-19: Here's What To Know About New XEC Strain That's Arrived In US From Europe A new highly transmissible COVID-19 strain that first appeared in Europe is now beginning to spread in the United States. Called XEC, the offshoot of the Omicron strain was initially identified in Germany early this past summer before quickly spreading throughout Europe. It is not causing more serious symptoms than other COVID strains, but it is causing concern. “The rate of infections from XEC they're seeing in some countries rose pretty quickly compared to previous variants in those same places," Dr. Scott Roberts, a Yale Medicine infectious diseases specialist said in YaleMedicine.…

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by Joe Lombardi
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COVID-19: KP.3.1.1 Strain Now Makes Up About 60 Percent Of US Cases; Here Are Symptoms COVID-19: KP.3.1.1 Strain Now Makes Up About 60 Percent Of US Cases; Here Are Symptoms
Covid-19: KP.3.1.1 Strain Now Makes Up About 60 Percent Of US Cases; Here Are Symptoms A highly contagious COVID-19 variant known as KP.3.1.1 now accounts for nearly 60 percent of infections in the United States. Data from the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that in a two-week period ending Saturday, Sept. 28, the strain made up 58.7 percent of cases nationally, with the KP.2.3 variant second at 9.4 percent. Both KP.3 and KP.2 are offshoots of the highly contagious Omicron variant and are members of a newly identified group of variants known as  “FLiRT.” Neither is causing more serious symptoms than other COVID strains, according to experts.…

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by Joe Lombardi
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COVID-19: New Highly Contagious KP.3 'FLiRT' Variant Now Accounts For Majority Of US Cases COVID-19: New Highly Contagious KP.3 'FLiRT' Variant Now Accounts For Majority Of US Cases
Covid-19: New Highly Contagious KP.3 'FLiRT' Variant Now Accounts For Majority Of US Cases A new highly contagious COVID-19 variant known as KP.3 now accounts for most infections in the United States. Data from the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that in a two-week period ending Saturday, June 8, the strain made up 25 percent of cases nationally, just ahead of the KP.2 variant (22.5 percent). Both KP.3 and KP.2 are offshoots of the highly contagious Omicron variant and are members of a newly identified group of variants known as  “FLiRT.”  COVID-19: New 'FLiRT' Variants Now Dominant In US Neither is expected to cause more serious symptom…

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by Joe Lombardi