From Fortune Magazine:

Federal wastewater data released Friday reveals that COVID levels in the U.S. have reached the second-highest point of the pandemic, leading to a surge in related ER visits, hospitalizations, and deaths. Wastewater is now the quickest and best way to track the growth of the virus, and testing for COVID is at all-time lows.

With the U.S. hospitalizations up 20% this week from the last, and both COVID-related ER visits and deaths up by roughly 13%, researchers are taking note, warning the public.

Globally, the JN.1 variant of COVID accounts for over 40% of sequences reported worldwide. It started increasing globally last fall, and its growth drastically rose last month. This variant may represent a new phase of the pandemic.

The U.S. is currently overwhelmed with the globally dominant JN.1 variant that has yet to peak, according to variant trackers and experts, raising questions of whether a new chapter of the pandemic has begun.

Fauci and other experts are still weighing the significance of the JN.1 strain and whether or not it merits a unique Greek letter. There is a possibility of a new chapter in the pandemic.



Read more: Highly mutated COVID variant ‘Pirola’ JN.1 is fueling the pandemic’s second highest U.S. wave—and it’s still growing