COVID-19

Respiratory virus levels climb as JN.1 dominates COVID detections PeopleImages/iStock CIDRAP

... In its tracking of three main viruses that drive visits to health providers for symptoms such as fever and sore throat, the CDC said respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity remains elevated, especially for young children. Meanwhile, COVID-19 activity is increasing in many parts of the country, as is seasonal flu, though hospital bed occupancy and intensive care unit (ICU) capacity for all patients remains stable.

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COVID map shows where cases are highest across US Four states showed the highest rate of positive tests in the country in the week ended December 16. Newsweek

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In only four states in the entire country the rate was above 15 percent. Region Seven, which includes Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, had the highest rate in the country as of the week ending on December 16, 18.5 percent. For weeks the four states have been identified as the worst-hit by the virus in the country, with more people testing positive than anywhere else.

New JN.1 COVID variant may be more contagious but less severe A new, fast-spreading variant named JN.1 now makes up 44% of all cases nationwide. Yahoo News

A new, fast-spreading variant named JN.1 now makes up 44% of all cases nationwide, more than doubling (21.3% vs. 44.2%) its share from the week before, according to the CDC COVID Data Tracker: Variant Proportions. ...