August 2, 2022 – Each week, we will compile the latest data regarding flu and COVID-19 cases in the United States. As things change, we hope that this information will paint a better picture of what to look for in emerging COVID variant and in the upcoming flu season.
According to the CDC’s Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report, there have been 322 positive influenza specimens out of a total of 44,445 specimens tested in clinical laboratories. Influenza A makes up 299 of those cases, while Influenza B makes up 23 of the cases. The data from clinical laboratories are used to monitor whether flu activity is increasing or decreasing.
The CDC’s COVID-19 tracker reports that there are a daily average of 126,272 new cases and a daily average of 6,340 new hospitalizations as of July 26. The positive cases have decreased 0.9% from the previous 7-day moving average (127,478). BA. 2 Omicron subvariant is now the dominant strain in the United States, causing over 85% of all cases. This variant has been dubbed stealth Omicron because it contains genetic mutations that can make it more difficult to distinguish from the Delta variant using PRC tests, compared to the original Omicron variant.