September 6, 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 209 positive influenza specimens out of a total of 41,365 specimens tested in clinical laboratories, a slight decrease from last week. Influenza A makes up 182 of those cases, while Influenza B makes up 27 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 90,676 new cases and a daily average of 5,314 new hospitalizations as of August 24. The positive cases have decreased 6.7% from the previous 7-day moving average (97,184). BA. 2 Omicron subvariant is projected to continue to be the dominant strain in the United States, causing over 100% of all cases.
COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are leveling off from their rise over the summer. The CDC says, “We can help prevent these numbers from increasing again by staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations.” Even with 77% of adults over 18 having received the primary dose of the vaccine, only half of the booster eligible adults have gotten a booster. Vaccine effectiveness is proven to wane over time.