California has seen a significant increase in positive test results and wastewater samples.
Covid-19 cases are increasing in 39 states, with California being particularly affected.
Nursing home Covid cases have also accelerated in recent weeks from this region.
The CDC is urging caution as the summer wave continues to grow, especially in western states where trends are worsening fastest.
Two new Covid variants, KP.3 and LB.1, are growing in proportion nationwide and could potentially displace the current dominant strain.
A summer wave of Covid-19 infections is sweeping across multiple states in the US, with California being particularly affected. According to data from various sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and wastewater monitoring, Covid cases are on the rise in 39 states without declining anywhere. In California, high levels of coronavirus have been detected in wastewater and positive test results have increased significantly from around 3% to 7.5%. The CDC estimates that transmission is increasing based on emergency department visits and hospitalizations, which have risen by 25% from May 26 to June 1. Dr. Thomas Russo of the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences has also reported an increase in Covid cases in California.
Two new variants, KP.3 and LB.1, are growing in proportion nationwide and could potentially displace the current dominant strain, KP.2. Early lab data from Japan suggests that one of LB.1's mutations may enable it to spread faster than previous strains.
The CDC is urging caution as the summer wave continues to grow, especially in western states where trends are worsening fastest. Nursing home Covid cases have also accelerated in recent weeks from this region, with an average of 1.23% of emergency room visits being from Covid patients in HHS Region 9.
Despite these concerns, health officials recommend taking precautions similar to those for any respiratory illness and getting vaccinated to prevent severe illness or death. The Biden administration's public health agencies are planning for updated shots this fall.
The new COVID-19 subvariants collectively nicknamed FLiRT are fueling a rise in cases in Los Angeles County.
California is one of 15 states with high or very high coronavirus levels in sewage.
Coronavirus levels in California wastewater have sharply increased since early May.
Accuracy
Reported COVID-19 cases continue to rise in L.A. County.
The daily average number of people with COVID in L.A. County hospitals is ticking up.
Deception
(30%)
The article contains selective reporting as it only reports details that support the author's position of a coronavirus resurgence in California. It does not mention any counter-evidence or alternative explanations for the increase in COVID cases and wastewater levels. The article also uses emotional manipulation by implying fear and urgency through phrases like 'coronavirus resurgence' and 'it remains unclear how bad the COVID situation may get this summer'. Additionally, there is a lack of disclosure regarding sources for some of the data presented in the article.
California is now one of 15 states with high or very high coronavirus levels in sewage.
It remains unclear how bad the COVID situation may get this summer.
The data point to a coronavirus resurgence in the Golden State
Fallacies
(85%)
The author makes several appeals to authority in the article. He mentions the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) multiple times when discussing the increase in COVID-19 subvariants and wastewater data. The author also quotes Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, regarding the new vaccine recommendations. These appeals to authority do not necessarily constitute fallacies on their own but can weaken an argument if they are not properly contextualized or if they are used excessively.
]The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the FLiRT subvariants make up a combined 62.9% of specimens nationwide for the two-week period ending Saturday.[
Dr. Peter Marks, director for the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, in a press briefing Friday.
Covid infections are on the rise nationally, with cases increasing in 39 states and not declining anywhere in the US.
California is experiencing a notable rise in Covid infections, with high levels of coronavirus in wastewater and a documented share of positive tests rising from around 3% to 7.5%.
Accuracy
Several variants, including KP.2, KP.3, and LB.1, are contributing to the nationwide trend.
KP.2 became the dominant variant in the US last month and is a descendant of JN.1.
LB.1 accounts for another 17.5% of Covid infections and is likely to become dominant soon.
A substantial spike in COVID cases is expected to impact more than 30 states, including Virginia.
Lisa Engle, an epidemiologist with the Virginia Department of Health, expects similar symptoms from the new KP.3 flirt variant.
Accuracy
California is one of 15 states with high or very high coronavirus levels in sewage.
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(95%)
The author makes several statements that are accurate and do not contain any identified formal or informal fallacies. She quotes an expert, Lisa Engle, from the Virginia Department of Health who provides valuable information about the current state of COVID-19 infections and variants. The author also encourages readers to take precautions against getting sick and getting vaccinated. However, there is one instance where the author uses a dichotomous depiction by stating 'But I would not say we need to start social distancing and wear a mask all the time.' This statement implies that there are only two options: either social distancing and wearing masks all the time or not at all. A more nuanced approach would be to acknowledge that different levels of precautions may be necessary depending on the specific circumstances, such as community transmission rates and individual risk factors.
But I would not say we need to start social distancing and wear a mask all the time.
A summertime wave of COVID-19 infections is arriving earlier than last year across a growing share of the country, federal data suggests.
A new variant called LB.1 could be on track to become the latest dominant strain of the virus.
No states or territories are seeing COVID-19 infections slow this past week, and key virus indicators appear to be worsening fastest across a number of western states.
Levels of virus detections in wastewater from the western region are near the threshold the Centers for Disease Control considers to be ‘high’ levels of infection risk.
Nursing home COVID-19 cases have accelerated in recent weeks from this region, with an average of 1.23% of emergency room visits being from COVID-19 patients in HHS Region 9.
The CDC is tracking two new variants growing in proportion nationwide: KP.3 and LB.1.
Both KP.3 and LB.1 are displacing a variant called KP.2.
Early lab data from scientists in Japan found one of LB.1’s mutations could enable it to spread faster.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(75%)
The article contains selective reporting as it only mentions the new variants LB.1 and KP.3, while not mentioning any other variants that may be present or growing in proportion. It also uses emotional manipulation by stating 'for the first time in months, the CDC estimates that no states or territories are seeing COVID-19 infections slow this past week.' This statement creates a sense of urgency and fear, which can manipulate readers' emotions.
Both are displacing a close relative, a so-called 'FLiRT' variant called KP.2, which had risen to dominance last month.
For the first time in months, the CDC estimates that no states or territories are seeing COVID-19 infections slow this past week.
