The California Department of Public Health is reporting a summer spike in COVID-19 infections in the state.
Week-over-week results from late June show that emergency room visits in California increased by about 23% from the previous week, with the test positivity rate rising to 8%, the highest for this time of year since summer 2022. The death rate also increased by 14% from previous weeks.
Since the start of the pandemic, 107,973 Californians have died from COVID-19. From October 2023 to June 2023, 3,654 people have died from COVID.
However, Dr. John Swartzberg, a clinical professor emeritus at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, told the Mercury News that the spike in COVID-19 infections so far this year is much lower than the increase in COVID-19 infections in California in 2023.
“It’s not comparable to winter; it’s not even as high as a year ago,” he said.
Another good statistic? Deaths hit record lows in California this spring, including the state’s first day in more than four years with no COVID deaths, according to reporting from KFF Health News.
Will COVID-19 cases rise across the country this summer?
With COVID-19 cases rising and a new variant of the disease emerging across the country this summer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending updated vaccines be distributed ahead of the fall and winter virus season.
“Make a plan now for you and your family to get both the flu and COVID vaccines this fall, before the respiratory virus season begins,” CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said in a statement Thursday.
The CDC is tracking the growth of multiple variants of COVID-19, including the frontrunner KP.3 and the emerging LB.1 variant, the latest variant circulating in the U.S. According to data collected by the agency, there was a 1.4% increase in the number of positive tests through June 22.
Here’s what you need to know about COVID-19 in California and the US, and the CDC’s latest vaccination guidelines.
Number of COVID-19 cases increasing this summer:Understanding the revival
Should you get vaccinated against COVID-19?
The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older, with some exceptions, get vaccinated against COVID-19 for 2024-2025 to protect against the disease, regardless of whether you have previously been vaccinated against the virus.
Should you get vaccinated against the flu?
The agency also recommends updated flu vaccines for 2024-205.
Most people only need one dose of the flu vaccine per season. September and October are the best months for most people to get vaccinated.
Can you get the COVID vaccine and the flu vaccine at the same time?
According to the CDC, it is safe to get both the COVID-19 vaccine and the flu vaccine during the same visit.
What are the current COVID variants?
For a two-week period beginning June 9 and ending June 22, the CDC’s Nowcast data tracker showed COVID-19 variant projections, with the KP.3 variant accounting for 33.1% of positive infections, the KP.2 variant for 20.8%, and the new LB.1 variant for 17.5% of infections.
According to the data, the JN.1 variant accounted for only 1.6% of positive infections.
What is the LB.1 variant?
The LB.1 variant is the latest COVID-19 variant circulating in the United States.
Based on the information available to the CDC at this time, there is no evidence that the LB.1 variant poses a serious risk.
“There is currently no evidence that LB.1 causes more severe disease,” CDC spokesman Dave Daigle previously told USA TODAY.
What are the current symptoms of COVID-19?
There is a wide range of symptoms that may indicate a COVID-19 infection and can occur 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Symptoms may include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body pain
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- A sore throat
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
According to the CDC, you should seek medical attention if you have the following symptoms:
- Problems with breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion
- Inability to wake up or stay awake
- Pale, gray, or bluish skin, lips, or nail beds
How do COVID and flu symptoms relate to each other?
The flu and COVID-19 share some of the same symptoms, but flu symptoms come on suddenly, the CDC says. People who have the flu often feel some or all of the following symptoms:
- Fever or feverish feeling/chills
- Cough
- A sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle or body pain
- Headache
- Fatigue
Some people may experience vomiting or diarrhea, although the CDC says this is more common in children than adults.
What is the CDC recommended isolation period for COVID-19?
The CDC’s updated guidelines for the respiratory virus recommend that people stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after their fever is gone and their symptoms generally improve. This is a change from previous guidelines, which recommended a minimum isolation period of five days for COVID-19.
Instead, the CDC recommends taking extra precautions and using prevention strategies for the next five days, including:
- Taking steps for cleaner air
- Improving hygiene practices
- Wearing a well-fitting mask
- Keep your distance from others
- Get tested for respiratory viruses
Contributors: James Ward, Palm Springs Desert Sun