(NewsNation) — High levels of COVID-19 are cropping up in wastewater analysis sites across the country just in time for the holiday travel season, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Nearly every state is reporting at least “high” levels of COVID-19 in wastewater compared to baseline trends, with many indicating “very high” levels.
Despite a significant portion of the population having some form of immunity from both natural infection and vaccinations, COVID-19 remains a formidable illness that can lead to substantial sickness, school and work absences, and disruptions to holiday plans. It continues to pose a serious threat to vulnerable groups, particularly the elderly and immunocompromised.
As millions of Americans are preparing to gather for the holidays, health officials are warning of a new COVID-19 variant sweeping the country.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said it was classifying the COVID variant JN.1 as a variant of interest.
JN.1 was first detected in August, according to WHO, and is a “descendent lineage” of the subvariant BA.2.86, otherwise known as Pirola. Pirola itself is a descendant of the BA.2 omicron subvariant.
In August, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned BA.2.86 may be better at causing breakthrough infections, meaning that even if you’ve been vaccinated or had the virus, you could still become infected.
CDC data indicates that there have been almost 67,200 deaths related to COVID-19 this year, a notable decline from the approximately 246,200 deaths last year and 463,300 in 2021.
As of early December, 22 states are grappling with “very high” COVID-19 wastewater levels, particularly in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, as defined by the CDC’s comparison to baseline measurements.
The CDC has recently expressed concern over low levels of COVID-19, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccinations this season.
Addy Bink contributed to this report.