COVID-19 now increasing again, especially in Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, CDC says..

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Friday that several key COVID-19 trends, closely monitored by authorities, are now on the rise across the United States. This marks the first significant nationwide increase in virus spread observed in months.

The most notable surges are occurring in the Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic, according to the agency's weekly report updated on Friday, with accelerations now evident in nearly all regions of the country.

Data collected from emergency rooms and wastewater sampling highlight some of the sharpest increases in the region encompassing Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

Notably, rates of COVID-19 infections among nursing home residents in this Midwestern region have experienced a notable surge in recent weeks, surpassing levels seen in most other parts of the country and approaching figures not witnessed since the peak of last winter's COVID-19 wave.

CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen mentioned during a House committee hearing on Thursday, "Recall that we experienced a late summer wave of COVID. We managed to decrease that. Now, we are witnessing another increase, as anticipated, following extensive travel and gatherings during Thanksgiving.

Approximately 2 million Americans currently reside in counties classified as having "high" levels of COVID-19 hospitalizations, prompting the CDC to recommend masking in public and advocating other precautions to mitigate the virus's threat.

Additionally, about 1 in 10 Americans find themselves in communities with "medium" levels of hospitalizations, prompting the agency to advise additional precautions for those at risk.

Dr. Mandy Cohen mentioned that the agency has been monitoring the acceleration of other respiratory illnesses in recent weeks, aligning with patterns observed in previous fall and winter virus seasons, ahead of the rise in COVID-19 cases

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, has reached a "near peak" in many southern states, where cases and hospitalizations in young children initially surged earlier this year. According to an updated report this week from the CDC's disease forecasters, RSV hospitalizations have surpassed pre-pandemic levels but are projected to reach a "lower and later peak" compared to the previous year.

The CDC also noted an acceleration in flu trends across the nation, anticipating further increases into December. However, data from emergency rooms indicate that influenza has yet to surpass overall COVID-19 levels.

Despite the escalating trends in both RSV and the flu, COVID remains the predominant respiratory virus leading to hospitalizations and fatalities, emphasized Cohen.

Health officials have been actively monitoring reports of pneumonia-like illnesses in children, including cases associated with the common mycoplasma bacteria, implicated in China's recent rise in pediatric hospitalizations. Instances of mycoplasma pneumonia have also been observed among sick children in Ohio.

Internationally, there has been a notable resurgence of bacterial infections in children this season, a phenomenon largely absent during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Denmark, for instance, has issued warnings about reaching epidemic levels of mycoplasma infections.

Despite the escalating trends in both RSV and the flu, COVID remains the predominant respiratory virus leading to hospitalizations and fatalities, emphasized Cohen.

Health officials have been actively monitoring reports of pneumonia-like illnesses in children, including cases associated with the common mycoplasma bacteria, implicated in China's recent rise in pediatric hospitalizations. Instances of mycoplasma pneumonia have also been observed among sick children in Ohio.

Internationally, there has been a notable resurgence of bacterial infections in children this season, a phenomenon largely absent during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Denmark, for instance, has issued warnings about reaching epidemic levels of mycoplasma infections.