They have passed five years since the first alarm sounded in China about pneumonia, soon identified as a new coronaviruswhich was named after COVID-19. Until last November 10, more than 776 million people were affected by COVID-19 in 234 countriesalong with a balance of more than 7 million deaths. These figures reflect the scope of this health crisis and the tremendous challenge the world faced. However, the problem is not over yet.
The news is that the pandemic is still active and has increased markedly in the United States. Since 2020, COVID-19 adopted a pattern of increasing cases in two waves each year, in summer and winter. In December 2024, after an unusual calm during the fall, cases increased, while infection rates booster vaccinations remain very lowCDC experts said.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing and remains dangerous”he stated Jeffrey TownsendElihu Professor of Biostatistics at the Yale School of Public Health, told The Guardian.
In USA Not only did they increase positive cases of COVID-19also the emergency consultationslas hospitalizations and deaths. Furthermore, the wastewater monitoring from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that case rates began to decline increase a month ago.
On the other hand, according to various media, China you could be dealing with a new virus outbreak. It is about the human metaneumovirus or HMPVfor its acronym in English. It reportedly causes symptoms similar to those of flu and COVID-19.
The official reports of China Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that rates of multiple flu-like illnesses are increasing in that country, based on data through the last week of 2024. Health authorities are closely monitoring the situation.
There are two main factors that affect outbreaks and their severity, says the expert: the appearance of new variants and the levels of immunity that people acquire before them, either through vaccination or when suffering from the infection. And, unfortunately, the levels of vaccination are very low.
“It depends on all kinds of things: the virus evolution, immunity of people, when was the last increase; All of these things are difficult to put together to predict exactly when a surge will occur,” Townsend said.
That’s one of the reasons why it’s so important. monitor the waters residuals, hospitalizations and other indicators, to be able to respond quickly to waves when they start, he told The Guardian.
“The true worry is that older people will suffer greatly from this disease, or even die from it,” Townsend said. Some figures of the CDC son:
- Only one in five (21.4%) adults and one in ten (10.3%) children have received the new COVID-19 booster vaccinewhich was available at the end of August in the United States.
- One in three (37%) of residents of nursing homes are up to date with COVID-19 vaccineswhich is higher than 23% at the same time last year, but still insufficient to prevent serious illness and death.
- Nearly 5.3% of US adults reported having current symptoms of long COVID-19 and 17.9% reported having ever had COVID-19 prolonged, according to a survey of the CDC.
In USAin previous years, COVID-19 infections used to start to rise to beginning of November and reaching its peak at the end of December. But this year, during the months of October and November, cases were the lowest in history, according to the wastewater monitoring data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But in December, levels went from low to high in the middle of the month. In the week ending December 21, there were almost three times as many COVID-19 circulating in the United States than during the week ending December 7, CDC data shows.
This increase occurred in all regionsbut there was a very important rebound in the Midwestwhere the levels of COVID-19 They were almost twice as high as in other areas of the country.
The rapid increase in cases corresponds to a new dominant variant of the coronavirus called XEC.
According to the CDC, “many minor variants of the SARS-CoV-2the virus that causes COVID-19, which are descended from the JN.1 variant, are circulating simultaneously facing the winter 2024-2025”. Among them is the CHECKa hybrid of two JN.1 variants, which was the omicron subvariant that accounted for the majority of cases during last winter’s surge in the United States.
However, they assure: “The 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine “It will reduce the risk of severe disease and protect against the variants that are most common today and those that are likely to be common in the future.”
As of October 26, CDC’s projected estimates of COVID-19 variants show:
- KP.3.1.1, a descendant of KP.3, is the leading variant in the United States, accounting for 54 to 60% of viruses nationally, and increases have slowed.
- CHECKa hybrid of two JN.1 variants, represents between 14 and 22% of viruses and its incidence is increasing.
- MC.1a descendant of KP.3.1.1, represents between 3 and 7% of viruses and its presence is increasing.
According to the CDC, “the variants mentioned above and the others that are circulating have spike antigens which remain very similar to each other. The spike antigen allows the virus to enter cells, so it plays a crucial role in infection. Vaccines work by causing the body to produce antibodies that attack these spike antigens to inhibit infection.
According to the CDC, the virus that causes COVID-19 continues to change to evade immunityso it is important to protect yourself and others, through the following recommendations:
- Practice good hygiene (wash hands frequently and clean touched surfaces)
- Take steps for cleaner air
- Take precautions to prevent spread if symptoms occursuch as staying home and away from other people (including those you live with).
- Seek medical attention immediately for testing or treatment if you have risk factors for serious illness. Treatment can reduce the risk of serious illness, but should be started within the first few days after symptoms begin.
- Get the booster vaccination.
