A new Covid variant is spreading in multiple states and causing cases to peak nationwide.
The XFG variant, also known as Stratus, has gained momentum in the US since it was first detected in March.
Now CDC figures show Covid viral wastewater activity is now ‘high’ nationally as of the week of September 7, the latest data available, up from ‘moderate’ the week before.
The surge is largely driven by XFG, CDC data shows, which is thought to be more contagious than previous variants due to various mutations within its spike protein that help it evade antibodies from prior infection or vaccination.
This means XFG is likely more infectious, though is it is not deadlier.
The latest data now shows 29 states are reporting ‘high’ or ‘very high’ viral wastewater activity as of September 16.
And infections are ‘growing’ or ‘likely’ growing in nine states: North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Jersey and Delaware.
XFG’s rise comes as officials place more restrictions on Covid vaccines, with a CDC vaccine panel voting against recommending the shots in favor of ‘individual decision-making.’
The agency’s wastewater estimates are based on reports from hundreds of sites across the US that analyze the water for signs of Covid.
An uptick indicates more people are shedding the virus, suggesting that infections are rising.
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XFG was first detected in January in Southeast Asia and was found in the US two months later.
In May, it accounted for just three percent of Covid infections in the US. But as of September 9, it now makes up 80 percent of US Covid cases.
It is a hybrid of two existing omicron strains, LF.7 and LP.8.1.2, meaning it carries genetic material from both variants, allowing it to more easily bind to cells in the body and trigger infection than previous variants.
Symptoms are similar to previous variants, with major signs including fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, loss of taste or smell, fatigue, body aches, headache, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Among the nine states with growing infections, South Dakota is the only one reporting ‘very high’ Covid activity in its wastewater, while Minnesota and Delaware reported ‘high’ levels. The remainder had moderate, low or very low levels, with the exception being North Dakota, which did not have data available.
Wastewater levels increased 2.2 percent in Delaware and six percent in Minnesota compared to the previous weeks.
Despite having the highest levels, South Dakota saw a decrease of seven percent compared to the previous week.
South Dakota’s ‘very high’ activity could be due to its high concentration of Native American reservations, which historically have less access to quality healthcare. As for Minnesota, the state’s cold temperatures increase the amount of gatherings inside during the winter, which increases viral transmission rates.
Delaware, meanwhile, has a significant aging population, with 28 percent of residents being 60 and older. These groups are generally more vulnerable to infections due to having weakened immune systems.
The variant is, however, showing signs of slowing nationwide. About 1.5 per 100,000 hospitalizations were due to Covid during the week ending September 13, the latest data available, down from 2.5 per 100,000 the week before.
Test positivity is also down to 9.5 percent the week ending September 13 from 10.9 percent during the previous week, and emergency department visits are down from 1.6 percent to 1.2 percent.