The COVID-19 virus is experiencing a nationwide surge, with rates highest in the Southwest region of the United States. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 rates reached 12.5% – the highest in the nation. Los Angeles County has seen elevated levels of COVID-19 in its wastewater since February.
The surge is largely attributed to the highly contagious “Stratus” variant, which has become the predominant strain in the US. The CDC reports that two-thirds of virus variants detected in wastewater are now Stratus. The nationwide positivity rate hit 9% in early August, surpassing the January post-holiday surge but still below last August’s spike.
In May, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the removal of COVID-19 vaccines from the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women. The decision was met with criticism from medical organizations, who argued it was “baseless and uninformed.” The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices had previously recommended updated COVID vaccinations alongside yearly flu shots.
Despite the increased cases, weekly deaths remain low. However, the CDC estimates that only about 23% of adults and 13% of children received the 2024-25 COVID booster – a significantly lower rate compared to those who received the updated flu shot in the same time frame.
Source: https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2025-08-16/covid-surges-nationwide-with-highest-rates-in-california