A new COVID-19 strain (XGF) is spreading rapidly across the US, with some states experiencing higher rates of positive tests than others. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), during the week ending August 2, 8.5% of Americans tested positive for COVID-19, a 2% increase from the previous week.
Western and southern states, including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana, have higher percentages of positive tests. The CDC also reports that variant NB.1.8.1 remains the most common, accounting for 43% of cases, followed by LP.8.1 at 31%. XGF, a combination of variants F.7 and LP.8.1.2, is on the rise, having increased from 0% in March to 14% by late June.
Notably, COVID-19-related deaths and hospitalizations remain relatively low, with only 0.3% of cases resulting in death and 0.9% requiring an emergency room visit. The CDC has adjusted its reporting schedule due to reduced state reporting, but weekly data is still being tracked.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2025/08/11/covid-variants-testing-deaths-map-august-2025/85616250007