COVID-19-related hospitalizations nationwide are up this week by 10.3 percent, while the death rate continues to decline — down by 0.9 percent, according to CDC data.
The World Health Organization has also begun tracking the newest COVID-19 variant — EG.5 — which currently makes up 11.4 percent of U.S. cases. However, at this time, the WHO reports that there is no evidence to suggest this variant is increasing hospitalizations or death rates, CIDRAP reported.
Here are four other recent COVID-19 updates:
- Changes between COVID-19 variants may be to blame for individuals who test positive for the virus without developing symptoms, the Washington Post reported July 19.
- A study from researchers at Harvard University in Boston and New York University in New York City, highlighted the severity of zoonotic diseases and humans coming into contact with those possibly via the meat industry. Without increased regulations on the industry sector, researchers argue that statistically, it is likely the next pandemic could begin because of lax standards that currently exist combined with more disease threats due to climate change.
- In a study, scent dogs were trained to detect positive COVID-19 cases in patients, and results were successful, leading researchers to conclude that their use could be important for providing "quick (seconds to minutes), nonintrusive, and accurate results in public settings and thus reduce the spread of the COVID-19," they wrote.
- A recent study that suggested hospitals were overpaid in public health emergency funds during the onset of the pandemic, has since been sharply rejected by leaders at the American Hospital Association.