United States: The United States is facing another late summer upswing in COVID-19 cases, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The sharpest rise is seen in a cluster of southern states — Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas — where nearly 15% of tests reported to the CDC are coming back positive. Across the West, a dozen more states have also logged positivity rates near 10%.
Health experts caution that official numbers likely miss many cases. This is because more people now rely on at-home test kits, which are not reported to public health agencies.
One alternative method of measuring spread is wastewater monitoring. The CDC explains that sewage testing can identify COVID-19 trends even before people feel sick or seek medical care, making it a valuable early warning system, according to newsnationnow.com.
#COVID19 cases are going up in over 90% of U.S. states & territories.
— CDC (@CDCgov) July 28, 2021
The current 7-day average of daily new cases is 61,976. This is a 64.1% increase from the previous week, & a 439.7% increase from the lowest average in June 2021. Get vaccinated. More: https://t.co/gp6X4zTnBT pic.twitter.com/qTOR8GEJMN
Recent wastewater data highlights five states with “very high” virus activity: Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, Texas, and Utah. Still, the picture is incomplete, since not every state has widespread wastewater testing in place.
The summer uptick is not unusual. Since the pandemic began, case counts have risen during the hotter months. Epidemiologists point to indoor gatherings in air-conditioned spaces with limited ventilation as one driver. Summer travel, which places more people in large crowds, is another factor.
Fading immunity may also play a role. Many people last received their booster shot in the previous fall, and protection tends to decline over time. Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, an epidemiologist at Washington University in St. Louis, told the New York Times that waning immunity could leave more people vulnerable by summer.
Vaccine access this year may look different. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved updated Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax vaccines for older adults, but availability for younger groups without high-risk health conditions has been scaled back, as reported by newsnationnow.com.
Federal officials in the US say that Covid-19 vaccines remain available to everyone, despite new restrictions on the groups that they’re approved for. https://t.co/rbpJsJp71I
— News 3 Now / Channel 3000 (@WISCTV_News3) August 29, 2025
How widely shots will be offered — and whether insurance will cover them — should become clearer after the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel meets in September.