Here are the latest national COVID-19 trends, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and major wastewater surveillance providers:
- About 0.6 in every 100,000 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 during the week ending April 18.
- COVID-19 test positivity decreased slightly, from 1.7% of COVID-19 tests returning positive results during the week ending April 11 to 1.3% positive during the week ending April 18.
- SARS-CoV-2 concentration in wastewater decreased 14% between April 11 and April 18, and the national wastewater viral activity level is “very low,” per the CDC.
- SARS-CoV-2 concentration in wastewater decreased 33% between April 8 and April 15 and the national wastewater trend is “low,” per WastewaterSCAN.
The U.S. is still in a lull between COVID-19 waves, as of mid-April, and the latest data indicate the lowest levels in a couple of years — maybe the lowest possible without more widespread precautions. BA.3.2 (or “Cicada”) is still on the horizon, but having limited impacts on U.S. cases so far.
Wastewater data from the CDC, WastewaterSCAN, and Biobot Analytics all report low levels of SARS-CoV-2 in sewage across the U.S. WWSCAN’s national wastewater trend went into “low” this week, which is notable as their categories are more comprehensive in comparison to historical data than the CDC’s; recent national averages from WWSCAN are the lowest reported since spring 2022.
The CDC continues to report slightly higher COVID-19 levels in wastewater in the South than in other regions. As I’ve noted over the last couple of weeks, states with moderate or high levels in the CDC data (Mississippi, West Virginia, Wyoming) have very limited wastewater testing, so their averages may be skewed. Meanwhile, WWSCAN and Biobot report higher levels in the Northeast than other regions. But in all regions, recent levels are still pretty low compared to historical data.
Test positivity from the CDC’s PCR testing network also continues to be the lowest reported in years. Only 1.3% of COVID-19 tests in this network were positive for the week ending April 18; during prior lulls between surges, that value has not gone below 2.5%. Test positivity is also low (under 2.5%) in all health regions, and is even under 1% on the West Coast.
Emergency department data report a continued lull in cases, too. The CDC’s infectious disease forecasting center, which uses emergency department data, estimates that COVID-19 cases are “declining or likely declining” in 37 states, “not changing” in five states, and only “likely growing” in one — Colorado.
Like other COVID-19 trackers, I continue watching for news on the BA.3.2 variant, or “Cicada.” It remains a variant of concern globally, and public sequencing data suggest that its prevalence is growing in the U.S., particularly in parts of the Northeast. It doesn’t appear to be having a big impact on outbreaks here yet, but that’s hard to say for certain with our limited variant surveillance.
Meanwhile, the U.S. government continues to reject collective health measures. Moderna’s vaccine combining protection against COVID-19 and the flu — the first combination vaccine like this to be developed — received authorization in the European Union this week, but it’s not even up for consideration in the U.S. The company pulled its application from the Food and Drug Administration last year.
