West coast sees highest Covid-19 levels as cases rise across US, CDC data says, P2
- Shidonna Raven
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
August 8, 2025
Source: The Guardian
Photo / Image Source: Unsplash,
A new Covid-19 variant, XFG, or “Stratus”, is on the rise in the US, becoming the third-most common strain of the summer. The variant was first detected in south-east Asia in January but was barely detected in the US until May. By late June, it was estimated to account for up to 14%, according to the CDC.
During a CBS interview in July, physician Jon LaPook said that this type of rise was typical for the summer.
“We now know that there’s a winter spike and then there’s a summer spike,” the outlet’s chief medical correspondent said in the interview. “And every year, the number of deaths, the number of hospitalizations, is gradually going down each season. So that’s the good news.”
Still, experts caution it is too soon to know how big the developing late-summer wave could get. While cases are rising more slowly than at the start of previous surges, varied immune responses from prior infections and vaccinations make it difficult to predict how severe illnesses could be. The risks are further compounded by new vaccine restrictions from the Trump administration.
The rise in Covid-19 cases comes as the US Department of Health and Human Services announced on Tuesday it will terminate 22 federal contracts for mRNA-based vaccines, raising questions about the safety of a technology credited with helping end the pandemic and saving millions of lives.
The CDC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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