According to federal data, a summertime wave of COVID-19 infections is spreading sooner than it did in a larger portion of the nation. This is likely due to the possibility that a new strain of the virus known as LB.1 will emerge as the most recent dominant strain.

According to CDC estimates, COVID-19 infections slowed this past week in all states and territories for the first time in months. Indicators of the key virus seem to be becoming worse at the fastest rate in some western states, where trends started to pick up this month.

The amount of viruses found in western wastewater is getting close to what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers to be "high" levels of infection risk. These viruses are frequently an early indicator of increased COVID-19 infections. COVID-19 nursing home