It seems like everyone has Covid-19. Here’s why this wave is probably worse than official data suggests | CNN
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Covid-19 certainly didn’t take a vacation this summer. Virus levels in the US have been on the rise for weeks, but it’s hard to know exactly how widely it’s spreading.

Rates of severe disease may be staying at relatively low levels, but experts agree that there are probably more infections than the current surveillance systems can capture.

“There is more transmission out there than what the surveillance data indicates,” said Janet Hamilton, executive director of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. “And we should be paying attention to it, because we are starting to see an increase.”

Weekly hospital admissions have nearly doubled over the past month, including a 19% bump in the most recent week, CDC data shows. And a sample of laboratories participating in a federal surveillance program show that test positivity rates have tripled in the past two months.

There are some hopeful signs: Biobot data shows that wastewater levels may be starting to flatten, and relatively low hospitalization rates suggest that there may be a lower risk of severe disease for many.

    • gornar@lemmy.world
      102·
      1 year ago

      Definitive diagnosis is kind of like, a thing in medicine. We like knowing what stuff is, so should things take a turn for the worse, the correct treatment can be applied. We try not to guess in medicine, or go “welp, no idea, good luck, kid!”

      • freeindv@monyet.cc
        211·
        1 year ago

        Did they need treatment? You test to determine treatment, otherwise don’t test and stay home if you can. Testing for the sake of knowing it’s harmful to society.

    • hitmyspot@aussie.zone
      21·
      1 year ago

      Let’s you know which disease you have so you can more accurately know how to protect others. If you’ve a cold, stay home…if you’ve the flu, stay in bed and isolated. If you have covidy stay isolated and get meals delivered to bedroom.with mask and use separate bathroom etc.

      A test doesn’t fix covid but if we don’t test, you have to assume every respiratory infection is covid and that’s not ideal for those with kids that get sick on average 14 times a year.