California’s Wastewater COVID-19 Levels Are Very High; JN.1 Variant Dominates
Covid 19 is making a comeback this summer, with infection levels rising, as seen in case reporting, wastewater samples, and hospitalizations. The latest COVID-19 data from the Los Angeles County Health Department shows a daily average of 307 cases reported from July 1 to July 7, 2024. This brings the total number of cases for 2024 to 42,557.
The current 7-day average test positivity rate stands at 10.1%. Wastewater analysis conducted from June 20 to June 29, 2024, reveals that the concentration of COVID-19 is at 27% of the peak levels observed during the winter of 2023-2024, per the Centers for Disease Control.
Hospitalizations show an average of 240 COVID-positive patients hospitalized daily from June 30 to July 6, 2024. In May 2024, 47% of these hospitalizations were due to COVID-associated illness, while 53% were incidental detections of the virus.
The predominant COVID-19 variant remains JN.1. On a national level, wastewater viral activity is currently high. In California, the level of COVID-19 detection in wastewater is classified as very high, with a measurement of 9.72. The West region’s level is 7.23, compared to the national average of 4.98. Other states experiencing very high levels of wastewater detection include Oregon, Nevada, Texas, Arkansas, Florida, Maryland, and Virginia.
