USA is seeing a surge in Covid-related hospitalisations. Should Indians be concerned?
The US is experiencing a significant increase in Covid hospitalisations. According to the data, hospitalisations have risen by 10%, marking the steepest increase since December 2022. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the national public health agency of the United States, has issued a warning regarding this surge.
Summer wave?
Before delving into the reasons, here are a few numbers:
- During the week of July 15, more than 7,100 Covid patients were hospitalized, compared to 6,444 the previous week.
- Covid-related emergency room visits accounted for approximately 0.73% of visits as of July 21, up from 0.49% a month earlier.
However, according to CDC spokesperson Kathleen Conley, there is no need to worry as the overall Covid rates are still at "near-historic lows" in the US.
[READ MORE: India is seeing a spike in Covid and H3N2 cases. Should you be worried?]
Dr Trupti Gilada, an infectious disease physician from Mumbai, explains to dialyO that the rise in cases could be due to a new variant.
But should Indians be worried?
If you're wondering whether you should start wearing masks and gloves again, then don't worry just yet, according to experts.
Dr Trupti explains that India has not witnessed any rise in Covid cases so far, even though testing is increasing.
So, even if we see an increase in Covid cases, the severity of the cases is expected to remain low, according to her.
Not Covid but H3N2
Dr Trupti, however, points out that although there is no surge in Covid cases, there is another viral infection on the rise.
'Monsoon is the season of viral diseases in India'
Similar to influenza, we do observe an increase in cases like Covid during the change of seasons for various reasons:
- Due to the rain, people spend more time indoors, such as in malls, than outside.
- Humidity levels play an important role, especially for diseases related to the lungs or upper respiratory tracts.
READ MORE: Almost everyone you know is either catching a cold or falling sick. Here's why