COVID-19 cases slowly rising across the US as nation, DC region prepare for possible summer surge

COVID-19 cases slowly rising across the US as nation, DC region prepares for possible summer surge

COVID-19 cases are slowly rising across the U.S. as the nation prepares for what could be a possible summer surge.

WASHINGTON - COVID-19 cases are slowly rising across the U.S. as the nation prepares for what could be a possible summer surge.

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As of April 27, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the current seven-day moving average of daily new cases was at 53,133 – an increase of just over 25 percent compared with the previous seven-day moving average of 42,427.

The uptick in cases can be traced to Omicron's BA.2 and BA.2.12.1 subvariants. The Virginia Department of Health says behavior changes and Omicron's subvariants may drive the summer surge with models suggesting case and hospitalization peaks somewhere between the levels seen during the Delta and Omicron waves.

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VDH officials say that Omicron's BA.2 subvariant is dominant in Virginia at the moment and that the BA.2.12.1 subvariant is beginning to make inroads -- particularly in New York and the Northeast.

Health officials with VDH say projected deaths are much lower than previous waves in Virginia.