This week in outbreaks: Labor Day edition

News you can use for your long weekend.

Thanks for your well wishes last week. I am fully recovered from my bout with covid and glad to be back.

Respiratory diseases

Covid-19 continues on its upward path, now in week 10.

The odd dip in SARS-CoV-2 wastewater concentration that I noted last week in the Midwest region bounced back up, according to data from Biobot. Metrics for hospitalizations, test positivity and emergency department visits also continue to rise in Midwestern states.

The trajectory of wastewater concentration in Southern states might have slowed, but there’s no evidence of relief in hospitalization metrics, which currently rank the highest in the country. Florida, in particular, has reported high hospitalizations, with over 2,000 new admissions during the latest reporting period.

Western and Northeastern states are also seeing rises in both wastewater and hospitalization-related metrics, though the overall activity remains lower than the other regions.

Source: Biobot

In practical terms, there is no sign of the new BA.2.86 variant. I’ve had my eye due to its dozens of mutations and its simultaneous discovery in various world regions. Although it has been detected in more locations since then, its spread doesn't appear to be rapid, it doesn’t seem to be taking off very quickly. I’ll keep monitoring in case that changes. What we do see is an increase in the EG.5 variant, which was expected to become dominant over time. It belongs to the Omicron sub-lineage (thus, it's a continuation of what we've seen). The upcoming vaccine release later this month should be a good match for it.

It’s hard to know what is going on with RSV on a week to week basis, but I still see signs of increasing activity in certain parts of the South, such as Florida, Georgia, and now Texas. While the current activity remains lower than typical peaks later in the season, it’s beginning to pick up. There are now shots to protect infants and older adults, so do check that out.

Data for other respiratory diseases look good.

For my Canadian readers, there has been a continued increase in Covid-19 activity over the past several weeks. Test positivity is highest in British Columbia and in the Atlantic and Quebec regions, but testing rates have clearly dropped off compared to this time last year. RSV activity remains low, as do indicators for other common respiratory pathogens.

Stomach bugs

Foodborne illness is common this time of year, especially around holidays like Labor Day, when outdoor picnics, potlucks, and barbecues are common. In fact, E. coli activity has been high since July. One common scenario is leaving food out too long in the hot sun. If you’re having a party and will be distracted, I recommend setting a timer or alarm to remind yourself to put foods away. If you need a refresher on safe food handling, FDA has some tips.

Norovirus activity is low.

Food recalls

The following foods are being recalled because they are contaminated. Please check your cupboards and throw out any of these items:

New:

• None

Previously reported:

• Frozen corn and mixed vegetables from Food Lion and Kroger (more info)

• Dehumidifiers, dozens of models sold by major retailers, including Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Walmart. The recalled units were manufactured between 2011 and 2014 (more info — check this list carefully, it’s extensive)

• If you have food allergies, you may wish to review these FDA safety alerts for foods with undeclared allergens.

In other news

• The epidemiology community is alarmed by news that ProMED, an essential source of information about outbreaks for the last 30-some years, is in dire straits. Facing chronic funding shortages, the organization has been unable to pay its network of expert moderators, prompting some to go on strike. ProMED leadership is trying to force them back to work, still unpaid. Helen Branswell of STAT News has more on the turmoil. I have been a regular reader of ProMED for a decade. If it goes down, or loses its cadre of moderators (the true source of the site’s value), outbreak epidemiology will be worse prepared than before the Covid-19 pandemic. I sincerely hope a viable solution will be found soon.

• CDC has launched a new Respiratory Virus update page, which will be updated weekly. So far, there are two helpful reviews of what is known (and not yet known) about the BA.2.86 variant.

Photo by Karl Magnuson on Unsplash