[New York Diary] As COVID Variant BA.5 Spreads Again in the US... Time to Recall Basic Prevention Measures

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] "Is it possible to get COVID-19 twice?" This is a question that has been heard more frequently these days. And the answer is 'Yes.'

The highly contagious Omicron subvariant BA.5 is spreading in the United States. What stands out most is the simultaneous increase in new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. News of people around us testing positive for COVID-19 again has started to come in one by one. Ultimately, the U.S. government has extended the public health emergency declaration period once again to respond to COVID-19.

According to The New York Times (NYT) on the 15th (local time), the number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. had decreased to around 26,000 on April 2, showing a lull, and then remained steady at around 100,000. However, it has been confirmed that cases are surging in about 40 states recently.

As of the 13th, the seven-day average of daily new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. was 130,511, a 16% increase compared to two weeks ago. The daily average of new cases exceeding 130,000 is the first time in five months since February 15. The daily average number of hospitalized patients was 38,971, a 19% increase from two weeks ago. The daily average number of deaths also rose by 11% to 430, surpassing 400 for the first time since mid-April.

In particular, the positivity rate among tests recently soared to 18.1%. This is the highest level except during the Omicron surge (29.2%) and the early pandemic period (21.0%).

This surge appears to be largely due to the impact of the Omicron subvariant BA.5, which has recently become dominant. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is estimated that 65.0% of recent new cases are infections with BA.5. Cases of reinfection among people who had previously contracted COVID-19 have also been confirmed. BA.5 has mutation traits that evade antibodies formed by vaccination or natural infection.

Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, appeared on ABC News that day and said, "The troubling aspect of BA.5 is that not only vaccinated individuals but also some who have immunity from previous infection may not be protected." He added, "It is more contagious than previous variants," and "the number of cases is increasing, and hospitalizations are rising in some areas."

Especially considering that many cases are not officially counted due to the use of home test kits, experts point out that the actual number of cases is likely much higher. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington recently estimated that the actual number of cases is about seven times the official count. Based on recent data, the actual number of new cases is estimated to be around 900,000. This surpasses the level during the massive Omicron surge last winter, when the highest daily average was in the 800,000 range.

According to CDC data, more than half of the entire U.S. population currently lives in counties with high levels of community transmission of COVID-19. These are areas where the healthcare system is at risk of being overwhelmed or where indoor mask-wearing is recommended. The CDC also forecasted an increase in hospitalizations through integrated predictions.

On this day, the U.S. government also announced that the public health emergency will be extended for three months until October 13. The Department of Health and Human Services stated, "The extension of the public health emergency will provide the means and authority to respond to the highly transmissible COVID subvariants spreading nationwide," conveying this policy. The public health emergency also provides the legal basis for offering free COVID-19 testing, vaccines, and treatments to the public. Since the public health emergency was first declared in January 2020, it has been repeatedly extended in the U.S.

In New York, there is still no visible sense of caution regarding this resurgence. Even in the heart of Manhattan, crowded with a surge of tourists, on public transportation, and in the Broadway theater district, it is quicker to find people not wearing masks than those who are. At times like this, wearing masks, maintaining social distancing as much as possible, and frequent hand washing are more important than ever as basic preventive measures.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.