Medical Testing

COVID Map Update Reveals Shift in 'Very High' Water Virus Levels "Very high" levels of the virus were detected by the CDC in New Mexico, with "high" levels in Oregon, Arkansas, and Maine. Jess Thomson Newsweek

"Very high" levels of SARS-CoV-2—the virus that causes COVID-19—have been detected in wastewater samples in the U.S.

Nasal swab tests predict COVID-19 disease severity, Emory study finds | Emory University | Atlanta GA New research from Emory University is providing a more precise prediction of COVID-19 severity that can be found by looking at autoantibodies in the nasal cavity, leading to more personalized treatment plans.

... For high-risk individuals, this could provide critical information to inform immediate treatment options, including quickly taking medications like Paxlovid within one week of symptoms to mitigate a severe response.

You may not need to throw out those ‘expired’ Covid-19 home tests | CNN Four free home Covid-19 antigen tests are available to order at COVIDTests.gov, the seventh round of the federal government’s test-distribution program. Sam Tupper CNN

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US COVID markers continue to decline Though the KP.3.1.1 variant is still dominant, levels of the newer XEC variant continue to rise. CIDRAP

After a long summer wave that peaked in August, COVID-19 activity continues to decline in most areas, with more downward trends seen in wastewater detections, test positivity, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in its latest respiratory virus updates (Friday)...