Outbreaks of Covid in New York and DC infect senior officials as omicron BA.2 version floods US

Covid infections are on the rise in the United States again with outbreaks in New York and Washington, DC, causing high-ranking government officials to become ill with the virus as the more contagious omicron BA.2 sub-variant spreads across the country.

BA.2 now accounts for 86% of new cases and almost completely supplants the previous version of omicron, which spurred unprecedented winter growth, according to Covid surveillance data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday. Subvariant BA.2 is 30% to 80% more transferable than the previous omicron, BA.1, according to studies from the United Kingdom and Denmark.

The U.S. reported a daily average of about 29,000 new infections on Sunday, a 10 percent increase over the previous two weeks, CDC data show. However, infections and hospitalizations are still more than 90% below the peak of the January rise in omicron.

Although infections are on the rise, most counties still have low rates of Covid transmission and hospitalizations, meaning people living in these areas do not have to wear masks indoors according to CDC guidelines for public health. White House Chief Medical Adviser dr. Anthony Fauci said this week that Covid will continue to circulate in communities in the near future, and people will have to make individual decisions about the risk they are willing to take based on their age and health condition.

“We hope it will happen and I believe it will happen that you will not notice a simultaneous comparable increase in severity in terms of people in need of hospitalization and death,” Fauci told ABC “This week.” CDC Director dr. Rochelle Walensky had previously said that there was a high enough level of immunity in the U.S. population against vaccines and previous infections until BC.provide some protection against BA.2.

Subvariant BA.2 is even more prevalent in the northeast, where it causes a significant eruption. BA.2 represents 92% of new cases in the region, which includes New York and New Jersey, according to the CDC. New York City reports about 1,887 new infections a day from Saturday on average, a 52 percent increase over the past two weeks, according to the city’s health department.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams was positive for the virus on Sunday after waking up with a hoarse voice. Adams attended the Gridiron Dinner in Washington, D.C., an annual event that brings together prominent government officials and journalists. At least 80 people attending the dinner, the first since 2019, were positive about Covid, including several senior government officials, Gridiron club president Tom DeFrank said.

Attorney General Merrick Garland, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, representatives Joaquin Castro and Adam Schiff, and Senator Susan Collins were all positive after attending the dinner.

Also Parliament Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California Last week was positive on Covid however, he had no symptoms and did not attend the Gridiron dinner. Pelosi’s positive result came a day after she stood next to President Joe Biden at the billing ceremony. Biden, who also did not attend the Gridiron dinner, was later tested negative for Covid.

The outbreak between White House cabinet officials and senior lawmakers comes as the rate of Covid infections in Washington rose by 73% in two weeks, although the overall transmission rate remains low compared to the winter rise. BA.2 represents 84% ​​of new cases in the Central Atlantic region, which includes the country’s capital.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, has become the first major city in the U.S. to re-establish a mandate for an indoor mask on April 18. The city made the decision after Covid’s cases increased by more than 50% in 10 days, says Dr. Cheryl Bettigole, Philadelphia Health Commissioner. .