PHOENIX — While many have put the pandemic behind them, the coronavirus is making a small comeback in Maricopa County. But are the new variants anything to panic over?
Data from Arizona's heath department show an uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations starting in July.
During the week of Aug. 13, 3,270 positive cases were tracked by the Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS). The week of Aug. 20 saw 2,793 cases compared to the week of July 2 which saw 1,415 positive cases.
The recombinant BA.2 (BJ.1 and BM.1.1.1) lineage XBB.1.5 was the dominant variant in Arizona through June and the beginning of July, AZDHS said.
>> Live, local, breaking. Download the 12News app
While numbers are nowhere near what Maricopa County experienced from 2020 through 2022, ASU Virologist Dr. Efrem Lim said they are looking into a new variant called BA.2.86 that is making it's way into the United States. As of now, experts are still working to determine the impact this variant will have on people.
“This may have much different properties than what we are seeing right now,” Dr. Lim said.
One way to determine the symptoms of COVID-19 is through testing. However, Dr. Lim said a challenge researchers are going through is fewer people are actually getting tested when they feel sick.
“Because people aren’t really testing, we don’t get as much information to see what’s going on,” Lim said.
While concern over the virus remains low, hospitals are still preparing for a potential surge in patients. Dr. Dan Quan an emergency physician at Valleywise Health said they have enough staffing to take in as many patients as needed. From what he's experienced, Dr. Quan said people coming in with COVID-19 don't have very severe symptoms.
Quan also believes the new variant will be similar to what patients experienced with the Omicron virus. As for what hospitals can expect in the next few months, Quan said we will have to wait and see.
“This year’s uptick has yet to be determined," Quan said.
New vaccine
An updated vaccine to protect against COVID-19 is expected to be available this month. Lim said it was created to with all previous variants in mind and recommends people once again roll up their sleeves and take the updated vaccine if approved by their doctor.
Breaking down data
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.