Good Morning SARS2PAians!!

I apologize for not typing up a thing for you all on Friday, I got caught up in family stuff. I hope you had a GREAT and SAFE weekend!!
:canparrot:

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VOCs

Nationally, JN.1 still at a solid >40% of randomly sequenced samples.: https://ibb.co/s9rZzPq

KP.2 is the next variant to watch and has already had some FAST gains in the past few days.

in PA, both JN.1.16 and KP.2 have already been sequenced here. Control the spread of these potentiall troublesome two mutations by employing SOME form of source control!: https://ibb.co/rtKWn48

in NY/NJ, JN.1 and JN.1.4 at the top as usual but KP.2 already at 1.31% of random sequencing.: https://ibb.co/XDTdCJ8

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Lineage News

While other lineages with lab-estimated growth did not seem to contribute to the leaderboard as much as JN.1 continues to do that, its descendant KP.2 is showing extremely fast growth both in lab estimates (with a high confidence level, so this lab data will probably translate more readily into real-world trouble) AND in actual numbers of sequences found.: https://ibb.co/3kyD7Bc

It still has a bonkers high growth advantage rate considering genetics alone and has moved quickly up a couple ranks in actual practice, on the sequencing leaderboard already.

It'll definitely be one to watch.

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Wastewater

Nationally, COVID levels continue to decline in wastewater. This will only get better once these cold snaps are done! We're still at a point where we're very high compared to previous years, though.: https://ibb.co/DY8LNMB

Previous years comparison: https://ibb.co/pw8WLjH

Regionally, all regions are declining in found SARS2 material in wastewater. We are still at the highest concentration in the Northeast compared to everyone else, though.: https://ibb.co/8sj4BpS

In PA, Chester Co. is SMASHING IT and levels are absolutely tanking for now! But Bucks, Luzerne, and Lackawanna's levels are still a bit above naitonal averages. Use source control to improve this data point!: https://ibb.co/s65h3yG

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CDC

The New Hospital Admits map is showing significant increases in Juniata Co. curving down to Somerset Co and Bedford Co., and also over in Lawrence Co. The rest of the map is pretty good, with overwhelmingly reductions in hospital admits in most counties!: https://ibb.co/sKnLV5X

Staffed Inpatient Beds are showing significant increases in Juniata, Mifflin, Huntingdon and Elk Cos with the rest of our counties stable or slightly decreasing.: https://ibb.co/Yyj4MRr

Quite a lot of ICU bed use increases. From Greene at the southweasternmost corner, all the way diagonally up to Bradford and Susquehanna Cos, increasing levels all the way. Don't be this statistic, folks. Get those XBB/flu/etc. shots.: https://ibb.co/LYkXcKJ

Sadly there have been 1,064 COVID deaths in PA in the last three months and while this number has gone down a bit since last time I posted this, our state remains in the highest category of the 3 month data cycle.: https://ibb.co/8m5SDBY

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Non-SARS2 Pathogens

Well, if you want to stick around to read this, I'll post this part up last.

While SARS2/COVID continues to steadily decline, the one pathogen that's still at quite a staggeringly high rate is Norovirus, the "24-hour stomach bug".

Levels of this are still EXTREMELY high, and are slow to start going down, as they had around this time last year.: https://ibb.co/Kqny3QJ

PLEASE WASH HANDS with soap and water. Hand sanitizer is not enough. Norovirus is extremely resistant to alcohol and heat sterilization due to a tough "shell" surrounding the virions.

You MUST wah hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds to actively contribute to controlling Norovirus.

Wash fruits and veg before you eat them, even if you don't eat the peel (example: clementines, oranges, and grapefruit.)

Don't serve or prepare food if you are sick!

This thing is just gross. 🤢 Make sure everything's clean before you sit down to eat!

Using source control will make numbers for ALL pathogens go downward so we have a healthy (and not gross) Spring! 💐💐💐

#covid #Covid19 #SARS2PA #CDC #CovidIsNotOver #Pennsylvania #PA #JN1 #Influenza #Norovirus #Noro

#KP2

#WearAMask #CleanTheAir #VaccinesSaveLives #WashHands #Wastewater #StayHomeIfSick #SourceControl #USESourceControl #COVIDSourceControl

Good Afternoon SARS2PAians!!

I hope your stuff stayed in place with all that wind out there!

There's no new wastewater data today.

Lineage News

JN.1.x.y continues to dominate the national leaderboard.

There are a few variants to watch for future activity, including KQ.1, KP.2, KP.1.1 and KR.1, all grandchildren of JN.1.: https://ibb.co/j800SF3

JN.1.16 is also proving pretty darn fast. Pennsylvania already has had samples of JN.1.16 submitted.: https://ibb.co/qdDB3qF

Some of them have already gotten "above the fold" nationally. KP.2 and KP.1.1 are already in the top half of variants. JN.1.11.1 is still around at sizeable levels.: https://ibb.co/zSnSp9N

XDP is a recombination of JN.1.4 and FL.15 (descendant of XBB.1.9.1).

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CDC

In spite of lower infection numbers, there seems to have been a lot of emergency cases filtering through the medical system since last update.

New Hospital Admits substantially increased in Central PA from Lycoming Co. aaaaall the way over to Venango Co., and also from York on the southern border to Fulton Co.: https://ibb.co/FqJQtfS

Staffed inpatient beds steady through the State except for Lawrence and around McKean Cos.: https://ibb.co/ZGzv578

ICU bed use increased significantly in Lawrence, in Vanango aaaaaalll on up to the northern border and over to Tioga, and around Luzerne Co.: https://ibb.co/7N3Tzq5

CDC At-a-Glance has test positivity, hospital admits, ED visits and deaths trending stradily downward so far though.: https://ibb.co/x3MtrNP

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Non-SARS2 stuff

SARS2 has actually been downgraded on WastewaterSCAN to "medium" spread!: https://ibb.co/Cz4PQmk

NonSARS2 pathogens are still just demolishing us.

Most respiratory stuff is still high except COVID/SARS2. RSV, FluA, FluB, are all HIGH still. Parainfluenza is now HIGH.

The gastro stuff, Norovirus and Rotavirus, is still crazy HIGH. Noro is still rising in Chester Co.

:ms_arrow_right: Noro is very resistant to heat and hand sanitizer! You MUST wash hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds to reduce your chances of spreading noro! :catjam:

That's all I have for this week, PA. Keep close watch of that air quality and wash hands so we can have an AWESOME and healthy Spring! 💐💐💐

#covid #Covid19 #SARS2PA #CDC #CovidIsNotOver #Pennsylvania #PA #JN1 #FluA #FluB #Influenza #Norovirus #Noro #Rotavirus

#JN1Sixteen #JN116
#KP1One #KP11
#KP2
#KP2One #KP21

#WearAMask #CleanTheAir #VaccinesSaveLives #WashHands #Wastewater #StayHomeIfSick #SourceControl #USESourceControl #COVIDSourceControl

Update for 3/8/2024!

Good Morning SARS2PAiains!!

I hope you're ready for that time change on Sunday! 🕐🕐🕐

This is a wonderfully short update. I mean, it doesn't look short, but it kinda is. 🤪

There's no new CDC stuff.

There are no new wastewater updates and we are continuing to approach lower levels of previous years as spring gets closer.: https://ibb.co/QfPr8NJ

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Lineage News

There's no new immediate variant news as JN.1 is still the only thing all over the place so far.

There are some new varaints being watched as JN.1 (and specifically JN.1.11) seems really capable of producing descendants that worry virologists:

❗️JN.1.16: Concerningly infectious even over very wide areas in China; Lots of this currently being uploaded from what I gather in USA too, already in 9 states.

❗KP.1.1 (which is JN.1.11.1.1.1): this has a potential nuts-level of growth rate going by genetics alone.

❗KP.2 (which is JN.1.11.1.2): seems closely related to JN.1.16 that I was, in my very very unprofessional opinion, concerned about last update.

❗KP.2.1: widespread already in East Asia.

KP.x.y has an extraordinary growth rate only considering mutations but we'll see how any of this checks out in actual biological results.

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NON SARS PATHOGENS

There is still a very high amount of total pathogens all around.: https://ibb.co/3sxWQ3C

Respiratory pathogens are still high according to WastewaterSCAN:

❗SARS2

❗RSV

❗Flu A

❗Flu B

❗Parainfluenza, which has been upgraded to HIGH since last update.

Gastro stuff is still very high too!:

❗Norovirus

❗Rotavirus

Noro is thankfully declining at UPark but still in the very high range.: https://ibb.co/CMSGsjg

If we keep using common sense ways to control it, it prevents DAYS of learning/financial loss and potential hospital visits for dehydration. And...it's just gross to deal with. 🤢

Fpr respiratory illnesses, wear a quality respirator, be aware of social contacts, mask/respirator up in crowds and in low ventilation areas (low ceilings, restrooms, elevators, etc.), keep the air clean, get those COVID and flu shots, and STAY HOME if you are sick!

For the gastro stuff, don't prepare food when sick. Don't depend on gloves for sanitizing either! Wash fruits and veg before you eat them.

Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.

❗Hand sanitizer and heat does not work well against Norovirus because the individual virions are very very tough to kill. You MUST wash hands with soap and water.

For all pathogens, cover coughs and sneezes in the elbow crease and not your hands.

We're almost there! :canparrot:

It's Goose flyover season! :cangoose:

We're gonna have a great Spring, and simple, common sense consideration and source control is how we get there! 💐💐💐

#covid #Covid19 #SARS2PA #CDC #CovidIsNotOver #Pennsylvania #PA #JN1 #FluA #FluB #Influenza #Norovirus #Noro #Rotavirus

#JN1Sixteen #JN116
#KP1One #KP11
#KP2
#KP2One #KP21

#WearAMask #CleanTheAir #VaccinesSaveLives #WashHands #Wastewater #StayHomeIfSick #SourceControl #USESourceControl #COVIDSourceControl

Update for 3/4/2024!

Good Morning SARS2PAians! ☀️

I'm sure everyone excited to be leaping forward next week!

So far, there are no new variants that have proven to catch up to JN.1 yet. Yes, potentially troublesome variants like JN.1.11.1 etc. is still being closely watched.

This is another short update as there's not much new SARS2 stuff out there. (Good.)

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Wastewater

National wastewater continues to decline in SARS2 material (with the exception of the Midwest)!: https://ibb.co/Mn0VzgD

We are approaching the lower levels of SARS2 transmission of previous years.: https://ibb.co/vzz8rwC

That's all. This is Very Good.

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CDC

The new hospital admits map has greatly improved. Most counties are showing stable or lowering levels, but levels are still HIGH in Lancaster, Lawrence, Tioga, Lackawanna, and Wayne Cos.: https://ibb.co/JsnYNFz

Staffed Inpatient Bed use is stable or lowering in all counties except Berks, Lackawanna, and Wayne Cos.: https://ibb.co/mbB5RQf

ICU beds are stable or lowering in all counties except around Wayne Co, Forest Co and west of there, and in Lancaster Co. Levels have increased significantly in Berks and Pike.: https://ibb.co/h8730Kr

Sadly we are still experiencing over 300 COVID deaths a month. There have been 1,118 COVID deaths in the past 3 months.: https://ibb.co/HChgb85

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Research

Home test kits are STILL on the whole holding up rather well against newest variants.: https://ibb.co/1fX3n3n

(Be sure to test more than once during your illness just for safety's sake tho.)

This graphic of an ideal home test kit with all major highly transmittable pathogens on it SHOULD be what we're working toward in home testing: https://ibb.co/hFqnwzP

and something like it is already available in Europe.: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/rapid-tests-covid-rsv-flu-are-available-europe-stopping-us-rcna64470

Vaccines PROTECT significantly against heart issues and Long COVID.: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/new-large-study-indicates-vaccines-protective-against-long-covid

If you think vaccines cause the vast majority of heart issues, there's reeeeeeally bad news concerning what the actual pathogen will do to you. Please get those vaccinations!

Men and women on average experience Long COVID differently: https://ibb.co/1fX3n3n

...probably due to hormone regulation.: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.29.24303568v1

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Non-SARS2 Pathogens

We're drowning in non-SARS2 pathogens.

On WastewaterSCAN, all the following respiratory pathogens are considered at HIGH levels: https://ibb.co/1rfZkTz

SARS2

RSV

Flu A

Flu B

Parainfluenza (HPIV) is considered at MEDIUM levels, up from LOW.

Also, gastro pathogens like Norovirus are increasing daily.: https://ibb.co/pxJGmTV

Rotavirus, which is currently hitting the Harrisburg area hard.: https://ibb.co/qDX7Xrj

For the respiratory pathogens, WEAR A QUALITY RESPIRATOR if you are around crowds. Be aware of social contacts. Keep the air clean.

For the gastro stuff, WASH HANDS, wash fruits and veg you eat, and do not prepare food when feeling unwell.

If we all do some smart, common-sense source control, we can have all these pathogens wrangled intime for 💐SPRING!💐

Have a great week, PA!

#covid #Covid19 #SARS2PA #CDC #CovidIsNotOver #Pennsylvania #PA #JN1 #FluA #FluB #Influenza #Norovirus #Noro #Rotavirus

#WearAMask #CleanTheAir #VaccinesSaveLives #Wastewater #StayHomeIfSick #SourceControl #USESourceControl #COVIDSourceControl

Update for 3/1/2024!

Good Morning SARS2PAians! ❄️

Welcome to March, after Leap Day 🐇🐏🐸!

There's no new CDC stuff today.

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VOCs

Nothing currently new with VOCs, JN.1 all over the place nationally: https://ibb.co/GncBGTR

and in PA of course.: https://ibb.co/yS1wq0c

Scientists are still watching JN.1.11, and even though it's sort of fizzled out itself, its children are now moving progressively faster as it develops.

Faster than its parent, JN.1.11.1 is moving along and is being found in most new sampling.

Along with it, JN.1.11.1.1, which is shortened to KP.1, has great potential to make a dent in its grandparent's leaderboard status.

I'm also seeing a LOT of JN.1.16 both here in Canada by the latest sequencing experts. I'm just going to make a mental note of JN.1.16 because it and also JN.1.11.1 are both moving sorta quickly through Canada and are also found in the NY/NJ area.: https://ibb.co/R3Tmstt

None of these are "major eathshaking variants" but to have something faster NOW will bump numbers back up for Spring and we DO NOT want that!

Nothing all that significant in PA yet. No JN.1.16, JN.1.11, JN.1.11.1, or KP.1.

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Wastewater

Nationally, SARS2 material found in wastewater is DROPPING again!: https://ibb.co/3RM4DDk

This is great. We are starting to approach the lower levels of previous years.: https://ibb.co/pbHnDDJ

Regionally, all regions are down except for the Midwest which is bumping upwards.: https://ibb.co/MhJmxX4

In PA, all 5 sheds that report to Biobot are droping significantly!!: https://ibb.co/tPhVHWJ

And so are the Harrisburg and UPark areas which report to WastewaterSCAN. This is great for still having winter weather. We're handling it. We're doing something right!: https://ibb.co/5cWQDHh

The State PA Wastewater Dashboard now has many sheds, especially in the East, in the blue, SARS concentration lessening.: https://ibb.co/Wx2Pf2J

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Non-SARS2 Wastewater

OK, now for the not-so-great wastewater news: we're getting smashed by non-SARS pathogens like FluA, FluB, and Norovirus (which is the "24-hr stomach bug").

Numbers of FluA and FluB are rising significantly in all sheds that report to WastewaterSCAN.

FluA: https://ibb.co/Xkn6xYL
FluB: https://ibb.co/84wfBH9

Especially in UPark with FluB, yikes. Please wear a quality respirator to control this. Not doing so means more learning loss!

UPark is getting hit hard with Norovirus, which is already at HIGH levels and is going vertical there.: https://ibb.co/svpJB1t

C'mon, UPark, get a hold of this so your Spring won't be a mess! 💐

:ms_arrow_right: WASH hands, WASH food you eat and don't prepare food if you are sick to prevent the spread of Noro. It's just gross. Don't spread it!

It's still going to take a bit of work but if we do, we'll be more prepared for a healthier Spring.

And that in both scenarios: if we have a relatively calm COVID Spring with no new crazyfast variant (less likely), and also we won't be fighting pathogens on many different fronts if we DO have a crazyfast variant (more likely).

Stay healthy and have a great March! ❄️💐❄️

#covid #Covid19 #SARS2PA #CDC #CovidIsNotOver #Pennsylvania #PA #JN1 #JN1Eleven #JN1Eleven1 #JN1Sixteen #JN116 #KP1 #FluA #FluB #Influenza #Norovirus #Noro

#WearAMask #CleanTheAir #VaccinesSaveLives #Wastewater #StayHomeIfSick #SourceControl #USESourceControl #COVIDSourceControl

Update for 2/26/2024!

Good Morning SARS2PAians!❄️❄️❄️

Thre's no new wastewater stuff out today.

There's also nothing really new in variant news either but newer, more concerning variants are being globally monitored by sequencing.
CDC

Lots of new hospital admits since the past week. Last week there were lots of counties declining in admits, but this week that number has jumped right back up. Cases moderately rising along the southern State border, and out West by Pitt.: https://ibb.co/BGhZdBJ

Substantial increases in Schuylkill Co all the way over to Centre and Cameron Cos, and up to Tioga.

Inpatient beds map is on the whole entirely stable except for substantial increases in Huntingdon, Mifflin and Juniata Cos.: https://ibb.co/h1xmztw

Increases in ICU bed use mostly centered around Lancaster curving over to Huntingdon Cos. Also from Tioga down to Clinton.: https://ibb.co/J55WP5s

While death reports have slowed a bit, we are unfortunately still experiencing about 300 deaths every month from COVID-19 for a toal of 54,728 deaths.: https://ibb.co/ZHRrGbc

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Research

There has been an important study done in midwestern schools about attendance vs. air quality.

You can read it here: Associations between illness-related absences and ventilation and indoor PM2.5 in elementary schools of the Midwestern United States

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412023002179

They've published some findings and basically the findings state that cleaner air results in ***better attendance*** and ***less learning loss***.: https://ibb.co/LCgddWB

"Higher classroom ventilation rates significantly reduced illness-related absences."

Keep the air clean, in homes, schools and businesses!! :canparrot:

Pretty soon we will be able to open those windows and enjoy being outside again.💐

Take care!!!

#covid #Covid19 #SARS2PA #CDC #CovidIsNotOver #Pennsylvania #PA #JN1 #WearAMask #CleanTheAir #VaccinesSaveLives #Wastewater #StayHomeIfSick #SourceControl #USESourceControl #COVIDSourceControl

U[pdate for 2/23/2024!

Good Morning SARS2PAians! ❄️❄️❄️

There's no new CDC stuff for today.

VOCs

JN.1 and its cousins/offspring continues to smash the leaderboard globally and in the US: https://ibb.co/xSW90JK

And here in PA: https://ibb.co/FX4VJgb

Lineage News

JN.1.11 has totally fizzled out (that's the difference between how it looks in a lab compared to actual infectivity) but there is a new variant that is being VERY closely scoured for by geneticists: JN.1.23 (that's JN One Dot Twenty-Three.)

This variant has an absolutely astounding ACE2Binding ability (which means it's easier to "stick" to lungs) + very good escape rate (which means it looks different than anything else before it and the body isn't sure how to react to it).: https://ibb.co/B45zX5B

It is definitely way beyond "uh-oh" at this point.: https://ibb.co/9T5pv5z

It has already been found on 3 continents (South America/Brazil, North America/California, and Asia/India) and also in Canada/Alberta. it's now being tracked on Rajnarayanan's Tableau chart for the US.: https://ibb.co/xMwRyyC

This also has so much binding ability, it has the most potential to even "spend" some of its infectivity on other mutations that will benefit its children, sacrificing it for more severity or more innate infectivity....which would be very bad.

The good news is that this variant has only 2 differences between it and what we're already dealing with. Despite the very good ACE2 binding, XBB.1.5 vaccines and prior infections with JN.1 should hold against it at least a little while.: https://ibb.co/42D30fZ

(Note: don't get infected to prevent infection. That's silly. There's NO sure way to know if you were infected with JN.1 unless you get your case sequenced. Get vaccinated and use source control. That's smart and NOT silly.)

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Wastewater

Wastewater SARS2 material is rising in the US again. Not a good sign.: https://ibb.co/DGx889k

Regionally, all regions except the West are starting to tick upwards again.: https://ibb.co/dtKpRsK

In PA, the 5 stations that report to Biobot are showing very volatile elves, but Chester, Lackawanna, Luzerne, and MontCo are handling it. :canparrot: GOOD GOING. Source control keeps those numbers down!!!: https://ibb.co/JxZX7YC

BucksCo is on an uptick, now above national averages. Please be cautious and keep working at it for Spring!!! 💐

The PA DoH Wastewater dashboard reflects these rising levels, with levels especially rising in Monroe County. PLEASE USE SOURCE CONTROL. Wear a quality respirator, clean the air with MERV-13 or HEPA filters, and STAY HOME if you are sick!: https://ibb.co/DwtcNgd

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Year-Over-Year

Want to remind everyone that this year has the highest national wastewater numbers of all COVID years at this time.: https://ibb.co/WP98zxT

(I changed the color of the 2024 year because the original color used to represent it was...pretty unseeable.)

MORE people are getting infected/reinfected more quickly, and you can see the general trend is for the absolute baseline rising throughout the year.

This is in addition to, on WastewaterSCAN, high levels of other respiratory pathogens like RSV, FluA and FluB and the gastro-disturbing (and just gross) Norovirus.: https://ibb.co/ggyxfBt

Wash hands to prevent especially non SARS pathogens.
🌊👍🌊

Wash fruits and veg too before you eat them!
🌊🍎🥒🌊

Guys, this is us on our way to a high tide that will never drop IF we don't use source control.

But if we do, we can prevent life, learning, and financial loss going into spring and have a LOVELY and healthy new season soon! 💐

#covid #Covid19 #SARS2PA #CDC #CovidIsNotOver #Pennsylvania #PA #JN1 #JN1TwentyThree #JN123 #Norovirus #Influenza #InfluenzaB #Flu #FluB #WearAMask #CleanTheAir #VaccinesSaveLives #Wastewater #StayHomeIfSick #SourceControl #USESourceControl #COVIDSourceControl