According to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the highest COVID-19 positivity rates are concentrated in Texas and its neighboring states. As of the week ending August 26, approximately 15 percent of COVID-19 tests conducted in the United States yielded positive results. This marked a 1.4 percent increase from the previous week.
Five states—Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Arkansas—reported the highest test positivity rates at 20.8 percent, based on CDC data. Notably, Texas had recently implemented a ban on mask mandates in September.
Following closely behind were Nevada, Hawaii, California, and Arizona, each with a 16.1 percent positivity rate for tests conducted that same week. In contrast, New York, New Jersey, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico had the lowest test positivity rates, averaging around 9.6 percent.
As COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to rise, this concerning trend has been attributed to the emergence of two new variants, EG.5 and BA.2.86. The week ending August 26 witnessed over 17,000 hospital admissions, reflecting a 15.7 percent increase from the previous week. Nevertheless, the CDC considers COVID-19 hospitalizations to be relatively low in approximately 93 percent of the country, and the percentage of COVID-19-related deaths in the U.S. during the same week amounted to 2 percent.
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These statistics underscore that despite the conclusion of the national emergency and the lifting of federal mask mandates (although some regions have reinstated mask requirements in response to rising cases), the virus continues to spread. When contacted for comment, the CDC did not indicate an immediate intention to reintroduce mask mandates but did not rule out the possibility if cases involving new variants significantly increase.
In recent news, President Joe Biden was seen wearing a mask for the first time in several months after First Lady Jill Biden tested positive for COVID-19. The President wore the mask during an event honoring Captain Larry Taylor, an 81-year-old Vietnam veteran, but removed it when delivering remarks. Although the White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, had earlier stated that Biden would wear a mask indoors but might remove it when maintaining a safe distance from others, Biden was observed interacting closely with Taylor, even shaking his hand without wearing a mask.
Jean-Pierre defended Biden’s actions during a subsequent press briefing, explaining that the President left the ceremony early to minimize contact with attendees. She also emphasized that Biden had tested negative for the virus on multiple occasions and remained asymptomatic.
CDC guidelines continue to recommend a combination of measures for those exposed to the coronavirus, including masking, testing, and symptom monitoring for ten days, especially when interacting with others at home or indoors in public settings. President Biden is following these guidelines in consultation with his physician to mitigate the risk of transmission.
