COVID and RSV see a significant rise in collective cases across the United States

• ICU doctors are reporting a change in the severity of COVID-19 cases in hospitalized patients. While hospitalizations are on the rise again, patients admitted to ICUs with COVID-19 are responding faster to treatment, experiencing lower mortality rates, and being discharged earlier compared to earlier in the pandemic. Factors contributing to this change include the less severe nature of omicron subvariants, reduced targeting of individuals with underlying health conditions, the availability of antiviral medications like Paxlovid, and the higher proportion of the population with some level of protective immunity through vaccination or prior infection. However, immunosuppressed individuals, such as older adults and certain cancer patients, remain at higher risk. Experts anticipate a seasonal increase in hospitalizations in the winter but do not expect a return to the severity seen in previous years. 
• Multiple indicators are pointing to a rise in COVID-19 activity in the United States as fall approaches. Hospitalizations are increasing, deaths have slightly risen, wastewater samples are showing an uptick in the virus, and lab data confirms increased transmission. While hospitalizations are on the rise, they do not yet approach the levels seen in previous surges. Emergency room visits with a COVID-19 diagnosis have increased since early July, and wastewater samples indicate higher SARS-CoV-2 levels. Deaths appear to be up slightly compared to recent weeks. The rise is attributed to the XBB subvariants, not the BA.2.86 variant, which remains rare and may not be as concerning as initially thought. The guidance to protect against COVID-19 remains the same, including masking, testing, vaccination, and improving indoor ventilation.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has alerted doctors about an increase in severe cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among young children in Florida and Georgia. This regional increase typically marks the beginning of the RSV season nationally, which then spreads north and west over the following 2-3 months. The late-summer increase suggests that RSV is returning to its typical seasonal pattern after several years of early viral activity due to the pandemic. Hospitalizations related to RSV have increased among children under 4 years old, with the majority being babies under a year old. The CDC has advised doctors to prepare for a new RSV shot called Beyfortus (nirsevimab) for young children to help prevent the virus. It's expected to be available in early October.