While the pandemic is officially over, the virus is making a late summer comeback.
"COVID cases are rising. We are seeing them nationally, in our state, city and in our system," said Dr. Sharon Welbel.
In Chicago, during the past week, laboratory-confirmed cases have increased 22%. Hospitalizations have gone up by 42% compared to the previous week, and wastewater surveillance is showing the virus increasing in most neighborhoods. Most current cases continue to be a sub-variant of omicron, but infectious disease experts are concerned about the new BA 2.86 variant, also part of the omicron family.
"It has a lot of potential immune invasion, a lot of mutations that make it a concerning version," said Dr. Alfredo Mena Lora.
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