The latest Covid-19 surge in the United States is moving west as the pressure in the northeast eases

In the United States, the latest Covid-19 wave has moved westward, hitting cities such as San Francisco, while pressure in prior Northeast hotspots has abated.

According to a Wall Street Journal analysis of CDC data, the Western United Region, which includes mountain and coastal states, has overtaken the Northeast to have the highest rate of known cases per 100,000 persons in the US.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on the case and hospital trends, there are now 13 California counties with high community levels, the majority of which are situated in the state's central area. People in such regions should wear masks in public, and indoor situations, according to the agency.

The CDC's medium zone spans 20 California counties, accounting for approximately 60% of the state's population. Anyone, even those who have recently been exposed to Covid-19, is urged to wear face coverings. This category includes Los Angeles, the nation's most populous county with nearly 10 million citizens.

On Friday, Alameda County in the San Francisco Bay Area enacted mask legislation covering most public, indoor settings in order to prevent Covid-19 hospitalizations. This list does not include Berkeley.

Omicron variations that are extremely infectious have driven the most recent epidemic. It began in the Northeast in March, delaying recovery after a record-breaking winter storm, and has now spread to other sections of the nation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a rising number of Florida counties now have high Covid-19 community levels.

According to CDC data, over 100,000 new Covid-19 infections have been reported per day in the United States in the last two months, about four times the level reported two months earlier. Epidemiologists believe this estimate understates the overall number of illnesses because more people use at-home testing that public health authorities can't supervise.

The five counties that make up New York City have all returned to medium Covid-19 community levels, according to the most current CDC statistics. According to local data, the number of cases, hospitalizations, deaths, and positive test percentages are all on the increase.

In Boston, too, certain figures have been declining. This might be attributed to reduced disease transmission and the recent post-graduation exodus from the city's multiple college campuses, according to a spokeswoman from the Boston Public Health Commission.

The most recent wave is marked by widespread infections and a small number of severe cases. Hospitalizations have continued to rise in warmer areas, despite being near record lows. 

As of Saturday, the seven-day moving average for hospitalised confirmed Covid-19 patients was under 24,000, down from a peak of 150,000 in January, according to government records. Some of these data include patients who tested positive after being admitted to the hospital for other reasons.

Covid-19-related deaths have also recently been reported to be at record lows, with a larger percentage of seniors being affected.

Certain epidemiologists and doctors say the US has become too casual about the hazards of rising outbreaks, both in policy and practice, treating them as small when they are nonetheless harmful to certain people, such as those with compromised immune systems. Those who have been infected may have long-term symptoms such as fatigue and cognitive difficulties.