COVID-19 is on the upswing in the US

COVID-19 hasn’t gone away, and data from federal health officials suggests it’s on the upswing around the country. Testing for COVID-19 is sporadic and the true number of cases isn’t clear, because many infections aren’t reported. COVID-19 is showing up in a lot of wastewater samples, but doctors’ offices aren’t seeing an outsized share of people with symptoms of respiratory illness. COVID-19-related hospitalizations are rising, but they remain below the levels seen in winter. Experts note other summers have seen rising cases. They say factors in the seasonal increase could be increased travel, people staying indoors to avoid summer heat and the virus’ continued evolution.