FOUNTAIN HILL, Pa. — COVID-19 cases are on the rise across the country, including in the Lehigh Valley.
Multiple news organizations reported Wednesday night that the White House said President Joe Biden tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday and is experiencing mild symptoms.
Biden, 81, tested positive following his first event in Las Vegas, where he was expected to later speak. Biden reportedly has received a first dose of the antiviral drug Paxlovid, and will be self-isolating at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Biden is not alone.
"What the CDC is reporting is that we are in the midst of a summer surge of COVID cases, and that this is the first time that we've seen such a surge since the winter months,” Dr. Jeffrey Jahre of St. Luke’s University Health Network said.
“We know that there are more than 35 states that have absolutely reported increases."
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting no decreases in cases at this time.
Though it’s hard to say exactly how many coronavirus cases are in the Lehigh Valley right now, there’s an increase of people heading to the hospital with it, according to Jahre.
"It does really still deserve our respect, even though it isn't the same disease as it was before."Dr. Jeffrey Jahre of St. Luke’s University Health Network
“These are different than the variations or the sub-variants that were around in the winter months,” he said.
Although it is just as transmissible, the disease is a lot different now than it was four years ago at the start of the pandemic, he said.
"It can make people very, very ill for the time, for a temporary period of time," he said.
"And equally important, when the COVID symptoms are over, we know that a large proportion of people may suffer with prolonged symptoms, prolonged fatigue.
"So it does really still deserve our respect, even though it isn't the same disease as it was before."
Newer symptoms of the disease
Jahre said the incubation period still is two to 14 days after exposure, but symptoms vary.
“The usual fever and chills and shortness of breath that oftentimes happens these days is coupled with a lot of muscle and body aches," he said.
"One of the things that we are seeing more often with this strain is a more of a prominence of gastrointestinal symptoms, and that would be nausea and vomiting and diarrhea."Dr. Jeffrey Jahre, St. Luke's University Health Network
"It can be some headache, classically, there has been a loss of taste and smell that still can occur, although not as frequently as it did before. You can also have a runny nose and a sore throat.
“Now, one of the things that we are seeing more often with this strain is a more of a prominence of gastrointestinal symptoms, and that would be nausea and vomiting and diarrhea."
He said there’s a few ways to stop more cases from cropping up.
"What usually is advised is that you should be doing consecutive testing for three to five days in order for you to absolutely rule out if you have these symptoms that it is not COVID.”
Things for which to watch
Jahre said people should isolate themselves for 24 hours and if a fever goes away, without medication, then the patient can go back to work or school.
He said they still may be contagious, so extra precautions, such as social distancing and hand washing, are needed.
“Now, if you develop some severe symptoms, and let me be very, very specific about this, and here we're talking about confusion, difficulty breathing, if your lips and your nail beds turn blue and you look like you're what we call cyanotic, if you have an inability to stay awake, and it's hard to wake you up, and if you develop chest pain, all of these things are not a sign that you should be home," he said.
"You need to get to an emergency room right away."
Jahre said vaccinations are the best defense against the disease and that an influenza/CODI hybrid vaccine could be on the way as soon as this year.
“Whether there will actually be an approved combined vaccine in the fall, right now, I think it's still too early to say,” Jahre said.
“I know there are a number of pharmaceutical companies that are actually working on that and trying to get that through.”
He said a new COVID vaccination with the most recent variants is due out in the fall and he recommends everyone over the age of 6 months get that shot.
