Covid-19’s back. Should you be worried?

Emergency department visits associated with Covid-19 have been trending up for weeks, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Covid-19 levels have been rising in the United States again.

Emergency department visits associated with Covid-19 have been trending up for weeks, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most recent data shows that during the week ending July 6 there was a 23.5% increase in emergency visits for Covid-19 compared with the previous week. The CDC also reports the viral activity level for Covid-19 in wastewater is high nationally as of July 6.

I have seen these trends reflected in my own social group. Two friends have gotten Covid-19 this month while traveling. And we’ve seen more coronavirus infections being reported in public figures, with second gentleman Doug Emhoff recently testing positive and major sporting events such as the Tour de France affected with riders being diagnosed.

To guide us through these questions, I spoke with CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen. Wen is an emergency physician and clinical associate professor at George Washington University. She previously was Baltimore’s health commissioner.