As COVID-19 cases rise across the U.S., particularly in upstate New York, the federal government will once again provide free COVID-19 tests starting in late September. Each household can order up to four tests from COVIDtest.gov, with delivery by mail. These tests will detect the current dominant variants, including KP.3.1.1, which accounts for nearly 37% of cases.
Upstate New York, including the Finger Lakes region, has seen significant spikes, with 194 COVID patients in local hospitals—a sharp increase from early summer. Wastewater testing also indicates rising infection levels.
The new XEC variant has also been detected in New York but remains a minor contributor to overall cases compared to the KP.3.1.1 strain. For more information, visit COVIDtest.gov.
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