Tue Aug 26 10:50:00 UTC 2025: ## XFG Variant Now Dominant in US as COVID-19 Cases Tick Up

**Washington D.C.** – A new COVID-19 variant, XFG, has become the dominant strain in the United States, according to the latest wastewater data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC reports that XFG accounted for 65% of detected variants in wastewater samples across the nation for the week ending August 9th.

While overall COVID-19 reporting has slowed, data shows a slight increase in positive test rates. For the week ending August 16th, 9.9% of Americans tested were positive for COVID-19, a 1.4 percentage point increase from the previous week. Emergency room visits also saw a slight uptick, rising 0.2 percentage points to 1.2% of cases. The death rate remained steady at 0.4%.

Western and Southern states, including Washington, Oregon, California, Texas, and Louisiana, are experiencing higher percentages of positive COVID-19 tests.

The rise of XFG, a recombination of variants LF.7 and LP.8.1.2, comes amidst evolving vaccine guidelines and debates over vaccine recommendations. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently released its own vaccine recommendations, breaking with federal guidance shaped by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The AAP recommends the latest COVID-19 vaccine for all children between six months and 23 months, and for children and adolescents aged 2 to 18 without other high-risk factors.

The CDC’s updated guidelines suggest parents consult with their child’s pediatrician on a case-by-case basis regarding vaccination.

Health agencies, including the CDC and WHO, state that there is no evidence of specific symptoms unique to different strains of COVID-19. Common symptoms include shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. The CDC advises seeking medical care for persistent chest pain or pressure, inability to wake or stay awake, or if lips, nail beds, and skin appear pale, gray, or blue.

The CDC continues to track cases, hospitalizations, and deaths on a weekly basis, despite changes in reporting frequency for variant prevalence.

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