New, more infectious COVID-19 variant now dominant in Louisville as cases rise nationwide

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A new, more infectious variant of COVID-19 is now the dominant strain in Louisville, according to data from wastewater testing around Jefferson County.

Health officials said the Omicron BA.5 variant is more infectious than previous strains of the virus.

Louisville's health department is reminding residents that COVID-19 is still prevalent in the community, with more than 2,000 new cases reported last week.

Less than 3% of hospital beds in the city are being used by COVID-19 patients right now.

But the increase isn't just happening in Louisville. COVID-19 cases are starting to tick up across the country.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one-third of people in the U.S. are living in a county with a "high COVID-19 community level."

Because of that, they recommend wearing masks indoors.

In some local Indiana counties, such as Floyd, Clark and Harrison, the community level is high. But in local Kentucky counties like Jefferson, Oldham and Bullitt, the level is still low.

Data shows cases in the U.S. have gone up 10% from two weeks ago. Hospitalizations are also rising, but the data shows deaths from COVID-19 are holding steady.

For a breakdown of COVID-19 cases in Kentucky, click here.

For Indiana cases, click here.