COVID-19 cases are spiking in Maine and much of the nation as wastewater tests show a new mutation of the virus circulating at “very high” levels.

The new strain causes similar symptoms to previous omicron variants, although it appears more likely to cause gastrointestinal symptoms as well as respiratory problems.

“We are seeing a lot of COVID right now,” said Dr. Laura Blaisdell, a Maine pediatrician and infectious disease expert.

The increase in infections in recent weeks has not led to large numbers of hospitalizations similar to the surges of a few years ago, when the state imposed restrictions on large gatherings, schools and required wearing masks in some places.

And federal regulators have said they expect an updated COVID-19 vaccine will be available as soon as next month, and public health officials are urging people to get the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time they get the flu shot.

Wastewater surveillance of 22 sites in Maine that report data to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is showing “very high” levels of the coronavirus, similar to levels reported in most of the country. In New England, virus prevalence in Maine and New Hampshire is considered “very high” while virus levels in Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode Island are in the “high” category, and Massachusetts has “moderate” levels of the virus.

Despite the surge, hospitalizations in Maine have been steady – hovering between 30 and 40 patients statewide since May. Hospitalizations peaked at 436 patients during the initial omicron surge in January 2022. Case counts are no longer considered a reliable metric of measuring COVID-19 levels because many people test from home and many of those results are not reported to the state.

“It’s reassuring that the hospitalization and death rates are not as elevated as previous surges,” Blaisdell said.

Since COVID-19 was first detected in Maine in March 2020, 3,445 people have died of the disease and 9,615 have been hospitalized.

VACCINE EXPECTED NEXT MONTH

Dr. Dora Anne Mills, chief health improvement officer for the MaineHealth hospital and primary care network, said a vaccine expected to be widely available in September will be formulated to be effective against circulating strains. The current dominant strain is KP.3.1.1, which is a subvariant of the omicron variant.

“As the virus mutates, it is generally getting more infectious, but also less severe,” Mills said.

The current strain appears more likely to cause gastrointestinal symptoms than earlier versions. Symptoms of COVID-19 vary, but typically include respiratory problems, including shortness of breath and congestion, fever, fatigue, headaches and body aches, among other symptoms.

People are now more likely to have some immune protection against COVID-19, either by natural immunity, vaccination or a combination.

Mills said COVID-19 rates go up when a new mutation is widely circulating, and also during the late fall and winter, when people are more likely to be indoors.

While waiting for the updated vaccine, Mills advises Maine residents to wear masks when in crowded indoor spaces and to wash hands frequently.

“Make sure you and the people around you stay home when sick. We have a duty to reduce transmission,” Mills said.

She said people who are experiencing symptoms but test negative for COVID-19 may have instead contracted a mosquito-borne virus or tick-borne disease. So those testing negative who have persistent or severe symptoms should contact their primary care doctor for testing of other diseases.

Mills recommends getting both the COVID vaccine and the flu vaccine at the same time once they become available. Those eligible for the RSV vaccine – typically older adults and pregnant women – should get that vaccine as well this fall, she said.

Those who fall ill with COVID-19 may be eligible for the Paxlovid medication. Also, people with compromised immune systems are eligible to receive a new medication, Pemgarda, to help prevent COVID-19.