As new COVID-19 cases continue to crop up, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is giving daily updates to help people. Amid the rise of new stains, as well as changing vaccine guidelines, one must stay up to date with COVID data.

Latest CDC data shows that 28,052 Americans were tested positive for COVID-19, western states are currently at the highest risk for new COVID-19 infections. This comes as the "stratus" variant and other virus strains continue to circulate nationwide.

How US is Tracking COVID Risk In States

Wastewater monitoring is a powerful tool that helps us track the spread of viruses like COVID-19. It can pick up on a virus's presence in a community even before people start feeling sick or go to the doctor. This is a great way to find infections, including those with no symptoms. If you see that wastewater viral activity is increasing, it means there's a higher chance of infection.

The amount of virus in the wastewater is given a level: Very Low, Low, Moderate, High, or Very High. These levels help show the risk of infection in a certain area. For example, a Very High level means the virus amount is over 7.8, while a Low level is between 2 and 3.4.

While national COVID-19 viral activity in wastewater has dropped from "moderate" to "low" this month, several states, particularly in the West, are bucking the trend. The CDC's wastewater monitoring data from August 3 to August 9, 2025, showed "very high" viral activity in:

• Utah
• Nevada
• Texas
• Alaska
• Hawaii

Additionally, states with "high" levels of viral activity as of August 14 include California, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, and Connecticut. The CDC warns that elevated wastewater levels may signal a higher risk of infection.

What Are The Symptoms of Current COVID Strain?

The "nimbus" or NB.1.8.1 variant is currently the most prevalent strain in the U.S., followed by the LP.8.1 variant, which is a descendent of Omicron. The "stratus" (XFG) variant is the third-most common and is making up a significant portion of the virus detected in wastewater.

Symptoms for these variants are largely consistent with previous strains, including fever, chills, cough, sore throat, and congestion. However, some reports have noted specific symptoms, such as "hoarseness" with the "stratus" variant and "razor-blade" sore throats with the "nimbus" variant.

Also Read: What History Teaches Us About Plague? Are There More Than One Type?

How Many Days After Exposure To Covid Do Symptoms Appear?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends you wait at least five days after being exposed to COVID-19 before taking a test. Testing too early can give you an incorrect result. If you have COVID-19 symptoms, however, you should test immediately.

However, no test is perfect. A test might not catch every case of the virus, if you believe you were exposed or have symptoms but get a negative result, it's a good idea to take multiple tests to be sure.

To avoid spreading the virus, it's safest to act as if you are positive until you have at least two negative test results. You should also self-isolate if you develop any symptoms, even if your test is negative.

Is COVID Still A Thing?

As of August 12, 2025, COVID-19 infections are either increasing or likely increasing in 34 states. In 14 states, the number of infections is staying about the same. Currently, no states are showing a decrease in infections.

US President Donald Trump is set to undergo a medical examination at Walter Reed Medical Center on October 10, amid new attention to his health following visible swelling and bruising observed in recent months. “On Friday morning, President Trump will visit Walter Reed Medical Center for a planned meeting and remarks with the troops. While there, President Trump will stop by for his routine yearly check-up,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday. “President Trump is considering traveling to the Middle East shortly after.”

In July 2025, reports surfaced suggesting that Trump’s bruising could be linked to signs of Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI). But what exactly is this condition that the US president appears to be showing symptoms of?

Donald Trump To Undergo Medical Checkup

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that President Trump would visit Walter Reed Medical Center for a scheduled interaction with service members. “While there, President Trump will stop by for his routine yearly checkup,” she said, adding that he would return to the White House afterward and may soon embark on a Middle East trip for peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

Although described as a standard examination, Trump, who is 79, last had his annual physical only six months earlier, on April 11. A doctor’s summary from that visit noted that the president “remains in excellent health.”

What Is Chronic Venous Insufficiency That Donald Trump Is Exhibiting Signs Of?

Since April, Trump has been seen with noticeable swelling around his ankles and a recurring bruise on his right hand. The White House clarified in July that he had been diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI), a circulatory condition in which weakened vein valves slow or block blood flow from the legs back to the heart. Leavitt described it as a “common condition, especially among people over the age of 70.” According to data from the Cleveland Clinic, about one in every twenty adults experiences it.

What Is Chronic Venous Insufficiency?

Chronic Venous Insufficiency occurs when veins in the legs struggle to push blood upward toward the heart, causing blood to pool and pressure to build. This can result in symptoms like pain, swelling, skin discoloration, or varicose veins. The condition is often linked to weakened or damaged vein valves, but it may also develop after a deep vein blood clot. Common risk factors include advancing age, family history, pregnancy, obesity, and long hours of sitting or standing.

Depending on severity of the disease, treatment may involve lifestyle adjustments, compression stockings, minimally invasive therapies, or surgery, as outlined by Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Chronic Venous Insufficiency Symptoms

Symptoms of Chronic Venous Insufficiency can include aching, swelling, heaviness, itching, or thickened and discolored skin in the legs. Varicose veins, ulcers, or sores may also appear. These symptoms tend to worsen after standing for extended periods and often improve when the legs are elevated or rested, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Is Chronic Venous Insufficiency Fatal?

As per UCLA Health, Chronic Venous Insufficiency itself is usually not life-threatening. However, if left untreated, it can lead to serious complications such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE), which can be fatal. While CVI is not directly deadly, the blood clots that sometimes accompany it pose significant risks. Early medical attention, consistent treatment, and proper management can help prevent these complications, ease discomfort, and improve overall quality of life.

Interestingly, the White House has attributed the lingering bruise on Trump’s hand to “minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking” and as a possible side effect of the aspirin therapy he takes for heart health. Trump continues to insist he is in good condition. In a recent Newsmax interview, he remarked, “I feel the same, or even better, than I did 30 years ago.”

Australian researchers have found evidence that women are genetically at a higher risk for clinical depression than men. This major finding could change the way the disorder is treated in the future.

In one of the largest studies of its kind, scientists analyzed the DNA of nearly 200,000 people with depression to find common genetic signs, or "flags." The project, led by the Berghofer Medical Research Institute, discovered that women had almost twice as many of these depression-linked genetic markers as men did.

Do Genes Play A Role In Depression?

It has long been known that depression affects more women than men, but the reasons have remained unclear. This study gives a big clue: the genetic part of depression is just bigger and stronger in females.

Genetic Markers: Women had about 13,000 genetic markers linked to depression, while men had about 7,000.

Unique Symptoms: These genetic differences might explain why depression in women often comes with other problems, like changes in body weight or energy levels. The genes may affect how the body manages energy and hormones differently in women.

How Is Depression Different In Men And Women

Johns Hopkins Medicine explains that it's been known for years that women are about twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. In fact, depression is the leading health problem causing sickness among women worldwide. But the differences go beyond just who gets the diagnosis.

Depression often looks different in men. A doctor notes that women might come in feeling sad and crying, but men may show their depression through anger or aggressive behavior. This happens because, as they grow up, boys are often taught not to cry, so their sadness comes out as irritability and anger instead. The signs of depression can vary:

In Depressed Girls: They are more likely to worry about their body image, feel guilty or like a failure, have trouble focusing, and feel deep sadness.

In Depressed Boys: They are more likely to lose interest in their usual activities and feel more tired and down in the morning.

In Adults: Women are more likely to feel stressed, sad, and have sleep problems. Men are more likely to be irritable and have sudden bursts of anger.

Men and women also handle depression differently. Women are much more likely to seek help from a doctor or therapist. This difference is tragic when it comes to suicide:

• Men are four times more likely to die by suicide than women, making up almost 80% of all suicides. One reason for this is that men tend to choose more immediately lethal methods, like using a gun.
• Women are actually far more likely to have suicidal thoughts or attempt suicide using less lethal means, like poisoning.

What is The Best Way To Help?

The researchers say these findings must change how we approach treatments. For a long time, much of the research and many of the medications for mental health were designed based on studies mostly involving men.

By identifying the genetic factors unique to women, doctors can work toward developing more targeted and personalized treatments. Given that depression affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, understanding these biological differences is a crucial step toward providing better, more effective care for all.

Childhood trauma is a major issue faced throughout the world and many of these children, do not even realize what happened to them and how these traumatic experiences still affect their lives. Trauma doesn’t fade with a few months time or a year, it can change them in many ways, not just psychologically but also physically.

Scientists have found that going through trauma as a child leaves a trace that lasts many years on your body's chemistry. They looked at adults who experienced trauma, like abuse or neglect, and found clear changes in their blood.

These changes were visible even decades later and got stronger based on how severe the trauma was. This suggests that adversity early in life can create biological problems that raise the risk of both physical and mental illness

Many people do not understand the deep physical change that occurs in them when they go through these experiences. According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, trauma has been linked with not just compromised immunity, but also poor cardiovascular health. Here is how it affects one metabolism.

How Does Childhood Trauma Affect Physical Health?

The research focused on the metabolome, which is the entire collection of tiny chemical molecules in your body called metabolites. These metabolites are like chemical proof of everything your body is doing, such as:

• Breaking down food
• Creating energy
• Dealing with stress

What Changes Happen Due To Childhood Trauma?

The study found 18 specific molecules that were different in people with a history of childhood trauma. These changes point to big problems in two major areas:

Energy and Food Processing

Some molecules linked to breaking down fats and proteins were found at high levels. This suggests the body might be struggling to efficiently create energy from food, a sign of stress on the body's machinery.

Stress Regulation

Important stress hormones (like cortisol) were found at lower-than-normal levels. This suggests the body's main system for handling stress has been changed or worn out over the years by the trauma.

Importantly, these changes were not simply a result of depression; they were a unique biological signature linked directly to the childhood trauma.

What Does It Mean For Future Treatments?

The study gives clear proof that early trauma creates a permanent biological mark on how the body uses energy and handles stress. These fundamental biological changes may be the reason why people who suffered as children often face a higher risk of getting sick later in life.

This discovery is a major step forward. Future research could use these specific chemical patterns to identify people at high risk. Then, doctors might be able to create new treatments, like specific diet plans, exercise programs, or stress therapies, to potentially fix or reduce these lasting biological effects of trauma.