COVID-19 cases rise with EG.5 emerging as dominant variant

TAMPA, Fla. - Just in time for the start of a new school year, doctors say COVID-19 cases are on the rise, but they’re not calling it a "surge."

The CDC reports a 12.5% increase in new COVID-19 hospital admissions. Tracking data shows the EG.5 variant, which is a strain of Omicron accounting for 17% of cases. The World Health Organization designated EG.5 and its sub-lineages as a variant of interest.

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"Looking at those kinds of statistics, it can be scary. But we're really in a pretty good place in terms of COVID. The new variants are not showing themselves to be any more challenging to get to people when they get sick with it," Dr. Doug Ross, Chief Medical Officer for AdventHealth Tampa said.

People in the Bay Area say they are watching the numbers and will adjust as needed.

The EG.5 variant, which is a strain of Omicron accounting for 17% of cases

"We just got to live with it just like we do when the flu kicks up. And when you just take the precautions, you can get vaccinated when the vaccinations are available and make yourself and your family as safe as you can," Jay Thompson explained.

Doctors do encourage people to stay at home if not feeling well, especially as teachers and students head back to the classroom.

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"I think school is going to be a challenging time coming back, and we're going to see more COVID increasing as well as other respiratory illnesses," Ross said.

Wearing masks could help protect people from the COVID-19 variant.

They say it’s not a time to panic, but instead be mindful of measures that worked before like handwashing and masking up in certain areas.

"I think the message really is you can't stop living. You have to continue. But maybe masking on a plane would not be a bad idea when you're really in tight quarters to have a mask available," Ross said.

Doctors anticipate a new vaccine coming in the Fall.