As COVID-19 cases surge in the United States, health officials and the CDC are expressing concerns about the rising hospitalizations. Recent data shows an 8.6 percent increase in new hospital admissions, reversing the previous downward trend observed since early September. The dominant strain fueling the surge is HV.1, a member of the omicron variants, responsible for 29% of recent COVID-19 cases. The CDC is closely monitoring HV.1 and other lineages like EG.5.
While there are claims that the updated COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be effective against HV.1, some researchers and studies are skeptical. However, U.S. health officials assure that initial challenges related to vaccine availability and insurance issues have been largely resolved. Approximately 15% of American adults have received the updated COVID-19 shot.
Despite progress in vaccination rates, concerns remain that they still fall short, especially as the holiday season approaches. Over half of vaccinated adults who haven’t received the latest shot cite a lack of concern about contracting COVID-19 as their primary reason for not getting vaccinated.
Fourteen U.S. states are currently experiencing an exponential surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations, signaling the potential for a winter wave. The overall national increase stands at 8.6 percent, with spikes observed in the upper Midwest, parts of the South Atlantic, and the southern Mountain regions. Health officials attribute this surge to colder weather, which promotes increased virus transmission.
Nationally, there is a 1.8 percent rise in COVID-19 patients in intensive-care unit beds, indicating more severe cases requiring ventilation. The evolving situation underscores the importance of remaining vigilant and adaptable in the face of shifting infection rates.
The CDC identifies COVID-19 hotspots based on recent averages for new hospital admissions per capita. In the week ending November 4, 45 U.S. counties were described as having a high level of new COVID-19 hospital admissions. Rates in some counties reached 71.5 per 100,000 people. An additional 250 counties were classified as having a medium level of COVID-19 hospital admissions.
Since the U.S. surpassed 1 million cumulative deaths tied to COVID-19 in the spring of 2022, approximately 152,000 additional people have died in connection with the disease, according to provisional data from the CDC. As the nation faces another wave of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, there is a hope for more transparency and accuracy in reporting from the Biden administration.
It’s important to remain cautious of misinformation, especially from individuals with ulterior agendas.