According to the latest data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 hospitalizations have increased by over 12% nationwide. This marks the second consecutive week of rising virus indicators. In the week of July 22, there were at least 8,035 hospital admissions for COVID-19 patients, compared to 7,165 in the previous week.
Another important metric, the percentage of emergency room visits related to COVID-19, has also been trending upwards. As of July 28, 0.92% of ER visits in the past week were COVID-19 related, compared to 0.51% at the end of June.
These new figures come after months of declining COVID-19 trends across the country. However, they represent the largest increases in key virus indicators since December. CDC spokesperson Kathleen Conley stated that the recent uptick in hospitalizations followed early indicators such as emergency department visits, test positivity, and wastewater levels.
Conley also mentioned that COVID-19 hospital admission levels are currently low in virtually all counties, below the thresholds that would require additional precautions according to CDC recommendations.
Although virus indicators are on the rise, current hospitalization levels remain significantly lower than those recorded during the same period last year. Previous summer waves saw much steeper increases in hospitalizations. Compared to a month earlier, the US is averaging 1,729 more admissions per week.
In 2022, hospitalizations peaked in the summer due to the Omicron variant, reaching nearly 12,000 more admissions compared to the previous month. Similarly, in 2021, hospitalizations surged by 20,029 from June to July due to the Delta variant.
As for the coming months, projections vary among experts. Academic and federal modelers predict that the main period of COVID-19 activity will occur in late fall and early winter over the next two years.
Unlike previous waves, no single variant has emerged this summer to dominate infections nationwide. Instead, a mix of descendants from the XBB variant are now competing across the country. The most prevalent subvariants include XBB.1.16, XBB.1.9.1, XBB.2.3, XBB.1.6, and EG.5 strains.
The increase in infections is caused by strains closely related to the Omicron strains that have been circulating since early 2022, according to CDC’s genomic surveillance. Health authorities are preparing for a new round of COVID-19 vaccinations in the fall, targeting these XBB strains.
The CDC expects updated vaccines to be available by late September, after which the distribution of current supplies will wind down. However, current supplies of shots will still be shipped until September for exceptional situations.
While waiting for the updated vaccine, the CDC advises certain individuals who need or desire a COVID-19 vaccine to get it before the anticipated release in the fall, as it is expected to provide more robust protection against currently circulating variants.
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