Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that COVID-19 hospitalizations have been increasing for the fourth consecutive week.
In the week ending on August 5, a total of 10,320 patients were newly hospitalized with COVID-19 in the U.S., marking a 14.3% increase from the previous week.
Although these numbers are lower than last year’s summer peak, where 42,813 admissions were reported in the week of August 6, 2022, they still indicate a concerning trend.
The Most Affected Areas for COVID-19 Hospitalizations
Hospitals in the Southeastern United States, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, are reporting the highest rates of COVID-19 admissions in the nation. For every 100,000 residents in these states, 4.58 new patients were reported.
In addition, the Southeastern region is also experiencing high rates of COVID-19 cases among nursing home residents. While the weekly infections are not as severe as those seen during the summer wave of 2021, they are still a cause for concern.
On a national level, data collected from emergency rooms indicates that COVID-19 levels have been highest among seniors aged 75 and older, similar to the peak seen during last winter. The percentage of emergency room visits from children aged 0 to 11 years old has also increased significantly, reaching levels equivalent to those of seniors for the first time in a year. The steepest increase in visits comes from children aged 0 to 1 year old.
In some regions, such as Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, the share of COVID-19 emergency room visits involving children aged 0 to 11 has already surpassed that of older adults.
The cause of the sharp increase in emergency room visits among children is currently unclear, and the CDC has not provided any comments regarding this matter.
Is the EG.5 Variant Responsible for these Trends?
Authorities state that the rise in severe disease due to the EG.5 variant is not significantly different from previous strains of the virus. According to a CDC estimate from earlier this month, EG.5 accounted for 17.3% of nationwide infections. Updated estimates are expected to be published on Friday.
The World Health Organization has noted that, despite its lower public health risk compared to other recent Omicron descendants, the EG.5 variant could potentially outcompete its XBB variant siblings and become dominant in certain countries or even globally.
The upcoming COVID vaccine and booster shots, set to be rolled out in September, are specifically designed to target the XBB-related strains of the virus and are likely to enhance protection against EG.5 as well.
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