According to the latest data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, weekly COVID-19 hospitalizations have increased by over 10% nationwide. This marks the largest percentage increase in this key indicator since December.
The CDC reported at least 7,109 admissions of COVID-19 patients for the week of July 15, up from 6,444 the previous week. Additionally, there has been an upward trend in another important hospital metric: an average of 0.73% of emergency room visits in the past week were due to COVID-19, compared to 0.49% in June.
These figures come after several months of declining COVID-19 trends across the country since the last wave of infections in the winter. CDC spokesperson Kathleen Conley stated that early indicators of COVID-19 activity preceded the increase in hospitalizations seen in the past week. She also mentioned that virtually all counties have low COVID-19 hospital admission levels below the CDC’s recommended thresholds for additional precautions.
Only the Midwestern region, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin, did not record an increase in hospitalizations compared to the previous week. However, current hospitalization levels remain significantly lower than they were at the same time last year.
It is uncertain what the coming months will bring in terms of COVID-19 activity. Various models predict that the main period of activity will occur in late fall and early winter, with potential smaller peaks throughout the year. In 2021, larger peaks were observed in August and December due to the Delta and Omicron variants, respectively. In 2022, hospitalizations peaked in July and January due to different descendants of the original Omicron variants.
Unlike previous waves, there is no dominant variant causing infections this summer. The CDC’s projections indicate a mix of descendants from the XBB variant that initially drove infections last winter. The largest subvariants include XBB.1.16, XBB.1.9.1, XBB.2.3, XBB.1.6, or EG.5 strains, each accounting for 10-15% of infections nationwide. EG.5, a descendant of the XBB.1.9.2 variant, has been identified as one of the fastest-growing lineages worldwide.
Health authorities are preparing for a new round of COVID-19 vaccinations in the fall. Updated vaccines targeting these XBB strains are expected to be available by late September. The CDC has requested that drugmakers produce these new formulations. Current vaccine distribution will wind down next week, transitioning to a traditional commercial market for vaccines. However, limited supplies will still be shipped until September for exceptional situations.
The CDC advises individuals to wait for the updated version of the vaccine for enhanced protection against current variants. However, certain individuals may need or desire a COVID-19 vaccine before the anticipated release in the fall.
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