As the wave of ommicron coronavirus subvariant BA.5 continues to flood the US, daily hospitalizations for COVID-19 are four times higher than they were four months ago, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The data reflects the high sustained transmission of coronavirus sub-variants adept at evading fading immune responses in a population largely unenhanced.
In early April, as the US fell into a brief pandemic lull in the wake of the skyrocketing BA.1 omicron wave, the seven-day moving average for new hospitalizations dropped to about 1,420 per day across the country. Now, after waves of subvariants BA. 2, BA.2.12.1 and the current BA.5, hospital admissions have increased again. The current seven-day moving average is approaching 6,300. In total, more than 37,000 people in the US are currently hospitalized with COVID-19.
Fortunately, the number of deaths has not increased as a result of the increased number of hospitalizations. The average number of daily deaths is about 375 per day, according to the CDC.
But SARS-CoV-2 transmission and the burden of COVID-19 remain high in much of the country, increasing disease, hospitalization and opportunities to generate new variants and subvariants.
According to the CDC’s transmission data, 94 percent of U.S. counties have high levels of transmission and another 3 percent have substantial levels. In terms of the CDC’s COVID-19 community-level statistics, which are responsible for local hospital capacity and utilization, as well as transmission, 46 percent of counties have high community levels. That means people need to mask in indoor public areas, according to the CDC. Another 35 percent of counties have a medium community level.
Americans have largely abandoned efforts to reduce COVID-19, despite persistently high transmission levels and masking recommendations. Vaccination and booster rates also remain low. Nearly 33 percent of Americans have not received the two doses of vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated. About 67.5 percent did not receive any booster dose needed to be kept up to date on their vaccination.
In a radio interview Tuesday, top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci called the numbers “pretty discouraging.” He warned Americans that “if they don’t get vaccinated or don’t get a boost, they’re going to be in trouble.”
BA.5, the subvariant with the greatest growth advantage to date over other versions of SARS-CoV-2, continues to increase its dominance in the US. It now accounts for an estimated 85 percent of all infections, up from 81 percent at the end of July.
