US records largest increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations since December

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Weekly COVID-19 hospitalizations have increased by more than 10% across the country, according to new data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, marking the largest percentage increase in this key indicator of the virus since December.

At least 7,109 admissions of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were reported for the week of July 15 nationwide, the CDC announced Monday evening, up from 6,444 the previous week.

Another important hospital metric has also trended upward in recent weeks: an average of 0.73% of emergency room visits over the past week had COVID-19 as of July 21, compared to 0.49% as of June 21.

The new figures come after months of considerably slowing nationwide COVID-19 trends since the last surge of infections over the winter.

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“COVID-19 indicators, including hospital admissions, emergency room visits, test positivity, and sewage levels, are increasing nationwide,” the CDC said in an update posted to its data tracker dated July 24, 2023.

Only one part of the country did not see more hospitalizations last week than the previous week: the Midwest region covering Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

For now, hospitalizations remain well below the levels recorded at the same time last year nationally. July 2022 peaked at more than 44,000 weekly hospitalizations and 5% of emergency room visits with COVID-19 during a summer surge that strained many hospitals.

Projections have differed on what the coming months have in store for us.

A collection of university and federal modelers said last month that “the primary period of COVID19 activity is expected to occur in late fall and early winter over the next 2 years, with peak median incidence between November and mid-January.”

They warned that there were considerable differences between the models within the group, with some teams expecting an additional smaller peak elsewhere in the year.

In the US, 2021 saw larger spikes in August and December, driven by the Delta and Omicron variants respectively. In 2022, hospitalizations peaked at similar levels in July and January, driven by different descendants of the original Omicron variants.

Variants and vaccines

Unlike previous waves, no single variant has yet emerged this summer to dominate infections nationwide.

Instead, current CDC projections estimate that a mix of descendants of the XBB variant that first caused infections last winter are now competing across the country.

The most important among these XBB subvariants are infections grouped under strains XBB.1.16, XBB.1.9.1, XBB.2.3, XBB.1.6 or EG.5, which each account for between 10% and 15% of infections nationwide.

Experts had previously singled out EG.5 as one of the fastest growing lines in the world. EG.5 is a descendant of the XBB.1.9.2 variant, with an additional mutation that could help it outperform other strains.

It comes as health authorities race to prepare for a new round of COVID-19 vaccinations this fall.

Updated vaccines should be available by the end of September, the CDC said earlier this month, after the FDA asked drugmakers to start producing new formulations targeting these types of XBB strains.

Government distribution of current supplies is expected to end next week ahead of the update, which will also mark the shift to a traditional commercial market for vaccines.

However, the CDC says current vaccine stocks will still be shipped through September for “exceptional” situations.

“While many people may wait to receive a COVID-19 vaccine until the updated version is released, as it should provide more robust protection against currently circulating variants, some people may need or want a COVID-19 vaccine before the updated vaccine is scheduled to be released in the fall,” the agency said.

Coronavirus pandemic More More Alexander Tin

CBS News reporter covering public health and the pandemic.

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