Omicron Variant Now Linked To 95% Of U.S. Covid Cases, CDC Estimates
Topline
Almost all new U.S. Covid-19 circumstances final week have been linked to the omicron coronavirus variant, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention reported Tuesday, because the extremely transmissible new pressure has shortly overtaken the delta variant and sparked new surges nationwide.
Folks wait in line for Covid-19 assessments in decrease Manhattan on December 23, 2021 in New York Metropolis.
Getty Pictures
Key Details
The omicron variant, also referred to as B.1.1.529, was detected in roughly 95.4% of all new circumstances for the week of December 26 – January 1, the CDC estimates, whereas 4.6% have been linked to the delta variant.
That’s up from the omicron variant making up 77% of circumstances final week, 37.9% the week ending December 18 and simply 8% the week ending December 11.
The variant makes up nearly all of circumstances in each U.S. area, with the areas with the very best share of omicron circumstances together with New York and New Jersey, Texas and its surrounding states and the Southeast.
The area that features Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska has the bottom share of omicron circumstances, with an estimated 77.4% of recent circumstances final week linked to the variant.
Massive Quantity
239%. That’s the rise within the variety of U.S. Covid circumstances over the previous two weeks, in line with public well being information compiled by the New York Times. The nation is recording a seven-day common of 486,658 each day new Covid-19 circumstances, in line with the Instances, which is up from roughly 118,000 in mid-December.
Key Background
The omicron variant has surged all through the U.S. for the reason that first case was formally detected on December 15, spiking circumstances in areas like New York Metropolis, Washington, D.C., and Florida and spurring new mitigation measures, occasion cancellations and college closures. The brand new pressure has proved to be extra immune to vaccines in terms of stopping infections, although proof suggests the pictures are nonetheless protecting in opposition to extreme sickness and demise and booster doses present added safety. Early research have suggested the variant could produce milder illness than earlier coronavirus strains, potentially because of how the variant seems to be extra restricted to airways and is much less prevalent within the lungs. Hospitalizations are on the rise, nevertheless, notably among the many unvaccinated—together with children—and the World Well being Group cautioned Tuesday that extra research are wanted earlier than reaching conclusions concerning the variant’s severity.
Additional Studying
Extra Than 100,000 Hospitalized In U.S. With Covid-19 Amid Omicron Unfold (Forbes)
Pfizer Shot Simply 33% Efficient Towards Omicron An infection, However Largely Prevents Extreme Illness, South Africa Research Finds (Forbes)
These 13 States Are Going through The Worst Hospital Employee Shortages As Omicron Fuels A New Covid Surge (Forbes)
Covid Case Counts Ought to No Longer Be ‘Main’ Pandemic Metric Amid ‘Gentle’ Omicron Infections, Consultants Argue (Forbes)
Full protection and reside updates on the Coronavirus
