As winter approaches, the United States is grappling with a resurgence of COVID-19, with certain regions experiencing an increase in deaths, according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The week ending November 11 saw an 8.6% rise in COVID-related hospitalizations and a 9% increase in deaths attributed to the virus, the CDC reported earlier this week. Maryland and Colorado emerged as the states with the highest percentage of COVID-19 deaths during this period.
Surge in Hospitalizations and Deaths Highlight Maryland and Colorado
While positive COVID test results remained relatively stable, emergency department visits diagnosed as coronavirus increased by 7.1%. Six states—Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, Kansas, Nebraska, and Hawaii—had counties reporting high levels of new COVID-19 hospital admissions.
Despite ongoing efforts to control the spread, the CDC highlighted disparities in vaccination rates, noting that uptake is lower than desired, especially among certain demographic groups.
To address this, the Biden administration has announced the availability of more free COVID tests for Americans who didn’t take advantage of the kits offered in September. Up to eight at-home testing kits can be ordered through covid.gov/tests, with free delivery by the US Postal Service.
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CDC Reports Resurgence of COVID-19 and Spike in Deaths Across US
Updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are also accessible, but vaccination levels remain below the target.
As of November 4, only 13.4% of adults have received the updated vaccine since mid-September. The CDC emphasized the importance of closing the vaccination gap, stating, “This means a lot of people are missing out on the benefits of vaccination.” Adults aged 65 and older have shown the highest vaccine uptake.
Beyond COVID-19, the CDC has raised concerns about rising emergency department visits and hospitalizations related to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Only about 14% of adults over 60 have reported receiving the RSV vaccine, despite recommendations for those with specific risk factors in this age group.
The situation highlights the need for continued efforts to combat the impact of respiratory illnesses during the winter months.
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