The predominance of the more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus has led to an increase in the number of hospitalizations in the United States. More than 103,000 people are hospitalized with Covid in the country, according to figures released this Tuesday (4). The figure is the highest recorded since the month of September last year.
The number of hospitalizations, which burdens an already saturated health care system, grew 27% over the past week, according to calculations by The Washington Post based on data from the US Department of Health and Human Services. About 19,000 people are in ICU beds (Intensive Care Unit) due to Covid.
The increase in hospitalizations comes in the wake of the growth in the number of confirmed cases daily, which has broken consecutive records since the Christmas holiday. The daily moving average of new cases reached 487,000 this Monday (3), according to calculations by the Washington Post, so that the volume of new cases registered in the last seven days grew 110%.
The situation is particularly critical in the Southeastern US region, with experts predicting a storm of infections. In North Carolina, for example, the number of new daily cases registered jumped 579% in the last week. In South Carolina, the increase was 268%. Other states in the Southeast follow the trend and are among those with the highest increase in new cases across the country.
While, on average, one in four Americans who test for Covid test positive in the country, states in the region have even higher rates of positivity. In Virginia, 40% of tests done test positive for the disease, for example. In Mississippi, in turn, they are 37%.
The foretold storm of new local cases is due, in part, to low vaccination rates in the region. Eight southeastern states have only half of the population with a complete vaccination schedule against Covid and, as a result, the number of people with the third dose of the immunizing agent is low. Nationwide, 62% of Americans have taken both doses or a single dose of the vaccine.
For similar reasons, the entire southern region of the country, which continues with the worst vaccination rates, worries health authorities, who do not know if local hospitals will be able to receive all new cases driven by the omicron variant.
“We’re going to have a lot more sick people because they don’t have immunity,” said Marcus Plescia, medical director of the association of state health authorities in the region. “However, as the south has had other large outbreaks, it could be that people have some natural immunity, and that may be the only factor that will save us.”
US President Joe Biden, who recently announced a new plan that involves the production and distribution of 500 million Covid tests free of charge, as well as providing 1,000 healthcare professionals to help hospitals, has reinforced demands for public get vaccinated.
“It’s free. It’s convenient. It saves lives. And it’s your patriotic duty,” the Democrat wrote in a Twitter message on Monday.
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