An Eye on Evolving COVID Variants

After reaching lows early in the summer, COVID-related infections and hospitalizations are rising in the United States, Europe, and Asia, showing the biggest uptick since December. By the end of August, hospitalizations for COVID-19 had inched upward for six weeks in a row, increasing by 14.3% in just one week alone.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) early indicators, ED visits shot up 19% in just one week during August, and substantial increases were reported across the South and Southeast. Deaths were on the rise, increasing by 8.3% in one week. Still, COVID-19 deaths remained low as a percentage of overall U.S. deaths.

The City of Chicago was averaging 11.0 hospitalizations per day by August 25, up from 7.86 a week before and 1.4 in mid-July, City data shows. Similarly, laboratory-confirmed cases had jumped to 119 as of August 25, up from 98 the week prior and 30 in mid-July. The indicators both remain at “low” risk levels, as defined by the CDC. Read more here.