According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), several key COVID-19 trends that authorities monitor are now accelerating across the country. This marks the first major nationwide increase in virus spread in months.
The largest increases are being observed in the Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic regions, as stated in the CDC's weekly report updated on Friday. However, virtually all regions of the country are now experiencing accelerations.
The agency's data, obtained from emergency rooms and wastewater sampling, has revealed some of the sharpest increases this season in the region covering Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Rates of infections among nursing home residents in this Midwestern region have also surged in recent weeks, surpassing levels seen in most other parts of the country and approaching the peak of last winter's COVID-19 wave.
"Remember we had a late summer wave of COVID. We came down from that. We are going back up again, which we expect after a lot of travel and gathering at Thanksgiving," said CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen during a House committee hearing on Thursday.
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Approximately 2 million individuals in the United States now reside in counties categorized as having "high" levels of COVID-19 hospitalizations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the use of masks and other precautions in public settings to mitigate the threat posed by the virus. More information can be found on the CDC website.
Around 1 in 10 Americans currently reside in communities with "medium" levels of hospitalizations. The CDC advises additional precautions for at-risk individuals in these areas.
In addition to monitoring the rise of COVID-19 cases, the CDC has also been tracking the acceleration of other respiratory illnesses. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is currently at its peak in numerous southern states, particularly among young children. The CDC's disease forecasters predict that RSV hospitalizations will surpass pre-pandemic levels but are expected to reach a lower and later peak compared to last year. More details can be found in the latest report.
The CDC also reports an increase in flu activity nationwide, with further rises anticipated in December. However, data from emergency rooms suggest that overall influenza levels have not yet surpassed those of COVID-19. According to Cohen from the CDC, COVID-19 remains the respiratory virus responsible for the highest number of hospitalizations and fatalities.
Officials have been monitoring reports of pneumonia-like illness in children this year, including cases attributed to the common mycoplasma bacteria. The bacteria has been linked to a surge in pediatric hospitalizations in China and has also been seen in cases of sick children in Ohio.
Several countries have also experienced a significant increase in bacterial infections in children this season. These infections had largely disappeared around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. Denmark recently issued a warning about epidemic levels of mycoplasma.
Health officials in Ohio have not observed any unusual strain on their hospitals, and most children affected by the outbreaks are recovering at home.
"We are seeing COVID, flu, RSV, as well as some pneumonia, but nothing outside of what we would typically see," said Cohen, citing data analyzed by the agency from testing laboratories and emergency rooms nationwide.
Weekly emergency room visits for influenza among school-age children have surged in recent months. Before the pandemic, influenza ranked among the most common causes of pneumonia, according to a CDC study. In contrast to adults, rates of influenza in emergency room visits for children remain multiple times higher than for COVID-19.
"At this time, what we are seeing is quite typical of this moment in the winter respiratory virus season," Cohen said.
