The latest CDC variant proportion estimates show a sublineage of the BA.2 omicron variant is gaining foothold in the U.S., coinciding with a nationwide increase in cases and hospitalizations.
BA.2.12.1 accounted for nearly 43 percent of new cases for the week ending May 7, up from about 23 percent for the week ending April 23. Meantime, the prevalence of BA.2, which became dominant in March, has fallen from 74 percent of cases for the week ending April 23 to 56 percent as of May 7.
Three more COVID-19 updates:
1. The daily average for new cases was 77,092 on May 10, up 52 percent over the last 14 days, according to federal data collected by The New York Times.
2. Hospitalizations are up 19 percent nationwide over the last 14 days, with a daily average of 19,270 people hospitalized May 10. As of May 10, 37 states were reporting a rise in hospitalizations. Federal modeling projects the nation's hospital admissions will increase over the next four weeks, with 600 to 8,700 new admissions likely reported May 27.
3. Federal health officials are anticipating "a pretty sizable" COVID-19 surge in the fall. The White House on May 6 projected 100 million infections could occur this fall and winter. White House COVID-19 response coordinator Ashish Jha, MD, in recent interviews has emphasized the need for more federal pandemic funding to purchase vaccines and therapeutics, which would be crucial to stave off a potential surge.