The rate of new COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations all fell last week, with the nation's daily average hospital admissions reaching the lowest figure seen in more than four months, according to the CDC's COVID-19 data tracker weekly review published Sept. 30.
Eight findings:
Cases:
1. As of Sept. 28, the nation's seven-day case average was 47,112, a 13.1 percent decrease from the previous week's average. This marks the tenth week of decline and the lowest daily case rate seen since late April, CDC data shows.
Community levels
2. As of Sept. 29, 3.3 percent of counties, districts or territories had high COVID-19 community levels, a 3.7 percentage point decrease from the week prior.
3. Another 22.9 percent had medium community levels, and 73.7 percent had low community levels.
Hospitalizations
4. The seven-day hospitalization average for Sept. 21-27 was 3,773, a 7.4 percent decrease from the previous week's average. This marks the lowest daily admission rate seen since late May, CDC data shows.
Deaths
5. The current seven-day death average is 347, down 12.2 percent from the previous week's average. Some historical deaths have been excluded from these counts, the CDC said.
Vaccinations
6. As of Sept. 28, about 264.1 million people — 79.5 percent of the U.S. population — have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and more than 225.3 million people, or 67.9 percent of the population, have received both doses.
7. About 110 million additional or booster doses in fully vaccinated people have been reported. However, 49.8 percent of people eligible for a booster dose have not yet gotten one, the CDC said.
Variants
8. Based on projections for the week ending Oct. 1, the CDC estimates the omicron subvariant BA.5 accounts for 81.3 percent of U.S. COVID-19 cases. BA.4.6 accounts for 12.8 percent of cases, while BA.2.75 accounts for 1.4 percent of cases and BA.4 accounts for 1.1 percent. Other omicron subvariants make up the rest.