COVID-19 hospitalizations are declining nationwide even as the highly transmissible omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 gains prevalence.
As of Jan. 19, a daily average of 39,272 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, down 18 percent in the last two weeks, according to data tracked by The New York Times. New admissions also fell 17.5 percent in the seven-day period ending Jan. 17, CDC data shows.
Overall, daily COVID-19 hospitalizations are decreasing in every state but Rhode Island, Alaska, Delaware and Louisiana.
The national decrease comes as XBB.1.5 accounts for 49.1 percent of new COVID-19 cases nationwide, according to the CDC's latest variant proportion estimates.
Eight places with the lowest hospitalization rate per 100,000 residents:
Wyoming: 3
Hospitalizations: 19 daily average as of Jan. 19
Montana: 4
Hospitalizations: 41
Utah: 4
Hospitalizations: 127
New Mexico: 4
Hospitalizations: 84
Colorado: 5
Hospitalizations: 261
Puerto Rico: 5
Hospitalizations: 158
South Dakota: 5
Hospitalizations: 41
Alaska: 5
Hospitalizations: 39
Nine states with the largest 14-day decrease in average daily COVID-19 hospitalizations:
Montana: -37 percent
Hospitalizations: 41 daily average as of Jan. 19
Indiana: -37 percent
Hospitalizations: 461
Kansas: -34 percent
Hospitalizations: 187
Arizona: -33 percent
Hospitalizations: 620
Oregon: -31 percent
Hospitalizations: 277
Utah: -30 percent
Hospitalizations: 127
Ohio: -29 percent
Hospitalizations: 1,231
Vermont: -29 percent
Hospitalizations: 37
New Mexico: -29 percent
Hospitalizations: 84