Omicron subvariants BQ.1.1 and BQ.1, which knocked down the last monoclonal antibody treatment to be authorized for COVID-19, now account for 62.8 percent of COVID-19 cases, according to the CDC.
Ten findings:
Variants
1. Based on projections for the week ending Dec. 3, the CDC estimates that BQ.1.1 accounts for 31.9 percent of cases, while BQ.1 accounts for 30.9 percent.
2. BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 now account for nearly two-thirds of infections as the once-dominant strain BA.5 falls to 14 percent. Subvariant BF.7 accounts for 6.3 percent and XBB, a subvariant the CDC began tracking Nov. 28, makes up 5.5 percent of cases. Eleven other omicron subvariants each range between 0 percent and 5 percent.
Cases
3. As of Nov. 30, the nation's seven-day case average was 43,300, a 1.2 percent decrease from the previous week's average.
Hospitalizations
4. The seven-day hospitalization average for Nov. 23 to Nov. 29 was 4,201, a 17.6 percent increase from the previous week's average. From July through September, the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations fell 9.6 per 100,000 people. Since then, that figure has stayed below 6 per 100,000 people.
Community levels
5. As of Dec. 1, 5.7 percent of counties, districts or territories had high COVID-19 community levels, 24.8 percent had medium community levels and 69.5 percent had low community levels.
Deaths
6. The current seven-day death average is 254, down 32.4 percent from the previous week's average, which was 376. Some historical deaths have been excluded from these counts, the CDC said.
Vaccinations
7. As of Nov. 30, about 267.3 million people — 80.5 percent of the U.S. population — have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and about 228.4 million people, or 68.8 percent of the population, have received two doses.
8. About 114.8 million people have received a booster dose, and more than 39.7 million people have received an updated omicron booster. However, 48.3 percent of people eligible for a booster dose have not yet gotten one, the CDC said.
Wastewater surveillance
9. About 50 percent of the U.S. is reporting moderate to high virus levels in wastewater. Of these surveillance sites, 22 percent are seeing some of the highest levels since Dec. 1, 2021.
10. About 58 percent of sites are reporting an increase in virus levels, and 34 percent of sites are seeing a decrease.