Nine U.S. regions saw stable or declining levels of outpatient visits for flu or COVID-19 in mid-December, according to the CDC's latest COVIDView report published Dec. 28.
Four updates:
1. Surveillance: The national percentage of positive COVID-19 specimens was 12.1 percent in the week ending Dec. 19, down from 12.9 percent a week prior. Test positivity decreased among all age groups and in eight HHS surveillance regions. This figure increased in the South Central and South West/West Coast regions.
2. Outpatient activity: The overall percentage of outpatient or emergency department visits for flu- or COVID-19-like symptoms remained stable or fell slightly nationwide. Regionally, nine regions reported a similar trend in outpatient activity in the week ending Dec. 19, while the New Jersey/New York/Puerto Rico region reported an increase in visits.
3. Hospitalizations: The cumulative hospitalization rate for all age groups was 313.3 per 100,000 population in the week ending Dec. 19.
4. Mortality: About 13 percent of deaths nationwide were attributed to flu, pneumonia or COVID-19 in the week ending Dec. 19. This figure marks a decline from the week prior but is still above the epidemic threshold of 6.7 percent.
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