The percentage of specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 continues to decrease nationwide, though regional variation still exists, according to the CDC's weekly COVIDView report.
Four updates:
1. Surveillance: Two regions (Mountain and New Jersey/New York/Puerto Rico) reported a slight increase in the percentage of positive specimens. This figure was stable or decreased in the remaining eight HHS surveillance regions. The Southeast, South Central and Central regions had the highest percentage of positive specimens, though that percentage is decreasing in all three regions.
2. Mortality: About 6.2 percent of deaths nationwide were attributed to flu, pneumonia or COVID-19 in the week ending Sept. 12. This figure marks a decline from the week prior but is still above the epidemic threshold.
3. Hospitalizations: The cumulative hospitalization rate for all age groups increased to 170.4 per 100,000 population in the week ending Sept. 5.
4. Outpatient activity: The percentage of ED visits for COVID-19-like symptoms decreased nationally for the ninth straight week. The percentage of outpatient or ED visits for flu-like illness fell or were stable in every region except the Central region, which includes Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.
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