Washington, D.C. – A glimmer of hope emerged in the fight against COVID-19 as the U.S. witnessed a significant decline in hospitalizations for the week ending January 20th. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 26,600 new COVID-19 hospitalizations were recorded, marking a 14% decrease compared to the previous week.
This welcome drop follows a concerning surge that saw the nation reach its highest weekly hospitalization total since January 2023. The current figure offers a stark contrast to the lowest weekly count of around 6,300 observed in June 2023.
The recent decline coincides with the dominance of the omicron subvariant JN.1, estimated by the CDC to be responsible for nearly 86% of cases in recent weeks. Despite this prevalence, the overall hospitalization rate remains “low” by CDC standards, sitting at 8.01 new admissions per 100,000 people for the week ending January 20th.
However, the picture is not entirely uniform across the country. While a majority of states maintained a “low” level of hospitalizations, six states and the District of Columbia crossed into the “medium” category. New Mexico and Montana stood out with the highest percentage changes compared to the previous week, experiencing a 24% increase and a 39% decrease, respectively.
Another positive indicator emerged from emergency department data, which showed a 16% drop in the percentage of visits attributed to COVID-19 diagnoses nationwide. Alaska and Connecticut currently exhibit the highest rates above the national average.
Despite the encouraging downward trend, pockets of concern remain. As of January 20th, 65 U.S. counties classified as having a “high” level of hospital admissions, exceeding the CDC’s threshold of 20 per 100,000 people. Two Nebraska counties, Richardson and Pawnee, topped the list with alarming rates exceeding four times the “high” level baseline.
While the recent decline in hospitalizations offers a tentative sigh of relief, continued vigilance and adherence to safety measures remain crucial. Public health officials emphasize the importance of vaccination, boosters, and responsible behavior as key factors in sustaining this positive trend and curbing the spread of the virus.
