A new omicron subvariant, JN.1 – a sublineage of BA.2.86, or ‘pirola’ – was responsible for more than 1 in 5 new coronavirus infections in recent weeks, according to CDC estimates. By Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder | Dec. 8, 2023, at 5:09 p.m. COVID Hospitalizations Rise data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That means that new hospitalizations have surpassed the peak seen during the late summer wave in the U.S. The trend was expected given that holiday travel and indoor gatherings tend to increase the spread of COVID-19. Recommended Videos Powered by AnyClip White House Rolls Out Plans to Distribute COVID-19 Vaccines to Kids 5 and Under 2.7K 2 White House Rolls Out Plans to Distribute COVID-19 Vaccines to Kids 5 and Under NOW PLAYING Travel Hotspots Introduce a Vaccine Tourist Scheme to Boost the Tourism Industry Clarifying Your Concerns Surrounding Vaccine Passports Trump Reportedly Ignored Early COVID-19 Advice That Could Have Saved Over 130,000 Lives The U.S. Opioid Epidemic Surges Under the Shadow of the Coronavirus The CDC said in a report published Friday that COVID-19, flu and RSV activity are all elevated, but the agency added that hospital bed occupancy remains stable nationally. “The amount of respiratory illness (fever plus cough or sore throat) causing people to seek healthcare is elevated or increasing across most areas of the country,” the CDC said. When it comes to the coronavirus, emergency department visits are highest among infants and older adults, according to the agency. The U.S. has recently seen the emergence of a new omicron subvariant called JN.1, which is a sublineage of BA.2.86, or “pirola.” According to CDC estimates, JN.1 was responsible for more than 21% of new infections in recent weeks. The World Health Organization classifies JN.1 as a variant of interest given its large number of mutations. But it evaluates the public health risk of both BA.2.86 and JN.1 as low. While vaccines are expected to work on both strains, only 16% of U.S. adults have rolled up their sleeves for the latest COVID-19 shot, according to national survey data. Source: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-...-hospitalizations-rise-as-new-variant-spreads
