COVID deaths tick up in some states ahead of holidays

As the holiday season approaches and this year’s respiratory virus season begins, the number of deaths related to COVID-19 is increasing in several states.

Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Michigan, North Carolina and Tennessee, based on data available through Nov. 11, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The number of coronavirus deaths has increased in eight states. Absolute increases ranged from 0.1% in Colorado to 3% in Maryland.

Colorado and Maryland were the only two states with a percentage of COVID-19 deaths in the yellow range over the past week, falling within 4% to 5.9% of deaths. means. Maine almost fell into this category with her 4%.

Nationally, the absolute rate of increase in COVID-19 deaths in the United States increased by 0.2% during the week, according to CDC data.

Hospitalizations due to new coronavirus infections also increased by 8.6%. Currently, only 1.3 percent of U.S. counties (42) are considered to have high hospitalization levels. Since the end of the pandemic public health emergency, hospitalization rates have served as an indicator of local COVID-19 infection levels. Approximately 86% of the country is currently considered to have low hospitalization rates.

Last month, the CDC’s respiratory disease season outlook predicted that the U.S. would likely see the same number of hospitalizations as last winter. Whether the number of hospitalizations ends up being slightly higher or lower than predicted, it is likely to be higher than before the pandemic.

In most of the country, emergency department (ED) visit rates for positive viral tests are minimal or low. However, the number of emergency department visits increased by 7.1% in the most recent recorded week.

New Mexico is currently the only state reporting a “substantial” proportion of emergency department visits where patients test positive, but data is not available for states including Oklahoma, Missouri and Minnesota.