Iran Press/ America: The CDC reported that, while flu is still spreading at high levels, virus activity is falling in "most areas." For the week ending Dec. 24, around 18,800 people were hospitalized with flu, down from around 20,700 hospitalizations the week prior.
The seven-day average of daily Covid hospitalizations reached 42,140 on Friday, an increase of 4.2% from two weeks ago, according to an NBC News tally. The seven-day average of daily intensive care unit admissions has also risen to 5,125 per day, an increase of more than 9% from two weeks ago.
Still, the number of Covid hospitalizations aren't expected to reach the level they did last winter, when the original omicron variant, called BA.1, began to spread rapidly, said Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious diseases physician at the University of Toronto.
He said a combination of population immunity — from either prior infection, vaccination or both — and a string of new variants that appear to be less virulent have made the virus less of a threat this winter.
The CDC recommends up-to-date Covid vaccines for everyone ages 6 months and older, as well as annual flu shots.
up-to-date Covid vaccines for everyone ages 6 months and older, as well as annual flu shots.
211
