BA.5 climbs to 89% of US cases

The highly transmissible omicron subvariant BA.5 continues to gain dominance in the U.S. and now accounts for nearly 90 percent of all cases nationwide, according to the CDC’s latest variant proportion estimates.

Advertisement

The subvariant’s prevalence has climbed steadily since early May, when it accounted for less than 2 percent of all cases. The CDC’s most recent data, which covers the week ending Aug. 13, shows BA.5 accounts for 88.8 percent of all cases, up from 87.1 percent in the week ending Aug. 6 and 84.5 percent in the week ending July 30. 

While the subvariant’s prevalence is still climbing, COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are declining. The U.S. reported 100,747 daily average cases Aug. 16, marking an 18 percent decrease in the last 14 days, according to data tracked by The New York Times. Daily COVID-19 hospitalizations fell by 5 percent over the same time period. 

At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.

Advertisement

Next Up in Public Health

Advertisement

Comments are closed.