Four updates:
1. Surveillance: The national percentage of positive COVID-19 specimens fell slightly in the week ending Dec. 26, but test positivity increased among children 17 and under, and in five of 10 HHS surveillance regions.
2. Outpatient activity: The overall percentage of outpatient or emergency department visits for flu- or COVID-19-like symptoms remained stable nationwide. Regionally, three regions reported an increase in outpatient activity in the week ending Dec. 26, while seven regions reported a decrease or stable level of visits.
3. Hospitalizations: The cumulative hospitalization rate for all age groups was 326.7 per 100,000 population in the week ending Dec. 26.
4. Mortality: About 13.6 percent of deaths nationwide were attributed to flu, pneumonia or COVID-19 in the week ending Dec. 26. This figure sits above the epidemic threshold of 6.7 percent.
More articles on public health:
Shortened quarantine may pose transmission risk, CDC finds
COVID-19 has killed 350,000 Americans; South African variant alarms officials — 5 updates
19 states where COVID-19 is spreading fastest, slowest: Jan. 4
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