The U.S. has seen a modest increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations over the last two weeks, according to HHS data compiled by The New York Times.
As of Oct. 31, a daily average of 27,184 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized nationwide, up 2 percent over the last 14 days. Overall, hospitalizations are rising in 28 states, though the scale of the increases vary greatly by state. Last week, the CDC reported the seven-day average for new admissions was 3,249, marking a 1 percent increase after nearly two months of decline.
The slight upticks come as a pair of highly transmissible omicron relatives dubbed "escape variants" — BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 — gain prevalence nationwide.
Ten states with the largest 14-day increase in average daily COVID-19 hospitalizations:
Arizona: 36 percent increase
Hospitalizations: 454 daily average as of Oct. 31
Hawaii: 32 percent
Hospitalizations: 86
Vermont: 31 percent
Hospitalizations: 71
Nebraska: 24 percent
Hospitalizations: 177
Indiana: 23 percent
Hospitalizations: 435
Wisconsin: 21 percent
Hospitalizations: 552
Oklahoma: 18 percent
Hospitalizations: 255
New Mexico: 18 percent
Hospitalizations: 123
South Dakota: 16 percent
Hospitalizations: 68
Wyoming: 13 percent
Hospitalizations: 21
Ten places with the highest hospitalization rate per 100,000 residents:
Washington, D.C.: 17 per 100,000
Daily average of hospitalizations as of Oct. 31: 164
Delaware: 17
Hospitalizations: 164
Maine: 16
Hospitalizations: 216
New York: 16
Hospitalizations: 3,094
North Carolina: 14
Hospitalizations: 1,516
Pennsylvania: 14
Hospitalizations: 1,754
New Jersey: 13
Hospitalizations: 1,179
Connecticut: 13
Hospitalizations: 448
Michigan: 12
Hospitalizations: 1,190
Massachusetts: 12
Hospitalizations: 796
Editor's note: Figures are based on data as of Oct. 31.