US COVID Figures Suggest Cases May Be Underestimated

The United States has reported record COVID-19 infections in recent days, but the actual number could be significantly higher.

Last week, average daily cases reached about 405,000, about 60% more than the previous peak in the United States in January 2021, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. However, the number of tests reported by states is still below its 2021 highs.

Meanwhile, the positive rate among polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests is 17%, the highest since April 2020. Together, the data suggests that omicron has become so prevalent that many infections go undetected. , perhaps because the person used a quick home test or none at all.

Even as the variant spreads, hospitalizations and deaths remain below previous peaks, reinforcing a growing body of data showing omicron symptoms are less severe than delta symptoms.

To date, the United States reports about 1,100 COVID deaths, based on a seven-day average that has changed little in the past month, while new hospital admissions of COVID patients increased 40% in one week to an average of 12,000 during the December 25-31 period, but remain below the peak of more than 16,000 from the previous year.

The worst case jurisdictions are the nation’s capital, New York, Puerto Rico, New Jersey, and Florida. Of that group, only Washington DC and New Jersey have more people in the hospital with confirmed COVID-19 than during last winter’s surge.

Some schools and businesses have resisted the kinds of policies and lockdowns they adopted in the past, even as authorities worry that the sheer number of infections and absences could affect business, hospital and school operations, as the nation come back from winter break.