For the week ending September 10, CDC estimates that Omicron variants BA.4/BA.5 accounted for 90% of U.S. cases nationwide, with BA.5 alone accounting for 88% of cases. The newest emergent variant, BA.4.6 continues to gradually increase in prevalence and now accounts for roughly 9% of cases nationwide. See HERE BA.4.6 is also slowly spreading in the United Kingdom, where it similarly accounts for about 9% of sampled cases and has been estimated to have a modest 6.5% relative fitness advantage over the BA.5 variant. In comparison, BA.5 had a much larger 45%-55% relative fitness advantage over BA.2. See HERE Although the trajectory and impact of the BA.4.6 variant remains uncertain, studies to date suggest it causes no more severe symptoms than BA.5 or other previous Omicron variants. Hospital admissions for COVID-19 in the U.S. remain in a slow downward trend, which is coincident with likely declines in virus transmission. Hospital admissions are now 33% lower than the peak admissions seen in late July, but are still about 3-fold higher than that seen in April 2022. CDC continues to recommend up-to-date vaccination, which includes boosters, to reduce risks for severe COVID-19. See HERE
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