VOA健康报道2023--COVID-19 Hospitalizations in the US Are Increasing Again

COVID-19 Hospitalizations in the US Are Increasing Again

The number of people entering the hospital with COVID-19 has increased in the United States since early July. The increase is similar to the past three summers but with far fewer cases than before.

With an updated vaccine¹ still months away, experts worry this summer's increase in hospitalizations could become a bigger problem.

How bad is the increase?

For the week ending July 29, COVID-19 hospital admissions were at 9,056. That is an increase of about 12 percent from the week before. But it is a lot less than the former high points. For example, there were 44,000 weekly hospital admissions in early January, nearly 45,000 in late July 2022, and 150,000 when the Omicron subvariant spread in January 2022.

Dr. David Dowdy³ is an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He said it is increasing a little, but it is not something to be overly concerned about.

It is likely that infections are rising too, but data is lacking. Federal officials ended the public health emergency in May. That means that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and many states no longer follow the number of positive test results.

Since early June, about 500 to 600 people have died each week. The number of deaths appears to be unchanging this summer. But past increases in deaths usually follow behind hospitalizations.

How are we following the virus?

The amount of the COVID-19 virus in wastewater has been rising since late June across the U.S. In the coming weeks, health officials say they will look closely at wastewater levels. People will be returning from summer travel and students will be going back to school then.

Cristin Young is an infectious disease expert at Biobot Analytics. The CDC uses Biobot Analytics to study wastewater. She said researchers are finding higher levels of COVID-19 in wastewater in the Northeast and South.

"It's important to remember right now the concentrations are still fairly low," Young said. She noted⁴ that it is about 2.5 times lower than last summer.

There is not one kind of variant² that appears much more than others. But there is a higher number of cases from one kind of Omicron variant – EG.5. Some are calling this variant "eris" but scientists are not using that name.

"There are a couple that we're watching, but we're not seeing anything like Delta⁵ or Omicron," Young said, talking about former variants⁶ that caused high increases in COVID cases. And genetic⁷ changes to the virus that happen naturally do not necessarily make it more dangerous.

"Just because we have a new subvariant doesn't mean that we are destined⁸ to have an increase in bad outcomes," Dowdy said.

When is the new vaccine coming?

This autumn, officials expect to see updated COVID-19 vaccines⁹ that contain the Omicron variant XBB.1.5. It is an important change from today's combination shots. They mix the original coronavirus with last year's most common Omicron variants.

It is not clear when people can expect what officials hope is a yearly COVID-19 vaccine in autumn. Drug makers¹⁰ Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax are all creating vaccines with the XBB update. But the Food and Drug Administration will have to approve the shots. And the CDC must then issue suggestions on their use.

Dr. Mandy Cohen is the new CDC director. She said she expects people will get their COVID-19 vaccines where they get their vaccines for another infectious disease, the flu. She expects people will get vaccines at places like work or drug stores, rather than places that were set up just for COVID-19 vaccinations¹¹. Those places were set up early in the pandemic as part of the emergency measure.

"This is going to be our first fall and winter season coming out of the public health emergency, and I think we are all recognizing that we are living with COVID, flu, and RSV," Cohen told The Associated Press last week. Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, is another infectious disease. "But the good news is we have more tools than ever before."

Words in This Story

update – v. to make (something) more modern

admission – n. the act or process of accepting a patient in a hospital for treatment

positive – adj. showing the presence of a particular germ, condition, or substance

concentration – n. the amount of an ingredient in a mixture

destined – adj. certain to do or to be something

original – adj. happening or existing first or at the beginning

fall – n. autumn

1 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

2 variant   

adj.不同的，变异的；n.变体，异体

参考例句：

• We give professional suggestions according to variant tanning stages for each customer.我们针对每位顾客不同的日晒阶段，提供强度适合的晒黑建议。
• In a variant of this approach,the tests are data- driven.这个方法的一个变种，是数据驱动的测试。

3 dowdy   

adj.不整洁的；过旧的

参考例句：

• She was in a dowdy blue frock.她穿了件不大洁净的蓝上衣。
• She looked very plain and dowdy.她长得非常普通，衣也过时。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

6 variants   

n.变体( variant的名词复数 )；变种；变型；（词等的）变体

参考例句：

• Those variants will be preserved in the'struggle for existence". 这些变异将在“生存竞争”中被保留下来。 来自辞典例句
• Like organisms, viruses have variants, generally called strains. 与其他生物一样，病毒也有变种，一般称之为株系。 来自辞典例句

7 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

8 destined   

adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的

参考例句：

• It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
• The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。

9 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

10 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 vaccinations   

n.种痘，接种( vaccination的名词复数 )；牛痘疤

参考例句：

• Vaccinations ensure one against diseases. 接种疫苗可以预防疾病。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I read some publicity about vaccinations while waiting my turn at the doctor's. 在医生那儿候诊时，我读了一些关于接种疫苗的宣传。 来自《简明英汉词典》