The United States broke a new record for COVID-19 hospitalizations on Sunday, with 132,646 patients currently being treated for the virus, as the fast-spreading Omicron variant surged across the country.
However, despite record hospitalizations, fewer Americans are dying from the virus and most who appear to have multiple comorbidities, according to CDC director Rochelle Valensky.
The director estimated in a recent Good Morning America interview that "the overwhelming majority of deaths, over 75 percent, occurred in people with at least four comorbidities ... so really, these are people who were initially unwell. And yes, really encouraging news in terms of Omicron."
He stressed the need to "protect people with comorbidities from severe #COVID19" in a tweet, as many found his comments insensitive towards people with comorbidities or disabilities.
"I went into medicine - HIV in particular - and public health to protect our most at-risk people," she wrote. “CDC is taking steps to protect those at highest risk, including those w/ those with chronic health conditions, the disabled, and older adults.”
Wallensky further discussed comorbidities in a Sunday appearance on Fox News, when host Brett Baer asked Wallensky how much of the total U.S. deaths -- now more than 836,000 according to the CDC -- could be attributed to comorbidities. She couldn't say, but she said the data "will come."
The country's seven-day average for new cases has doubled in the last 10 days to 704,000. The US average has been more than 500,000 in the past six days.
In New York state, the number of hospitalized patients rose to more than 12,000 in the past week. Of those hospitalized for the virus, 42% were admitted for other reasons, roughly the same percentage as last week. The state reported 54,000 cases and 135 deaths.