# U.S. coronavirus cases hit new high, hospitalizations creep up Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2021-12-30 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: US COVID Cases Surge to Record High Amid Omicron Spread Meta Description: Get the latest updates on the record-breaking rise in daily Covid cases in the US and Europe, with insights on the Omicron variant impact and new CDC URL: https://financedigest.com/u-s-coronavirus-cases-hit-new-high-hospitalizations-creep-uphtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2021-12-29t103115z1lynxmpehbs09vrtroptp4health-coronavirus-usa-new-york-1-1736836526389-compressed.jpg) (Reuters) -The average number of daily confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States hit a record high of 258,312 over the past seven days, a Reuters tally showed on Wednesday, as U.S. officials weigh the impact of the more transmissible Omicron variant. The previous peak for the seven-day moving average was 250,141 confirmed [cases recorded](https://www.financedigest.com/covid-testing-rules-spark-christmas-travel-chaos-in-australia-as-cases-hit-records.html "COVID-testing rules spark Christmas travel chaos in Australia as cases hit records") on Jan. 8 of this year. Daily records were broken this [week in at least](https://www.financedigest.com/80-of-brits-admit-to-feeling-hangry-at-least-once-a-week.html "80% of Brits admit to feeling “hangry” AT LEAST once a week") seven European nations. The [surge comes as Americans travel over the holidays](https://www.financedigest.com/chinese-fret-over-elderly-as-who-warns-of-holiday-covid-surge.html "Chinese fret over elderly as WHO warns of holiday COVID surge"). Hundreds of flights have been cancelled across the country each [day since Christmas as airline staff](https://www.financedigest.com/amazon-to-lay-off-staff-in-u-s-canada-and-costa-rica-by-end-of-day.html "Amazon to lay off staff in U.S., Canada and Costa Rica by end of day") test positive for the coronavirus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was monitoring 86 cruise ships that have reported [COVID-19 cases](https://www.financedigest.com/sydney-covid-19-cases-seen-topping-2000-a-day-as-australia-ramps-up-vaccinations.html "Sydney COVID-19 cases seen topping 2,000 a day as Australia ramps up vaccinations"). While some [data from other countries showed less disease with Omicron](https://www.financedigest.com/omicron-poses-very-high-risk-but-data-on-severity-limited.html "Omicron poses ‘very high’ risk but data on severity limited"), it was too early to gauge the impact across the United States, particularly given its uneven vaccination rates, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said on Wednesday. Still, she noted in a call with reporters that while the seven-day daily average of [positive cases](https://www.financedigest.com/italy-probes-meta-over-abuse-of-position-in-music-rights-case.html "Italy probes Meta over abuse of position in music rights case") is up 60% over the previous week, the hospitalization rate for the same period is up only 14%, to about 9,000 per day. Deaths were down about 7% to 1,100 per day, she said. More than 76,000 people are [hospitalized with COVID-19](https://www.financedigest.com/scotland-reports-fewer-covid-19-hospitalizations-with-omicron.html "Scotland reports fewer COVID-19 hospitalizations with Omicron") nationwide, up 19% in the past 10 days, according to a Reuters tally. The CDC released new guidance this [week shortening the isolation period for people with a confirmed infection to five days](https://www.financedigest.com/transitioning-into-a-4-day-week.html "Transitioning into a 4 day week") from 10, so long as they are asymptomatic. The move was partly designed to ease [staff shortages in hospitals](https://www.financedigest.com/the-icu-is-full-medical-staff-on-frontline-of-chinas-covid-fight-say-hospitals-are-overwhelmed.html "‘The ICU is full’: medical staff on frontline of China’s COVID fight say hospitals are ‘overwhelmed’"), airlines and other vital services. Some [infectious disease](https://www.financedigest.com/title-europe-direct-to-consumer-laboratory-testing-market-to-exhibit-26-cagr-by-2031-increasing-geriatric-population-and-growing-prevalence-of-infectious-diseases.html "Europe Direct-to-Consumer Laboratory Testing Market to Exhibit 26% CAGR by 2031; Increasing Geriatric Population and Growing Prevalence of Infectious Diseases") experts, however, have faulted the policy for not distinguishing between vaccinated and unvaccinated people, who recover from the virus at different rates. The new policy also does not require testing to confirm that a person is no longer infectious before they go [back to work or socialize](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-bellway-to-buy-back-shares-hike-social-housing-output.html "UK’s Bellway to buy back shares, hike social housing output"). States showing the highest daily infection numbers on Tuesday included New York, which reported 40,780 cases, and California, which reported over 30,000. Texas reported more than 17,000 cases and Ohio over 15,000. The [Omicron variant](https://www.financedigest.com/oil-prices-keep-climbing-even-as-omicron-covid-19-variant-fans-out.html "Oil prices keep climbing even as Omicron COVID-19 variant fans out") was estimated to account for 58.6% of U.S. infections as of Dec. 25, [according to CDC data](https://www.financedigest.com/most-sales-and-marketing-teams-struggle-to-activate-data-in-their-organisation-according-to-new-international-study.html "Most Sales and Marketing teams struggle to activate data in their organisation, according to new international study") released on Tuesday. (Reporting by Alexandra Alper and Susan Heavey in Washington, Lisa Shumaker and Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago, Aparupa Mazumder in Bengaluru; Writing by Keith Weir and Jonathan Allen; Editing by Gareth Jones, Chizu Nomiyama, Mark Porter and Richard Chang) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---