Vermont Covid levels remain ‘low,’ but hospitalizations spike

Vermont’s Covid-19 ranges are “low,” the state Division of Well being reported this week — however hospitalizations for the virus almost doubled in a single week. 

The division reported 60 new hospital admissions for Covid prior to now week, in comparison with 31 the week earlier than. As of Wednesday, 34 folks have been hospitalized with the virus, together with three in intensive care.

The statewide surge in Covid hospitalizations comes amid a nationwide rise in hospitalizations and case counts associated to the virus, in response to The New York Occasions. Circumstances are rising extra slowly than throughout the early section of the Omicron surge at the moment final 12 months, however all however 4 states have reported a current improve in hospitalizations.

Vermont can be reporting “reasonable” ranges of flu exercise, up from “low” ranges final week, in response to the well being division and the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. Specialists have warned that influenza, together with Covid and different respiratory diseases comparable to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), might proceed to pose a risk within the coming weeks.

For the primary time this week, Vermont’s well being division reported the presence of the BQ.1 Covid subvariant, the pressure that has already change into dominant at a nationwide degree. Specialists say the pressure’s capability to evade earlier immunity to the virus is partly liable for its rise.

Research from Pfizer and Moderna counsel their bivalent booster vaccines are efficient at producing an immune response to BQ.1, though the pattern sizes of each research are small. Solely 28% of Vermonters age 5 and older have acquired the bivalent booster, in response to the well being division.

The division additionally reported 448 Covid circumstances prior to now week, a slight improve from 439 the week earlier than. Case knowledge depends totally on PCR testing and doesn’t embrace at-home antigen testing.

The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention reported that 13 of the state’s 14 counties had “low” Covid ranges, whereas Rutland County had “medium” ranges.

The well being division reported no extra deaths resulting from Covid this week, which means that December has had no reported Covid deaths up to now. In complete, 781 folks have died of Covid because the starting of the pandemic in Vermont in March 2020.