#16,480
The CDC has published their latest Nowcast projections of the Omicron variant, and for the 4th week in a row we are seeing huge swings in its estimated prevalence, and significant revisions of past estimates.
This variant - which was first announced over the Thanksgiving Holidays - has spread so rapidly that surveillance and reporting systems - which have been negatively impacted by 3 extended holiday weekends in just over a month - have had difficulty tracking it.
Two weeks ago, the incidence of Omicron was thought to be 73%, but that estimate was reduced last week to to just 22.5%, with last week's estimate set at 58%. Those numbers have been recalculated to 38% and 78% respectively.
This week's new estimate is 95,4% (92.9%-97%), although none of this is carved in stone. Suffice to say, most new COVID cases in the United States are Omicron, and Delta is rapidly being supplanted by this heir apparent.
The estimated prevalence around the country ranges from a low of about 77% in the midwest to a high of 98% in region 6 (Texas, NM, LA).
While there is growing evidence that Omicron doesn't produce as much severe illness as did Delta, the sheer volume of cases occurring now - and expected to occur over the coming months - will severely tax healthcare delivery systems around the world.
