COVID Hospitalizations are Rising in These States

Health experts are emphatic that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over, and COVID has definitely not morphed into something as harmless as the common cold. Case in point: In the last two weeks, COVID-related hospitalizations have risen by double digits in nearly two dozen states. Although Omicron and its subvariants, by and large, are producing less severe disease than earlier forms of the virus, people are still getting seriously ill and dying from COVID. These are five states where COVID hospitalizations are rising the fastest. Read on to find out more—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had COVID.

According to the Times data tracker, COVID-related hospitalizations in Mississippi are up 67% in the last 14 days, the largest increase in the country. MPB News reports that hospitalizations have doubled since the beginning of June. "Fortunately, we're not seeing the mortality impact. Don't wanna underenforce the importance of getting treatment and everything, because we are gonna lose folks," Dr. Thomas Dobbs, the state health officer, said this week. "And if it's that one person you love, it's 100% tragedy for you. But 95% plus of people have some immunity to COVID, so that's making all the difference." 

COVID hospitalizations are up 43% in Alaska over two weeks ago, the second-highest increase in the U.S. The Anchorage Daily News reported Thursday that less than 5% of the state's hospital patients were COVID-positive, and none required a ventilator. "Current hospital counts are still well below all-time peaks but higher than at other points in the pandemic," they said.

In Alabama, COVID hospitalizations are up 38%, compared to the national average of a 3% increase. "Best ways to keep out of the hospital are going to be these treatments that are available. So, there's the medication Paxlovid, there's the medication molnupiravir, there's IV medications that can be given in the hospital," Dr. Wesley Willeford told WBRC. And of course, we said from the beginning the other way to keep people protected from hospitalization, protected from death related to COVID-19 is making sure you are staying up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines." 

Louisiana has seen the nation's fourth-largest increase in COVID-related hospitalizations in the last 14 days: 36%. But a smaller percentage of people who are testing positive are being hospitalized than at earlier points in the pandemic.  "In prior surges, this amount of COVID out there would translate into a much larger degree of hospitalizations and deaths. We're thankfully not seeing that this time around," State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter told the Louisiana Radio Network on Wednesday.

In Texas, hospitalizations are up 35% in the last 14 days. In North Texas, that's the highest level in three months, NBC 5 reported. "I don't want to alarm anyone, but we want to be honest," Stephen Love, president of the DFW Hospital Council, told the station this week. "We are seeing an increase in hospitalizations. Not a surge, not pushing the panic button, but we're not going down, and that's not a good thing."6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Follow the fundamentals and help end this pandemic, no matter where you live—get vaccinated ASAP; if you live in an area with low vaccination rates, wear an N95 face mask, don't travel, social distance, avoid large crowds, don't go indoors with people you're not sheltering with (especially in bars), practice good hand hygiene, and to protect your life and the lives of others, don't visit any of these 35 Places You're Most Likely to Catch COVID.