Covid hospitalisation rate among young American adults highest: CDC

Washington, August 14

The recent Covid-19 hospitalisation rate among young American adults aged between 30 to 39 is the highest ever since the pandemic hit the US early last year, while that among seniors aged 70 and older is about a quarter of what it was this January, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Meanwhile, children account for a larger share of hospitalisations now than they did in January, as the rate among those under the age of 18 hovers right around the record high, Xinhua news agency quoted the CDC as saying in its latest update on Friday.

In a few states, including Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina and Louisiana, the number of children hospitalised with Covid-19 more than doubled over the past week, it said.

“Florida has the highest hospitalisation rate in the country,” a CNN report said on Friday citing the latest data from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

More than 65 people are hospitalised with Covid-19 for every 1,00,000 people in Florida, about one out of every 1,500 state residents.

“That was more than triple the national rate. Every state with a higher than average hospitalisation rate has a lower than average vaccination rate,” the CNN report added.

Florida, together with Louisiana, is now reporting a record number of Covid-19 hospital admissions, and other states are close.

In Mississippi and Arkansas, daily admissions are at more than 87 per cent of their earlier peak, and in Oregon, Alabama and Washington, daily admissions are at more than 75 per cent of their peak.

Covid-19 hospitalisations across the US have been on the rise for more than a month.

At the current pace, with more than 2,500 patients added each day over the past week, the country will surpass January’s record high in about a month, according to the CNN report. — IANS