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NEW YORK: With the news that South Africa has passed the peak of its cases caused by the Omicron variant, scientists are projecting that the United States’ sharp increase in cases will crest as soon as the middle of January.
On Thursday, the US surpassed 5,80,000 cases, beating the record set only a day before. New estimates from researchers at Columbia University suggest that the US could peak by January 9 at around 2.5 million cases per week, although that number may go as high as 5.4 million.
In New York City, the first US metropolis to see a major surge, the researchers estimated that cases would peak by the first week of the new year. “We’re seeing unprecedented numbers of cases,” said Jeffrey Shaman, who led the modelling work. The variant is significantly milder than Delta and is far less likely to lead to hospitalisations, according to data from South Africa and UK. Still, the enormous numbers of people getting simultaneously infected could greatly strain hospitals, experts said.
Another model by University of Washington estimated t the US would reach a peak by middle or end of January.
On Thursday, the US surpassed 5,80,000 cases, beating the record set only a day before. New estimates from researchers at Columbia University suggest that the US could peak by January 9 at around 2.5 million cases per week, although that number may go as high as 5.4 million.
In New York City, the first US metropolis to see a major surge, the researchers estimated that cases would peak by the first week of the new year. “We’re seeing unprecedented numbers of cases,” said Jeffrey Shaman, who led the modelling work. The variant is significantly milder than Delta and is far less likely to lead to hospitalisations, according to data from South Africa and UK. Still, the enormous numbers of people getting simultaneously infected could greatly strain hospitals, experts said.
Another model by University of Washington estimated t the US would reach a peak by middle or end of January.
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