U.S. COVID-19 deaths, hospitalizations 'comparatively' low despite Omicron surge, CDC director says

COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations are 'comparatively' low as the highly infectious Omicron variant of the coronavirus spreads, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said on Wednesday as cases in the United States reached a record high. 'In a few short weeks Omicron has rapidly increased across the country, and we expect will continue to circulate in the coming weeks. While cases have substantially increased from last week, hospitalizations and deaths remain comparatively low right now,' she said, referring to overall cases.