CDC: Key COVID-19 updates for week 17

Editor's Note

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on May 1 updated its weekly surveillance summary of COVID-19 activity in the US ending April 25.

Among the updates:

• The percentage of specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 decreased at public health and commercial laboratories and remained similar at clinical labs. Labs have confirmed 702,814 positive specimens out of 3,906,678 specimens tested nationwide since March 1.
• The percentage of deaths attributed to influenza, pneumonia, or COVID-19 was 14.6%, down 23.6% from the week before.
• The hospitalization rate for all age groups increased to 40.4 per 100,000 population. The highest rates were in those 65 years and older (131.6 per 100,000) and 50 to 64 years (63.7 per 100,000).
• The percentage of outpatient and emergency department visits for COVID-19 or influenza-like illness (ILI) decreased, and ILI fell below the baseline for the second consecutive week.