Pirola BA.2.86 leaps into the top 3 of circulating variants in the US – WEEKLY US C19 hospitalizations up 10%, C19 deaths up 8%, WHO reports a MONTHLY decline of 72% in C19 deaths

From here:

WHO upgrades BA.2.86 to COVID-19 variant of interest as US proportions grow | CIDRAP (umn.edu)

“In its latest data updates today, which cover the week ending November 18, the CDC reported more rises in its severity indicators, with hospitalizations up 9.7% and deaths up 8.3%.”

From here:

CDC COVID Data Tracker: Variant Proportions

Variants over 1% here:

Quite a Pirola leap! Here is a link to a CDC advisory:

11-27-2023 Update on SARS CoV-2 Variant BA.2.86 | CDC

“At this time, BA.2.86 does not appear to be driving increases in infections or hospitalizations in the United States.”

This compares with top 5 circulating variants on 14 and 28 October 2023

The WHO has updated its page on C19.

COVID-19 Epidemiological Update - 24 November 2023 (who.int)

“Globally, more than half a million new COVID-19 cases and over 2400 new deaths have been reported in the past 28-day period from 23 October to 19 November 2023.

Compared to the previous 28-day period, those figures represent a 13% and 72% decrease in cases and deaths respectively.  As of 19 November 2023, over 772 million confirmed cases and over six million deaths have been reported globally.”

I wonder what these guys are getting wrong - that the WHO is getting right - with their reports of 700 million “cases” and almost 7 million deaths? COVID - Coronavirus Statistics - Worldometer (worldometers.info)

An extra 1 million deaths and 70 million fewer cases? To paraphrase Clinton “at this point, what does it matter?”

Onwards!

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