Over 100,000 hospitalized with COVID-19 in U.S. for 1st time in 4 months

Medical staff work at a pop-up COVID-19 testing site in Park Ridge, Illinois, the United States, on Jan. 4, 2022. More than 103,000 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in the United States, the first time the total has reached six figures in nearly four months, CNN on Tuesday quoted the latest data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as saying. (Photo by Joel Lerner/Xinhua)

NEW YORK, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- More than 103,000 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in the United States, the first time the total has reached six figures in nearly four months, CNN on Tuesday quoted the latest data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as saying.

COVID-19 hospitalizations reached a record high of more than 142,000 about a year ago, on Jan. 14, 2021, and last topped 100,000 on Sept. 11. The total fell to about 45,000 hospitalizations in early November, but increased steadily since then, and surged last week.

States are also reporting surges in the number of children hospitalized, and official data last week showed that pediatric hospital admissions reached a record high. In Illinois, that number has almost tripled since December.

The hospitalizations are primarily among unvaccinated people. According to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cumulative hospitalization rates through November are about eight times higher for unvaccinated adults and about 10 times higher for unvaccinated children aged 12 to 17.