The CDC overestimated how widespread the Omicron variant would be, according to a new report.
The agency reported December 20 that 73 percent of COVID cases in the United States were Omicron, up from just 0.7 percent two weeks prior. Now, that number has been revised down to 22.5 percent, the Daily Caller reports.
The data for the week of December 12 was revised when the CDC released new data for the week of December 19. Instead of Omicron dominating the week of December 12, Delta was the more widespread strain, making up 77 percent of cases.
Now, according to the most recent estimate for the week of December 19, Omicron is dominant. However, it’s still only making up 58.6 percent of cases, rather than the original 73 percent that was once reported.
It is possible that the numbers were skewed because not all cases are sequenced to determine which variant they are, meaning the CDC can only estimate based on the cases that are sequenced and submitted.
Omicron is dominant in Health and Human Services region 2, consisting of New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands; and region 6, consisting of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma.
Delta is still dominant in region 1, consisting of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and region 7, consisting of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.
