The CDC concludes that the first cases of the omicron variant are mild but delta raises the number of deaths and hospitalizations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, for its acronym in English) published this Friday its first report on the omicron variant of the coronavirus in the United States, which, based on just a few dozen infections detected so far, indicates that the cases have been mild, with symptoms such as cough or runny nose, although they emphasize that it is still too early to draw conclusions about how it will spread in the country.

The arrival of omicron, which has already been detected in at least 22 states, worries because a strong

is already being registered

, especially among unvaccinated people, due to the delta variant, more contagious and lethal and that has been spreading throughout the country for months.

This uptick in cases increases the pressure on healthcare personnel and is overwhelming the nation's hospitals, to the point that some states (such as Maine, New York and New Hampshire) have even mobilized the National Guard.

In recent days, coronavirus cases have risen in New York with about 3,500 hospitalized patients, the highest level on record since April.

In New York, in addition, the governor, the democrat Kathy Hochul, announced this Friday a mask mandate that will apply until January 15 in all closed public spaces for those who do not present proof of vaccination.

Violators can face

.

"We are entering a time of uncertainty and we could stagnate or our cases could spiral out of control," he explained.

However, the CDC report published this Friday offers some hope from the evolution of 43 patients with the new omicron variant, of which only one was hospitalized.

More than half of the infected people were young

, between the ages of 18 and 39, and the majority exhibited symptoms such as cough, fatigue and a stuffy or runny nose.

But experts ask to be cautious with these data: more than 75% of patients were already fully vaccinated and some had previously had coronavirus.

The CDC further noted that it may take several days or weeks for severe symptoms to appear in some people.

"

," John Moore, professor of microbiology and immunology at Weill Cornell Medical College, told NBC News, though he remarked that the report was "encouraging."

Deaths and hospitalizations of the unvaccinated

COVID-19 hospitalizations are up

compared to last month, according to data from the Health Department.

On average, about 1,300 people die each day in the United States from the coronavirus.

The best protection is vaccination, but as of Thursday only 64.3% of eligible people had been fully immunized in the country, and less than a third had received the booster, according to CDC data. 

Danielle Williams, a nurse at Sparrow Hospital in Michigan, recounted the impact of the virus on patients.

“

.

They were healthy people.

They were celebrating Thanksgiving, ”Williams said.

"

" he told CNN. 

In Michigan, state hospitals have seen an 88% increase in coronavirus patients in the past month.

The numbers are on the rise in particular for those who have not been immunized. 

"Since January, we've had about 289 deaths - 75% are people who weren't fully vaccinated," Jim Dover, president of Sparrow Health System, told CNN.

"We have not had a single person who has received a booster shot who has died from the coronavirus," added Dover. 

If the current level of deaths from the current virus continues, the United States will have

, roughly the equivalent of the population of the Charleston, South Carolina metropolitan area, according to Axios.