VIDEO: COVID-19 hospitalizations increase
(NBC) - Covid hospitalizations in the U.S. are on the rise.
Nationwide, hospitalizations have doubled since May.
According to an NBC News analysis, COVID-related hospitalizations are up in all but four states with the biggest increases being reported in the south.
The increase is being driven by the Omicron subvariant BA.5 according for 65 percent of new cases for the weekending July 9, according to the CDC.
The BA.4 subvariant account for just over 16 percent during that same time frame.
Both subvariants are more "transmissible and more immune evading" than previous versions of Omicron.
While the vaccines don't offer protections against infection with BA.4 and BA.5, they can reduce the risk for severe complications, according to medical experts.
