Key Takeaways
- The Omicron variant has displaced Delta and is now responsible for an estimated 94% of new cases in Virginia.
- Case rates have accelerated to unprecedented levels throughout the Commonwealth, and all 35 health districts are now in surge.
- Models project a continued sharp rise in cases for several weeks, possibly followed by an equally sharp decline.
- There is some evidence that Omicron may be less severe than Delta, but the explosion of new cases is still expected to put an enormous burden on communities and the healthcare system.
- The sheer number of new cases may overwhelm testing capacities and drive down the case detection rate. As such, case rates may not be as reliable a marker of epidemic trends as they once were.