COVID hospitalizations climb 22% this week — and the CDC predicts further increases as new variants spread

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now forecasting an acceleration in new COVID-19 hospitalizations over the coming month, the agency said this week, replacing a previous projection that admissions would "remain stable or have an uncertain trend." 

It comes as health officials are racing to study a new highly mutated COVID variant called BA.2.86, nicknamed "Pirola" on social media, that has begun to emerge around the world.