US Covid deaths rising but likely due to Delta, not Omicron: CDC chief

Covid-19 hospitalizations in the United States have increased by about 33% and deaths are up by about 40% from a week earlier, the head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Wednesday. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, speaking on a media call, said US Covid-19 cases, driven by the fast spreading Omicron variant, are expected to peak in the coming weeks.