Highly mutated COVID variant BA.2.86—close ancestor of globally dominant 'Pirola' JN.1—may lead to more severe disease than other Omicron variants, according to two new studies published in the journal Cell.
The average direct cost to provide hospital treatment for COVID-19 patients in the United States rose by 26% from 2020 to 2022, with costs increasing even after the launch of vaccination and the emergence of new variants, a study published in JAMA found.