The omicron subvariant BA.2 accounted for an estimated 34.9 percent of COVID-19 cases in the week ending March 19.
Here are six more COVID-19 updates from the last week:
1. In a trial of nearly 1,400 COVID-19 patients, those who received the antiparasitic drug ivermectin didn't fare better than those who received a placebo.
2. U.S. health officials are poised to clarify guidelines on masking practices in hospitals after reports surfaced that facilities were asking patients and visitors to swap N95 masks for surgical masks, three sources familiar with the matter told Politico.
3. Ashish Jha, MD, dean of Brown University's School of Public Health, was tapped by President Joe Biden to serve as the next White House COVID-19 response coordinator. Dr. Jha will succeed Jeffrey Zients, who has served in the role over the last 14 months.
4. Here are the rates of positive COVID-19 tests in each state, along with the number of new cases most recently reported and number of tests conducted per 100,000 people, as of March 24.
5. The Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration said March 22 that it has partially reopened the rulemaking record and scheduled an online public hearing.
6. President Biden on March 15 signed into law a sweeping $1.5 trillion bill that funds the government through September. The bill does not include COVID-19 funding the White House had asked Congress for.