Driving the news: While the overall COVID case rate increased less than 1% over the last two weeks, hospitalizations increased 4% in the same time frame, and the seven-day rolling average of deaths rose 29%.

The country is averaging about 1,500 deaths a day for the first time since March. And while they’re well below peak levels, daily death totals have more than quintupled since the start of August, per the New York Times.

By the numbers: On average, about 152,000 Americans have tested positive for COVID-19 each day nationwide over the past two weeks.