The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is cautious about easing coronavirus rules despite a recent decline in the number of new cases in the country.

The United States reported more than one million new infections at the beginning of January due to the spread of the Omicron variant. But the weekly average of daily cases as of Monday fell to just over 440,000. That's 36 percent lower than the previous week.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said at a news conference on Wednesday that she is cautiously optimistic about cases being on a downward trend.
But she also said the hospitalization and death rates remain high, with 2,300 deaths a day recorded. She described the situation as unpredictable.

Walensky added that medical institutions across the country are still under severe strain. She said the CDC needs to carefully look at the rates of deaths and hospital bed occupancy before easing anti-infection measures.

The director reiterated the importance of continuously promoting the rollout of additional vaccine shots.