US COVID-19 daily deaths rise to 3,800 - the highest in three months - with more than 100,000 cases a week for the first time since October as the Omicron variant is detected in six states

• On Thursday, the U.S. recorded 140,875 Covid cases with a seven-day rolling average of 101,119, first time the average has surpassed six figures since October
• Cases are surging in states such as Michigan, which is recording the highest number of infections since the pandemic began
• In Minnesota, a third federal medical team has been deployed to help deal with a surge of patients 
• The U.S. also recorded 3,800 daily COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, which is the highest figure seen in three months
• The Omicron variant has been spreading across the U.S. with 17 cases detected in six states

COVID-19 cases and deaths are rising across the United States as the Omicron variant continues to spread around the country.

On Thursday, officials recorded 140,875 new cases of the virus with a seven-day rolling average of 101,119, marking the first time that the average has surpassed 100,000 since October 6.

This is also a 40.5 percent increase from the average of 71,960 reported four weeks ago, according to a DailyMail.com analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University. 

Additionally, the U.S. recorded 3,800 COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, the highest figure reported in three months. 

However, the seven-day rolling average sits at 957, a 19 percent decline from the 1187 average reported four weeks ago.

What's more, 47,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with the virus, a 17.5 percent jump from the 40,000 figure being recorded three weeks ago.

It comes as the Omicron Covid variant continues to crop up around the nation with six states now reporting cases - and dozens sure to follow. 

Meanwhile, cases are rising in several states, none more so than Michigan.

The Great Lake State is recording the highest seven-day case rate in the country at 505.4 per 100,000 people in the last week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

On Wednesday, the state recorded 19,900 cases, which is the highest number recorded to date.

Michigan's test positivity rate is 18.9 percent - meaning almost one in five Covid tests are returning positive results.  

The CDC considers a test positivity rate over five percent a signifier of concerning transmission levels, and a rate over 10 percent signifies high transmission.

About 71 percent of Michigan's cases, 72 percent of hospitalizations, and 76 percent of deaths occurred in residents who weren't fully vaccinated between October 21 and November 19, according to state data.

Minnesota is recording the second-highest case rate in the country at 477.9 per 100,000 people, according to the CDC.

On Thursday, the state recorded 5,307 cases, which is close to the numbers reported during the deadly winter 2020-2021 wave.

Minnesota is having so much trouble dealing with the surge that two federal medical teams have been deployed and are about to be joined by a third.

A third federal medical team will arrive in Minnesota to support hospitals dealing with the high number of coronavirus patients, 

Gov Tim Walz announced on Thursday that 14 doctors, nurses, and hospital staff from the Department of Health and Human Services will be sent to Minnesota for at least two weeks.

It comes as cases of Omicron continue to spread across the U.S.

As of Friday, 17 cases have been confirmed including six in Nebraska, five in New York, two each in California and Minnesota and one each in Colorado and Hawaii.

All of the cases have been mild with no reported hospitalizations or deaths.

Some of the cases have been linked to travel, such as to South Africa or Nigeria, while others have been contracted within the U.S. 

The variant was initially detected by South African officials last week, and experts are uncertain of its origins.

A recent study found Omicron is 2.4 times more infectious and is believed to be potentially vaccine evasive due to its many mutations.  

It has 50 mutations, more than 30 of which are on the spike protein, used by the coronavirus to enter and infect cells.

By comparison, the Delta variant - still the predominant variant in the U.S. - has seven mutations on the spike protein.  

However, it's unclear if the virus causes more severe disease or death.