The U.S. is expected to surpass the summer peak of deaths from COVID-19 and near early spring levels this coming week, per the COVID Tracking Project.

The big picture: 1,321 people died from the virus on Saturday, as the seven-day average reached 1,100. COVID-19 hospitalizations have hit record highs, with 69,455 people now in hospital with the virus in the U.S., according to the project.

• The country has seen the world record for the number of new infections in a single day broken several times in November — including Friday, when 177,224 people tested positive, Johns Hopkins University data shows.
• 245,600 people have died from the virus and over 10.4 million tested positive in the U.S. as of Sunday morning, per JHU.

What they’re saying: “Tests are rising, but cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are rising much faster,” the COVID Tracking Project said in a Twitter post.

Of note: Since May 25, only August 4 had a higher seven-day average of COVID-19 deaths, the project noted.

Go deeper: U.S. surgeon general says “pandemic fatigue” behind soaring cases