highly contagious variants, both delta and omicron infections are climbing fast just as the holidays are approaching. cnn's nick watt has the story for you. >> reporter: covid-19 cases and hospitalizations climbed around 40% this past month. deaths, says the cdc, forecast to rise in the month ahead. the delta variant still rampant. omicron on the rise. >> it's here now, and it's spreading, and it's going to increase. for unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death if you're unvaccinated. for themselves, their families, and the hospitals they'll soon overwhelm. >> very soon, it's going to be the dominant variant. we've seen that in south africa. we're seeing it in the uk. and i'm absolutely certain that's what we're going to be seeing here relatively soon. >> reporter: for the vaccines, this variant is now the most complete escapee, say researchers in a new pre-print