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 the 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 Aug. 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