Happy New Year Achoo!
After a slow start, the flu season is gaining momentum in the United States. Emergency room visits for the flu were “very high” last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
About eight out of every 100,000 hospitalized people were admitted for the flu, about twice the level for COVID-19, according to the University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. Seniors were the most affected.
Influenza is reaching “high” or “very high” levels in 40 states, with the Pacific South and Northwest hardest hit. In Oregon, for example, at the end of December, 8.4% of emergency room visits were flu-related, surpassing last winter’s peak.
“You can see that in December 2022 we also had a very large increase in flu cases, but this year was significantly higher than last year,” said Sara Hottman, a hospital spokesperson. University of Oregon Health and Sciences, to CBS News. week.
Besides Oregon, other states are experiencing extreme flu activity, including Idaho, New Mexico, Louisiana, Alabama and Tennessee.
New York is at a “high” level of flu, and New York is outpacing other areas of the state.
There is good news for people in parts of the Northeast and Midwest.
“Low” levels of flu were detected in South Dakota, Delaware and West Virginia and the lowest levels were recorded in Montana and Vermont.
Flu season generally runs from October to April or May. Flu viruses persist longer in cold, dry air and can spread more easily between people living indoors.
Symptoms include fever, chills, sore throat, dry cough, headache, muscle pain, runny or stuffy nose, and fatigue.
The CDC estimates that there have been at least 5.3 million illnesses, 63,000 hospitalizations and 2,700 deaths (including 11 children) from the flu this season, as of December 28.
The American Heart Association recommends getting a flu shot if you are older than 6 months, avoiding sick people, avoiding touching your face, washing your hands often, and seeing your doctor if you think you have the flu so you can start treatment right away. .
The flu isn’t the only respiratory illness hitting the United States this winter. The CDC reported that COVID-19 activity is increasing in most areas, while respiratory syncytial virus is “very high” in many areas, especially among young children.
Still, experts told CBS News that a “tripledemic” of flu, COVID-19 and RSV is unlikely to occur this year and overwhelm hospitals because COVID-19 levels are only beginning to rise in certain regions.
It’s possible to contract two of these viruses at once — called co-infection — but virologists say respiratory viruses and COVID-19 “don’t get along very well.”
Viral interference describes when one virus blocks or limits the infection of another virus.
