COVID and flu circumstances rose over Christmas vacation and nonetheless rising
Christmas introduced the flu and different respiratory sicknesses to many People, as greater than half the states within the U.S. reported widespread illness earlier than the New 12 months.
Vacation gatherings might lead to stories of the continued unfold of sicknesses over the approaching weeks, as this knowledge from the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, posted Friday, which accounts for sicknesses simply via Dec. 30.
Throughout the U.S., 38 states reported excessive or very excessive ranges for respiratory sicknesses with fever, cough and different signs, the CDC reported. That’s up from 31 states the week earlier than.
The info consists of different sicknesses akin to COVID-19, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) and different viruses, in addition to flu. However flu is registering the most important enhance in sicknesses, in line with the CDC.
Optimistic lab checks for influenza rose to 17.5% of all checks given throughout the week of Dec. 24, up barely from the earlier week.
In comparison with previous years, this can be a reasonable flu season to this point, Alicia Budd, the workforce lead of the CDC’s Nationwide Surveillance and Outbreak Response Workforce, informed The Related Press. Nonetheless, “we count on it to be elevated for a number of extra weeks,” she mentioned.
Decoding flu stories throughout and after the vacations will be difficult, Budd added, as a result of individuals are touring, faculties are closed, and a few could also be much less prone to search medical care from sickness.
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States within the US with essentially the most flu exercise
- Very excessive flu exercise ranges (21 states and New York Metropolis): Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, Nevada, North Carolina, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wyoming, and New York Metropolis.
- Excessive flu exercise (17 states): Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.
- Reasonable flu exercise (5 states): Hawaii, Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma and West Virginia.
- Low flu exercise (6 jurisdictions): Delaware, Hawaii, Nebraska, Oregon, Vermont, and Puerto Rico.
- Minimal flu exercise (2 jurisdictions): Minnesota and the Northern Mariana Islands.
The newest findings of flu exercise from the CDC’s Influenza-like Sickness Exercise Stage Indicator (will be discovered right here.
COVID-19 additionally on the rise at 12 months’s finish
COVID-19-related deaths, hospitalizations and visits to the emergency room rose throughout the week, too, however not as excessive as in previous years, the CDC reported. Nevertheless, COVID-19 is placing extra folks within the hospital than flu, CDC knowledge exhibits.
A brand new model of the coronavirus, known as JN.1, has grown to turn into the dominant variant making up almost two-thirds (61%) of circumstances within the U.S., in line with the CDC launched the newest knowledge Friday. Well being officers say there’s no proof JN.1 leads to extra extreme illness than different current variants, however it might be extra simply unfold.
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What are the signs of the flu and COVID-19?
A few of the signs of the flu and COVID-19 could also be related – and you could possibly haven’t any signs to extreme signs with both, the CDC says. When you have signs, it is best to get examined. These signs will be frequent to each sicknesses, in line with the CDC:
- Fever or feeling feverish/having the chills
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Shortness of breath or problem respiratory
- Fatigue (tiredness)
- Runny or stuffy nostril
- Muscle ache or physique aches
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea (that is extra frequent in kids with flu, however can happen in any age with COVID-19)
- Change in or lack of style or scent (Extra seemingly with COVID-19)
Contributing: The Related Press
Comply with Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.
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