‘Peak of the season’: Wisconsin DHS reports high flu, coronavirus levels – WISN Milwaukee

LOT OF RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES. AND ONE DOCTOR I SPOKE WITH SAYS THEYRE SEEING MORE PATIENTS COMING IN NOW AS THESE COVID AND FLU CASES ARE PEAKING FOR THE SEASON. ACCORDING TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHS MOSTRILLIONECENT WEEKLY REPORT, SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN IS SEEING HIGH LEVELS OF FLU LIKE ILLNESS. A TYPICAL FLU SEASON MEANS A LOT OF FOLKS GET SICK. IT MEANS A LOT OF PEOPLE GET HOSPITALIZED. AND, UM, AND SO THIS IS REALLY THE PEAK OF THE SEASON THAT WERE SEEING RIGHT NOW. DOCTOR BENJAMIN WESTON SAYS THAT PEAK ALSO COMING FOR COVID CASES AND THE IMPACT OF THE ILLNESSES ARE FELT BY THE MILWAUKEE COMMUNITY. THERE IS YEAH, TOO MANY PEOPLE. THEY ARE SICK AND COUGH. SAME THING TO AND A LITTLE BIT FEVER. ALVINA SCHICK IS A TEACHER WHO DODGED THE VIRUS SO FAR, BUT SHES SEEING INCREASED CASES AMONG HER STUDENTS. IT IS AROUND COUGHING, SNEEZING. THATS WHY I ALWAYS ASK MY STUDENTS, PLEASE USE HAND SANITIZER. MAKE SURE YOU STEP BACK IF YOU SOMEBODY IS PASSING BY, YOU AND AND TO BE VERY SAFE, WEAR A MASK. THE STATES WEEKLY REPORT SHOWS THAT COVID IS SENDING MORE PEOPLE 65 AND OLDER TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM WITH THE FLU, SENDING PEOPLE 17 AND YOUNGER TO THE E.R. THE HOSPITALIZATIONS ARENT AT A CRITICAL LEVEL, ACCORDING TO DOCTOR WESTON, AND HE SAYS THERE COULD BE RELIEF IN THE NEAR FUTURE. SO HOPEFULLY IN THE COMING WEEKS, WELL SEE A DECLINE IN THESE SORT OF VIRAL RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES. BUT RIGHT NOW THEYRE AT A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL. ERICA DOCTOR WESTON SAYS THERE ARE TWO THINGS PEOPLE CAN DO RIGHT NOW TO HELP STOP THE SPREAD. THATS RIGHT. HE SAYS THAT EITHER YOU COULD STAY HOME IF YOU

'Peak of the season': Wisconsin DHS reports high flu, coronavirus levels

Milwaukee County's chief health policy director says they're seeing more patients because of respiratory illnesses, but hospital capacity is not at critical level

Updated: 10:40 PM CST Jan 25, 2024

Wisconsin State Department of Health's most recent weekly respiratory virus surveillance report shows high rates of influenza and coronavirus in the southeastern region.According to Dr. Benjamin Weston, Milwaukee County's chief health policy advisor, these viruses are hitting their peak: "A typical flu season means a lot of folks get sick. It means a lot of people get hospitalized and so this is really the peak of the season that we're seeing right now."Multiple people WISN 12 News spoke with said they're feeling that impact, including Marwan Atshan who recently had a flu-like illness."There is, yeah, too many people," Atshan said. "They are sick and cough. Same thing too, and little bit fever."Alveena Sheikh is a teacher who's dodged the viruses so far, but she's seeing increased cases among her students."Coughing, sneezing. That's why I always ask my students, please use hand sanitizer," Sheikh said. "Make sure you step back if somebody is passing by you and to be very safe, wear a mask."The state's weekly report shows that coronavirus is sending more people 65 and older to the emergency room with the flu sending 17 and younger to the emergency room.Hospitalizations aren't at a critical level, according to Weston, and he expects there could be relief in the near future."So hopefully, in the coming weeks, we'll see a decline in these sort of viral respiratory illnesses. But right now, they're pretty high level," Weston said.While it's far into the respiratory illness season, Weston said it's not too late to get the vaccines, especially for those who are immunocompromised. The doctor recommends people who are sick stay home to prevent the spread.

Wisconsin State Department of Health's most recent weekly respiratory virus surveillance report shows high rates of influenza and coronavirus in the southeastern region.

According to Dr. Benjamin Weston, Milwaukee County's chief health policy advisor, these viruses are hitting their peak: "A typical flu season means a lot of folks get sick. It means a lot of people get hospitalized and so this is really the peak of the season that we're seeing right now."

Multiple people WISN 12 News spoke with said they're feeling that impact, including Marwan Atshan who recently had a flu-like illness.

"There is, yeah, too many people," Atshan said. "They are sick and cough. Same thing too, and little bit fever."

Alveena Sheikh is a teacher who's dodged the viruses so far, but she's seeing increased cases among her students.

"Coughing, sneezing. That's why I always ask my students, please use hand sanitizer," Sheikh said. "Make sure you step back if somebody is passing by you and to be very safe, wear a mask."

The state's weekly report shows that coronavirus is sending more people 65 and older to the emergency room with the flu sending 17 and younger to the emergency room.

Hospitalizations aren't at a critical level, according to Weston, and he expects there could be relief in the near future.

"So hopefully, in the coming weeks, we'll see a decline in these sort of viral respiratory illnesses. But right now, they're pretty high level," Weston said.

While it's far into the respiratory illness season, Weston said it's not too late to get the vaccines, especially for those who are immunocompromised.

The doctor recommends people who are sick stay home to prevent the spread.

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'Peak of the season': Wisconsin DHS reports high flu, coronavirus levels - WISN Milwaukee