Category: Flu Virus

Respiratory illnesses are on the rise throughout the United States, and health officials are warning of a tripledemic. They recommend taking action to mitigate the spread of airborne illnesses.

Here's what we know about the tripledemic and healthy habits to avoid catching respiratory illnesses this season.

Though it's not an official scientific term, a "tripledemic" represents the spread of three major viruses during this respiratory illness season: flu, COVID-19 and RSV. The medical community refers to the season of respiratory illnesses as "respiratory illness season."

Public health experts say it's difficult to compare this respiratory illness season to previous years as COVID-19 emerged as a new threat over the last three years. During the height of the COVID pandemic in the 2020-2021 flu season, there was limited to no flu activity.

Now, the U.S. is beginning to return to seasonal trends with all three of the viruses circulating. Last year was an unprecedented early season.

"A steady increase in respiratory illnesses is a common annual trend, typically fueled by holiday gatherings and travel. This year is no exception," said Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist at Boston Children's Hospital and ABC News medical contributor. "With January and February often marking the peak of such illnesses, it's crucial to exercise heightened vigilance now."

Adults over 65 have the highest rates of flu and COVID hospitalizations, while kids under 4 have the highest rates of RSV hospitalizations. Adults over 65 continue to have the highest rates of death due to any respiratory virus. COVID remains the main driver of all viral respiratory deaths.

Each virus has very similar symptoms. There is no real way to tell what you have unless you get tested. There are COVID at-home tests readily available. Some over the counter flu/COVID tests are also available. RSV is typically tested for at the hospital or medical clinic.

RSV, flu and COVID-19: How can you tell the difference? Doctor explains

Respiratory illnesses mainly spread by droplets made when people cough, sneeze or talk. Sometimes, viruses can be spread by touching a surface and then touching your own mouth, nose or possibly eyes.

Respiratory illness activity generally tends to begin in the South and migrates West and North across the U.S. The Centers for Disease control updates data for what states are dealing with high/very high activity. You can check out the latest data here.

"My advice is to prioritize health safety measures like staying home when sick, get vaccinated if you haven't already and practice good hygiene to prevent the spread of illnesses," Dr. Brownstein said.

MORE | Should you (still) wear a face mask when you travel? Medical expert weighs in

Should we (still) wear a face mask when we travel? Medical expert weighs in

Everyone over the age of 6 months is recommended to get an updated COVID and flu vaccine.

Adults over 60 years old and pregnant women may receive an RSV vaccine. Infants under 8 months may also receive an RSV monoclonal antibody shot. The CDC has asked doctors to prioritize at-risk infants due to limited supply.

Vaccines should be free to most with insurance. Adults without insurance can still receive a COVID vaccine at no cost, via a federal program. Most children can get vaccines for free, via a federal program.

Flu, COVID, RSV vaccines may be given at the same visit. Visit vaccines.gov to find locations for flu vaccines and COVID vaccines. Talk to a health care provider for RSV shots.

MORE | Who gets long COVID and why? Here's what new research reveals

Who gets long COVID and why? Here's what new research reveals

Testing is an important first step. If you know what you have, you can get treated.

For those most at risk, antiviral medication is available to help treat both influenza and COVID. That treatment should be started as soon as possible. Antivirals are not routinely recommended to treat RSV.

Talk to your health care provider or pharmacist about your treatment options if you are sick with a respiratory illness.

Every household can order four free COVID tests shipped directly home, at covid.gov. Check if your at-home test expiration dates have been extended here. Find COVID treatments here.

Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.

Continue reading here:

RSV, flu and COVID-19: How can you tell the difference between COVID and flu? How to avoid the flu, RSV, COVID-19 'tripledemic' - KABC-TV

Updated January 5, 2024 at 7:04 PM ET

In most U.S. states, respiratory illness levels are currently "high" or "very high," according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Friday.

"After the holidays, after we've traveled and gathered, we are seeing what is pretty typical of this time of year, which is a lot of respiratory viruses," says Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the CDC.

A few viruses have been driving the upward trend, including flu which is very high and respiratory syncytial virus or RSV which appears to have peaked around Thanksgiving.

COVID-19 levels have climbed higher than last season's peak. Still, they remain far below where they were at the height of the pandemic as do levels of severe disease.

"We are still very far below the levels that we were seeing with the omicron peak [in the 2021-2022 virus season]," says Amy Kirby, who leads the CDC's National Wastewater Surveillance System. "We're not looking at that really massive wave of infections. This is much more on par with what we saw [in the 2022-2023 season]."

And while COVID levels are still higher than they were last season, other COVID metrics including emergency room visits, hospitalization rates and deaths are lower now than previous seasons, indicating that "COVID-19 infections are causing severe disease less frequently than earlier in the pandemic," according to the CDC.

Respiratory viruses are hitting the southeast especially hard, said the CDC's Cohen, "but no part of the country is spared."

Flu levels are especially concerning. "The influenza virus is the thing that's really skyrocketing right now," says Dr. Steven Stack, public health commissioner for the state of Kentucky and president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. "Influenza is sharply escalating and driving more hospitalizations."

The flu is coming in later this season, compared with the 2022-2023 season, when "RSV and flu really took off right at the same time along with COVID," says Marlene Wolfe, assistant professor of environmental health at Emory University and a program director at WastewaterScan. "All three of those together were pretty nasty. This year, there's more of an offset."

That has been good news so far for hospital capacity, which has remained stable this season, meaning that people who are quite ill and need medical care are generally able to get it.

Some hospitals in different parts of the country from Massachusetts to Illinois to California are starting to require masks for staff again and in some cases for patients and visitors.

Health officials say that getting the latest flu and COVID-19 vaccines now can still protect people this season. While Stack, with Kentucky's Department for Public Health, encourages seasonal preventive shots for everyone 6 months and older, he says it's particularly important for "everybody who is elderly and not even old elderly like young elderly, 60 and older," since they are more likely to get very sick from these viruses.

CDC data shows that fewer than half of U.S. adults have gotten a flu shot this fall and winter. That's still better than the vaccination rate for this season's COVID-19 booster, which fewer than 20% of U.S. adults have gotten, even though COVID-19 remains the bigger danger.

"The thing that is putting folks into the hospital and unfortunately taking their lives the virus that is still the most severe [at the moment] is the COVID virus," says the CDC's Cohen.

Beyond vaccines, health officials say there's still a place for masking as a preventive measure.

Those who are sick should stay home and watch their symptoms. If they progress beyond a runny nose and a light cough "to body aches, fevers, difficulty moving through your day, a heavier runny nose, a worsening cough ... [those more severe symptoms] should trigger you to go get tested," says Cohen.

Getting tested and diagnosed early, with COVID-19 or the flu, can help those at risk of serious illness get access to prescription pills that can reduce their chances of ending up in the hospital.

Flu and COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments should be covered by health insurance.

For those who are uninsured, the government is also offering a program called Test to Treat that offers free tests, free telehealth appointments and free treatments at home.

Cohen says people can protect themselves over the next few weeks by staying aware of what's happening in the community and their individual circumstances.

"You want to know what's happening in your community," she says. "Is there a lot of virus circulating? And then, what are the tools that I could layer on to protect myself, depending on who I am, my age, my risk, as well as who I'm around?"

The CDC has maps of COVID-19 hospitalizations down to the county level on its website, and it provides weekly updates on respiratory viruses nationwide. Cohen says there are many tools including vaccines, masks, rapid tests and treatments available to help people reduce their risks this season.

Loading...

Read the original:

Respiratory illnesses are on the rise after the holidays - Capital Public Radio News

A polar bear in Alaska has reportedly become the first of its kind to die from H5N1 avian influenza.

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservationconfirmed the deathof the polar bear, a species listed as threatened under theEndangered Species Act, in December, and Dr. Bob Gerlach, Alaska's state veterinarian, told theAlaska Beacon, "This is the first polar bear case reported, for anywhere.

Gerlach explains that although bears typically eat seals and fish, it is possible that the virus was contracted by consuming an already infected dead bird.

If a bird dies of this, especially if its kept in a cold environment, the virus can be maintained for a while in the environment, he told the Beacon.

Bird flu has been causing bird deaths for decades, with strains of the virus identified since 1996 and notable outbreaks in 2004 and 2005. However, the present outbreak marks the most severe case of avian flu in U.S. history.

It started in Feb. 2022 when the U.S. Department of Agriculture found the strain on a Midwest poultry farm. Since then, theUSDA reportsthat over 70 million birds in the U.S. have been impacted, with 11.4 million being affected last month alone. The virus has also spread to birds in over80 countries.

While mostly affecting birds, the virus has alsospread to mammalslike foxes, skunks, mountain lions, other types of bears, and sea lions.

The increasing impact on mammals worries Gerlach, who, considering the polar bear's threatened status,states, "We dont know the overall extent of what the virus may do in the polar bear species."

SEE MORE: About 100,000 turkeys killed at farms in Iowa to stop avian flu spread

Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com

View post:

First-ever polar bear death from bird flu reported in Alaska - KPAX News

You may have exchanged more than presents and shared more than meals during recent holiday gatherings.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses are surging and most states have high or very high levels right now. Flu, respiratory syncytial virus and COVID-19 are all circulating broadly, though its possible RSV has leveled off.

Health experts are saying that the COVID-19 peak is still to come.

CNN reported that every year since COVID-19 debuted, a surge in coronavirus activity has followed the winter holidays. And even before the holidays this year, the CDC had already warned that COVID-associated hospitalizations were rising, along with the other respiratory viruses.

After the holidays, after weve traveled and gathered, we are seeing what is pretty typical of this time of year, which is a lot of respiratory viruses, Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the CDC, told NPR. Were seeing particularly high circulation in the Southeast, but no part of the country is spared.

Its not easy to tell which virus you may have gotten, should you be ill. So experts told NPR that those with severe symptoms should be tested. Getting tested and diagnosed early, with COVID-19 or the flu, can help those at risk of serious illness get access to prescription pills that can reduce their chances of ending up in the hospital, the article said.

Those with health insurance should find that flu and COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments are covered. And for the uninsured, per NPR, the government is also offering a programcalled Test to Treatthat offers free tests, free telehealth appointments and free treatments at home.

Folks who attended large gatherings may not be worried about getting ill. But Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency doctor and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, told CNN its still a good idea and a considerate move to take care not to infect those who might be vulnerable.

For instance, consider postponing a visit to a relative who is a resident in a nursing home or who has had an organ transplant and is on immunosuppressant medications. If the visit is already scheduled, plan to have it outside. If it must be inside, both of you should wear well-fitting, high-quality masks. Avoid sharing a meal indoors, she said.

She notes that the advice is not just for those with symptoms, since some people can have and pass on the virus without showing any signs of illness themselves. And if you take a rapid COVID-19 test and its negative, she warned that wont tell you whether you could pass on a different virus to someone who is vulnerable.

According to CDCs map of the states, tracking respiratory virus impact nationally, New Mexico and Southeastern states are seeing the highest levels of respiratory illnesses right now, while Americans in Montana, Nebraska, Vermont and West Virginia are experiencing minimal impact, per NewsNation.

The Deseret News earlier this week published advice on protecting yourself and those around you from circulating viruses. The advice includes:

See the article here:

Did COVID-19, flu and RSV cases increase after the holidays? - Deseret News

BALTIMORE Is influenza airborne?"

That is the question scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the University of Maryland School of Public Health are teaming up to try to answer, but they need your help.

Starting Friday, they will be recruiting people who recently caught the flu in the DMV area to stay at the Lord Baltimore hotel for a few days.

The purpose is to give a group of healthy people who signed up the flu.

During a person's time there, they will be in a quarantined room, except for group activities with healthy participants in a quarantined common area.

"We were basically watching and monitoring for transmission of influenza," says Dr. Wilbur Chen.

They will also have to sit in an exhale breath examiner machine.

So it's kind of like a reverse funnel, and theyll breathe into it, and well collect their exhaled breath," says Dr. Chen.

Once the breath is collected, the scientist will test for the size, type, and amount of particles that are spread when people exhale.

This will help them determine if and how much the virus is spreading through the air.

It will be conducted all the way through; I think it's the 16th of January, then we will have a second group of people, which will be in later January, and well have a third group, which will be in February," he says.

Before you can sign up, you have to test positive for the flu virus.

Theyll also want to make sure they dont have COVID, RSV, or some of these other respiratory viruses that are also circulating, because you wont be eligible if you have one of those other viruses. We're really only looking for influenza at this point," says Dr. Chen.

The biggest question is: when will the participants get the $1,900 paycheck?

It probably takes about 6 to 8 weeks or so; sometimes we can expedite it, so sometimes 4 weeks, but again, I dont want people to think that they are getting a check as they are exiting. I wish it were that fast, but, you know, getting these checks executed takes a bit of time," he says.

One entire floor of the Lord Baltimore Hotel will be quarantined, sanitized, and off-limits to the rest of the hotel during the study.

If you are sick and would like to participate, you can call the university starting Friday at noon.

Call 410-706-8800 to volunteer.

https://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/cvd/trials/emit2---donors/

Read the original post:

New clinical trial pays people with the flu $1,900 to get others sick - wmar2news.com

Hong Kong is set for a double whammy next week as the peak winter flu season is expected to begin, coinciding with a rise in Covid-19 infections, as per health officials.

The officials called on the public, especially members of high-risk groups, yesterday to get flu and coronavirus shots to avoid serious conditions.

Based on the latest surveillance data, we soon, probably next week, may enter the flu surge period, Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Centre for Health Protections communicable disease branch, said during a press conference.

Allergies, a cold or coronavirus? How to tell the difference

The prediction was based on two key indicators, according to Chuang. The first was the hospital admission rate of patients with a principal flu diagnosis, which had already exceeded the threshold signalling the start of a peak season. The second key indicator was the percentage of respiratory specimens handled by public laboratories, which was also approaching the threshold.

If both [indicators] are above the threshold, it means we have entered the flu surge period, Chuang said.

Currently, influenza A subtype H3 is the most prevalent type of flu virus in the city, making up about 80 per cent of infections. It is followed by influenza B and flu A subtype H1.

Chuang said that serious flu cases had also been slightly increasing, with official data showing 23 were registered last week, up from 14 the week before.

Health authorities noted the city was also recording more Covid-19 infections.

The overall active level of Covid-19 has also significantly increased, Chuang said, stressing the viral load in sewage samples and the number of infection cases had risen.

The viral load found in sewage samples surged by about 40 per cent between the December 24 to 30 period, compared with the week before. But serious and fatal Covid-19 cases had not significantly increased, she said.

Southeast Asia stares at another Covid wave; calls grow for return of masks

Officials expected JN. 1, which the World Health Organization (WHO) listed as a variant of interest, could replace XBB to become the dominant Covid-19 strain in the city.

This variant has a growth advantage over other existing variants, Chuang said, adding that a significant increase in the proportion of this strain out of all coronavirus infections overseas had been recorded within a short period of time.

She said a similar phenomenon had also been observed in Hong Kong, adding that 60 per cent of patients specimens and 26 per cent of sewage samples had the emerging variant.

The WHO said no evidence showing JN.1 could bring extra public health risks globally, compared with other circulating strains such as XBB, she said.

The inpatient bed occupancy rate at acute care hospitals stood at 116 per cent as of Wednesday, while that at paediatric departments was 92 per cent in the same period.

The government has procured 200,000 doses of XBB vaccine, with priority vaccination given to the high-risk groups.

Dr Albert Au Ka-wing, head of the centres emergency response and programme management branch, said about 20,000 doses had been administered since mid-December when the vaccine was made available.

But he said the overall Covid vaccination rates among young and old people remained low. Only 30 per cent of children aged six months to three years had received the vaccine, while a quarter of elderly people aged over 80 had taken four or more doses.

Original post:

Hong Kongs peak winter flu season to coincide with rise in coronavirus cases - YP

As respiratory viral season picks up, local infectious disease expert Dr. Christopher Ohl gave an update Friday on what health care providers are seeing. The three major viruses circulating include the virus known as RSV, influenza or the flu, and COVID-19.

"COVID's going up fairly quickly, and flu's going up fairly quickly, but RSV fortunately is a bit on the decline," he says.

Tests are available for both the flu and COVID. Ohl says if a COVID test is negative and someone has a fever, you can assume its influenza. If its negative and someone doesnt have a fever, its a good idea to test again the next day to make sure its not COVID. Isolation for COVID is five days and the recommendation is to wear a mask for five days after. For the flu, you can return to school or work after 24 hours without fever and without fever-reducing medicines. Ohl stressed the availability of vaccines for all three viruses as well as treatments for COVID and the flu. According to Ohl, the respiratory viral season begins at the end of December, strengthens in January and is usually over by the beginning of March.

See the rest here:

RSV has likely peaked in Triad as flu and COVID-19 cases increase - WFDD

Georgia is now among seven states with the highest levels of flu-like illnesses. The Georgia Department of Public Health says flu activity has reached very high levels. The latest Georgia flu report for the week ending Dec. 23 shows the percentage of people going to the doctor for flu-like symptoms has reached 10.3% of all doctor visits.

Thats up from 7.6% from the previous week. The data is based on the number of people going to the doctor with symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat. It can include people who are suffering from any of the circulating viruses: flu, coronavirus, or Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). It also includes the common cold and the bacterial infection known as strep throat. The states report shows a higher level of flu illnesses in early January compared to this time over the past three years.

Original post:

Georgia Faces Surge in Flu-Like Illnesses, Including the flu, coronavirus, strep throat and RSV - WUGA

How dangerous are these viruses and how long does infection last?

While rhinoviruses are less deadly, they can still cause problems for anyone with underlying lung problems such as chronic bronchitis from air pollution or heavy smoking. Even the common cold can kill occasionally, says Prof Hunter. Most of the time, thats much less common than it is with flu which can cause problems even in otherwise reasonably healthy people.

One of the problems with both flu and Covid is that they attach to receptors on cells in the lower airways, making them more likely to cause viral pneumonia. Prof Hunter believes that flu is actually now more virulent in this regard than Covid.

But one of the biggest dangers, and something that may be contributing to the current burden of persistent illness, is co-infections where unwell individuals become infected with more than one virus or pathogen at a time. Studies have shown that people can be infected with both flu and Covid, while flu can enable severe bacterial co-infections due to the damage it inflicts on your lung tissue.

Flu damages the cells in the respiratory tract that help you clear the bad bugs out of your lungs, says Prof Hunter. So sometimes you might get over your acute illness, and then a week or so later you develop this very severe pneumonia which kills people. A lot of deaths after the flu each year are not actually caused by flu.

However, Dr Al-Zubaidi says that in most cases any of these viral infections should clear up within a week. He suspects that one of the reasons people are unwell for longer periods is due to the growing numbers of long-term health conditions in the population, along with the prevalence of obesity, which impacts on immunity.

These infections arent getting more severe, he says. We are just more unwell with background conditions that reduce our ability to fight off these kinds of infections.

Because these are viral infections, antibiotics are not effective and you shouldnt expect them. Instead, Dr Tukmachi says that GPs will initially suggest lifestyle measures such as taking multivitamin or zinc supplements to try to boost the immune system. Other doctors, such as GP Dr Semiya Aziz, also recommend getting plenty of rest, avoiding caffeine as this can dehydrate you, and using a humidifier and keeping rooms well ventilated through opening doors and windows, to help relieve cough symptoms. Avoid lying on your back, which can make coughing worse, she says. Lie on your side or sit upright instead.

Read more here:

There are three serious viruses going round Britain which one do you have? - The Telegraph

As the new year gets underway, health officials are issuing a nationwide alert about a triple threat: The simultaneous spread of the flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting a significant rise in emergency room visits due to flu and COVID-19, while RSV infections continue to pose a serious risk particularly to infants and the elderly.

Dr. Celine Gounder, a CBS News medical contributor and KFF Health News editor-at-large for public health, said that the U.S. is seeing a flu spike and a rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations.

click to expand

"We've had 10,000 people across the U.S. die from COVID since November, so this is definitely not gone," said Gounder.

With symptoms often overlapping, Gounder said it was important to test to differentiate between the viruses. She also advocated for vaccination and the use of masks, such as N95s, as effective prevention strategies.

"They will not necessarily prevent all infections, but they will prevent you from getting really sick. Especially if you're somebody who doesn't want to miss time at work or at school," said Gounder.

Comparing the current situation to previous years, Gounder said that this season is better than the last couple since the pandemic started.

"Even before the pandemic bad flu season could really crush the hospital. In terms of the number of patients coming in. And so now you have a whole new virus on top of what we were seeing before. And so there's really not a lot of bandwidth to take on more patients if people get sick," said Gounder.

Read More

Visit link:

Health officials are monitoring a triple threat of respiratory illnesses. Here's how to avoid getting sick - CBS News