Category: Flu Virus

The pandemic is far from over, as evidenced by the rapid rise to global dominance of the JN.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2. This variant is a derivative of BA.2.86, the only other strain that has carried more than 30 new mutations in the spike protein since Omicron first came on the scene more than two years ago. This should have warranted designation by the World Health Organization as a variant of concern with a Greek letter, such as Pi.

By wastewater levels, JN.1 is now associated with the second-biggest wave of infections in the United States in the pandemic, after Omicron. We have lost the ability to track the actual number of infections since most people either test at home or dont even test at all, but the very high wastewater levels of the virus indicate about 2 million Americans are getting infected each day.

In several countries in Europe, wastewater levels reached unprecedented levels, exceeding Omicron. Clearly this virus variant, with its plethora of new mutations, has continued its evolution with mutations adapted for infecting or reinfecting us.

There is, however, some good news about this big wave of infections. It has not resulted in the surge of hospital admissions seen with Omicron. The updated booster (based on the XBB.1.5 variant that rose to dominance in the U.S. in February), available here since September, has some cross-reactivity with JN.1 in lab studies for inducing neutralizing antibodies to the virus, and a recent Kaiser Permanente report showed the booster provided protection from hospitalization in the range of about 60% against JN.1 and other recently circulating variants.

With the marked differences in the spike protein between XBB.1.5 and JN.1, we are very lucky to see this level of vaccine-induced immune response. Nevertheless, only 19% of eligible Americans have gotten the updated booster. The Kaiser study also showed low levels of protection against hospitalization and emergency room visits for people who had received only prior versions of the vaccine, without the updated booster. That aligns with even more striking differences in the virus sequence of early strains compared with JN.1, and the problem we have with waning immunity four to six months after vaccination.

All of this is occurring on top of the flu and RSV waves, both of which are at very high levels, not clearly having peaked yet, with some people experiencing two of these infections at once.

With all three respiratory viruses circulating at full force, you would think wed be seeing people wearing masks everywhere in public. That couldnt be further from the truth. The state of denialism and general refusal to take simple steps to reduce the risk of infection can be seen everywhere.

It has taken healthcare systems many weeks after JN.1 showed up in October to recognize the threat. Only very recently have some reinstated mask mandates for healthcare workers and patients. Little has been done across the country to improve indoor air quality, upgrading filtration and ventilation.

Now in its fifth year, SARS-CoV-2 has once again proved to be highly resilient, capable of reinventing itself to infect us. Yet we continue to make-believe that the pandemic is over, that infections have been transformed to common cold status by prior exposure(s), and that life has returned to normal. Sadly, none of this is true.

The massive number of infections in the current wave will undoubtedly lead to more people suffering from long COVID. For a high proportion of people, especially those of advanced age, immunocompromised or with coexisting conditions, getting COVID is nothing close to a straightforward respiratory infection.

What is the exit strategy that could get us to return to normal? It certainly cant happen with the current complacency and false belief that the virus will burn out and go away. Inevitably, there will be another strain in the future that we are not at all prepared for and will lead to yet another very big wave across the planet.

Still, there has been exciting new data on oral, inhaled vaccines that achieve high levels of mucosal immunity and protection against infections, which would be variant proof. The U.S. has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to rev up clinical trials for two different nasal vaccines with promising early clinical trial data, and for improved, variant-proof shots with better protection and durability. But most of these efforts started only recently and are not getting urgent priority for completion during 2024, nothing like what we saw with Operation Warp Speed in 2020.

Its crickets from the White House on COVID now, with no messaging on getting the updated booster or masking. The Biden administration has done far too little to accelerate research on effective treatments for long COVID.

This passivity reinforces the illusion that the pandemic is behind us when its actually raging. And this season will be followed by a more quiescent period, which will, once again, lull us into thinking the pandemic is over. But there is no getting over it until we recognize reality and double down on the research that will allow us to block infections and virus spread, and achieve lasting, variant-proof immunity.

Eric J. Topol is a professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research and author of the Substack newsletter Ground Truths.

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Opinion: The U.S. is facing the biggest COVID wave since Omicron. Why are we still playing make-believe? - Los Angeles Times

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.

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"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.

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

Why It Matters: The virus is a new threat for many wild mammals.

The infected polar bear provides further evidence of how widespread this virus, a highly pathogenic form of H5N1, has become and how unprecedented its behavior has been. Since the virus emerged in 2020, it has spread to every continent except for Australia. It has also infected an unusually broad array of wild birds and mammals, including foxes, skunks, mountain lions and sea lions.

The number of mammals reported with infections continues to grow, Dr. Bob Gerlach, Alaskas state veterinarian, said.

In most cases, the virus has not caused mass die-offs in wild mammal populations. (South American sea lions have been one notable exception.) But it does represent a new threat for the already vulnerable polar bear, which is imperiled by climate change and the loss of sea ice.

The concern is that we dont know the overall extent of what the virus may do in the polar bear species, Dr. Gerlach said.

The polar bear was found dead this past fall in far northern Alaska, near Utqiagvik. Swabs collected from the animal initially tested negative for the virus. But when experts conducted a more comprehensive work-up, performing a necropsy and collecting tissue samples from the bear, they found clear signs of inflammation and disease, Dr. Gerlach said.

Last month, tissue samples from the bear tested positive for the virus, according to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. The virus was ultimately identified in multiple organs, Dr. Gerlach said. I think it would be a safe thing to say that it died from the virus, he said.

Alaska has previously reported infections in a brown bear and a black bear, as well as in several red foxes.

It is not clear how the polar bear contracted the virus, but sick birds had been reported in the area. The polar bear might have been infected after eating a dead or ailing bird, Dr. Gerlach said.

And scientists dont know whether this case is a one-off or whether there are other infected polar bears that have escaped detection. It can be tricky to monitor the virus in wild animal populations, especially those that live in places as remote as northern Alaska. How do you know how many are affected? Dr. Gerlach said. We really dont.

Local scientists, officials and other experts will continue to look for signs of the virus in wild animals, including in polar bears that turn up dead or seem sick, Dr. Gerlach said.

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First Case of Lethal Bird Flu in Polar Bears Reported in Alaska - The New York Times

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

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First-ever polar bear death from bird flu reported in Alaska - News Channel 5 Nashville

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). Also in the mix are the common cold and the bacterial infection known as strep throat, according to local doctors.

The states latest report shows a higher level of flu illnesses in early January compared to this time over the past three years.

At SmartMED Drive-Thru Medical Care in Roswell, about 75% of their patient volume has been for respiratory illnesses over the past few weeks.

There has been no slowdown in recent days. Dr. Luke Lathrop, chief medical officer at SmartMed, expects the volume to increase even more during the coming days as children return to school.

Dr. Jim Fortenberry, chief medical officer at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, said Wednesday the hospital system is continuing to see high volumes of children with respiratory illnesses coming into the emergency room and children needing to be admitted.

Widespread flu activity is driving the current spike in illnesses. COVID numbers have also risen in recent weeks but they are not as high as previous years. Meanwhile, RSV is on the decline after an earlier rise in cases.

Fortunately, RSV numbers seem to be declining. We hit our RSV peak towards the end of November. Currently, the primary diagnosis we are seeing has been children with the flu. Were also seeing a slight increase in children with COVID-19 virus infection, Fortenberry said in an email.

Physicians agree the best way to avoid spreading and contracting viruses is to get vaccinated and stay home if you are sick. Doctors and the CDC recommend early treatment for anyone who gets sick, especially for those at high risk of serious complications. Antivirals are available for both COVID and the flu, but must be taken shortly after symptoms appear.

Most people can recover from COVID and the flu at home. And no matter your risk, if you have difficulty breathing or shortness or breath, seek medical care right away.

New COVID hospitalizations are up in Georgia, but they remain lower than previous holiday seasons. In Georgia, new COVID hospitalizations totaled 501 for the week ending Dec. 23. Thats up from 472 the previous week, a 6% increase. Nationally, new COVID hospitalizations increased by 17% over the same period.

The CDC estimates that 42% of adults in the U.S. have received a flu shot, according to estimates on Dec. 9. Only 18% of adults have received the updated COVID vaccine, And only 17% of adults 60 and over have received an RSV vaccine.

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COVID-19 Vaccines:

CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older get the COVID vaccine that was updated this year to protect against the potentially serious outcomes of COVID illness. New variants continue to surface, but the current formula still offers protection.

People who recently had COVID can hold off getting the vaccine for three months.

Flu vaccines:

Everyone 6 months of age and older should get vaccinated for the flu. Ideally, get the shot by the end of October but later is better than never. The seasonal flu vaccine is reformulated each year to tailor them to the virus types predicted to be most common in the upcoming season. Even when its not a perfect match, the shots can prevent serious illness.

RSV Vaccines

The CDC recommends the RSV vaccine for adults over 60, after they have a conversation about it with their health care providers, something called shared clinical decision-making. Pregnant women are also recommended to get an RSV vaccine during their pregnancy. Babies born to mothers who get the RSV vaccine at least 2 weeks before delivery will have protection and, in most cases, should not need an RSV immunization later.

The CDC had also recommended earlier all children under 8 months of age get an RSV shot, along with older infants at higher risk for severe disease. But due to a shortage of the immunization, the CDC recommended in October that doses be prioritized for children under 6 months of age and for infants with underlying conditions that place them at the highest risk for severe RSV disease. Local doctors say the availability of the RSV doses is starting to improve.

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Georgia one of 7 states with worst flu-like outbreak as school resumes - The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Coronavirus By IANS 21 hours ago TWC India

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Patients hospitalised with Omicron BA.5 are more likely to die than those with other COVID-19 variants or with flu, according to a new study led by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The study, published in the Open Forum Infectious Diseases, looked at the proportion of hospitalised COVID-19 and influenza patients admitted to a US intensive care unit (ICU) in 2021 and 2022. Findings showed that the percentage of hospitalised COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU was similar to seasonal influenza but patients during the Omicron BA.5 period continued to experience more in-hospital deaths than adults hospitalised with influenza.

The association with increased in-hospital death was strongest among adults aged 18-49 years; there was no significant difference in deaths between patients with COVID-19 and influenza among older ages.

"The epidemiology of COVID-19 continues to evolve. Our data suggest that from the Delta-predominant period to the Omicron BA.5-predominant period, the severity of patients hospitalised with COVID-19 generally decreased," said Noah Kojima, from the CDC's Influenza Division in Georgia.

The study included 5,777 and 2,363 eligible adults hospitalised for COVID and flu, respectively. Amid the Delta variant-predominant period (October to December 2021), 1,632 were hospitalised, compared with 1,451 during the Omicron BA.5 period (June to September 2022).

During the 2011-22 respiratory virus season, 2,363 people were hospitalised for flu. Although there was a decline in the severity of COVID-19 hospitalisation during the study period, overall severity during later Omicron sublineage periods (BA.2 and BA.5) was generally similar.

Continued monitoring of severity trends is warranted as new variants circulate and population-level immunity changes, the team said. The reduced disease severity amid Omicron BA.5 predominance is likely multifactorial, including increased population-level SARS-CoV-2 immunity from vaccination and previous infection, broader availability of effective drugs, and refined clinical management strategies, they noted.

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The above article has been published from a wire agency with minimal modifications to the headline and text.

The Weather Companys primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

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Omicron's BA.5 Found to Be Deadlier Than Other COVID-19 Variants and Flu Virus, Warns CDC - The Weather Channel

By Alexa Lardieri U.S. Deputy Health Editor Dailymail.Com 18:46 03 Jan 2024, updated 19:43 03 Jan 2024

As flu and other respiratory viruses surge across the United States, the illness has taken the life of a healthy father-of-four and special education teacher from Tennessee.

Cody Capps from Robertson County, Tennessee died unexpectedly from the flu, highlighting how the typically mild to moderate illness can have severe health implications in some people, even sometimes proving deadly.

The 37-year-old died from complications of the virus on December 28 after falling ill while in Indiana visiting family for Christmas. Mr Capps tested positive for influenza A and was admitted to the intensive care unit when his condition deteriorated.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to provide financial assistance to his wife and four sons. Surpassing the $75,000 goal, the Capps family has raised $78,400.

A family friend wrote on the fundraising page: 'Cody was a dedicated husband, father, a long time servant leader at Long Hollow Church, and was instrumental in the success of many students in Robertson county.

'It is without a doubt that Cody will be missed by every single life that he touched. This site is set up to help the family during this difficult time.'

Mr Capps is part of the rising trend of cases, hospitalizations and deaths from respiratory viruses during this year's cold season.

In a Facebook post, Danny Weeks, the superintendent of Robertson County Schools, where Mr Capps worked for 13 years as behavior coordinator, released a statement announcing his death.

The statement said: 'It is with heavy hearts that we confirm the passing of Cody Capps, Behavior Coordinator. Over the course of his 13 years of dedicated service, Cody's unwavering commitment to fostering positive change and his genuine compassion to the lives of countless individuals throughout the district is immeasurable.'

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows respiratory virus cases and hospitalizations are on the rise, with fluadmissions climbing 48 percent in the week ending December 23 compared to the previous seven-day spell.

The agency issued a warning after spotting an increase in respiratory illnesses

Admissions are up nearly 90 percent over the same time in 2019, before the pandemic.

And the CDCestimates there have been 4,500 flu-related deaths so far this season, compared to 2,100 at this time in 2019.

The latest data on the flu showed14,732 people were hospitalized with the virus in the week to December 23, compared to 9,930 in the previous seven-day stretch.

The positivity rate for flu tests the proportion that detect the virus rose from 10.5 percent in the week ending December 16 to 13.1 percent in the week to December 23.

Across the US, approximately a dozen states are now reporting 'very high' levels of respiratory activity and seven states Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Carolina and Mr Capps home state of Tennessee are reporting the highest levels as measured by the CDC.

Just two weeks ago, only two states Louisiana and South Carolina were reporting the highest levels of flu-like illness.

Covid hospitalizations were also up 17 percent in a week, while respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases, which the CDC director said had 'peaked' last month, were also rising again.

The overwhelming winter cold season has hospitalsfeeling the pressure, with doctors saying this is the 'worst' winter virus season they have seen.

And the figures are expected to continue increasing as they begin to reflect the impact of holiday gatherings.

This surging 'triple threat' of Covid, flu and RSVhas spurred the return of face masks in hospitals across the country.

In total, more than 30 hospital systems across 16 states have now brought back the restrictions recently.

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Healthy father-of-four and special education teacher dies after contracting the FLU- as respiratory viruses su - Daily Mail

As COVID cases continue to rise, Lowell General Hospital has joined many other Massachusetts medical centers in reinstating its masking requirement for employees. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

We may have learned to live with the coronavirus and its many offshoots, but that doesnt mean it can be written off as just another infectious nuisance.

Recent masking updates at our states hospitals indicate that COVID, though somewhat neutralized, hasnt released its grip entirely.

And as COVID cases continue to rise, Lowell General Hospital has joined many other Massachusetts medical centers in reinstating its masking requirement for employees to stem the coronavirus spread during the peak transmission months for several communicable diseases.

LGH spokesperson Robert Brogna stated that the hospital has recently experienced extremely high patient volumes, at its inpatient campuses.

And we are seeing an increase in respiratory illness activity in our community, including influenza, COVID-19 and RSV, the statement from LGH indicated. This trend, along with review and evaluation of a number of critical local data elements including, but not limited to, staff absenteeism, patient infection rates, hospitalization numbers, as well as state and national data, including wastewater trends, have led us to shift to mandatory masking in all patient rooms and care spaces for all staff members beginning Friday, December 29, 2023 at 7:00 am.

The states data measuring COVID detected in wastewater used to track trends of the number of people with the illness has shown a spike since Thanksgiving. That measurement has proven to be a reliable early warning sign of increases, since the virus can show up in wastewater as much as a week before positive test results do.

A GBH report in late December confirmed the disturbing wastewater trend.

The concentration of COVID-19 in our local wastewater samples here in Boston is very high, and its continuing to increase, said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Bostons commissioner of public health and executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission. Over the course of the last two weeks, weve noted about a 23% increase in our Boston samples.

Another key metric that public health officials focus on is hospitalization rates.

Our hospitals are at or above capacity and theres waiting times in emergency departments, said Dr. Larry Madoff, medical director of the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Lab Sciences for the state Department of Public Health.

One week in late December, 16.7% of emergency room visits in the state were due to respiratory virus infections.

Thats as high as weve seen it this season, Madoff said.

The new Lowell General masking policy does not apply to visitors or patients for now, though the hospital strongly encourages visitors to wear a mask while on-site.

The return of the masking policy for staff follows similar announcements from other Massachusetts health-care systems, some of which have taken it a step further.

Worcester-based UMass Memorial Medical Center reinstated its mask mandate for caregivers in all patient and common areas, and in all patient encounters, on Tuesday.

Patients wont be required to wear masks, though theyll be encouraged to do so. At the discretion of hospital employees, visitors may be asked to wear a mask if they are exhibiting symptoms of respiratory illness.

Beth Israel Lahey, Boston Medical Center and Dana Farber reintroduced mask requirements in December, while Mass General Brigham and UMass Memorial started mandating masks on Tuesday, followed by Tufts Medicine of which Lowell General is part on Wednesday.

At Mass General Brigham facilities, patients and visitors are strongly encouraged to wear masks, but they are still optional for those groups at most locations.

However, Boston Medical Center already requires patients and visitors in most settings to wear a mask.

Masks arent entirely directed at COVID containment. Theyre also in place to protect against an increase in a range of respiratory viruses, like RSV and various strains of influenza.

While not new, masking to prevent infectious disease transmission has taken on added importance and acceptance since the onset of the pandemic.

We have a tool that is not just specific to COVID, and these respiratory viruses do on their own have a significant level of morbidity, mortality, missed days from work, Dr. Cassandra Pierre, infectious disease specialist at Boston Medical Center, told GBH. Weve had this understanding from COVID that we can protect our health-care workers, our patients and our staff by using the same mask mandates that were helpful during the pandemic.

Pierre said that decision was especially important given the vulnerable and minority population at Boston Medical Center whove typically borne the brunt of COVID and other respiratory complications.

And if rising rates of COVID, influenza and RSV arent enough, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that another new COVID variant, JN.1, has emerged as a new dominant variant. The CDC estimates that JN.1 now accounts for 39-50% of all new cases in the United States.

Updated vaccines for COVID, the flu, and RSV remain available, so its not too late to arm yourself with some added protection during these viruses most active transmission periods.

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Editorial: Be armed against triple COVID, flu, RSV viral threat - Sentinel & Enterprise

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- New metrics from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) shows worsening metrics for respiratory viruses, as health officials with the agency urge people to protect themselves.

"We are approaching the peak of winter respiratory virus season and encourage people to get tested early and seek treatment as soon as they begin to develop symptoms," said Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo-Tilson, State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer for NCDHHS in a press release. "Don't wait to seek treatment if you test positive for the flu or COVID-19, as treatments can help prevent severe illness, especially for those who are high risk of serious complications based on their age or medical conditions."

For the seven-day period ending December 20th, COVID-19 wastewater particles reached its highest level since January 2023. The latest numbers also represent the fifth straight week of increases. The 44.3 million COVID-19 virus particles per person were also more than twice as high as late November.

For the week ending December 30th, there were 923 people hospitalized with COVID, a 30% jump in just seven days. However, that's actually down significantly from the 1,580 COVID hospitalizations during this same stretch in 2022.

"It has been quite a busy season," said Dr. Dan Park, who is the Medical Director of Pediatric Emergency Department at UNC Medical Center.

Park explained cases of RSV and flu remain high, with the latter figure notably elevated in state figures. According to NCDHHS, for the week ending December 30th, there are 1,055 people hospitalized with flu. Comparatively, during the same time period last year, there were just over 300 people hospitalized with flu.

"I equate the pediatric emergency department like the canary in the coal mine for us in terms of the hospital and hospital capacity. When our volumes go up, you know the hospitals get full," said Dr. Park.

The CDC is offering recommendations for the RSV vaccine, stating there are two vaccines that have been licensed by the FDA and recommended by the CDC for people ages 60 and older, one vaccine during weeks 32 to 36 for pregnancy, and a RSV preventative antibody for infants and some young children.

"Anecdotally what we're seeing this season, (for) the really young obviously RSV can be quite harsh. Hopefully as the new vaccine is rolled out this season and next season, that will kind of blunt some of the severity of that illness in young children and maybe even for the elderly. But the thing that's been notable that we've been seeing is the elderly coming down with severe RSV which is not something that we're kind of accustomed to," Park explained.

Elsewhere, people are opting to take their own measures to protect themselves.

"I try to take those things into account, but not let them prohibit me from living life. I do a lot of preventative care...lots of good rest, lots of good self-care," Raleigh resident Lucy Byrd Hope said.

UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill saw weekly increases in COVID and RSV patients, but a slight dip in flu, while WakeMed saw a bump in COVID, but decreases in both COVID and RSV. Duke Health reported total testing numbers for RSV, COVID, and the flu were down across the board, which is to be expected considering the holiday period.

NCDHHS urged people experiencing mild symptoms to seek medical attention, while highlighting the availability of flu and COVID vaccines.

"I don't think it's ever too late (to get vaccinated). I would say go and get it, especially the flu shot, because it's been such a severe season and the numbers are quite high. So I would say if you're on the fence, go for it," said Dr. Park.

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COVID, flu, RSV cases see uptick in North Carolina during holiday season; Flu hospitalizations reach highest in recent memory - WTVD-TV

FILE: A flu vaccine is readied at the L.A. Care and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plans' Community Resource Center in Lynwood, Calif., on Oct. 28, 2022. Health officials said flu and COVID-19 infections were expected to accelerate in late December, fueled by holiday travel and gatherings, low vaccination rates, and a new COVID variant that seems to spread more easily.

Mark J. Terrill / AP

According to the Oregon Health Authority, Southern Oregon is seeing the highest rates of positivity on influenza tests in the state, with the latest data showing a 12.3% positivity rate.

The flu virus can cause mild to severe symptoms that can sometimes even lead to death. Those younger than 5 or older than 65 are at an increased risk for severe illness.

Tanya Phillips from Jackson County Public Health said the flu test data comes from Oregon hospitals, not local doctors or urgent care clinics.

So its not telling us how many people actually have the flu, she said. It is a data point that lets us know, Hey, flu is picking up here.

Phillips said they determine the flu is circulating widely when the test positivity rate is above 10% for two weeks in a row. The flu virus typically circulates during the fall and winter, with peaks between December and February.

In years prior Southern Oregon was hit with the flu first, said Phillips. The rest of the state really wasnt seeing what we were seeing or experiencing and then as the weeks went, then other areas of the state caught up and then we started to see that decrease.

Phillips said people should also get vaccinated for the flu if they havent already. She said vaccination rates are lower than health officials would hope for. Even if someone does get sick, getting vaccinated can help prevent serious illness.

Residents should look for warning signs the sickness is getting worse, such as severe muscle pain, seizures or a fever that wont go away.

Those at an increased risk of severe illness should also talk to their doctor about antiviral drugs, which can mean the difference between a mild illness and a trip to the emergency room.

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Flu infections in Southern Oregon are the highest in the state this season - Oregon Public Broadcasting