Mark J. Terrill/AP
The CDC said there is an “urgent need” to boost low vaccination rates as respiratory disease levels rise in the United States.
CNN
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The respiratory virus season is well underway in the United States, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that the peak is yet to come. Low vaccination rates put many people at risk of severe disease and leave health systems vulnerable to increased strain.
“The number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 is rapidly increasing. Since the summer, public health officials have been tracking an increase in multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) caused by COVID-19. “Influenza activity is increasing in most regions of the country. RSV activity remains high in many regions,” the CDC wrote in a document. update Thursday on its website.
“In some parts of the country, children’s hospital beds are already almost as full as they were at this time last year. If this trend continues, the situation at the end of this month could put pressure on emergency departments and hospitals again. A strained health care system may delay receiving treatment for patients with other serious health conditions.”
In the week ending Nov. 25, the United States had more than eight hospitalizations related to respiratory viruses per 100,000 people, according to the CDC. data — up 52% over the past month. Although the majority of hospitalizations are still due to COVID-19, hospitalizations due to influenza and RSV are rapidly increasing.
Overall, the number of hospitalizations due to respiratory viruses this season is about half that compared to the same period last year.However, the latest forecast The CDC says this season has resulted in a similar number of hospitalizations as last season, and the rate is far higher than in pre-pandemic seasons.
The CDC says, “Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from the serious consequences of these viral respiratory illnesses, and high doses may lead to hospitalization.” “We have the potential to significantly reduce that number.”
But vaccination rates remain low, and the CDC said Thursday there is an “urgent need” to increase vaccination rates amid rising levels of respiratory illness.
Flu-like activity is highest across the South, but nearly half of U.S. states have high or moderate levels, according to CDC data. The number of doctor visits for flu-like illnesses with symptoms such as fever, cough, and sore throat has been above the national benchmark for six consecutive weeks and is now above the benchmark in all 10 geographic regions. ing.
The CDC estimates that this season, the flu has sickened at least 3.7 million people, led to 38,000 hospitalizations, and killed 2,300 people.
Across the country, viral activity of the novel coronavirus (a leading indicator of transmission) detected in wastewater is high and rising rapidly. Levels are highest in the Midwest, where wastewater is generated. data The CDC says it has seen more coronavirus infections than since the Omicron wave two years ago.
There are signs that RSV activity has peaked in the United States, with test positivity rates and emergency department visits beginning to decline. However, hospitalization rates for respiratory syncytial virus remain higher than at any time in the past five years, apart from last season’s peak.
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Overall, older adults had the highest hospitalization rates for respiratory viruses this season. Since early October, about 230 people for every 100,000 people over the age of 65 have been hospitalized with COVID-19, influenza or respiratory syncytial virus. But young children show similarly high rates. In the week ending 2 December, around 33 out of every 100,000 children under five were hospitalized with respiratory illness, almost all due to respiratory syncytial virus.
In addition to vaccination, the CDC recommends testing, treatment, and “everyday precautions” such as covering coughs and sneezes and staying home if sick to reduce the spread and impact of the disease. ing.
CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said at the event, “The tools that protect us – vaccines, testing, treatments, hand washing, ventilation, masks – are all layers of protection that will help us get through this season.” . on tuesday.