More than a dozen states have been upgraded to “high” or “very high” levels of respiratory virus activity, with some forced to close schools and cancel holiday events.
Oregon and Louisiana are seeing very high levels of flu, Covid, RSV and other respiratory illnesses for the week ending Dec. 14, the most recent data available shows.
While California, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Kansas, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, New Jersey, Washington, DC and New York City are reporting high levels.
The number of states in each of these levels has doubled from the previous week, with experts saying the number of illnesses is increasing rapidly. And in some states, hospitals are reinstating mask rules in hopes of curbing the spread.
Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, who is dealing with a spike in respiratory illnesses in the Nashville area, told the East Bay Times: “The flu has been on the rise, but just in the past week it has exploded.’
Alabama was the latest state to be upgraded this week, forcing the state to cancel classes at a Limestone County school for three days as the district battles a flu outbreak.
Sugar Creek Elementary School announced it had been “monitoring the number of cases among students and staff” and decided to close for three days “to give our students and staff the opportunity to recover and stop the spread.”
In addition, the school has postponed a holiday event until next month “due to the high rate of illness at our school and in the community.”
Children and seniors are at particular risk for serious illness from influenza, RSV or Covid
The Christmas festivities in Hartselle, Alabama were also postponed “because so many of our vendors were sick.”
In a post on social media, organizers said: ‘Due to several vendors having the flu…we feel it is best to CANCEL THE Rocky Acres Christmas Market!!! We apologize for any inconvenience!!!’
Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) medical officer Wes Stubblefield said the number of flu-like illnesses continues to rise in the state.
He told local Fox 54: “This year our numbers have increased quite dramatically over the last two to three weeks. We don’t know where the peak will end. But it’s safe to say the flu is here and everyone needs to be prepared.”
Nationally, laboratory tests for positive cases of flu have increased by nine percent and 9,000 people have been hospitalized in the past week. Doctor visits for flu have increased by four percent and two more deaths from the virus have been reported this week.
So far, the CDC estimates that there have been nearly 2 million illnesses, 23,000 hospitalizations and 1,000 deaths for the 2024-2025 flu season.
Experts attribute the very active start of the flu season partly to the lower vaccination rate.
As of December 7, only 41 percent of both adults and children had received a flu shot.
The flu is not the only virus that stimulates respiratory disease activity. RSV, the respiratory syncytial virus, is also increasing.
Each year in the US, RSV results in approximately 2.1 million outpatient visits among children under five years of age, although this is likely an underfigure because many people with the virus do not seek medical treatment.
Officials estimate the spread of a virus through wastewater testing, among other methods, and levels of RSV detected in wastewater are increasing.
Wastewater monitoring by the CDC can detect viruses spreading within communities earlier than laboratory tests of patient samples and even before people who are sick visit a doctor.
It can also detect infections without symptoms.
The overall RSV activity level in wastewater is currently ‘low’, but has risen sharply in recent weeks.
According to the CDC, national wastewater levels of RSV activity increased 160 percent in the two weeks between November 30 and December 14.
Activity was marked as “very high” in Arkansas, Arizona, Connecticut, Missouri, Louisiana, Washington, DC and Maryland during the week of December 8-14.
The graph above shows the national activity of RSV detection levels in wastewater
The above map shows the activity of RSV detection levels in wastewater in each state
The CDC estimates that 22,000 to 45,000 people were hospitalized with RSV between October 1 and December 7.
It is also estimated that the virus has caused 980 to 2,300 deaths.
Meanwhile, Covid figures are even higher, with up to 120,000 hospital admissions and 13,000 deaths.
In light of the growing numbers, the CDC says immunizations are the best way to prevent serious illness from Covid, RSV and influenza.
Everyone aged six months and above is advised to be up to date with the latest Covid vaccine, while the flu vaccine is recommended annually, each season.
For RSV, two options are recommended to protect babies, and one is recommended for a small group of young children aged 8 to 19 months who are at increased risk for severe RSV.
RSV vaccines – given as single doses – are recommended for all adults aged 75 and older and adults aged 60 to 74 who are at increased risk.
Older residents in nursing homes are at increased risk of severe illness and death from one of the three viruses because of their weakened immune systems.
During the 2021-2022 flu season, the death rate for people aged 65 and older was about 7.4 per 100,000 residents, compared to 0.1 per 100,000 people among those aged 18 to 49.
If you have already received an RSV vaccine, the CDC says you do not need to get another RSV vaccine at this time.
In addition to vaccination, the CDC recommends wearing masks “during periods of increased acute respiratory infections in the community.”
It adds: ‘Coughing patients and anyone suspected of having flu should wear a mask at all times until isolating in a private room.
‘(However) no recommendation can be made at this time for the use of masks in the community by asymptomatic individuals, including those at higher risk of complications, to prevent exposure to influenza viruses.’