More than a dozen states have been elevated to “high” or “very high” levels of respiratory virus activity, and some have been forced to close schools and cancel holiday events.
Oregon and Louisiana are experiencing very high levels of flu, Covid, RSV and other respiratory illnesses during the week ending December 14, according to the latest data available.
While California, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Kansas, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, New Jersey, Washington, DC and New York City report high levels.
The number of states in any of these levels is double what it was the week before, and experts say illnesses are increasing rapidly. And in some states, hospitals are reinstating rules on mask wearing in hopes of slowing the spread.
Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee who is dealing with a rise in respiratory illnesses in the Nashville area, told the East Bay Times: “Flu has been on the rise, but this last one week has skyrocketed.
Alabama was the latest state to be upgraded this week, with the state having to cancel classes for three days at a school in Limestone County as the district battles a flu outbreak.
Sugar Creek Elementary School announced had “been monitoring the number of illnesses among students and staff” and decided to close for three days “to give our students and staff a chance to recover and stop the spread.”
Additionally, the school postponed a holiday event until next month “due to the high number of illnesses in our school and community.”
Children and older people are at particular risk of becoming seriously ill from the flu, RSV or Covid.
Christmas festivities in Hartselle, Alabama, were also postponed “due to many of our vendors being sick.”
In a social media post, organizers said: ‘Due to several vendors having the FLU…we feel it is best to CANCEL THE Rocky Acres Christmas Market! We are very sorry for any inconvenience!!!’
Wes Stubblefield, medical officer for the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), said the number of flu-like illnesses in the state continues to increase.
He said Local Fox 54: ‘This year, our numbers have started to rise pretty dramatically in the last two or three weeks. We don’t know where the peak will end. “But it’s safe to say that the flu is here and everyone needs to be prepared.”
Nationally, laboratory testing for positive influenza cases has increased nine percent and 9,000 people have been hospitalized over the past week. Doctor visits for the flu have increased four percent and two more deaths from the virus were reported this week.
So far, for the 2024-2025 flu season, the CDC estimates there have been nearly 2 million illnesses, 23,000 hospitalizations and 1,000 deaths.
Experts attribute the very active start to the flu season in part to lower vaccination rates.
As of December 7, only 41 percent of adults and children had received the flu vaccine.
The flu is not the only virus driving respiratory disease activity rates. RSV, the respiratory syncytial virus, is also making a comeback.
Each year in the U.S., RSV accounts for approximately 2.1 million outpatient visits among children under age five, although this is likely an undercount because many people with the virus do not seek medical treatment.
One way officials estimate the spread of a virus is by testing wastewater, and the levels of RSV being detected in wastewater are increasing.
CDC wastewater monitoring can detect viruses spreading within communities before laboratory testing of patient samples and even before sick people visit a doctor.
It can also detect infections without symptoms.
The overall level of RSV activity in wastewater is currently “low” but has seen a sharp increase in recent weeks.
During the two weeks between Nov. 30 and Dec. 14, national levels of RSV activity in wastewater increased 160 percent, according to the CDC.
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 nationwide activity of RSV detection levels in wastewater.
The map above shows the activity of RSV detection levels in wastewater in each state.
The CDC estimates that between 22,000 and 45,000 people were hospitalized with RSV between October 1 and December 7.
The virus is also estimated to have caused between 980 and 2,300 deaths.
Meanwhile, the numbers are even higher for Covid, with up to 120,000 hospitalizations and 13,000 deaths.
In light of the rising numbers, the CDC says vaccines are the best way to prevent serious illness from Covid, RSV and flu.
It is recommended that everyone over six months old is up to date with the most recent 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 eight to 19 months who are at increased risk for severe RSV.
RSV vaccines, given in single doses, are recommended for all adults age 75 and older and for adults ages 60 to 74 who are at higher risk.
Older nursing home residents are at higher risk of serious illness and death from any of the three viruses due to 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 people, compared to 0.1 per 100,000 people among people aged 18 to 49.
If you have already received an RSV vaccine, the CDC says you do not need to receive another RSV vaccine at this time.
In addition to getting vaccinated, the CDC recommends wearing masks “during periods of increased acute respiratory infections in the community.”
It adds: “Patients who are coughing and anyone suspected of having influenza should wear a mask at all times until they are isolated 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 increased risk of complications, to prevent exposure to influenza viruses.”