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Respiratory Viruses: A National Concern
Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has brought to light an alarming trend: half of all states in the U.S. are currently dealing with high levels of respiratory virus activity. This statistic underscores the pervasive impact of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, influenza, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), across the nation.
The CDC’s respiratory virus data and research dashboard offers regular updates on the activity levels of these illnesses, not just nationally, but at the state level as well. The dashboard includes vital information such as emergency department visits for viral respiratory illness, the percentage of tests positive for respiratory viruses, and COVID-19 wastewater trends.
Respiratory Virus Activity: A Closer Look
According to the CDC, seasonal influenza activity is on the rise in some parts of the country, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and Central regions. On the other hand, key indicators for COVID-19 are showing decreasing activity levels nationally. However, emergency department visits for COVID-19 are highest among infants and older adults. Interestingly, COVID-19 has been causing severe disease less frequently than earlier in the pandemic.
RSV activity, on the other hand, appears to be decreasing in many areas, with hospitalization rates also on the decline for young children and older adults. Unfortunately, national vaccination coverage for COVID-19, influenza, and RSV vaccines remains low for both children and adults.
The 2023-2024 Respiratory Virus Season: Still Not Over
The CDC reports that respiratory virus activity has been declining for weeks, with most indicators trending down since a late December surge. Despite this, there is still elevated respiratory disease activity, with some flu activity indicators increasing again. Hospitalizations and deaths are below last season’s levels, and vaccination uptake for COVID-19 and flu is slightly lower than last season. However, there is still time to get vaccinated, with 22% of adults having received the updated COVID-19 vaccine, 48% having received a flu vaccine, and 22% of adults 60 years and older having received an RSV vaccine.
Tracking Variants and Strategies for Protection
The CDC is not only tracking respiratory virus activity but also the spread of new variants of the virus, including BA 2 87 1 and JN 1. The current data shows that vaccines, tests, and treatments remain effective against these variants. The CDC continues to monitor the prevalence and spread of these and other emerging variants in collaboration with partners worldwide.
As part of its protective strategies against respiratory viruses, the CDC recommends testing, prescription treatments, masking, physical distancing, washing hands, and improving airflow. Two systems, the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) and the Respiratory Virus Hospitalization Surveillance Network (RESP-NET), have been put in place for tracking COVID-19 and flu hospitalizations.
Current Status and Future Course
Although key measures of respiratory virus activity have been trending down for weeks, levels remain elevated. COVID-19 viral levels in wastewater are still high, especially in the South. Thousands of people are still being hospitalized with COVID-19, and there have been at least 650 deaths during the week ending Feb. 10. Half of U.S. states had high or very high respiratory virus activity during the week ending on Feb. 10. Vaccine uptake is slightly lower than last year, and the CDC advises vaccination as the best way to protect against severe outcomes of viral respiratory illnesses.
