Emergency departments are finally seeing some reprieve after weeks of capacity issues exacerbated by respiratory virus activity across the U.S. Visits to the ER for respiratory viruses continue to follow a downward trend, but the amount of respiratory illnesses in circulation is still elevated overall, CDC data shows.
Positivity rates for COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus both declined as of data reported Feb. 9, while flu rates remained stable throughout much of the country, except in the South, which continues to see increases.
Still, respiratory virus activity remains very high in the following states, as determined by the CDC, which assesses activity levels based on the percent of visits to enrolled, outpatient healthcare providers or ERs for fever, cough, and sore throat reported to a database:
- Wyoming
- New Mexico
- Texas
- Arkansas
- South Carolina
In these states, levels are currently high, but not 'very high'
- North Dakota
- Colorado
- Oklahoma
- Louisiana
- Georgia
- Ohio
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- Mississippi
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- New Jersey
- Massachusetts
- Indiana
- North Carolina
- Virginia
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
Major cities, including New York City and Washington D.C., are also reporting very high, and high virus activity (respectively) at this time, according to the CDC.