Respiratory syncytial virus and influenza activity are on the rise in parts of the country, particularly among young children, according to the CDC's latest respiratory virus updates.
Overall, the number of people seeking healthcare nationally due to acute respiratory illness is low.
Here are four updates, per the CDC's weekly FluView report and respiratory illness data channel:
- As of Nov. 8, minimal flu activity was occurring nationally and signs of rising RSV activity were detected in the southern, southeastern and mid-Atlantic regions of the country. Meanwhile, COVID-19 activity was stable or declining in most areas.
- Emergency department visits for flu and RSV remained low, though they were on the rise. ED visits for COVID were decreasing.
- Fewer than 3% of outpatient visits were for respiratory illness in the week ending Nov. 2, according to the latest FluView report. The first influenza-associated pediatric death of the season was reported this week. Most states reported minimal or low flu activity levels for the week ending Nov. 2, and Washington, D.C., was the only jurisdiction to report high levels.
- The CDC anticipates the peak number of combined hospitalizations for the three viruses to be similar or lower than that of last year's respiratory virus season, according to projections the agency published at the end of October. Still, peak hospitalizations are expected to remain "substantially higher" than they were pre-COVID.