Illinois seeing rise in respiratory illnesses and hospitalizations
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Illinois is seeing a surge in hospitalizations from the flu, amid a nationwide uptick in respiratory illnesses.
The Illinois Department of Public Health said cases of flu, RSV, and COVID-19 are on the rise across the state.
Officials said 21% of emergency room visits in the last week of December were for respiratory illnesses, up from 17 percent the week before. During the same time period, the number of emergency room visits for the flu more than doubled, from 3% to 6.2%, while emergency room visits for COVID-19 rose from 1.5% to 2%.
The Illinois Department of Public Health expected the jump in respiratory illnesses because of low vaccination rates.
"The New Year has arrived, and Illinois is experiencing the expected winter surge in seasonal respiratory illnesses," said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. "It is now more important than ever to use the many tools at our disposal to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. The most effective tool remains vaccinations for flu, COVID-19, and RSV. It is not too late to get your vaccines, as the seasonal respiratory season can extend late into the spring."
Illinois also has seen a rise in intensive care unit admissions because of RSV, largely driven by kids ages 4 and under. So far this season, four children have died from these illnesses here in Illinois.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Illinois is just one of 36 states with high or very high levels of respiratory illness activity.
"Over the last week, it started reflecting in our hospitalizations and admissions, where it starts to become challenging to our staff," said Dr. Martin Topiel, an infectious disease specialist with Virtua Health.
This season's wave of flu cases is arriving later than it has in the past two years. After the COVID-19 pandemic, annual waves of influenza during the colder months increased weeks earlier than they had during many pre-pandemic seasons.
This year, flu trends look to be closely in line with the 2019 to 2020 season, which also reached peak levels around the New Year.
Health officials said the recent increase in respiratory illnesses isn't a surprise, given that this is the typical season for such spikes.
Updated vaccines for the flu and COVID-19 are available, and recommended for anyone over the age of 6 months. The RSV vaccine is recommended for everyone age 75 and up, and anyone between the ages of 60 and 74 who is at risk for serious illness. If you got an RSV vaccine last winter, you don't need another one this winter. Women in the late stages of pregnancy should get the RSV vaccine to protect their newborns.
Public health officials also urged people to avoid exposure to respiratory illnesses by practicing good hand hygiene and increasing ventilation to circulate more air when people are in the building. Doctors also suggested wearing a mask if you feel sick to prevent spreading any potential virus to others.
Health officials also recommended visitor restrictions and masking at doctor's offices and hospitals.