'Flurona': Florida Hospitals Seeing Kids Testing Positive For Both COVDI & Flu

MIAMI (CBSMiami/CNN) – Florida hospitals are seeing kids coming in and testing positive for both the flu and COVID-19.

It's being called "flurona" and it's concerning doctors.

"There is now both very high influenza activity and very high COVID activity, there is the option that someone will be infected with both," Nadav Davidovitch, director of the School of Public Health at Ben-Gurion University in Israel, told CNN on Tuesday.

Davidovitch added, "I don't think this is going to be a common situation, but that's something to consider."

Israel confirmed its first case of the so-called flurona last Thursday. It was identified in an unvaccinated pregnant woman. She was later released and is now in good condition.

According to the World Health Organization, symptoms include cough, fever, sore throat, muscle aches and fatigue.

"Being infected with COVID-19 and the flu at the same time could be "catastrophic to your immune system," Dr. Adrian Burrowes, a family medicine physician and assistant professor of family medicine at the University of Central Florida, told CNN in September.

In the Florida cases, some children younger than five appear to be showing the more significant symptoms.

"I do believe you're going to see coinfection with flu and coronavirus. And I do believe you're going to see a higher rate of mortality as a result of that," Burrowes said at the time.

With the Omicron variant spreading like it is, doctors are worried about the possible strain the flu and coronavirus could put on health care systems — especially during the winter months.

Doctors say vaccines are your best defense against this flurona.

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