New Jersey faces post-holiday surge in multiple respiratory illnesses
After a relatively slow start to the respiratory virus season, the U.S. is kicking off 2025 with a surge in several illnesses — influenza, RSV and COVID.
It's payback time for all the holiday gatherings, and doctors say most of the respiratory infections are mild. But the CDC is now predicting hospitalizations could be as high as last year.
CDC surveillance of wastewater shows COVID-19 levels are as high as they were following the summer spike.
The CDC map shows influenza is spreading too. While levels are moderate and low in Pennsylvania and Delaware, the flu is high in New Jersey.
"I thought it was a sinus infection. I had no idea like, I don't have a fever or anything," said COVID and flu patient Pam McLaughlin.
McLaughlin, who lives in Sicklerville, New Jersey, went to urgent care with post-nasal drip and a strange burning sensation in her nose.
"The doctor came in shaking her head, said, 'girl, girl, girl,' she said, 'I'm shaking my head 'cause you got a double whammy. You have COVID and the flu,'" McLaughlin said.
Doctors say some people have built up immunities from previous infections and vaccinations, which can make symptoms milder, but there's also a growing number of people with serious complications.
"Over the last week, it's started reflecting in our hospitalizations and admissions where it starts to become challenging to staff," said Dr. Martin Topiel with Virtua Health.
Topiel says RSV, another respiratory illness, is also spiking. All the contagious infections are probably related to holiday gatherings when people are in close contact. Topiel says he expects the recent spikes to continue well into the new year.
"I think the next three to four weeks may be very difficult," Topiel said.
He says infections are being spread quickly by many people who don't realize they're contagious.
"Be careful, the slightest thing, just go get tested. It's better to be safer than sorry," McLaughlin said.
Doctors say it's not too late to get vaccinated for COVID-19, the flu and RSV for those at high risk.
