US flu season got off to an early start amid other viruses

New York – The flu season in the US got off to an unusually early start, adding to the fall mix of viruses that have filled hospitals and doctor’s waiting rooms.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu reports are already high in 17 states, and hospitalization rates haven’t been this quick since the 2009 swine flu pandemic. So far, there are an estimated 730 flu deaths, including at least her two children.

The winter flu season usually sees a flu spike in December or January.

“We are seeing more cases than expected at this time,” CDC’s Dr. Jose Romero said Friday.

Busy flu season is not unexpected. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the country has experienced two seasons of calm. Experts fear the flu could come back strong as the COVID-weary public turns away from masks and other measures that limit the spread of the respiratory virus.

A community Montessori school in New Albany, Indiana switched to virtual teaching at the end of the week after so many students caught the flu. Starting Monday, her 500 students at school will return to wearing masks.

“Everyone just wants kids on campus, that’s for sure,” said Burke Fondren, the school’s director. “We do what we need to do.”

There may be some good news: COVID-19 cases are on the decline and have leveled off over the past three weeks, Romero said.

Health officials also believe that some parts of the country may be seeing early signs that another respiratory virus wave may be starting to wane. RSV, or respiratory syncytial virusis a common cause of cold-like symptoms in children, including runny nose, cough, and fever. CDC officials said the numbers indicate a decline in states and areas that include the Dakota.

Experts believe there has been a recent increase in infections from RSV. This is because children have become more vulnerable and less protected from common bugs, like during a pandemic lockdown. Also, the virus, which normally infects her 1-year-old and her 2-year-old, is now infecting children up to the age of 5.

Beds at the University of Chicago Medical Corner Children’s Hospital have been full for 54 straight days.

“The RSV and flu curves are all rising,” said Dr. John Cunningham, Comer’s attending physician.

RSV’s illness appears to be unusually serious, he added.

Comer had to decline a transfer request from another hospital because they didn’t have a room. Chicago-area hospitals were able to transfer children to Missouri, Iowa, and Wisconsin, but they stopped.

No vaccine yet for RSV,However, influenza vaccination And COVID-19. Health officials say flu vaccinations are down for both children and adults compared to pre-pandemics, but children’s vaccinations have increased since last year.

An estimated 1.6 million people have contracted the flu and 13,000 have been hospitalized so far this season. According to CDC data, flu activity is most active in some of his RSV declining regions, including the Southeast.

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Babwin reported from Chicago. Tom Davies of Indianapolis contributed to this report.

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The Associated Press’ Health Sciences Division is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science Education Division. AP is solely responsible for all content.