Emergency services dealing with the sudden increase in respiratory diseases, influenza and COVID
Emergency services dealing with the sudden increase in respiratory diseases, influenza and COVID
NEW YORK (WABC) — Emergency rooms are filling up quickly and health officials are admitting adults with influenza and COVID along with young pediatric patients with RSV.
The annual winter flu season doesn’t usually start until December or January, but this year’s started early and was complicated by the spread of other viruses, with COVID still lingering.
According to the CDC, 44 states reported high or very high flu activity last week.
Experts say there was likely a greater spread of respiratory viruses during Thanksgiving gatherings and at crowded airports.
The CDC estimates there have been at least 78,000 hospitalizations and 4,500 deaths from the flu so far this season.
The deaths include at least 14 children.
They say the problem with the flu and RSV is that the viruses add to the burden on emergency services dealing with other emergencies like heart attack or stroke, so we have to be careful about transmission control.
Senator Schumer is calling on the Department of Human Services on Sunday to be ready to provide emergency services with the doctors and nurses they need.
“Our emergency departments have been almost overwhelmed where we’re holding and we’re over the water, but we’re seeing where we would normally see 200 kids in a 24-hour period, day after day. We basically saw 300 kids today,” Schumer said.
With the upcoming holiday season in mind, health officials are asking you to be careful when going indoors and gathering.
If you get your flu shot now, you can get that protection before the Christmas and New Year holidays.
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