A quadruple threat is hitting the United States, with COVID-19, flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirus all circulating at high levels, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This “quad-demic” has sparked concerns among doctors, who say hospitals are reaching capacity and patients are waiting hours to be seen in emergency departments.
As of January 4, CDC data showed that 18.6% of flu tests, 11.6% of RSV tests, and 6.9% of COVID-19 tests returned positive. Meanwhile, norovirus cases have surged, with 27.91% of weekly tests coming back positive – the highest level seen since 2019.
“This year’s number of reported norovirus outbreaks has exceeded recent years,” said a CDC spokesperson. “We’re seeing an atypical combination of respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses coinciding this winter.”
Doctors warn that hospitals are struggling to keep up with the influx of patients, with some reporting full capacities and long wait times. To mitigate the situation, doctors are urging patients to consider virtual visits or urgent care centers before heading to a hospital.
Low vaccination coverage also poses a significant challenge. Only 43.4% of adults have been vaccinated against the flu, while 22.8% have received the updated COVID-19 vaccine. RSV vaccines are available for certain groups, but uptake remains low.
The lack of vaccination is concerning doctors, who worry that it will impact the health care system’s ability to treat patients effectively. “We really need to help with messaging the importance of these vaccines,” said Dr. Katie Passaretti. “Vaccination is the best method of prevention.”
With hospitals struggling to cope and vaccination rates remaining low, the US is facing a challenging winter ahead.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/quad-demic-covid-flu-rsv-norovirus-us/story?id=117747763