Amid growing concerns among health officials, flu, COVID-19, and RSV cases are on the rise across the country. Emergency rooms are preparing for a possible triple epidemic of illnesses as the Centers for Disease Control estimate that from October until last week, there were at least 780,000 flu illnesses and almost 500 deaths.
Dr. Brownstein, a physician, shares that certain age groups and individuals with prior medical conditions are more susceptible to severe cases and even death from the three illnesses. Health officials say this year, flu hospitalizations have been lower than this time last year. However, trends in the southern states are similar to last year’s spikes.
As the number of cases continues to rise, it is crucial for individuals to take precautions such as wearing masks, practicing social distancing, washing hands regularly, and getting vaccinated against the flu and COVID-19. Health officials also advise seeking medical attention if experiencing symptoms of any of these illnesses.