(Original title: Not only the worst flu season in 10 years, the top medical journal warns: Influenza, RSV, and the new crown hit the United States this winter)
Financial Associated Press, November 9 (Editor Zhou Ziyi)The U.S. is currently in the midst of its worst flu season in 10 years, along with a surge in upper respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections. The United States may face the heavy pressure of the “three mountains” of influenza, RSV virus and new crown virus this winter.
The British Medical Journal (BMJ), which is as famous as The Lancet and one of the four top medical journals in the world, published an article on the 7th with the title “The United States is facing the threat of influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus and new coronavirus. triple pressure”.
According to Jose Romero, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, non-coronavirus respiratory diseases such as influenza virus, RSV, rhinovirus and enterovirus are making a comeback in the United States amid the general epidemic of the new coronavirus.
At present, in the United States, many effective preventive measures (such as wearing masks, maintaining social distance, etc.) are no longer used, and the vaccination rate of the latest bivalent vaccine is not high, resulting in the wanton spread of the virus.
influenza
Seasonal flu cases continue to increase across the country, with the southeastern and south-central U.S. having the highest levels of viral activity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Data shows that two children have died from the flu.
Note: U.S. Influenza Cases for May-October 2022 (Weeks 21-43)
The CDC also estimates that this flu season (2022-23) will see at least 1.6 million sick, 13,000 hospitalizations, and 730 deaths. The CDC recommends that people over the age of six months get an annual flu shot.
“We’re seeing the highest rate of flu hospitalizations in a decade,” said Jose Romero.
The number of people hospitalized with the flu virus rose to 4,326 in the week ended Nov. 4, nearly doubling from 2,361 a week earlier.
respiratory syncytial virus
Meanwhile, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases have increased across much of the country. Most children are infected with RSV by the age of 2, with symptoms similar to a mild cold, but for some infants and young children it can be dangerous, even fatal.
In the United States, an estimated 58,000 to 80,000 children under the age of 5 are hospitalized each year due to RSV infection. Severe risk groups include premature infants, infants under 6 months, and children under 2 years old with chronic lung disease or congenital heart disease.
The RSV virus can also be serious in older adults, and infection with the virus can worsen some chronic health problems (eg, asthma, congestive heart failure).
Eight out of 10 parts of the country saw RSV infection levels “significantly higher than at the same time period in previous years,” Romero said.
There is currently no vaccine for the virus, although several candidates are in development.
new crown
In the week ended Nov. 2, the number of confirmed cases and hospitalizations of new coronary pneumonia in the United States rose slightly for the first time after several months of consecutive declines, with 273,100 confirmed cases in a single week, a slight increase from 260,800 the previous week.
Several states in the southern and western U.S. saw large increases, according to tracking data. Cases in Nevada, New Mexico and Utah have increased by 50% in the past two weeks; hospitalizations have increased by 20% or more in eight states; and deaths have remained at around 350 a day.
The Omicron BA.5 variant remains by far the most common new coronavirus, but two new variants, BQ.1.1 and BQ.1, are spreading wildly, increasing from about 3% two weeks ago to About 11% now. And this winter, other new variants of the new coronavirus may appear.