Southeast Missouri health care facilities might be overcrowded in coming months because of a preseason spike in influenza and respiratory diseases.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued a health advisory regarding elevated respiratory disease incidence “caused by multiple viruses occurring especially among children” and placing strain on healthcare systems, the report indicates.
Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center (PBRMC) Marketing Director Nicole Neidenberg issued a press release that states caring for the community is PBRMC’s first priority.
“Every year there is an expected influx throughout winter months of seasonal illness, such as RSV, human rhinovirus and flu, which come with their own complications,” Neidenberg noted. “The care of our community is our priority and our hospital is committed to the health and safety of our patients, including the children in our community.
“Our experienced team of medical professionals is prepared to handle any new influx of cases that may arise in Southeast Missouri and our surrounding region,” Neidenberg added.
CDC professionals recommend vaccinations as proactive prevention for residents.
“This early increase in disease incidence highlights the importance of optimizing respiratory virus prevention and treatment measures, including prompt vaccination and antiviral treatment,” the CDC alert indicates.
Neidenberg’s statement agrees.
“We encourage the community to slow the spread of these diseases by taking simple steps such as washing your hands frequently and staying home when feeling ill,” the marketing director said. “Vaccines are another important protection.
“The time is right for flu shots, COVID booster shots and pneumonia vaccinations,” she added.
Respiratory diseases were dominated by SARS-CoV-2 since 2020, and seasonal circulation of other respiratory viruses were perceived lower than pre-COVID-19 pandemic years, according to the CDC.
However, the U.S. experiences a surge and co-circulation of respiratory viruses other than SARS-CoV-2, according to the document. Southeast Missouri records shadow national reports, the document indicates.
CDC tracks and records “levels of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza, and rhinovirus/enterovirus (RV/EV) that are higher than usual for this time of year, especially among children, though RV/EV levels may have plateaued in recent weeks,” the report states.
Tracking information proves an increase in RSV detections and RSV-associated emergency department visits, according to the CDC, as well as increased hospitalizations in all but two U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regions. Some regions are already near the seasonal peak levels typically observed in December or January.
This year, rates of RSV-associated hospitalizations began to increase during late spring and continued to increase through the summer and into early fall. Preliminary data from October shows weekly rates of RSV-associated hospitalizations among children younger than 18 years old are greater than rates observed during similar weeks in recent years.
While RSV activity might have plateaued in some places, the timing, intensity, and severity of the current RSV season are uncertain, the report states.
Every year in the U.S., RSV among babies under six months of age and children younger than age five leads to 2.1 million outpatient visits with 58,000 to 80,000 hospitalizations among children in those age brackets.
Adults 65 and older record 60,000 to 120,000 hospitalizations to treat RSV, the CDC states.
For more information about RSV trends in the Show-Me-State log on to:
https://www.cdc.gov/surveillance/nrevss/rsv/state.html#MO
Neidenberg suggests people interested in learning further about viruses in circulation log on to https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/flu-vs-covid19.htm, or https://health.mo.gov/emergencies/ert/alertsadvisories/index.php.