January 29, 2024- Respiratory season is still here, and respiratory virus activity remains elevated across the nation. Though some parts of the country are seeing a decrease in cases, according to the CDC, others are still seeing increased respiratory illness cases and hospital admissions. 21 states reported high levels of virus activity for the week ending January 20, including Louisiana, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Tennessee that saw “very high” levels of respiratory illness, according to the CDC. The CDC measures virus activity levels as the weekly percentage of visits to an outpatient provider or emergency department for fever and cough or sore throat.
While virus season has started to ease, health officials anticipate the nation could see some level of uptick again in February, particularly with the flu.