Rise in COVID, flu and RSV prompt Bay Area health recommendations

They warned us — and their predictions are playing out.

After a summer wave of COVID cases receded heading into the fall, public health officials cautioned that SARS-CoV-2 was likely to stage a winter return accompanied by other respiratory viruses such as influenza and RSV. While it’s too soon to measure the impact of Thanksgiving travel and family gatherings, the metrics are already showing a sharp uptick. 

The Bay Area is seeing a resurgence of COVID-19 at the same time as a pronounced influenza wave and a troubling climb in the prevalence of respiratory syncytial virus. The gathering “tripledemic” prompted a coalition of regional health officers to issue joint recommendations on Thursday for safely navigating the upcoming holiday season — and it included strongly worded advice for some people to wear protective masks.

Data published Friday by the California Department of Public Health show a 48% surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations over the past month, totaling 2,088 admissions in the week ending Nov. 25. California’s COVID-19 test positivity rate climbed from 6.1% to 8.3% during the same period, and the coronavirus’s share of all fatalities rose from 1.5% to 2.7%.

Nationwide, COVID-related hospitalizations continued to increase for the third consecutive week, with over 19,400 new admissions reported in the week ending Nov. 25, according to figures released Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen reminded a House committee hearing Thursday that federal health officials had anticipated an uptick following the Thanksgiving period.

“At this time, what we are seeing is quite typical of this moment in the winter respiratory virus season,” Cohen said.

Wastewater data from the CDC indicates that COVID levels across the country are currently high and trending upward, poised to exceed peaks notched earlier this year. There is also a surge in hospitalization rates for both flu and RSV, accompanied by unusually high outpatient visits for respiratory illnesses. 

The rise in California influenza cases is especially noteworthy, with a 400% increase in hospital admissions, to an average of 71 per day compared to just 14 last month. At the same time, the state’s three-week moving average positivity test rate for RSV has soared to 21%, more than doubling in a month.

“RSV season is in full swing,” Cohen said. “Flu season is just beginning across most of the country, though accelerating fast.” 

However, she added, “Even though those are both going up and we’re at the peak of RSV, COVID is still the respiratory virus that is putting the most number of folks in the hospital and taking their lives.”

In response to these escalating concerns, health officers from all nine Bay Area counties and neighboring regions put out their unified call to action on Nov. 30, reminding residents to protect themselves during the holidays.

These measures include targeted vaccination against COVID-19, flu and RSV, staying home when sick, prompt testing for symptoms and seeking timely treatment. Of note, they made specific recommendations for masking in indoor public spaces, advising people over 65 or those who are immunocompromised to consider wearing a well-fitting high-quality face coverage, such as a KF94, KN95 or N95 respirator.

“Wearing a mask can reduce your risk of getting sick and missing out on work, school, and holiday events,” the bulletin said.

They also reminded Bay Area residents who socialize with vulnerable people to consider masking as well. “This helps protect people around you, especially those at higher risk of serious illness.”

About a third of adults and children in the U.S. have received their flu shot this year, according to the latest CDC data. Approximately 16% of adults and 6% of children have gotten the new COVID-19 vaccine — figures below the agency’s desired benchmarks. 

“That’s not enough,” Cohen said.

Moreover, only 15% of older adults aged 60 and above have received the new RSV vaccine. 

Health officials are now monitoring for other viral and bacterial outbreaks. This week, authorities in Ohio and Massachusetts reported a spike in pediatric pneumonia cases tied to pathogens including adenovirus, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae — bacteria that may be associated with a surge in respiratory infections in China. 

Children are suffering disproportionately from the increase in respiratory illnesses, with approximately 75% of pediatric hospital beds currently in use across the nation, according to federal data, marking the highest demand since last December.

Reach Aidin Vaziri: [email protected]