US experiencing increase in COVID, flu and RSV
Newsy
U.S. health officials say they are seeing a rise in respiratory illnesses during the holiday season.
COVID-19, influenza and RSV cases are on the rise.
"As we enter the winter months, people are spending more time indoors and we tend to see an increase in respiratory infections," said Dr. Maria van Kerkhove, director of the department of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention at the World Health Organization.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, JN.1, the latest COVID variant, makes up more than 44% of all new COVID-19 cases in the country. It's the most contagious of all the variants, however, it comes with milder symptoms.
Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, a highly contagious respiratory virus, can become severe in children and older adults.
"In the elderly population, one third of them are actually testing positive for RSV when they're in the hospital" said Dr. Dyan Hes.
