Travelers enter the entrance of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, USA on April 14, 2022. (Photo provided by Ting Shen/Xinhua)
More than 22,700 new coronavirus hospitalizations were reported nationwide in the week ending Dec. 9, the most since February, according to the latest data released by the CDC.
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) — Respiratory illnesses are becoming more serious in the United States ahead of the holidays, with hospitalizations due to novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) increasing. has reached its highest level since the beginning of this year.
The number of respiratory illnesses that cause people to seek medical care has increased or is increasing in most regions of the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
More than 22,700 new coronavirus hospitalizations were reported nationwide in the week ending Dec. 9, the most since February, according to the latest data released Monday by the CDC.
Nationwide, the rate of positive laboratory tests for influenza and the number of emergency department visits due to influenza are increasing, according to the CDC.
According to the CDC’s weekly review, seasonal influenza activity is increasing in most regions of the country, with the Southeast, South Central, and West Coast regions reporting the highest levels of activity.
Weekly influenza hospitalizations continued to rise.
At least 3.7 million people have fallen ill with the flu in the United States so far this season, with 38,000 hospitalizations and 2,300 deaths, according to the CDC.
A photo taken on December 12, 2022 shows the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago in Chicago, USA. (Photo provided by Joel Lerner/Xinhua)
U.S. children’s hospitals last year faced a devastating wave of respiratory syncytial virus, which is dangerous to young children, especially infants, and some hospitals were overwhelmed.
According to the CDC, RSV appears to have stabilized and peaked across the country this year.
CDC Director Mandy Cohen urged Americans to get vaccinated, especially before the holidays. Order a free at-home coronavirus test. Also, consider taking normal precautions like washing your hands regularly, opening windows for ventilation, and wearing a mask.
However, vaccination rates for COVID-19, influenza, and RSV in Japan remain low.
According to CDC data, 7.8% of children and 18.3% of adults 18 and older report receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, including 37.4% of adults 65 and older. It becomes.
According to CDC data, influenza vaccination rates are 43.3% for children and 42.2% for adults 18 and older, including 69.3% for adults 65 and older.
The CDC said there is an “urgent need” to increase vaccination rates as influenza and coronavirus cases continue to rise across the country. ■
