Influenza-like illness
Seasonal influenza activity remains low. Visits to the doctor for symptoms like fever, cough, and sore throat (outpatient influenza-like illness, or ILI) still account for less than 1% of all visits.
Activity in the West is slightly above the national average. As I mentioned last week, this is partially due to California, where outpatient ILI is on the high side (relatively speaking) at 1.6%. Wyoming has also ticked up to 1.3%. Everywhere else, outpatient ILI is below 1%. The Midwest is in great shape at 0.5%. Severe illness is low across the country.
As always, children ages 0-4 have the highest rates of outpatient ILI at 3%. This past winter the rate hit 20%, so I'll take 3% any day. Older age groups are all at or below 1%. School-age kids will likely see increases soon, now that school is starting in some districts, so be on the lookout.
Covid-19
The summer Covid season is here. Activity is low across the country but rising steadily in all four regions. Test positivity and wastewater concentration are also increasing.
The South, where the season started first, is leading the way. Emergency department (ED) visits in Louisiana, Florida and Texas are higher than other parts of the country at 0.5-0.7% and increasing. Other states in the region are seeing steady increases, with Georgia reporting a noticeable bump this week from 0.2% to 0.4%.
ED visits are also increasing in the West, especially in Hawaii, California, and Nevada, but to a lesser degree than in the South. Wastewater concentration is also rising in the West, including California, Hawaii and Alaska. (Caveat: there are only five wastewater sampling sites for all of Alaska.)
The Midwest and Northeast are in better shape with minimal to low activity according to both ED visits and wastewater concentration. However, activity is increasing, so there might be more to say in a few weeks.
