Outbreak Outlook for Labor Day weekend

ILI

Nationally, influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI) remains minimal. However, as I noted last week, there are some signs that ILI is starting up again, including a slight increase in outpatient visits, to 1.8% nationally.

The increase is most apparent among children and young adults, which makes sense as kids and teachers have returned to classrooms in the past couple weeks.

Both Georgia and Washington DC have transitioned from “minimal” to “low” ILI activity. In Georgia, ILI accounted for 3.4% of all outpatient visits last week, surpassing the regional baseline of 3.3% that marks the beginning of flu season. This increase was primarily concentrated among those aged 5-24, followed by 25-49.

Covid-19

Covid-19 activity is still very high, with all regions seeing elevated transmission. The South has surpassed the West as the region with the highest wastewater concentration, and the Midwest and Northeast are continuing to see increasing levels.

Emergency department visits for Covid-19 held steady at an elevated 2.5%. However, hospitalizations declined notably last week at the national level, to 3.1 per 100,000 people.