COVID-19, RSV and flu by the numbers: How they’re impacting Delaware ahead of holidays

As winter arrives, Delaware public well being officers have been advising folks to be cautious of the “tripledemic”: the continued risk of COVID-19 mixed with flu season and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

However how precisely are all these respiratory sicknesses affecting communities throughout the state?

Whereas some knowledge is just not publicly obtainable resulting from small numbers elevating privateness considerations, in line with the state Division of Public Well being, officers shared a handful of statistics throughout a current press briefing on winter viruses that do assist reply this query.

Listed below are some essential numbers to know as we head into the vacation season and well being officers control RSV, flu and COVID-19.

104 of whole 505 RSV circumstances had been reported in a single week in November

Whereas the state’s RSV knowledge is restricted – partially as a result of it is dependent upon suppliers voluntarily reporting laboratory-confirmed circumstances – DPH reported a season whole of 505 confirmed circumstances as of Nov. 5.

Of these 505 circumstances, 104 of them had been reported between Oct. 30 and Nov. 5.

A standard virus that impacts many youngsters underneath the age of two every winter, RSV is often delicate with nearly cold-like signs however may cause extra extreme respiratory points for particularly younger youngsters or older adults, in line with public well being officers and epidemiology specialists.

Whereas this knowledge could seem like a surge due to the dramatic enhance in circumstances, Dr. Jennifer Horney, founding director of the epidemiology program on the College of Delaware, has stated in earlier interviews that it’s essential to maintain watching this native knowledge to guage whether or not these circumstances could proceed to develop or stage off after this potential early spike.

Nonetheless, well being care suppliers throughout the state have expressed considerations about this enhance and almost each hospital has reported an inflow of sufferers with respiratory sicknesses, together with RSV.

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86 folks had been hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Nov. 9

Despite the fact that this quantity has elevated to 99 as of Nov. 17, public well being and different elected officers like Gov. Carney have emphasised that it’s essential to think about hospitalizations within the context of the earlier years.Whereas 86 folks had been hospitalized throughout that first week in November, hospitalizations had been at 127 in 2020 and 148 in 2021, in line with knowledge from DPH.

That is encouraging and an indication that vaccines are serving to to scale back the severity of the sickness, Carney stated, however public well being officers are nonetheless January with warning. The earlier two years each noticed peak hospitalizations throughout mid-January with 759 hospitalized in 2022 and 474 in 2021.

Lower than 1 / 4 of the 65+ age group received the most recent booster thus far

One of many greatest wins for the state is that just about 95% of Delawareans who’re no less than 65 years previous are absolutely vaccinated.

However that very same inhabitants is just not getting their bivalent boosters on the similar charge, in line with Molly Magarik, cupboard secretary for the Division of Well being and Social Companies.

As of Nov. 10, solely 23.8% of individuals 65 years and older have obtained a bivalent booster dose in Delaware. That proportion is even decrease in youthful demographics.

Getting this bivalent booster, which targets each the unique pressure and the omicron pressure of COVID-19, will likely be key in defending folks and lowering the severity of sickness this winter, Magarik stated.

“Having the first collection alone, with out the booster, is just not going to provide the similar stage of safety,” she stated.

Individuals 5 years previous and up can get this booster so long as they’re two months out from the first collection of the vaccine (these first two pictures or one shot of Johnson & Johnson) and three months out from the final time they had been contaminated with COVID-19.

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1,404 reported circumstances of flu between Oct. 2 and Nov. 12

Flu is coming in earlier and tougher this yr in Delaware, as it’s throughout the nation. Final yr, flu circumstances solely began first showing in November, however this yr Delaware has already reported 772 circumstances by Nov. 5.

These circumstances solely proceed to rise. As of Nov. 12, Delaware had 1,404 reported circumstances of influenza. Almost 600 of these circumstances had been reported throughout the week of Nov. 6.

DPH now affords a public web site for monitoring flu circumstances and vaccination charges much like the COVID-19 dashboard.

A little bit greater than 26% of Delawareans have obtained their flu vaccine

Each Magarik and Dr. Priscilla Mpasi, a pediatric doctor at ChristianaCare, inspired folks to get vaccinated for COVID-19 and flu – and that folks can get each vaccines without delay.

Nonetheless, solely 26.2% of individuals in Delaware obtained their flu vaccine as of Nov. 12.

The flu vaccine is on the market for anybody 6 months previous or older.

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Emily Lytle covers Sussex County from the inland cities to the seashores, with a deal with health-related points. Received a narrative she ought to inform? Contact her at elytle@delmarvanow.com or 302-332-0370. Comply with her on Twitter at @emily3lytle.