Respiratory illness risk remains high in Louisiana. but is starting to decline

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – After having one of the worst respiratory illness seasons in the country, Louisiana finally is on the decline in terms of hospitalizations and emergency room visits for influenza, COVID-19 and other respiratory ailments.

Numbers from the Louisiana Department of Health show 4,336 people across the state visited an emergency room seeking treatment for a respiratory illness in the week ending Feb. 3.

Emergency room visits for respiratory illnesses peaked in the week ending Dec. 23, 2023, when 10,617 people sought treatment statewide.

Hospitalizations for flu and COVID-19 also are down from peaks at the end of December and mid-January.

The percent positivity (the number of positive tests divided by the number of total tests) also is on the decline for flu, COVID-19 and RSV.

“Some of these viruses thrive best in cold weather, others do not,” said Fox 8 health educator Dr. Eric Griggs. “When it’s cold, we’re forced to go inside. A lot of us don’t do that in large congregations, unless we’re here going to Mardi Gras balls, which happen every other day. The more people are inside, the more respiratory viruses tend to propagate.”

Griggs said the news is positive, but that rates are still elevated in Louisiana and people shouldn’t let slip their defenses. He said taking simple measures to protect yourself and your family include frequently washing hands, coughing and sneezing into elbows, isolating when you get a positive test result and wearing a mask in large groups.

“As COVID becomes more infectious, it tends to become milder,” Griggs said. “It (also) becomes more contagious, and you tend to see the numbers go up.”

In the first week of January, Louisiana was listed as having “very high” — the top level — influenza activity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have since downgraded Louisiana to “high” risk for respiratory illness.

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