Triple threat of flu, RSV and COVID-19 could pose test for hospitals in Stanislaus County
A severe flu season may be coming to the Northern San Joaquin Valley, along with the brutal surge of respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, that’s affecting children.
COVID-19 may pose a third threat to residents as people gather for holiday activities, creating the conditions for respiratory viruses to spread.
The seasonal flu has struck hard in other regions of the United States, causing an estimated 2.8 million cases, 23,000 hospitalizations and 1,300 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Some hospitals in Southern California have overflow tents outside emergency departments to handle a rush of patients with flulike symptoms.
Emergency room visits for influenza began rising in early November in Stanislaus County, according to county data. About 10 people per day were going to ERs with flu-like symptoms, as of Nov. 5, the most recent period for which data is available. Test samples showed 84 positive tests for influenza A viruses, such as H3N2, the predominant strain this fall. So far, there have been no deaths reported.
Respiratory viruses are expected to spread swiftly after schools are out for Thanksgiving and families gather in close quarters for holiday parties.
“During the winter season, while most people remain indoors, the chance of transmission of any respiratory illness increases,” county public health spokeswoman Kamlesh Kaur said via email. “We ask our community members to take as much precaution as possible to stop the spread, so the vulnerable populations are protected.”
No one is sure whether COVID-19 will surge again this winter. According to the county Health Services Agency, Stanislaus has some of the lowest COVID infection rates this month since the coronavirus surfaced here in March 2020.
Hospitals in the county are getting a total of 40 to 45 emergency room visits daily from people with COVID-like symptoms. About 5% of tests for COVID-19 are positive, down from 20% in early August.
Children started coming down with RSV in September, sending many to local hospitals.
The 22-bed pediatric unit at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto is filled with young children suffering from the respiratory virus, said Dr. Navneet Gill, the hospital’s medical director of infection control.
The medical center has to arrange a transfer for any RSV-infected child who needs a ventilator for breathing assistance. The hospital was able to find beds at crowded children’s hospitals for a couple of kids who needed a transfer, Gill said, but hospitals in the region are swamped.
Gill said RSV may not slow down until February if the seasonal virus follows historical patterns. It typically spreads in the Central Valley from late October to February.
The state reported Monday that a child under 5 years old died after being infected with flu and RSV. No local deaths have been reported.
The illness, which can cause severe bronchitis and pneumonia, is a danger to infants and children with underlying health conditions. If a young child has difficulty breathing, the parents should not wait to take the child to the hospital emergency department, Gill said. Hospital staff may use inhalers to keep the child from getting pneumonia.
What about COVID-19?
Gill said the Modesto hospital is not seeing many patients with COVID-19. She said vaccinations, booster shots and immunity from previous infections have most likely tamped down its spread this fall.
People can be reinfected with COVID, but generally a repeat infection is not as severe, Gill said.
County residents can get flu shots from their health care provides and pharmacies, and low-income residents, who don’t have health coverage, can receive the vaccine at the county immunization clinic at 401 Paradise Road in Modesto. A person getting a flu shot should have immunity in two weeks, according to the Mayo Clinic website.
Vaccines and booster vaccines are available for people wanting to avoid a serious case of COVID-19. There is no vaccine to keep children from contracting RSV.
The county Health Services Agency is advising people to get the updated COVID booster shot, especially adults 50 years or older, to reduce the risk of serious illness or hospitalization. The booster vaccine guards against the original coronavirus, as well as the highly contagious omicron variants of COVID-19.
The county health agency also recommends the COVID vaccine for pregnant women and those who recently gave birth.
To keep from spreading respiratory viruses, people can take basic precautions such as washing hands and cleaning commonly used items often, covering coughs and staying home when you are sick.
Appointments for a COVID-19 vaccination or booster shot can be scheduled at myturn.ca.gov or call 833-422-4255.
This story was originally published November 17, 2022 at 12:14 PM.
