Thirteen states reported “high” respiratory virus activity: Montana, South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Iowa, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware, according to a Feb. 28 report from the agency.
Wisconsin and New Hampshire reported “very high” activity.
Here are four respiratory illness updates:
- On a national level, influenza test positivity decreased to 24.5%, while COVID-19 and RSV positivity rates remained steady at 4.3% and 7.1%.
- Wastewater surveillance showed high levels of influenza A, moderate COVID-19 activity and low RSV levels.
- Influenza-related emergency department visits were expected to remain high but decline in the coming weeks, while COVID-19 visits are predicted to stay low, the CDC report said.
- The FDA canceled the March 13 advisory committee meeting, during which experts were set to recommend strains for next season’s flu vaccine. The movesparked concerns among public health officials and vaccine manufacturers, NBC News reported Feb. 27. “If the strain selection happens much later than now, it’s going to be really, really tight, but the manufacturers will scramble and can make it happen,” Litjen Tan, PhD, co-chair of the National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit, told the news outlet. “If the delay is any longer than late March, it’s going to put manufacturers into a huge bind.”
